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4. Kaunaoa Beach (Mauna Kea Beach), Hawaii
A quarter-mile crescent of powder-soft white sand, Kaunaoa, or Mauna Kea Beach, embodies Kohala coast breeziness. The beach’s famously calm waters bring in more than just the regular crowd of visitors each summer. Come nightfall, clouds of plankton swarm Kaunaoa’s waters, bringing flocks of feasting manta rays to the shallows. Catching these gentle giants of the sea right at sunset as an ethereal palette of pinks, oranges, and purples streaks across the beach’s rocky outcroppings is nothing short of natural poetry.
3. Waikiki Beach, Hawaii
No beach is more synonymous with the idea of a Hawaiian beach vacation than Waikiki, and while the Honolulu neighborhood is no secret, it can’t be overstated that there’s a whole lot to love. Firstly, you can’t beat the drama of the landscape—Diamond Head peeks over the horizon, showing off its craggy edges. And with an unbeatable resort scene with decades of experience, you’ll never want for a stay fit for royalty. In other words, they had us at “aloha.”
2. Navarre Beach, Florida
At this Florida panhandle beach, adventure exists all around you. Underwater, scuba down to the artificial reefs of Navarre Beach Marine Sanctuary, where swarming schools of fish, sting rays, and sharks swim among the coral. Once you’ve dried off, take the scenic route and savor the sea views just a little longer on a stroll down the pier, the longest in northwest Florida. With leg room aplenty for even the largest crowds, Navarre is a balmy sandbox waiting to be explored.
