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Carmel Beach has long served as a muse to artistic types and romantics
For one glorious season each year, America’s beaches come into full bloom. To help you pick a great destination for a bit of summery respite – and to enlighten you to the country’s great diversity of sun and sand – Sherman’s Travel spoke to experts around the country, polled readers and staffers, and got the most in-the-know correspondents to divulge their favorites. Then, we narrowed the selection down to specially-themed categories consisting of several beaches each (it wasn’t easy!). Just for fun, we’ve thrown in our favorite beach movies, songs, bars, and restaurants, too.
Whether you lean towards the solitude of shells and seagulls, are scouting out an ideal honeymoon locale, or are more of a see-and-be-seen beachgoer, we've got you covered. All you have to do is click on your preferences to the right – and lather on the sunscreen.
see next pageSee Chicago Travel Guide | See Honolulu Travel Guide | See Kauai Travel Guide | See Los Angeles Travel Guide | See Miami Travel Guide | See Myrtle Beach Travel Guide | See New York Travel Guide | See Orlando Travel Guide | See Sanibel and Captiva Islands Travel Guide | See The Big Island Travel GuideSee U.S. Virgin Islands Travel Guide
$600+: 7-nt Mexican Riviera cruise w/credit from Los Angeles Royal Caribbean
$499+: 7-nt Eastern Caribbean cruise from Miami to St. Thomas Norwegian Cruise Line
$449+: 7-nt cruise to St. Croix & more w/pre-paid gratuities Cruise.com
$179+: Bahamas 4-night cruise on Norwegian Sky Norwegian
$179+: Bahamas 4-night beach cruise on Norwegian Sky Norwegian
$399+: Mexican Riviera 7-nt cruise on Sapphire Princess Princess
$599+: Hawaii 7-night cruise on Norwegian Pride of America Norwegian
$164+: Bahamas 4-night cruise on RC Majesty of the Seas Royal Caribbean
$409+: Caribbean 7-nt cruise on Carnival Valor: 77% off Carnival
$1144+: 14-nt Hawaii cruise to/from LA w/Mexico this Jan CruiseDealership.com
$1144+: 14 nt discounted Hawaii cruise on Golden Princess CruiseDealership.com
NCL 10-Day Hawaii Package from $999 Editors' Review
$299+: Eastern Caribbean 7-nt cruise w/up to $100 credit Norwegian Cruise Line
$164+: Bahamas 4-nt cruises with $25 onboard ship credit Royal Caribbean
$549+: 10-night Caribbean cruise on Jewel of the Seas Royal Caribbean
$649+: Boston to Quebec New England & Canada 7-nt cruise Norwegian Cruise Line
$649+: New England 7-nt cruise w/stops in Canada & more Norwegian Cruise Line
$849+: 10-nt Hawaii cruise to Vancouver w/Kona next Sept Royal Caribbean
$1199+: Hawaiian 12-nt cruise from Vancouver Royal Caribbean
$499+: Princess cruises to Caribbean, Mediterranean CruisesOnly
$109+: 4-star Los Angeles hotel Hotwire.com
$69+: Chicago hotel on Magnificent Mile Hotwire.com
$79/nt+: 4-star Charlotte hotel in city center Hotwire.com
$109/nt+: Orlando 7-nt vacation rentals with two nights free Imagine Vacation Homes
$92/nt+: Four-star hotel in NYC nr Empire State Building Booking.com
$199/nt+: Stylish Santa Barbara hotel w/up to 50% off rates Canary Hotel Santa Barbara
$69/nt+: Secluded condo rentals near Disney near shoppng Oakwater Resort
$113/nt+: Low rates at NY ski resort w/25% off lift tickets Kaatskill Mountain Club
$125/nt+: Orlando resort w/$50 credit & free nt Nickelodeon Family Suites
$129/nt+: Montauk Yacht Club hotel w/free bottle of bubbly Montauk Yacht Club Resort & Marina
$279/nt+: Family-friendly NY resort w/all-incl. festivities Villa Roma Resort and Conference Center
Up to 40% off: Recently renovated 4-star hotel in Chicago Booking.com
35% off: Four-star Chicago hotel nr top attractions Booking.com
Up to 15% off: NYC hotel across from Madison Square Garden Booking.com
$59/nt+: Save up to 40% at Myrtle Beach resort; kids stay free Camelot By The Sea
$125/nt+: Trendy downtown LA hotel with rooftop pool & bar Splendia
$55/nt+: Deluxe Orlando hotel nr Walt Disney World Booking.com
$99/nt+: Florida residents package; 50% off rates Nickelodeon Family Suites
$299/nt+: Times Square near Radio City & 5th avenue shops Crowne Plaza Times Square
$299/nt+: Low rates at upscale NYC midtown hotel Crowne Plaza Times Square
$1035+: Oahu, Kauai & Maui 9-nt combo w/airfare BeachDestinations.com
$775+: Oahu & Kauai: 6-nt trip w/airfare & hotels BeachDestinations.com
$775+: 6-nt Oahu & Kauai vacation w/all flights & hotels BeachDestinations.com
$1429+: Lanai & Oahu 6-nt getaway /all flights & hotels BeachDestinations.com
$1035+: Kauai, Oahu & Maui 9-nt trio w/hotels & flight BeachDestinations.com
$277+: Fun Orlando 3-night getaway w/flight from Dallas Wyndham Orlando Resort
$474+: New York City 3-night trip w/flight from DC Wellington Hotel
$253+: LA 3-nt trip w/free brkfst & air from Seattle Good Nite Inn Calabasas
$515+: Flight & 3-nt stay at the Grand Hyatt, NY American Express Vacations
$293+: Last-minute Orlando 2-nt deals w/air travel by Nov 18 Expedia
$296+: San Francisco 4-star hotel nr Union Sq 3 nts w/air Parc Fifty Five Hotel - Union Square
$400+: Stay 3 nts in LA hotel w/airfare from Seattle Residence Inn By Marriott Santa Clarita
$778+: Miami 5-night family getaway w/air from San Francisco Delta Vacations
$410+: Orlando 7-nt escape w/flight from Detroit Delta Vacations
$407+: Orlando 7-nt vacation w/flight from Cincinnati Delta Vacations
$602+: New York hotel near shopping 3 nts w/air from Atlanta Wellington Hotel
$283+: L.A. hotel in Little Tokyo w/garden 3 nts & air Kyoto Grand Hotel and Gardens
$821+: Kid-friendly Kauai resort w/tennis 4 nts & air Aston Aloha Beach Hotel
$769+: Hip Honolulu getaway on beach 4 nts w/air Aston Waikiki Beach Hotel
$389+: Take a view in Long Island City hotel 3 nts w/flight Holiday Inn - Long Island City
$10/day+: Airport pickup & dropoff car rental deals CarRentals.com
$14+: Low daily car rentals in NYC, Miami & more Hotwire
$10/day+: Cheap car rentals from major US airports CarRentals.com
$103+: Low nationwide holiday flight sale (round-trip). United
$173+: Fly to Charlotte via NY & more (round-trip) Major Airlines
$225+: Cheap flights to Portland, OR(round-trip) Major Airlines
$205+: Fall flights to Myrtle Beach (round-trip) Expedia
$149+: Fall flights to Los Angeles (round-trip) Major Airlines
$169+: Cheap fares to Miami beaches (round-trip) Major Airlines
$210+: Cheap fares to Santa Barbara (round-trip) Expedia
$131+: Round-trip fares to Orlando from NE cities Major Airlines
$49+: Cheap fall/winter California flights (one-way) JetBlue
$39+: Low nationwide fall/winter flight sale (each way) AirTran
$103+: Low Holiday fares to/from 30+ US cities (round-trip) United Airlines
$152+: Round-trip fall/winter fare sale to over 30 cities Expedia
$152+: Fly round-trip to/from top U.S. cities American Airlines
$516+: Discount round-trip fares to Kauai beaches Major Airlines
$199+: Discount fall fares to NYC (round-trip) Expedia
$179+: Chicago fares from top cites (round-trip) Expedia
$139+: Fares to Raleigh via NY, Boston (round-trip) Major Airlines
$129+: Cheap fares to Niagara Falls (round-trip) Major Airlines
