BEST BEACHES: Top Ten U.S. Shores of 2009 in Pictures

BEST BEACHES: Top Ten U.S. Shores of 2009 in Pictures
BEST BEACHES: Top Ten U.S. Shores of 2009 in Pictures
BEST BEACHES: Top Ten U.S. Shores of 2009 in Pictures
BEST BEACHES: Top Ten U.S. Shores of 2009 in Pictures
BEST BEACHES: Top Ten U.S. Shores of 2009 in Pictures
BEST BEACHES: Top Ten U.S. Shores of 2009 in Pictures
BEST BEACHES: Top Ten U.S. Shores of 2009 in Pictures
BEST BEACHES: Top Ten U.S. Shores of 2009 in Pictures
BEST BEACHES: Top Ten U.S. Shores of 2009 in Pictures
BEST BEACHES: Top Ten U.S. Shores of 2009 in Pictures
More
News
Photos
BEST BEACHES: Top Ten U.S. Shores of 2009 in Pictures
<< Previous   7 of 10   Next >>
7. Cape Hatteras, Outer Banks, North Carolina

The barrier island of Cape Hatteras was the first U.S. National Seashore, designated as part of a program that sets aside coastal areas for preservation.

With its historic fishing villages and some of the best surfing along the East Coast (above, surfers walk through beach grass), the cape was included in the 2009 Top 10 Beaches ranking, as judged by Florida International University's Laboratory for Coastal Research.

Coastal expert Stephen Leatherman, who researched the list, plans to launch a new program that will allow beaches to become certified as environmentally safe destinations.
—Photograph by George F. Mobley/National Geographic Image Collection
 

MOST VIEWED NEWS

5 "Oddball" Crocs Discovered, Including Dinosaur-Eater

Giant Lungless "Worm" Found Living on Land

STRANGE CROC PICTURES: New Dino-Eater, Galloper, More
NEWS FEEDS    After installing a news reader, click on this icon to download National Geographic News's XML/RSS feed. After installing a news reader, click on this icon to download National Geographic News's XML/RSS feed.

Get our news delivered directly to your desktop—free.
How to Use XML or RSS




 

50 Drives of a Lifetime

Listen to your favorite National Geographic news daily, anytime, anywhere from your mobile phone. No wires or syncing. Download Stitcher free today.