Top Five Beaches in America

One of the great things about the United States is that it has some of the best beaches in the World. So many beaches, in fact, that it makes it difficult to narrow down a list. For instance, while you may find the best sunrise in Key West, Florida, there is no sand there to while away a lazy day sunbathing. For this reason, one of the top criteria of this list is awesome sand.

The second criteria is restaurants and shopping right on the main strip along the beach so you don't have to get dressed to go eat, or to run in and grab some more sun block. In this day and age, convenience is everything. All of these selections meet that criteria, and have enough food variety to suit anyone's budget.

Most of you will no doubt notice a lack of Hawaii beaches on this list. This seeming over-sight is due to the fact that you just cannot go wrong in Hawaii where beaches are concerned. Pick an island, any island. The second reason for the omission is price. Hawaii is considerably more expensive than all but the most well-to-do teen can afford.

Lastly, these Best of the Best had to be fun! Eventually you will get tired of even the best sand, shopping, and body boarding, so all of these beaches on the list have other activities available such as jet ski rental, parasailing, convenient movie theatres, and so forth. These beaches are just plain chock full of fun alternatives once you reach that golden hue.

1. Fort Lauderdale Beach, Florida offers a little bit of everything. The weather here is good year round, the sand is pristine, and the water is warm. If you get hungry, there are plenty of restaurants right along the strand, as well as lots of touristy shops for cheap souvenirs.

2. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina may be a bit towards the over-done side of touristy, but it is a fun kind of over-the-top. Billboards, neon, pretty lights everywhere, and plenty enough to see and do here to keep even the most hyper teen amused. Do check out Barefoot Landing while you are here.

3. Hermosa Beach, California is where all the cool people gather in the greater Los Angeles area to go surfing. This is where you will find not only very nice beaches and lots to do, but National Volleyball and Surfing competitions as well.

4. Jones Beach, New York has everything you could ever want, and more. Shopping is abundant, food is everywhere, the sand is magnificent, and they have some of the best live concerts in the country. If you get bored at this one, it is your own fault entirely.

5. Venice Beach, California is the place to go if you want to saturate your senses. It is a nice beach to sunbath on, with the added benefit of being able to watch some of the most colourful characters ever in the form of street artists. Great sidewalk shopping and restaurants here, too.

Virginia Beach, Virginia just missed making this list due to their lack of easy access. You must park a bit away from the beach and either walk or take a bus. This makes it a bit too much of a hassle to make the Top Five list. Nice beach though, with tons of shopping and good, affordable food.

Another wonderful spot that just missed is Ocean City, Maryland. This is a beautiful place but the lack of area to lay out in is a shame.

South Beach Miami, Florida missed due to its trend toward the bar scene lately, along with the weeds you have to wade through to get to the beach itself.

Galveston, Texas has a nice strip of beach and is very rich in history, but there are not many places to shop or eat without getting in your car and driving to them. Additionally, both places in Galveston are more expensive than most students are looking for.

Noank, Connecticut is a wonderful coastal community with some of the best, yet affordable, shopping and dining in the country. The exclusion of this beach is due to it just not quite having the level of actual beach as those in the Top Five.

If it is sun-n-surf you seek, look no further than this list.

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An edited version of my article appeared in the June /July 2006 issue of Teen Trend Magazine. Reprinted here with permission.