Arts and Entertainment: A Beach for Just the Right Reasons
Summer is here and before you can say Melanoma people will be heading to the shores in droves. So, as the smell of suntan lotion fills the air and bathing suits are unveiled for the season, NurseVillage has decided to point our nurses in the direction of our country’s best beaches.
Compiled from various sources — The Travel Channel to National Geographic — you’ll find the perfect beach for the perfect occasion.
The Best of the Best Beaches:
If you’re looking for an all around beautiful beach, here’s where you’ll want to plant your toes in the sand:
Trunk Bay, St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands– You’ll feel like you just stepped into a postcard. Trunk Bay's clear, warm waters and silky coral sands create a natural paradise. Visitors can bask in the tropical sun, snorkel the 225-yard-long Underwater Trail of reefs, or explore the park, which consists of hiking trails, and the ruins of historic sugar plantations, remnants of St. John's Danish colonial past.
Fort DeSoto Park, North Beach, St. Petersburg, FL– Dr. Stephen Leatherman, known best as “Dr. Beach” says this is a natural jewel on the finger of a sun-drenched city. DeSoto is a long, wide, sugar sand beach with great shelling and thriving natural dunes, on the Gulf of Mexico. There's also a 105-year-old fort that's a landmark of Florida history, hence the name “Fort DeSoto Park”.
Ocracoke Island, Outer Banks, NC– Once the stomping grounds of Blackbeard the Pirate this get away can only be reached by sea or by air. Whether you'd like to swim, fish, surf, or just improve your tan, this is the place to visit.
Coronado Beach, San Diego, CA– This is a sweeping, glittering beach that is charming, historic and ideal if you love the outdoors. Swim, surf, sail, fish… you can even frolic with your pet on the dog beach… whatever water-related activity you can think of you can find at Coronado.
Hamoa Beach, Maui, HI– Once referred to as the world’s most perfect beach, Hamoa offers amazing scenery with 4,000-ft high cliffs, flame red bromeliads and gray sand beaches. This is Polynesian perfection.
T.H. Stone Memorial St Joseph Peninsula State Park, St. Joe, FL– Home to some of the whitest quartz crystal sand in the world, this beach will take your breath away. Emerald green waters lap at the shore, high dunes and sand pine scrub wait on the sidelines and a list of activities consume you.
Best Beaches for Romance:
While we can’t guarantee that you’ll get the attention you’re looking for, the following beaches will definitely help set the mood.
Santa Catalina Island, CA–Only 22 miles away from the big, smoggy city of LA, Catalina Island feels like another world. Originally purchased by William Wrigley, Jr., the chewing-gum magnate, this paradise is remote and has remained unspoiled.
Little Palm Island, FL–A hidden treasure in the Florida Keys, only accessible by boat or seaplane. Come for the finest dining and spa experiences, watersports and the luxury of 'Do Nothing' time, all in an idyllic setting in the Florida Keys.
Kiawah Island, South Carolina–Ten miles of wide, immaculate, ocean beach on which one – or two – might walk for hours and hours without interruption. Soothing by day, utterly romantic by night, the beach is complemented by the island’s river, meandering lagoons, and pristine marshlands.
Carmel Beach, Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA–With one of the most dramatic coastlines in the world, Carmel’s crashing waves calm your nerves while making your senses stand at attention. This is not a swimmers beach, which helps to add to the quiet, romantic appeal.
Driftwood Beach, Jekyll Island, GA–Ride horses amongst the twisted shapes of uprooted, trees in what was once the escape for many of the wealthiest Americans. Now, not quite as exclusive but just as charming Driftwood Beach offers the perfect setting to rekindle any romance.
Little Ones Welcome...Best Family Beaches:
Pack the shovels, pails, umbrellas, beach balls, picnic baskets and whatever else you can cram in the minivan… here are the best beaches for the whole gang.
Ocean City, New Jersey–People from New Jersey don’t go to the beach, instead they go “down the shore.” This term alone bring a homey feel to mind and with Ocean City’s boardwalk and strict no liquor laws this becomes a perfect family haven.
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park, Lakeshore, MI–Yes, it’s on a lake but sand is sand and therefore it counts as a beach. With a 35-mile stretch of Lake Michigan's eastern coastline Sleeping Bear offers world-class sand dunes that make up an unbeatable natural playground.
Balboa Peninsula Beaches, Newport Beach, CA–Here you can rent everything from boogie boards to skates, bikes, chairs and towels. And with a playground and jungle gym on the south side of the pier this is a great spot for families of all ages.
Cannon Beach, Cannon Beach, OR–The seasonal array of bird population along with the Gray Whale sightings could cause enough excitement amongst the youngsters. But add to that the 235-ft majestic Haystack Rock that rises from the waters and you have yourself an hour or two of complete distraction for the kids.
