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Top Beaches 2008

Celebrate summer at a town festival or soak in the sun at the beach.

Suggested Trip Ideas:
Caladesi Island, in the Clearwater/Dunedin area on Florida's west coast, near St. Petersburg. This completely natural island has white sand shores and sand dunes where sea turtles nest, and is accessible only by ferry or private boat. (No pets allowed on the ferry! And ferry passengers are allowed only a four-hour stay.)

Hanalei Bay is on the beautiful North Coast of that most beautiful island, Kauai. Hanalei Bay is a big sweep of bay, popular with local swimmers and beach-goers; it's also an excellent beach for beginners to learn to surf.

Siesta Beach -- near Sarasota FL-- has been said to have the "whitest and finest sand in the world": the sand is 99% quartz, and so reflective that it's cool even on hot days. Siesta Beach is on Siesta Key,a barrier island between Sarasota Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. Get to the beach early, 800 parking spots fill up!

Coronado Beach is a beautiful (and life-guarded) beach that stretches for miles and miles; On this popular California beach, you might see SEALs running, swimmers, bodysurfers, boogie boarders, sand sculptors, and/or whale watchers.

East Hampton's Main Beach has dunes, surf, lifeguards during summer, and terrific Fourth of July fireworks. The area has long been popular for its beautiful scenery (windmills, pond with swans), colonial homes, and splendid beaches.

Camping and River Rafting

Enjoy the great outdoors and witness some of mother nature's great beauties.

Suggested Trip Ideas:
Rafting + Jeep Trail Tour in Colorado: the Rafting & Jeep Trail Tours offered by the Mild to Wild company look to be an interesting option at affordable pricing. Guests experience "5-star camping" plus an eclectic mix of rafting plus jeep trail trips in Southwest Colorado, Eastern Utah and Central Arizona, featuring ghost towns, wildflowers, waterfalls.

Grand Canyon Learning and Lodging Adventure: Families with kids age 10 and up can experience the Grand Canyon's South Rim in a special way this summer (and beyond), with a two-day, two-night program that includes includes:

• lodging (typically at Yavapai West Lodge or Maswik Lodge)
• in-park transportation
• one dinner, two breakfasts, two box lunches
• a guide each day, instructional materials, retail coupons and a course completion certificate.
  

Blue Harbor Resort on Lake Michigan in the Harbor district of Sheboygan, is built in the style of grand old Victorian hotels, and has a 43,000 square foot indoor waterpark.

Montecito Sequoia Family Camp: All ages are welcome at this "High Sierra Family Vacation Resort Camp" in California, 65 miles east of Fresno, and there are kids programs for ages two, three and four, and five and six; youth and teen programs too. Go for a full week or for a "mini-week". Activities include horseriding, waterskiing, sailing, canoeing, archery, fencing, rock-climbing, mountain biking, lots more. Days are organized in a way that lets kids choose what interests them.