TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA/KDVR) — Headed to the beach for some rest and relaxation? You may want to expand your search this year and look beyond the postcard images of the country’s best-known destinations.
Despite being a land-locked state, Colorado appeared on Travel + Leisure’s list of top 25 beaches in the United States.
While the best in the nation is Poipu Beach in Kauai, Hawaii, according to the magazine, they chose a spot closer to home for those of us in Colorado. You can just head down to the San Luis Valley at Great Sand Dunes National Park.
Medano Creek, which runs through the park in the summer months, made the Travel + Leisure list. The creek is created by runoff from the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Travel + Leisure recommends planning your trip for weekdays in late May or early June.
Sand, waves, the level of seclusion, accessible parking, and even the number of shaded trees factored into the rankings.
See the top ten beaches mentioned in the report below:
- Poipu Beach, Kauai, Hawaii
- Ocean City, Maryland
- Coronado Beach, San Diego, California
- Pope Beach, Lake Tahoe, Nevada
- Clearwater Beach, Clearwater, Florida
- Harris Beach, Oregon
- Glass Beach, Port Townsend, Washington
- Oak Street Beach, Chicago, Illinois
- Carlsmith Beach, Hilo, Hawaii
- Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina
For the domestic travel industry, there have been signs of hope after a brutal winter.
U.S. airlines said in late April that they had experienced a spring surge of bookings that made up for January and February, when omicron-fueled covid cases skyrocketed.
The complete list of the nation’s top 25 beaches can be found on Travel + Leisure’s site.