The U.S. has 95,471 miles of shoreline, some parts more pristine than others.
Because nothing quite says "summer" like sand between your toes, salty air, and the lullaby of waves crashing on shore, we set out to find the best beaches in the U.S.
For this list, we looked at six notable beach rankings compiled by travel experts, vacationers, and water quality researchers and combined these rankings to come up with the ultimate list of the Best Beaches in the U.S.
The rankings we used were Dr. Beach's Top 10 Beaches for 2014, Trip Advisor's 2014 Travelers' Choice Awards Top 25 Beaches in the United States, Travel + Leisure's Best Beaches on Earth, Natural Resources Defense Council's Superstar Beaches, CNN's World's 100 Best Beaches, and Condé Nast Traveler's Best U.S. Islands for Beaches.
20. Beachwalker Park – Kiawah Island, South Carolina
Roughly 20 miles from downtown Charleston, Kiawah Island's 10 miles of beaches are set among perfectly preserved maritime forests, sand dunes, and marshes. Beachwalker Park, mentioned among Condé Nast's Best U.S. Islands for Beaches list, is the island's only stretch of sand with public parking, lifeguards, and restrooms.
Source: Flickr/Bill Sutton
19. Barefoot Beach Preserve – Bonita Springs, Florida
Dr. Beach named Barefoot Beach No. 2 on his list of Top 10 Beaches for 2014. The pristine setting provides up-close access to tons of animal species, including sea turtles who nest in the sand dunes during the summer months.
Source: Flickr/chrisgriffith
18. Cape Hatteras – Outer Banks, North Carolina
Dr. Beach's fourth favorite beach, Cape Hatteras, made the Natural Resources Defense Council's "superstar list" for its crystal clear, unpolluted waters. The historic Cape Hatteras Lighthouse on site has 257 steps leading to panoramic views.
Source: Flickr/thebetancourts
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