Do you love soaking up warm rays while listening to water lap the shore? If you’re like most people, you relish spending time on a gorgeous beach in the summer sun. The next time you’re daydreaming about a beach vacation, consider heading to one of these fabulous destinations:

 

The Outer Banks, North Carolina

The Outer Banks are a breathtakingly lovely chain of barrier islands off of the coast of North Carolina. They have long been one of the most popular East Coast beach destinations. The Outer Banks are known for their calm surf and great swimming conditions, as well as for the variety of great activities offered – horseback riding on the beach, hang gliding, and a variety of water sports. You can also tour shipwrecks, visit the famous Currituck Beach Lighthouse, or make a fascinating trek to the Wright Brothers National Memorial at Kill Devil Hill.

 

Miami Beach, Florida

Miami Beach is popular with people from all walks of life – well-moneyed vacationers, the 20-something party crowd, families with kids, and folks just looking for a low-key and relaxed getaway. The white sand beaches are stunning and the warm Atlantic water offers wonderful opportunities for recreation, including kayaking and surfing. There are excellent restaurants, shops, and spas in the area, as well as more serious cultural offerings like the Bass Museum and the Holocaust Memorial.

 

Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

Myrtle beach is located just a short drive from gorgeous Charleston, SC. It’s a favorite East Coast hotspot for beachgoers of all stripes. The area offers large resorts at reasonable prices, as well as opportunities for boating, myriad watersports, and snorkeling and scuba diving. Myrtle Beach is also a great choice for you if you’re looking to include some golfing in your vacation getaway, since the area boasts over a hundred high-quality golf courses. If you’ll be traveling with kids, make sure to visit the area’s hugely popular Family Kingdom Amusement Park. 

 

San Diego, California

San Diego is a destination that lets you relish the surf and sand while also enjoying a variety of urban attractions just nearby. The area is famous for its glorious weather, ever-sunny skies, vividly blue ocean water, and bright white-sand beaches. The opportunities for watersports (particularly surfing) are endless. When you’ve had your fill of the beach, you can head out to great cultural and recreational offerings like the Museum of Contemporary Art in La Jolla and SeaWorld San Diego. In addition, the area offers wonderful hiking, walking, and running trails, like the hugely popular trails at the Torrey Pines State Reserve.

 

U.S Virgin Islands

This Caribbean hotspot offers you a wonderful combination of remote peacefulness and bustling entertainment. You’ll enjoy relaxing on the quiet and expansive beaches, as well as engaging in fun watersports like parasailing, snorkeling, and jet skiing. The area also offers wonderful restaurants and shopping venues. If you’re a history buff, you’ll enjoy learning about the colonial past of the U.S Virgin Islands, since there are ample opportunities for exploring the historical background of the area. There are three islands you can visit, each with its own unique flair – St. Thomas, St. John, and St. Croix. Why not visit all of them while you’re there?