Posted by: islandweddingfavors on: September 24, 2008
Coral Bay, St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands
Sand: More than 40 beaches on the island — many protected by a national park.
Things To See: Long a hippie-ish hideout for old salts and new beach bums, the funky little town has none of the bling and bustle of sister islands St. Thomas and St. Croix. Here, the economy depends on the sale of tropical trinkets from rickety shacks and bikinis from a VW bus. The unofficial town hall is Skinny Legs, a beachfront bar where the burger selections are scrawled on an old windsurfing board and an old sail serves as the awning.
Sand: Three and a half miles of white-sand beaches on a long hook of land.
Things To See: To avoid the traffic of crustacean-seeking crowds, you’ll want to ditch the car. Snag a parking spot at Footbridge Bridge early in the morning ($15 for the day) and take the trolley back into town for blueberry pancakes at Bessie’s. Then stroll with a cup of coffee through the galleries and too-cute shops. Cross back over at Ogunquit Beach to find the spot you’ve staked in the sand.
Place To Stay: Dunes on the Waterfront has screened porches and Adirondack chairs just 200 yards from the main beach.
Mexico Beach, Florida
Sand: Three miles of confectioners’-sugar sands, you’ll see bald eagles, sea turtles, dolphins — and only a few footprints.
Things To See: The 1,200 residents focus is on small-town fun, with gumbo cook-offs, kingfish tournaments, and fireworks fundraisers. You can kill two beach birds with one stone at the souvenirs-and-seafood shop Shell Shack. If you want to get off the beach, take a scuba dive through a sunken oil tanker just offshore.
Place To Stay: The Driftwood Inn’s rooms have four-poster beds. The back deck has DIY barbecue grills.
Newport, Rhode Island
Sand: Exclusive clubs beaches to free, secluded spots on Aquidneck Island.
Things To See: Newport has a dramatic, ocean-crashing-on-rocks side facing the Atlantic; a cutesy, colonial side facing Narragansett Bay; and a third, Rhode Island Sound?oriented side that’s swept with beaches. Easton’s Beach (better known as First Beach) is the classic Americana spot, with a carousel, snack bar, and cabanas; Sachuset (Second) Beach is a 1.25-mile stretch below St. George’s prep school that catches the crowd runoff. Third Beach is a quiet spot for kiteboarding, kayaking, and bird-watching.
Saugatuck, Michigan
Sand: Dunes that will remind you of Cape Cod, and beaches that mimic Malibu — right in the heart of the Midwest.
Things To See: The historic, gallery-lined town has long drawn visitors. Beachgoers can cross the bridge or board a 1913 hand-cranked ferry. The ride costs a $1 and rewards passengers with the unspoiled stretch of Oval Beach, which frequently finds itself listed as one of the world’s best — despite being miles from any ocean. The nearby Saugatuck Dunes State Park has two miles of Lake Michigan shoreline, 200-foot-tall dunes, and 1,000 acres of hiking terrain.
