Beach Vacation Ideas - AARP’s Best Beaches for 2017 Beaches
AARP s Best Beach Picks
Hatteras Island N C
The laid-back haunt of windsurfers and seaside walkers, this island is one of the more peaceful points along the Outer Banks (North Carolina’s 130-mile-long barrier-island chain). Near the southernmost tip of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore, it’s a sure bet if you like fishing, bird-watching, kayaking, biking or just chilling out and unplugging. For a fun day trip, take the free hour-long ferry ride from Hatteras Village to remote Ocracoke Island, where 16 miles of wild beaches await. Saugatuck Mich
Sunsets and sand dunes are signatures of Lake Michigan’s long, unbroken shoreline. But Saugatuck has an artistic side as well, with more than a dozen art galleries alongside a growing number of stylish restaurants. Oval Beach, the town’s main waterfront, consistently wins “best-beach” honors. Nearby Saugatuck Dunes State Park offers 2.5 miles of secluded beachfront and 200-foot-high coastal dunes. Cape Cod Mass
The arm-shaped cape is a sandy haven for all types of beach lovers. The Atlantic-facing side draws fans of big waves, and the bayside beaches, with their more placid waters, appeal to those who enjoy strolling far out toward the sea at low tide. The Cape also has a town for every taste, from quaint villages to the lively Provincetown. Must-do activities include a whale-watching excursion and renting bikes to explore the Cape Cod Rail Trail. Siesta Key Fla
Voted top beach in a recent TripAdvisor survey, Siesta Beach on this barrier island near Sarasota is a pristine stretch of white quartz sand abutting clear-blue waters. Accommodations are mostly Old Florida–style cottage resorts and condo rentals. Dining options are centered in Siesta Key Village, where you’ll find plenty of seafood. The sunsets are stunning here, though, so you can’t go wrong with picnic dinners on the beach. AARP Offer Explore Your World
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A short hop from downtown San Diego is a 1.5-mile stretch of flat, wide beach on Coronado Island, popular with surfers and families, who plant umbrellas and settle in for the day. Visitors can drink in Coronado’s fabulous views of the San Diego skyline, as well as the beachside Hotel del Coronado, the iconic Victorian beauty that played a starring role in the classic film Some Like It Hot. Jekyll Island Ga
Once the exclusive realm of titans named Rockefeller and Vanderbilt, the private Jekyll Island Club became a state park in 1948 and now welcomes regular folks. Its Gilded Age vestiges remain a major draw — including the sprawling Victorian “cottages” and the Jekyll Island Club Resort, a historic retreat for the richest of the rich a century ago. But there’s plenty to do beyond the hotel and beaches. Explore the historic district, golf and visit the Georgia Sea Turtle Center to watch wildlife rehabilitation in action. Port Aransas Texas
Yes, it’s tiny and easygoing (once an isolated little fishing village), but this coastal area, known as Port A, just a half hour southwest of Corpus Christi, packs a punch for active beachgoers. Among the options are parasailing, golf and deep-sea fishing, but it also boasts nature preserves that are a birder’s paradise (you may see alligators, too) and 18 miles of sparsely developed fine-sand beach. Cape May N J
Cape May is a Jersey Shore gem at the southern tip of the state’s coastline, billing itself as “the nation’s oldest seaside resort.” Families and couples are drawn to the town for its 600-plus Victorians (many of them now B&Bs), 2.4 miles of clean public beachfront and walkabledowntown filled with shops. For a nature experience, ride the ferry 17 miles across Delaware Bay to Lewes, Del., site of the wonderful Cape Henlopen State Park. Also of Interest
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