What's your favorite US beach and why?

[usregimechange]

Mine I haven't been to yet.

[Redleg]

1. Omaha Beach.

Our soldiers really took it to the Huns there back in June 1944.

[LiberallyInclined]

50. ummm...isn't that a french beach?

nt

[caledesi]

2. Caladesi Island, Dunedin FL....always voted one of the top

five beaches in the US. Aqua water....white sand...just beautiful.

[Reverend_Smitty]

15. When I lived in Florida...

my mom and I used to go there all the time. I agree it is very beautiful, and this is coming from a person who is not a beach person at all!

[Igel]

3. There's a beach on the E side of Oahu in Waimalo that

you can only get to from Kalananaole Hwy by foot, as far as I can tell. Surrounded by houses where there's room between it and the hwy (backyards face the beach, not the fronts of the houses), and a stretch empty land along the highway itself (the land is full of brush and trees, so you can't see the beach well fromm the road, or the road from the beach).

A fairly large crescent, white sand, just the right amount of palm tree, with a little barrier reef off shore to keep the large waves out.

And I forgot to add: Only the people in the neighborhood really know about it. Go on a weekday when they're at work, and you're absolutely alone.

[pintobean]

11. I've been there.

On the far right side, as you face the water, the waves miss the barrier and come in around 8-10 feet high.

[Igel]

16. Ah. I did not know that. Didn't get that far over

(sort of established my little base and stayed put).

Is it a good beach, or what?

[pintobean]

37. Fantastic.

I hadn't thought about it for so long. I drank a lot back then (early 80's), so my memory isn't that great. Thanks for the reminder.

[flygal]

19. I think you're talking about LaniKai

Did you go to the absolute end of the road, and from the beach you can see the two islands - Makao's - I believe. Anyways, here's a view



It was voted best beach on Travel Channel a couple of years ago.

[Igel]

34. I don't think so.

http://www.thetimesharebeat.com/hawaii/oahu/o_map.htm has a map of beaches with Lanikai shown being near Kailua.

I was staying with a friend near Waimanalo (also on the map), and the beach was maybe a 10-15 minute walk from his front door.

It may be Waimanalo Bay Beach.

Go to http://www.hawaii.com/visit/oahu/maps/index.php and click on Waimanalo. '"This quiet "country" town — located a few miles south of the town of Kailua — boasts the island's longest stretch of beach. Waimanalo's white-sand beach has been rated in the Top 10 by USA Today, and was prominently featured in the TV series, "Magnum P.I."'

[barb162]

94. I have been to this beach...totally lovely and never many people

it is WONDERFUL

[kwassa]

59. I like Hanauma Bay, the snorkeling is amazing

Even though it is a tourist trap, this bay, which is a volcanic crater washed out on one side by the sea, has huge, tame schools of tropical fish that swim right up to you, and all around you.

My one act of bravery in my life was that I saved a young girl from drowning, a Japanese tourist who spoke no English.






then there is the Toilet Bowl, just round the bend from Hanauma

[UdoKier]

4. Bahia Honda Beach in the Florida Keys - the nicest I've been to in the US.

Miami's Crandon Park Beach and Clearwater Beach are also nice.

Beaches in CA are great if you're a surfer in a wetsuit. If you just want to swim, they suck because the water is ice-cold year-round.

[yellowdogintexas]

12. Bahia Honda is a wonderful beach. no surf but such a nice

beach. Especially nice for small children, since it stays shallow for a long distance, and you can see all kinds of tiny colorful fish there

[tinfoilinfor2005]

21. I live in the Keys and we take it for granted

but it is a gorgeous beach. Also the county beach next to the Fort (modest fee at entrance booth) in Key West is one of my favorites but a little hard to find. But any local can direct you there.

[arwalden]

36. I Love Bahia Honda... Did You Walk Out To The End Of The Old Bridge?

... it's an excellent spot to watch the sunset!

[enigmatic]

5. Euclid Beach..

[HeyManThatsCool]

6. Outer Banks, North Carolina

Fabulous Family memories.
we go every year as a group.


great times

[CrownPrinceBandar]

23. back in the 70's, and early 80's....................

the Outer Banks was a paradise. There used to be huge stretches of beach up north in Duck and Corolla where you could spend the day and not see a soul. My family would vacation there for two weeks every summer, and my uncle was an electrician down there for many years.

Now, its just commercial hell. The beach road is way overdeveloped and just begging for a hurricane to take all the developments out. The bypass is worse, Wal-Mart land as far as they eye can see.

I weep for the Nags Head that was. But, the landscape is still beautiful.

[livetohike]

29. Crying with you CrownPrince

My husband and his family used to camp on Ocracoke in the late 50's and early 60's. My husband took me there in 1974.

We cried the whole way down the chain of islands when we went there in 1993 after a 12 year gap in visiting the Outer Banks.

I wrote a letter to the Gov. of North Carolina after that visit. We haven't been back. I will try to remember it as it was when I first saw it. :cry:

[kwassa]

60. We were there during Hurricane Alex last year

Tropical storm Alex turned into a hurricane right offshore, and there was no time to evacuate. We rode it out for a day with winds in the range of 80 - 100 miles an hour, with gusts up to 120 mph. Beautiful weather before and afterwards.

The hurricane was underreported and ignored at first. The great damage was on the sound side, where flooding inundated and ruined hundreds of tourist cars, both in Hatteras and Ocracoke.

All beaches get developed, everyone wants to be therebut large sections of the Outer Banks are still preserved as national seashore and remain relatively wild. The one thing that I don't like is that it is legal to drive on the beaches, and fishermen do.

[livetohike]

63. The shocking thing for us was

that we thought all of the Outer Banks was Nat'l Seashore - to be preserved and not developed. We couldn't even see the Hatteras Lighthouse from the road due to the "new" construction around it. When we were there in 1981 there were large stretches of pristine beach and marshland with small fishing villages. Nags Head was slightly developed.

I remember when you weren't allowed to walk on the sand dunes for fear of damaging the sea oats. Yes, seeing vehicles on the beach was a major shock back in 1993.

We may return to Ocracoke one day, but we won't be driving down from the North end.

[Dervill Crow]

83. Nag's Head

My in-laws vacation there, and we've been once and it's awesome. It's an awful long drive for us, though, so we go to Gleneden Beach here in Oregon.

[JimmyJazz]

7. Rehoboth Beach, DE - it's a family beach that loves gay people!

How can you go wrong with that combination?

[petronius]

87. Off topic, but...

...if there was a competition for the DU post that we would most like to see posted at the 'other place', then this would win my vote. Reactions would be priceless...

Back on topic, my beach of choice is the long northern beach at Point Reyes, CA.

[Kathy in Cambridge]

8. Race Point, Provincetown; Good Harbor Beach, Gloucester

Crane Reservation Ipswich. The beaches of Cape Cod National Seashore are some of the most beautiful in the country. The North Shore of Boston has some nice beaches also.

[ConcernedCanuk]

9. Black's Beach - LaJolla CA

.
.
.




:silly:

[Seabiscuit]

38. Del Mar Beach, Del Mar California - just north of Black's Beach

because Del Mar beach (1) is a very short drive from my house; (2) has very nice sand and lots of it; (3) has very clean ocean water; (4) has perfect waves for body surfing and good waves for board surfing; (5) has two great restaurants, one with an outdoor heated patio on the beach - Jakes's and the Poseidon; (6) the surfing area is separated from the swimming area; (7) it's well life-guarded; (8) there's a "dog's beach" at the north end; and (9) it has its own park adjacent to it; and (10) the area is stunningly beautiful.

I've been to beaches all over Hawaii and the coast of California and Oregon, all around Florida and Long Island and the Carribbean, and still my heart belongs to Del Mar Beach. Living so close I'm happy as a Del Mar clam.

The last time I was at Black's Beach it was nudist. Which is fine, but it sure is a long hike to get there and back. Torrey Pines State Beach between Black's and Del Mar is popular, but not as nice as either.

[ConcernedCanuk]

41. "The last time I was at Black's Beach it was nudist" - Zactly . .

.
.
.

I don't like getting tan lines,

and yeah, there's the "scenery".


It was about a 5 minute hike down the hill from the Glider Point parking lot,

About twice that getting back up.

Well,

THAT depended on the :toast: and :smoke: one may have consumed on the beach :silly:

I remember one Loooooooong hike back up the hill after over-indulging :crazy:


I never saw anything "dirty" going on,

BUT,

I saw a few that should have stayed clothed . . . :eyes:

[Seabiscuit]

100. So what part of rainy, mud-slidin' SD do you hail from?

[ConcernedCanuk]

102. I be back in Canada, in Northern Ontario

.
.
.

Was in SanDee 79-80

Lived in La Mesa, National City, Mission Valley, Bonita and Chula Vista

Yup

I was movin around!

Had a heck of a time

:bounce:


Was gonna retire there in a few years -

But ur pResident fecked that idea up

I won't even VISIT Stateside with the likes of the Boy King running the USA

(sigh)

[Seabiscuit]

112. I don't blame you. I hung out in France until I turned 26 and was no

longer eligible to be drafted into the Vietnam fiasco.

If I could move to Canada today I would, much as I like San Diego.

[ConcernedCanuk]

113. I had a Vietnam vet for a room-mate for a bit in 79

.
.
.

Nice guy, but weird . . He was only around is mid 20's.

never said hello on entering, or see ya later sort of thing when he left. He wasn't on drugs, never drank, but was sort of in a "zone" as we say today . .

ONCE, he told me a few of the things he had seen/done in Vietnam -

Then told me NEVER to bring up the subject again

From what he told me, I understood why he did not want to talk about Vietnam, and I never asked him one question about it again, ever.

American Military is riddled with guilt over numerous war crimes in the past 5 decades.

Not much wonder those returning home have "problems".

Young men, old before their time,

for what? :shrug:

(sigh)

[RagingInMiami]

10. It doesn't even have a name

But it's a small beach north of South Beach, and all the shit that comes with it, and south of Haulover Beach, with is a nude optional beach in North Miami Beach.

[Arugula Latte]

13. Ecola State Park, north of Cannon Beach, Oregon

Wow. Wow wow wow.

Spectacular scenery. Forests plunging down to the sea. Cliffs and giant rocks with surf crashing into them. Beautiful secluded beaches. I looooove that place.

[Arugula Latte]

14. Well, pretty much ANY beach in Hawaii is spectacular, too.

In a very different way than the Northwest coastline, of course.

I've been to many beaches up and down California, to Sanibel in Florida, Gloucester in Mass., Rehoboth, Outer Banks, Assateague Island (Wild Ponies Kick and Bite!), Chincoteague, Cape May, the Maine Coast -- all wonderful in very different ways. Oh, yeah, and I spent lots of time on the shores of Lake Erie in Ohio -- many good childhood memories there, in spite of the dead fish that used to wash up regularly.

I have a "thing" for Chincoteague/Assateague because of reading Marguerite Henry's "Misty of Chincoteague" about ten times when I was a horse-obsessed child.

[Igel]

18. Yes, truly stunning scenery. I've been there a few times,

picnicked up on the cliff. The Oregon coast is one of those places where you constantly get out of the car and say "wow!".

I checked out Agate Beach, but couldn't figure out what was so great about it.

But my favorite place on the Oregon coast wasn't a beach. It was the far end of a jetty, where you could just sit, watching the clouds and the surf crashing on the rocks below you, and think. It was long ago, and either in Seaside or Newport.

[Magrittes Pipe]

17. Euclid Beach.

:7

[sffreeways]

20. Ocean Beach

because San Francisco is behind it.

[montana_hazeleyes]

65. So true

sffreeways!

[JanMichael]

22. Huntington Beach State Park

in SC.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

24. I'm not telling you because then you'll all go there

and it won't be my favorite beach then

[giant_robot]

25. Am I the only person who thinks the beach is overrated?

Let me preface my argument by saying that I lived on the island of Crete for a year and a half, and have had access to some of the most beautiful beaches on the Mediteranean. That being said, I don't like the feel of the sun cooking my pasty-white Irish-American skin, even while wearing 15+ sunblock. It's too damn bright to read a book, even while wearing sunglasses. I hate burning my feet on superheated sand. In fact I hate playing football, frisbee, vollyball or anything else in that damn sand. I hate lying around idly with sweat running down the crack of my ass. I hate gritty sand sticking to my sweaty ass.

OK. </rant> I will say that the only saving grace of the beach experience, in my opinion, is girl watching. I choose to partake of that from a nearby cafe, in the shade, with a cold german beer.

[giant_robot]

26. So nobody else hates the beach?

I guess I'll just have to sit at the beachside cafe alone. *sniff*

[RebelOne]

98. I'll sit with you. I don't like the beach.

I hate the sandy, gritty feeling of salt water.

[Zorro]

27. Been to the beach at Frankokastello?

Falasarna? Elafonissos? Spent a couple of years on Crete myself.

Cretan beaches are interesting because of all the ancient ruins beside some of them.

[giant_robot]

28. I was stationed at Iraklion Air Station, so we mostly went to

Hersonnosos(sp?) beach, but we made occasional day trips to Malia, Hania, and Matala. If I remember correctly, Hania is more of a port than a beach. I'm thinking back about 16 years, here.

[Zorro]

30. Was at Souda in the 70's

Didn't get to too many of the beaches on the eastern end of the island.

Falasarna (far northwest end) is a fascinating beach, because the ancient city is about 30 feet above sea level now. Great for wandering around.

One not-so-nice thing about beaches in Crete was the beach tar created from all the tankers pumping out their bilges.

[giant_robot]

31. I'm sorry to say that the tar was still there in '88.

Did you ever make the hike to the top of Mt. Ida?

[Zorro]

32. Rode a donkey up to Zeus' cavern

That's as far as I went.

[DU GrovelBot]

33. ## PLEASE DONATE TO DEMOCRATIC UNDERGROUND! ##

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This week is our first quarter 2005 fund drive. Democratic
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your support.

[arwalden]

35. Waikiki

[RedSpartan]

39. The Jersey Shore baby!

[rocktivity]

43. I'm a Jersey Shore Whore, too!

From the tranquil Sandy Hook to the surfer-infested Belmar to the glorified singles bar that is Point Pleasant to the haven of Wildwood!

:headbang:
rocknation

[the Princess]

89. Yay Jersey Girls Rule!!!

I miss the shore!

[Freebird12004]

90. from the nude beach at Sandy Hook to the tip of Cape May

:headbang: :yourock:

[Lauri16]

40. I'll tell you.....

When we get back from Kauai next month. :)

[elehhhhna]

42. Ludington Michigan is really, really nice in August...

[kwassa]

68. I've been here, too! How many have I been to?

[B Calm]

77. Ludington is nice, but just south of Holland, MI is a NUDE beach..

[MrScorpio]

44. This little stretch of beach in Destin Florida

Beautiful white sand, clear blue water. I even saw tiny, weeny little fishies swimming close to the shore.

It's the only time that I had the urge to take a piece of that paradise with me.

It's sitting in a box in my garage.

[Rabrrrrrr]

45. Whichever one Einstein is on

[liberalitch]

46. Sandbridge/ Near Back Bay Wildlife Refuge in Va. Beach, Va.

Point Magoo in near oxnard ca. is cool too

[WMliberal]

58. ditto. It's where the ugly brown water ends and nice green water begins

The lack of tourists is a big plus too. Only locals.

[liberalitch]

92. Good snack bar

[Goathead]

85. False cape State Park is awesome

A little wilderness. One of my favorite spot on the planet.

[PassingFair]

47. Empire Bluffs Area of Lake Michigan

Calms me just thinking about it.

[huskerlaw]

48. Sunset Beach, Oahu

A picture says 1000 words...

[kwassa]

69. Is this where the Pipeline is?

the big waves?

[huskerlaw]

84. Close

They're both on the North Shore. Technically, the Bonzai Pipeline is west (leeward) of Sunset Beach. However, they're not far apart and are both famous for the big waves and surfing competitions.

[immoderate]

49. Far Rockaway, New York

Grew up there. Gentle waves. Temperate water. Sand like refined sugar.

--IMM

[JVS]

51. The Beach at Shady Lane Resort, Alexandria MN

[LiberallyInclined]

52. Napoopoo

besides the name, i like the swimming, the snorkelling and the locale.

[Willy Lee]

53. Moonstone Beach (Humboldt County)

OK, pretty much any of Humboldt's beaches. Oh, how I miss them!

[KurtNYC]

54. Isla Vista - north of UCSB

Starting at the lagoons of UCSB and extending about 4 miles north. Dunes, lagoons and no parking lots.

[trof]

55. Ft. Morgan, Alabama

It's at the end of a long, narrow spit of land that reaches out into the eastern side of Mobile Bay.
Super fine sugar white sand that squeaks when you walk on it.
Beaches in the northern Gulf of Mexico have quartz sand, not coral. Left by retreating glaciers.

Usually deserted and dog friendly. All the other public beaches in the area are "No dogs allowed".

Part of the National Seashore, so totally wild, no structures at all. A great beachcombing beach.

While you're there visit the fort. It's where Confederate batteries trained on Admiral "Damn the torpedoes" Farragut, who fought the Battle of Mobile Bay. The last naval battle of the war and fought after Lee had surrendered. News traveled slowly in those days.

[KittyWampus]

56. The one 2 blocks down the street. I grew up there and still go when I need

peace.

[kwassa]

57. Santa Monica Beach

It is in the center of the universe, just north of Venice Beach, just south of Malibu.

I could get to the beach in 20 minutes, park in the garages in downtown Santa Monica, take the elevated walkway over the PCH, set out the towel.

I'd do a 3.5 mile run down to the Venice Pier and back. At low tide, the sand was firm enough and flat enough for me to run barefoot along the water's edge.

this being California, there is always a lot to look at.

[LSK]

61. southern Siesta Key, fl

Walking south about a mile from turtle beach, it is really empty and there is great shelling any time of the day there. Although I havnt been there in several years. It might have changed.

[XNASA]

62. Pfeiffer-Burns in Big Sur

[kwassa]

67. And the other Pfeiffer Beach in Big Sur with the stone arch

[XNASA]

70. I remember walking down there with my wife......

...watching the seals play at sunset.

What a beautiful place.

[Blue_Tires]

64. Virginia Beach, Va.

of course I'm biased, since it is where I grew up and worked the first 18+ years of my life

[DemoTex]

66. Grayton Beach, Florida

Sugar sand. Gin-clear water. My mother and her eight sisters celebrated the end of WW-2 at Grayton Beach. My brother has a beach house there, a few doors down from Sheryl Crow.

[phusion]

71. Mission Beach, San Diego

Yea, I know it's sort of a dirty part of town...But, I have a lot of personal history at that beach and it just feels like a pleasant place to me.

Point Reyes, CA is nice, too...

[Worst Username Ever]

72. You beat me to it

I just like it because it is a cool urban beach. I don't think that is a bad part of town at all!

[maveric]

106. Too many tweakers and gangbangers in MB.

I like OB where the stoners dont bother anybody.

[kwassa]

73. Olympic Peninsula, Washington State

Amazing beach several miles long that we spent six hours on and saw no one else.

[puerco-bellies]

74. Thousand Steps - Laguna Beach California

Beautiful, and somewhat secluded because of the climb out.

[usregimechange]

75. Anyone been to Panama City FL? How is the beach?

[NC_Nurse]

79. Beautiful white sand

and green water. We go to Destin every year which isn't far from there. Panama City is pretty built up...I think it was a big destination in the '50-60's. Now they are tearing down the old hotels and putting in fancy new condos. The whole panhandle is really getting built up. My parents have a condo in Destin which was pretty small, now exploding with people in the summer. Sigh....

[leftofthedial]

76. Stem Beach

Colorado

It is the most amazing beach anywhere

[BlueHandDuo]

78. Foster Avenue Beach...

...in Chicago.

Yay for fresh-water swimming!

[Bluebear]

80. Waikiki

Yeah I know it's touristy. I love the atmosphere though.

[Jessica]

81. Hmmm ... Haven't ventured to the West Coast, but ...

I really loved St. Augustine Beach in Florida & Orange Beach in Alabama. The sand is a big factor for me - and both of these had light, fluffy sand. Loved it ... wish I was there ...

[SmileyBoy]

82. Park Point, Duluth, MN

In July, it's absolutely BEAUTIFUL. And I've swam in Lake Superior before. It's decent in July. Anyone who says you'd be crazy to swim in Lake Superior is a giant pussy.;)

[RedCloud]

86. Son of the Beach

but alas it has eroded away...

[the Princess]

88. Since I grew up in New Jersey

Sandy Hook is my favorite. And because Sandy is my real name! :)

[Vinca]

91. Kaanapali Beach, Maui

One of my all time favorite memories is sitting on the beach at sunset, all by myself, watching humpback whales breaching one after another in the channel between Molokai and Lanai. It was amazing.

[Xithras]

108. Seconded

I was there a few years back and spent an afternoon swimming with the sea turtles and some dolphins(!). The snorkeling around Black Rock was awesome as well.

I have, sitting above my computer monitor, a small jar containing some sand from Kaanapali. Whenever I get stressed out I close my eyes, run my fingers through the sand, and think back to that unforgettable afternoon.

[Vinca]

115. My first trip was in 1986 and I bought some perfume at one of the shops.

After it was gone, I saved the bottle and to this day will occasionally take a whiff of the scent to take me back to that place.

[maveric]

93. Ocean Beach, San Diego

Quiet and laid-back, a liberal haven of 10,000 where some residents have petitioned to secede from the US to become a sovereign nation.
OB is a state of mind and boasts almost of its businesses are family owned, except for Starbucks, that was protested heavily.
Walk into OB and its like 1969 all over again.

[kwassa]

95. Ocean Beach is very cool

I thought it would be a very wonderful place to live

[maveric]

97. If you could afford the rents.

The joke is, to be able to live in OB you either have to be wealthy, homeless or on SSI.

[kwassa]

101. Sounds just like Santa Monica

same economic problem

[Shredr]

96. Kapalua Bay, Maui

I arrived stressed from work in LA, just as the sun was setting. Checked into my hotel and ran down to the beach. There was no one there except a few scurrying crabs so I threw off my clothes and dove in. Instantly, all of LA disappeared and for a glorious 7 days I was in paradise. Now, when I'm stressed or anxious, that's the happy place I go to in my head.

[warrens]

99. Martha's Vineyard, any of them

The most relaxing place I have ever been.

[donheld]

103. I've never been to any US beach

:cry::cry::cry:

[Arugula Latte]

104. Where do you live?

:shrug:

[donheld]

105. Denver

I need to travel more.

[miss_kitty]

107. I don't know. I was to a couple in CA

I guess I liked Pacific Beach in San Diego.

[DrWeird]

109. Cape Meares, Oregon.

Saw it in a dream, once, before actually visiting there. Very surreal experience.

[Digit]

110. Ocean City, MD

Many fond memories of skipping school and going there.
Why am I hungry for fries all of a sudden and a bushel of crabs?

[maveric]

111. Doheny State Beach in Dana Pt. is nice.

[EastWind]

114. Easy one!

Pebble Beach, Ca.