Vacation on the Beach

A website called Family Fun recommends 20 great beach towns for family vacations. Over the past few years, editors and writers visited and recommended the following for their sandy Vacation on the Beach, family-friendly restaurants, great scenery and good accommodations.

Northeast. York, Maine — Rugged coastline, cool water and hot lobsters all give charm to this historic Down East seaport. Well Fleet, Massachusetts — Cape Cod at its best: rugged Vacation on the Beach, gentle swimming on the bay, freshwater ponds for an after-beach dip-even a drive-in movie theater. Block Island, Rhode Island — You don’t need a car to enjoy this picturesque retreat off the Rhode Island coast-just a bicycle, bathing suits and beachcomber’s bag.

South. Lewes, Delaware — Surfside action combines with in-town tranquility to give this seaport on the Delmarva Peninsula its easygoing charm. Chincoteague, Virginia — Here you can revel in the carnival excitement of seaside amusements-or admire the pristine Vacation on the Beach and wild ponies of nearby Assateague Island. Beaufort, North Carolina — The pirate Blackbeard is gone, but the wild beauty of North Carolina’s barrier islands remains. Begin your explorations from this historic fishing village. Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina — In this secluded beach town, dinner means choosing between eating out or gathering a bucket of oysters and clams from the marsh at Masonboro Sound. Vero Beach, Florida — Divided by the Indian River, Vero Beach serves up family lodging and restaurants on the mainland side and, on the ocean side, Vacation on the Beach as far as you can see. Grayton Beach, Florida — This laid-back and cordial community is classic Florida: sugar-white dunes, whispering sea oats and the emerald waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Tybee Island, Georgia — With its yucca-covered dunes and weathered summer cottages, Tybee Islands is an unpretentious summer community where kids still ride bikes everywhere and no one wears shoes.

Midwest. Holland, Michigan — An American beach town with a distinctly Dutch flavor, Holland offers tulips, windmills and a choice between two refreshing lakes, Michigan and Macatawa. Lake Erie Islands, Ohio — From a home port of Sandusky, with its world-class amusement park, the watery charms of Kelleys and South Bass Islands are just a ferry ride away.

West. Port Arahsas, Texas — This laid-back fishing village on Mustang Island, a short ferry ride off the Gulf Coast, is a shore town with frontier spirit. The catches of fish-marlin, sailfish, amberjack-are Texas big; the shrimp are plentiful. Santa Barbara, California — Nestled between the Santa Ynez Mountains and the sea, Santa Barbara offers sand, sun, surf-and plenty of town to explore. Capitola, California — Small, warm and family friendly. Capitola-by-the-Sea boasts protected Vacation on the Beach, safe swimming and a remarkably fogless summer climate. Santa Cruz, California — Surf’s up, dude. And when it’s not, take a walk on the nearly 100-year-old beach boardwalk, ride a roller coaster or enjoy the spectacular scenery of Natural Bridges State Beach. Mendocino, California — A former logging port set between a rugged coastline and majestic redwoods. Mendocino is now a picturesque village of cozy inns, boutiques, galleries and restaurants. Pacific Grove, California — Sea lions, pelicans and harbor seals along with Victorian bed-and-breakfast inns dot the Pacific Grove coastline. Del Mar, California — Del Mar has some of the best surfing, fishing and tide pooling in San Diego County, yet the town has kept its oceanfront free from T-shirt shops and hot dog stands. Newport, Oregon — This Pacific Northwest seaport affords nature-loving families a chance to explore groves of ancient spruce, splash in tide pools and spot gray whales.

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