- Hilton Head (South Carolina): Travel & Leisure has hailed these beaches as being among the most beautiful in the world, and we concur. The resort-studded island offers 12 miles of white-sand beaches; still others front the Calobogue and Port Royal sounds. The sand is extremely firm, providing a good surface for biking and many beach games. It's also ideal for walking and jogging -- against a backdrop of natural dunes, live oaks, palmettos, and tall Carolina pines.
- Myrtle Beach & the Grand Strand (South Carolina): This is the most popular sand strip along the Eastern Seaboard, attracting 12 million visitors a year -- more than the state of Hawaii. Sure, it's overdeveloped and crowded in the summer, but what draws visitors to Myrtle Beach is 10 miles of sand, mostly hard-packed and the color of brown sugar.
