Try One of the Top 10 Beaches in America

There is a lot of talk about the new hurricane season being under way. And, for the most part, that is how to prepare for the worst like Hurricane Katrina and/or Hurricane Rita. Officials all over the United States from politicians in Louisianna to Washington, D.C., are issuing press releases filled with information that they hope will save lives this season. What's more, organizations like the American Red Cross as well as local disaster relief outfits throughout the Gulf Coast from Florida to Texas continue to serve as a turn-to shoulder for people who have been dealing with past hurricanes.

Even though the thought of yet another hurricane season has become real this June, there is something much more pleasing to talk about when it comes to world's waters. Yes, there is better news these days. The top 10 beaches in the United States have been listed. Dr. Stephen Leatherman heads Florida International University's Laboratory for Coastal Research, he recently shared that list with the Associated Press.

Waves will crash upon the shores of some of the country's best beaches in 2006. It turns out that six states are represented:

1) Fleming Beach (island of Maui in Hawaii)
2) Caladesi Island State Park (Dunedin, Florida)
3) Ocracoke Island (Outer Banks of North Carolina)
4) Coopers Beach (Southampton, New York)
5) Hanalei Beach (island of Kauai, Hawaii)
6) Main Beach (East Hampton, New York)
7) Coast Guard Beach (Cape Cod, Massachusetts)
8) Coronado Beach (San Diego, California)
9) Hamoa Beach (island of Maui, Hawaii)
10) Barefoot Beach Park (Bonita Springs, Florida)

While it is true that the sites are considered to be some of the most attractive areas in the world, they are also practical, according to the AP. Scientific and ecological factors were accounted for when compiling the list. As it is, there were some four dozen factors that were considered including facilities and management.

Leatherman, who entitles himself as "Dr. Beach," though he loves the nation's beaches for its recreational intrigue, Leatherman he began "studying the coastal environment for more than 30 years and began compiling his list of top beaches in 1991."

So, whether you plan to spend your vacation beyond the continental coast in Maui, Hawaii, or our dream is to dash in the salt water of the Outer Banks of North Carolina, somewhere in between there is likely to be a beach for you this summer season.