RSS Feed
Twitter
3:17 AM
Unknown
Although many Americans think of the beach as a place for active singles, seaside vacations are actually ideal for families, couples, and senior citizens as well. In part, this is because the beaches in the United States are highly varied – as they should be, considering that the U.S. is a nation with many thousands of miles of coastline.
The most famous beach areas in the United States are located in California and Hawaii, but the Pacific coastline is located at a great distance from most of the states in the Union. There is no need to travel quite so far, however, to enjoy an excellent seaside vacation; the East Coast offers a wealth of destinations that allow tourists to romp in the Atlantic Ocean instead. Standard beach pursuits such as swimming, surfing, sunbathing, and windsurfing are abundant up and down the coast, but visitors will also find that East Coast destinations offer activities that cannot be enjoyed further west. Many of these relate to the unique history of the United States – a history, whichindeed began in coastal locations along the eastern seaboard.
The Outer Banks
One of the most popular beach destinations north of Florida is the Outer Banks. Technically a chain of barrier islands dotting the coastline of North Carolina, the Outer Banks offer generally calm surf conditions, a feature that makes beaches here an ideal vacation destination for older Americans.
Tourists enjoying their golden years also tend to appreciate the Outer Banks for their wealth of intriguing historical locations. Kill Devil Hills, located just south of Kitty Hawk, is the site of the world’s first airplane flight. Visitors here can examine a replica of the Wright Flyer built by aviation pioneers Orville and Wilbur Wright. Those who are interested in pirate history may enjoy Ocracoke, the site of the feared Blackbeard’s last battle. The Outer Banks are also famed for early colonial history, for it is here that the fabled “Lost Colony” is rumored to have vanished, leaving nothing but a single unexplained word carved upon a tree: Croatoan.
Virginia Beach
Another popular beach destination along the east coast is Virginia Beach. Situated along scenic Chesapeake Bay, the area includes cities such as Hampton, Norfolk and Suffolk and features hundreds of Virginia Beach hotels, many of them located on the waterfront so that tourists have immediate access to recreational activities in the Atlantic Ocean.
This region is particularly suitable for families with young children, since they will enjoy seeing the world’s longest bridge-tunnel, the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, and playing along the sandy shore of the world’s longest pleasure beach. Older children will likely enjoy visiting Virginia Beach in late August when the East Coast Surfing Championship, a major amateur competition, draws large crowds.
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Perhaps the most famous beaches along the eastern seaboard are those that ring the state of Florida, whose coastline measures more than a thousand miles. While Miami Beach is best known for its vibrant nightlife, many couples find that they prefer Fort Lauderdale, located approximately 30 miles further north. Fort Lauderdale retains all the best elements of the classic Florida beach life, such as palm trees, gentle breezes, and vast expanses of sand so white the locals call it “sugar sand,” but the atmosphere here is a world apart from Miami. Not only is it easier for young couples to find excellent lodging deals in Fort Lauderdale, they will also appreciate how the more restrained beach environment makes it simpler for them to have eyes only for one another.
Tourists to Fort Lauderdale may also enjoy a visit to a pioneer house that dates from the early 1900. Originally a trading post, Stranahan House also served as a residence for the first schoolteacher in the city. A tour through the house, which features period furniture and a wealth of information on early settlers to the Fort Lauderdale area, can provide tourists with something different from the usual sun and sand that characterize a Florida vacation.
As the unofficial national anthem of the United States insists, the country stretches from “sea to shining sea.” It is no wonder, then, that both coasts are popular with tourists who seek to enjoy a relaxing or invigorating beach vacation. From Florida to Virginia to North Carolina, the eastern seaboard is in every respect the equal of the more famous beach areas located further west.
The most famous beach areas in the United States are located in California and Hawaii, but the Pacific coastline is located at a great distance from most of the states in the Union. There is no need to travel quite so far, however, to enjoy an excellent seaside vacation; the East Coast offers a wealth of destinations that allow tourists to romp in the Atlantic Ocean instead. Standard beach pursuits such as swimming, surfing, sunbathing, and windsurfing are abundant up and down the coast, but visitors will also find that East Coast destinations offer activities that cannot be enjoyed further west. Many of these relate to the unique history of the United States – a history, whichindeed began in coastal locations along the eastern seaboard.
The Outer Banks
One of the most popular beach destinations north of Florida is the Outer Banks. Technically a chain of barrier islands dotting the coastline of North Carolina, the Outer Banks offer generally calm surf conditions, a feature that makes beaches here an ideal vacation destination for older Americans.
Tourists enjoying their golden years also tend to appreciate the Outer Banks for their wealth of intriguing historical locations. Kill Devil Hills, located just south of Kitty Hawk, is the site of the world’s first airplane flight. Visitors here can examine a replica of the Wright Flyer built by aviation pioneers Orville and Wilbur Wright. Those who are interested in pirate history may enjoy Ocracoke, the site of the feared Blackbeard’s last battle. The Outer Banks are also famed for early colonial history, for it is here that the fabled “Lost Colony” is rumored to have vanished, leaving nothing but a single unexplained word carved upon a tree: Croatoan.
Virginia Beach
Another popular beach destination along the east coast is Virginia Beach. Situated along scenic Chesapeake Bay, the area includes cities such as Hampton, Norfolk and Suffolk and features hundreds of Virginia Beach hotels, many of them located on the waterfront so that tourists have immediate access to recreational activities in the Atlantic Ocean.
This region is particularly suitable for families with young children, since they will enjoy seeing the world’s longest bridge-tunnel, the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, and playing along the sandy shore of the world’s longest pleasure beach. Older children will likely enjoy visiting Virginia Beach in late August when the East Coast Surfing Championship, a major amateur competition, draws large crowds.
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Perhaps the most famous beaches along the eastern seaboard are those that ring the state of Florida, whose coastline measures more than a thousand miles. While Miami Beach is best known for its vibrant nightlife, many couples find that they prefer Fort Lauderdale, located approximately 30 miles further north. Fort Lauderdale retains all the best elements of the classic Florida beach life, such as palm trees, gentle breezes, and vast expanses of sand so white the locals call it “sugar sand,” but the atmosphere here is a world apart from Miami. Not only is it easier for young couples to find excellent lodging deals in Fort Lauderdale, they will also appreciate how the more restrained beach environment makes it simpler for them to have eyes only for one another.
Tourists to Fort Lauderdale may also enjoy a visit to a pioneer house that dates from the early 1900. Originally a trading post, Stranahan House also served as a residence for the first schoolteacher in the city. A tour through the house, which features period furniture and a wealth of information on early settlers to the Fort Lauderdale area, can provide tourists with something different from the usual sun and sand that characterize a Florida vacation.
As the unofficial national anthem of the United States insists, the country stretches from “sea to shining sea.” It is no wonder, then, that both coasts are popular with tourists who seek to enjoy a relaxing or invigorating beach vacation. From Florida to Virginia to North Carolina, the eastern seaboard is in every respect the equal of the more famous beach areas located further west.
Posted in 
