Top -10- U.S. Beaches for Summer

The photo above is of Kailua Beach Park, in Oahu, Hawaii, where President Obama recently enjoyed 10 days of vacation downtime just before assuming the Presidency. Looks swell, doesn't it? It's hugely popular as a summer watering hole for both Hawaii residents and visitors.

And to make it official, the beach also made it into the top 10 beaches list from TripAdvisor ®. The beaches on this list were rated based on traveler popularity, so it's fair to say that TripAdvisor's 8 million or so monthly US visitors have ranked Kailua as the 5th most popular beach in the United States.
Fort de Soto, FL




The beach which came in first is Fort De Soto Park, Tierra Verde, Florida. TripAdvisor's description for Fort De Soto Park says that this beach is "Beloved for its pure white sand and clear water, the park's North Beach is a wide, family-friendly stretch of beach that is both naturally beautiful and convenient, with picnic tables, grills, and bathrooms nearby."

If you're from New Jersey or Texas or North Carolina or Massachussets, you might find it a bit strange that the beaches in Hawaii and Florida hog most of the spots in the list, with token representation for California and South Carolina. But that's actually a complex issue, which pits travelers' vacation destination preferences, budget and other aspects of travel planning againts their love for - and opinion of - a specific beach.

Whatever the choice of beach, the good news is that 58% of travelers do plan to visit the beach this summer. In a press statement, Michele Perry, vice president of global communications for TripAdvisor (www.tripadvisor.com/), said that "Recession be damned, Americans are preparing to pack up the beach bags and boogie boards en masse this summer."

The other 8 beaches are listed below, along with brief descriptions, photos and videos.
St. Andrews State Park, Panama City, Fla.

St. Andrews State Park, Panama City, Florida - As you can see in the photo above, it's an idyllic spot for a summer getaway. The weather, the emerald green water, the two fishing piers, the sugar white sands... everything is just perfect at St. Andrews State Park.

It's hard to choose, but if you had to choose from amongst all the Florida beaches for a summer family vacation, St. Andrews State Park would be at or near the top of any such list. It's great for swimming, snorkeling, scuba diving, kayaking, and canoeing. And for nature explorers, you can throw in some quality time bird-watching and nature hikes along the two trails. Superb facilities for sunbathing, picnic pavilions, full-facility campsites, concessions offering everything from snacks to fishing gear, and Island boat tours during the summer.
Hanauma Bay, Oahu, Hawaii

Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve, Oahu, Hawaii - About 32,000 years ago Hanauma Bay was created in a violent series of explosions when a volcanic vent opened underwater. The Bay is now a flooded crater surrounded by several cratered cones.

It's all very peaceful and calm - and beautiful - perfect if you're a novice swimmer or just being introduced to snorkelling and other under-water activities.

Bahia Honda State Park and Beach, Big Pine Key, Florida - Great place for a picnic and swims, with balmy sea breeze and nice weather all year round. Also popular among anglers who want to fish from shore. The park has excellent facilities for kaying and snorkelling, with boat rides to the reef.


The other 5 beaches that make up the top 10 US beaches for this summer are La Jolla Cove in La Jolla, San Diego, CA; Green Sand Beach in Hawi, Hawaii; Tunnels Beach in Kauai, Hawaii; Honeymoon Island State Park in Dunedin, Florida; and Edisto Beach State Park on Edisto Island, South Carolina.

Kailua & Hanauma photos by cliff1066, and St. Andrews Park photo by Traveling Fools of America - via - creative commons.