
How to Find the Best Beaches Near You This Summer
A simple checklist for water quality, crowds, and amenities — so the beach you pick is the one you actually wanted.

A simple checklist for water quality, crowds, and amenities — so the beach you pick is the one you actually wanted.

Flip-flops, water shoes, water socks, and hiking sandals protect beach feet in different ways. What each design actually does on hot sand, rocks, and reef.

A beginner's shellfishing primer: what gear to bring, how to read the tide, and why the permit comes before the shovel.

An entry-level plan for your first coastal paddle: what kind of boat to rent, the three strokes that matter, and how to time the water before you push off.

You don't need a marsh, a license, or much gear. The sand between the lifeguard stands is one of the easiest places in the country to learn birds.

The quiet season on the shoreline has its own light, its own sounds, and a few rules worth knowing before you go.

A calm, room-by-room plan for coastal residents — what to gather, what to call, and what to fix before the first named storm forms.

The gear, the repairs, and the reservations worth sorting before the first hot weekend — so the season starts on time.

The water stays warm long after the crowds leave — and the calendar says the season is just beginning.