Winners For

Best Beach

Imagine a pristine shoreline, untouched by bulldozers or condos. The wind rustles sea-grape leaves and palm trees; the surf is thick and wild. This is a place with rough rocks underfoot and glittering seashells dotting the sand. You can snorkel with tropical fish or take a nap in the sand — you'll have plenty of room, considering tourists rarely...

It doesn't have the biggest waves or views unobstructed by the offshore oil industry or a location that makes you feel as though you've gotten away from it all, but what Bolsa Chica State Beach has going for it is one-stop shopping. You can camp, surf and fish here. And sunbathe and picnic and bird watch—anything you can do at your go-to Orange ...

Less than an hour from Boston, the drive to Crane Beach alone is enough to make you swear off the Cape forever. Tucked away on an island on the edge of Ipswich Bay, Crane Beach on a summer's afternoon is an unreal New England retreat. The pristine dunes and surf are almost an afterthought to the miles of nature trails and the palatial behemoth t...

Boasting a mile of gorgeous beachfront (the largest in all of Ohio) and 120 total acres of natural serenity, Headlands Beach State Park in Mentor is the next best thing to hopping a plane south. Better, actually, because you don't actually have to go south. The park is Northeast Ohio's one-stop shop for swimming, tanning, fishing, picnicking, hi...