Start Planning Your Vacation: These Are the 12 Best Beaches in America

Clearwater Beach, Florida

Since Clearwater Beach is essentially an island that barriers Tampa Bay from the Gulf of Mexico, you have double the opportunities to hit the waves and soak up that Florida sun. If you want to get out of the sun, close by is the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, home of Winter the Dolphin, star of the movie Dolphin Tale. (Science says dolphins are probably smarter than you.)