Travel & Leisure Great American Beaches

A friend sent me this article on American beaches. Yes, yet another list. I love lists of beaches, and know you love them too. So here are what Travel & Leisure says are some of the best beaches in America. They are split up into five categories; Secret Sands (most secluded), People Watching (best for watching people, duh), Swimming Spots, Nature Escapes, and Fun For Everyone.

Secret Sands

Horseshoe Beach
La Jolla, California
The closest thing to an undiscovered find on a bustling, built-up coast, Horseshoe will never draw big crowds with its location; the crescent moon of shoreline is only accessible by an unmarked stairwell (off Coast Boulevard near Prospect Street). T+L Tip At high tide, a rock jetty on the northern end of the beach doubles as a natural diving platform. Check-In The nearby 28-room Hotel Parisi (1111 Prospect St.; 800/525-4800; hotelparisi.com; doubles from $395) is a locally owned boutique hotel with suitably So-Cal services (craniosacral massage, Pilates).

Waianapanapa Black-Sand Beach
Maui, Hawaii
On Honokalani Road, just off the Hana Highway, is Waianapanapa, a black-sand cove set between cliffs. Watch daredevils paddle their boards beyond the weathered rock arches and lava tubes jutting from the shore. Shopping Detour At the Hasegawa General Store (5165 Hana Hwy.; 808/248-7079), load up on bargain surf shorts and folding beach chairs. Check-In Book one of the Sea Ranch Cottages facing the Pacific Ocean at Hotel Hana-Maui (5031 Hana Hwy.; 800/321-4262; doubles from $475).

Ladies Beach
Nantucket, Massachusetts
Follow dusty SUV’s as they dogleg left before Cisco Beach and bump through a maze of dirt roads to seek out laid-back Ladies Beach, on the southwestern edge of Nantucket. T+L Tip Beachcombing dogs are welcome, but bring a leash. Check-In Hang your towels in a bay-view room at the Wauwinet (120 Wauwinet Rd.; 800/426- 8718; wauwinet.com; doubles from $500).

Napeague State Park
Long Island, New York
Ask any surfer or fisherman, and he’ll extol the virtues of Montauk’s shoreline. Not as well known, however, is Napeague, between Montauk and Amagansett. T+L Tip The only way to reach the beach is via a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it right turn off Route 27 East. Shopping Detour For fashionable swimwear, head to Tracy Feith’s summer-only shop (2101 Montauk Hwy., Amagansett; 631/267-6897). Check-In There’s no need for a permit at Napeague, but guests at gray-shingled Gansett Green Manor (273 Main St., Amagansett; 631/267-3133; gansettgreenmanor.com; doubles from $275) receive free parking permits for other Hamptons beaches.

People-Watching

Butterfly Beach
Santa Barbara, California
This golden half-mile sliver, in the tony Montecito neighborhood, has head-on views of Santa Cruz Island and almost-as-reliable sightings of local celebs like Kevin Costner. T+L Tip The patio scene at Cava (1212 Coast Village Rd.; 805/969-8500; lunch for two $50) almost upstages the rock-shrimp tacos. Check-In Ask for the complimentary Beach Butler services (chair setup, two-way cordless phones) at the Four Seasons Biltmore (1260 Channel Dr.; 805/969-2261; fourseasons.com; doubles from $605).

North Avenue Beach
Chicago
A short drive from downtown, you’ll see everyone from lobster-red Ditka fans to bronzed, buff young professionals swimming, sunning, and spiking volleyballs. T+L Tip Rent bikes and all types of sports equipment at the North Avenue Beach House (1603 N. Lake Shore Dr.; 312/742-7529). Check-In At day’s end, beachgoers clean up for the J Bar at the James Chicago (55 E. Ontario St.; 877/526-3755; jameshotels.com; doubles from $250).

Fort Lauderdale City Beach
Florida
A complete cross-section of the city can be found along the three-mile stretch between Las Olas and Sunrise Boulevards: at the corner of Route A1A, coeds congregate over drinks; across from Sebastian Road, the gay area runs for a block or so; and on the northernmost end, families and retirees gather. T+L Tip Head north of Sunrise for the most elbow room. Check-In The latest luxury hotel to arrive is the 187-room St. Regis (1 N. Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd.; 954/465-2300; starwoodhotels.com; doubles from $281).

Swimming Spots

Zuma Beach
Malibu, California
Over 40 miles of coast hug the base of the Santa Monica Mountains, but natives know to take the Pacific Coast Highway straight to Zuma for mellow swells and two miles of sizzling sand. T+L Tip The area has 2,025 parking spaces, but be sure to arrive by 10:30 a.m.—come noon, the lots are full. Check-In Media mogul David Geffen revamped a faded 18-year-old hotel to open Malibu Beach Inn (22878 Pacific Coast Hwy.; 800/462-5428; malibubeachinn.com; doubles from $375) on Carbon Beach. All 47 wood-and-stone rooms have fireplaces and oceanfront balconies.

Rosemary Beach
Florida
Rosemary has the same calm Gulf waters and sparkly quartz sand (it actually squeaks between your toes) as its neighbors along the 26-mile stretch of the Florida Panhandle. The difference: vacationers jam the beaches of Easter egg–colored Seaside, but it’s possible to find yourself alone here if you time things right (between September and December, the water still averages 79 degrees). Check-In Try for one of the four Gulf-view rooms at the Pensione (78 Main St.; 850/231-1790; thepensione.com; doubles from $215), a brick-red hotel with blond-wood furnishings.

North Beach
Cape Cod, Massachusetts
With its posh boutiques and summer homes, Chatham is the Beverly Hills of Cape Cod. So it’s surprising to discover that right offshore is a nearly deserted stretch of white sand. T+L Tip The boat journey to the beach through Aunt Lydia’s Cove is half the fun, as schools of seals pop their heads above the water (Chatham Fish Pier, Shore Rd.; 508/945-5265). Check-In The Chatham Bars Inn (297 Shore Rd.; 800/527-4884; chathambarsinn.com; doubles from $375) is a shingled 1914 resort with white cottages along the shore.

Gooseberry Beach
Newport, Rhode Island
Protected by granite boulders and grassy dunes, Gooseberry’s conditions are ideal for swimming or splashing in tidal pools. Reach the Beach Bicycle along Bellevue Avenue to Newport’s 15-mile Ocean Drive, which follows the rocky Atlantic coastline facing Rhode Island Sound. Shopping Detour Stop at Angela Moore (119 Bellevue Ave.; 401/848-9695) for colorfully beaded sarongs and pink and green flip-flops. Check-In Rinse off the sea salt before heading west to the Castle Hill Inn & Resort (590 Ocean Dr.; 888/466-1355; castlehillinn.com; doubles from $419) for sunset cocktails on the oceanfront lawn.

Long Branch
New Jersey
South Beach chic has come to the Jersey Shore, with the opening of the David Collins–designed Avenue bistro and Le Club, a buzzing nightspot and beach club (23 Ocean Ave.; 732/759-2900; leclubavenue.com; dinner for two $140). Check-In Escape the crowds at Victorian B&B Cedars & Beeches (732/571-6777; cedarsandbeeches.com; doubles from $125).

Nature Escapes

Hanakapiai Beach
Kauai, Hawaii
Two miles into the 11-mile-long Kalalau Trail on Kauai’s Napali coast, Hanakapiai is a welcome pitstop. Tucked between two narrow cliffs, the beach is framed by a deposit of boulders. T+L Tip The beach is a bit of a tease: swimming is strongly discouraged, because of the violent surf. Check-In Plan ahead to book the one-room Jungle Cabana (Alaeke Rd.; 888/886-4969; junglecabana.com; from $125), if only for the outdoor, torch-lit bathtub shielded by a bamboo fence.

Pfeiffer State Beach
Big Sur, California
Windblown Pfeiffer beats out considerable coastal competition in California, thanks to stunning granite outcrops offshore—one with a tunnel worn through it. Viewfinder Walk on the sand 10 minutes north to Deer Canyon (there’s no sign, but it’s the only canyon you’ll see). A rugged trail angles up and left before ending on the bluffs. Check-In Post Ranch Inn (Hwy. 1; 831/667-2200; postranchinn.com; doubles from $550) has recently added 10 redwood rooms, but the “tree houses,” on nine-foot stilts, are still the best place to channel your inner child.

Meyers Creek Beach
Gold Beach, Oregon
In summer, the dunes blaze with purple and yellow flowers, and a rainbow of windsurfers—drawn by the waves, strong winds, and shallow sloping beach—fills the horizon. T+L Tip Don’t leave anything behind in the car. The most scenic entry is from the top of Cape Sebastian, 700 feet above the ocean. It’s a steep two miles down. Check-In The eight newly renovated rooms at nearby Tu Tu’ Tun Lodge incorporate wooden wainscoting, hand-knotted Tibetan rugs, and Italian linens (96550 N. Bank Rogue; 800/864-6357; tututun.com; doubles from $195).

Cumberland Island
Georgia
The undeveloped barrier island—a former Carnegie family retreat—has majestic wild horses, 18 miles of sugary beaches, and an abundance of hiking trails through sand dunes, palmetto forests, and bird-filled salt marshes. T+L Tip No more than 300 visitors are allowed on the island at a time, so make your ferry reservation (912/882-4335) several months ahead. Check-In At spectacular Greyfield Inn (866/401-8581; greyfieldinn.com; doubles from $350), the island’s only hotel, resident naturalist Fred Whitehead leads Jeep tours exploring the local ecology.

Fun for Everyone

Crandon Park Beach
Key Biscayne, Florida
Right offshore, a vast sandbar makes for endless wading, and on the beach you’ll also find a baseball diamond, volleyball courts, and a nature center with trails through the adjacent mangroves. T+L Tip Rent a private beach cabana on the park’s south end (305/361-5421; $20 per day). Check-In The Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne (455 Grand Bay Dr.; 305/365-4500; doubles from $269) has sandcastle competitions, sailing lessons, and seashell hunts.

Popham Beach State Park
Maine
Midcoast Maine isn’t all rocky coves, as this 1½-mile stretch of fine sand in Phippsburg proves. T+L Tip At low tide, a land bridge links the beach to Fox Island, a favorite for tide-pool hunting. Check-In Ten of the 137 rooms at Sebasco Harbor Resort (Rte. 217, Sebasco Estates; 212/225-3819; sebasco.com; doubles from $209) are in a 1940 lighthouse.

Kiawah Island
South Carolina
South of Charleston, starfish and conch shells dot Kiawah Island’s expansive 10-mile crescent. T+L Tip For privacy, head to the two easternmost miles of the beach. Check-In From its PGA-worthy golf courses to tie-dyeing sessions at the kids’ camp, the Sanctuary at Kiawah Island (1 Sanctuary Beach Dr.; 877/683-1234; kiawahresort.com; doubles from $495) has everyone covered.

Whitefish Dunes State Park
Door County, Wisconsin
Afive-minute drive through a forest of birch and beech trees brings you to a wide strip of white sand and dunes fringed with high grass on turquoise Lake Michigan. T+L Tip At the Big Red Tent pavilion, naturalists answer questions about native flora and fauna. Check-In Relax on a hammock at Blacksmith Inn (8152 Hwy. 57, Baileys Harbor; 800/769-8619; blacksmithinn.com; doubles from $205).

So what do you think? If you’ve ever been to any beaches that I’ve talked about here, or any beach that you love, please comment and let everyone know what you think.

Posted on July 26, 2007 - Filed Under Beach Vacations, Beach and Vacation Travel Tips and Help, Beaches to go See, Recommended Beaches and Places

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