White sands, bathing lagoons and ecologically important dune systems – life's a beach in the U.S. DUKE KAHANAMOKU BEACH, OAHU, HAWAII Topping the list of America’s best beaches in 2024, as designated by beach expert Dr Stephen Leatherman (aka Dr Beach), this wide stretch of golden sand at the western end of Oahu’s Waikiki Beach is protected by an offshore coral reef. And with a bathing lagoon behind it, is ideal for families. GULF SHORES, ALABAMA Miles of pristine, white-quartz sand lapped by the waters of the Gulf of Mexico stretch along Alabama’s Gulf Shores coastline, with some of the 15 public beaches located within Gulf State Park that includes campsites, cabins and cottages. Between May and October, three species of turtles – loggerhead, green and Kemp’s ridley – nest on the area’s beaches to lay their eggs, the hatchlings appearing 60 days later. CANNON BEACH, OREGON This four-mile beach has 44 public beach access points and is dominated by Haystack Rock. The largest of a series of offshore sea stack rock formations dotting Cannon Beach, it stands 235 feet high. During spring and summer, it provides nesting for a colony of puffins while other birds sometimes seen on or around the rock include guillemots, cormorants and bald eagles. Tillamook Rock Lighthouse sits atop rugged basalt rocks just off Cannon Beach. NAGS HEAD BEACH, OUTER BANKS, NORTH CAROLINA Nags Head's 12-mile beach is benefitting from a nourishment programme designed to improve several Outer Banks beaches. Situated on Bodie Island within the Cape Hatteras National Seashore and established in the 1830s as North Carolina’s first tourist destination, Nags Head’s is popular among families and open water swimmers. It includes Jockey’s Ridge State Park, the tallest active sand dune system in the eastern U.S. Visitors can climb the 156-foottall Bodie Lighthouse, the third on the site. Michigan’s Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore is known for its limestone cliffs but also incorporates the aptly named Twelve Mile Beach SHORE THINGS Discover some of America’s finest beaches from coast to shining coast, as well as in Hawaii and on Caribbean island Puerto Rico BEACH LIFE GREG VAUGHN 40 visitusa.org.uk
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