Only a few hours ago, I went to see Disney’s Moana with a friend (fantastic movie, by the way), and walked out of the movie theater enchanted by the Polynesian culture and island life in general, knowing that tonight I’ll probably be dreaming of clear waters and blue skies and fun in the bright, warm sunshine.
Of course, it’s the dead of winter here at the moment, so.
Instead of frolicking in the sunshine like I want to, I’m going to make a list of some of my favorite watery destinations located right here in the U.S.A. and listen to the Moana soundtrack on repeat while I do it.
So, without further ado and in no particular order, here are some of my favorite destinations for fun & sun in the USA!
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Virginia Beach, VA
Photo courtesy of the wikimedia commons
Despite what some may think, Virginia Beach is not just a beach in Virginia, but is actually an entire city. Located at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay, it’s a fantastic tourist destination with miles and miles of beaches that lead out into the cool waters of the Atlantic Ocean. And if surfing interests you, it also hosts the East Coast Surfing Championship every year.
Bonus: Virginia Beach is very close to Colonial Virginia, so you can enjoy the beach life one day and explore the early history of America the next!
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Key West, FL
Photo copyright: Lindsey Grafe
The Florida Keys are about as far south as you can get without leaving the states, and Key West is the southernmost island of them all. In fact, people often boast that when you visit the keys, you’re closer to Cuba than you are to a Wal-Mart.
Key West, specifically, is absolutely the place to go if you like to party. But even if the party scene isn’t really your thing, there’s plenty to do; snap a picture with the “Southernmost Point” or “Mile 0” markers, browse the shops on Duval Street, grab a bite of the world-famous Key Lime pie, and pick and choose from a million different water activities!
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Oahu, Hawaiian Islands
Photo copyright: Lindsey Grafe
I visited the islands to be part of the Pacific Rim Children’s Chorus Festival way back in 2006, and though Oahu was the only island I was able to visit, it was absolutely gorgeous.
We spent a lot of time in the northern part of the island, but everywhere we went was stunning and set my standards for tropical vacations extremely high. Being part of a children’s festival, I had the privilege of spending several days learning about Polynesian culture and history, which is something that I’ll hold dear to my heart for the rest of my days.
Regardless, as you can probably, guess, the Hawaiian Islands are incredible. Visit at your own risk, because you may not want to come back!
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Port Aransas, TX
Photo copyright: Lindsey Grafe
Port Aransas is a coastal city in Texas, located a little less than 200 miles southeast of San Antonio. My family and I used to visit the city every few years, where we’d spend the days meandering through beachy shops, feasting on fresh seafood, and staving off the scorching heat in the sun-warmed waters of the Gulf of Mexico. And my cousin and I always, always bought those cheaply-made knockoff mermaid barbies because that’s just what you did when you visited Port A. (I was even lucky enough to go back and visit the city with some friends a few summers ago!)
So yeah, even though the city is not very big and doesn’t have crystal clear waters or a booming tourist district, it will always hold a very special place in my heart.
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Leelanau, MI
Photo copyright: Lindsey Grafe
Bet you didn’t expect to see a northern state on this list, did you? Well, surprise!
Even though it doesn’t get quite as warm here in the north as it does in the south, the summertime temperatures can still climb pretty high, especially in July and August. And when the weather gets hot, it’s the perfect excuse to hop in a car/plane and head on up to the Great Lakes!
Leelanau is a county that spans several towns in Northern Michigan, including the stunning Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, which won the title of “Most Beautiful Place in America” in 2011 in a poll by Good Morning America.
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Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands
Photo copyright: Lindsey Grafe
We stopped on the island of Saint Thomas during our Caribbean cruise back in 2012 – and it quickly became one of my favorite places! It has a rich history and crystalline blue waters that I can still see if I close my eyes hard enough. It also happens to be a great place for water sports, including snorkeling and parasailing!
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Cape Cod, MA
Photo copyright: Lindsey Grafe
Another northern city! Cape Cod isn’t really the warmest destination, even in the dead of summer, but it’s got a very distinct Northeastern American maritime vibe that’s certainly refreshing. It also has incredibly beautiful scenic views (those sunsets!!) and is a prime place to go whale-watching.
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Galveston, TX
Photo courtesy of the wikimedia commons
Being that I lived a good chunk of my life in Texas, it’s kind of a given that it was going to make the list more than once. Galveston is another city on the southern coast of the state that’s bustling with tourism, especially in the summer months. It has beautiful beaches and shopping galore, but it also has a history unlike any other places on this list.
Back in 1900, the city was hit by a hurricane in what is still considered the deadliest natural disaster in United States history. It eventually recovered and became the beautiful place that it is today, but it still holds many scars from the disaster, preserved in memorials across the city.
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BONUS: Schlitterbahn Water Park, New Braunfels, TX
Photo courtesy of the wikimedia commons
Okay, I just had to include this one! Schlitterbahn is a family-owned and operated company that runs a series of water parks located throughout Texas and in Kansas City, Kansas. And it is SO. MUCH. FUN!
Why include this water park and not any others? Well, for one, I’m pretty biased because it’s the water park that I’ve been to more than any other. For another, it’s considered one of the best water parks in America. And finally, it includes an uphill water-coaster! Uphill! If that’s not reason enough to freak out about this water park, I don’t know what is.
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So that was my list!
Unfortunately, I haven’t been to the west coast yet, which is why I didn’t include many of the places that I’m sure you’re probably yelling at your computer screen about.
(Guess I’ll just have to make a part two once I’ve visited them, huh?)
Adventure on, my friends!
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Also: CONSIDER THE COCONUT!