Top 5 Family Beaches in America

Beaches have something for everyone. There's adventure, relaxation, and entertainment. And the range of accommodation choices, from resorts and combos to shacks and camp tents, caters to every taste and budget. Also, a beach vacation provides families with an excellent opportunity for bonding.

Here is GreatDad's list of the best five beaches for dads to take their families to for the vacations:

5. Cooper's Beach: This white sandy beach is located on Long Island, Southampton. Take a leisurely stroll to see the historic mansions that line the beach. Kids can even enjoy a "polar bear swim" in winter. The beach has lifeguard facilities in summer.

4. Cape Hatteras National Seashore: This beach, located in Hatteras Island on the Outer Banks of North Carolina, provides ideal holiday recreation with swimming, surfing, and boating. The nearby Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge has interesting children's programs. The Cape Hatteras Lighthouse is also worth a visit. The presence of wintering waterfowl makes this beach popular with birders.

3. Hanalei Bay Beach: This spectacular beach is on the North Coast of the island of Kauai in the beach capital of the world, Hawaii. The expansive shoreline is perfect for swimming and other water sports—the place for kids to have their first surfing lessons. The sleepy town of Hanalei nearby is also worth exploring.

2. Caladesi Island: Located in the Clearwater/Dunedin area on Florida's west coast near St. Petersburg, this is a natural wonder that can only be reached by boat. A favorite with nature enthusiasts, this sparkling beach offers opportunities for boating and kayaking through wild mangrove trails. Kids will love the sea turtles that come ashore to lay eggs on the dunes. The three-mile-long nature trail is an exciting hiking option.

1. Siesta Beach: Located in Siesta Key, near Sarasota, Florida, this beach scores on account of its dazzling sand and azure water. The soft, pure-white sand has been described as the whitest and finest on any beach in the world. It is said to be so reflective that it never gets hot, remaining cool even on the hottest of days.

20 Places in America to Take Your Kids Before They Grow Up

We're lucky to live in a country with a huge variety of natural and made-made wonders to see. There's nothing like seeing these things for the first time, but a very close second best is seeing them with a child. Here is our list of places you should plan to see with your child before they grow up:

Natural wonders

• The Grand Canyon, Arizona - one of the natural wonders of the world. The first site will take your breath away.
• Niagara Falls, New York - kids will be amazed by the 6 million cubic feet of water that go over the falls EVERY minute. Make sure to take the Maid of the Mist boat ride to get the full effect of the falls.
• Glacier Bay, Alaska - quick before the glacier melts away.
• Yosemite National Park - photographed endlessly by Weston and Adams, this is the most rugged of all American parks.

Man made wonders

• Mount Rushmore - so oozing in patriotic fervor, it looks like it would have had to have been created in Hollywood, if it hadn't been built by 400 men over 14 years.
• The Golden Gate Bridge - spans the beautiful San Francisco Bay and is one of the most beautiful bridges in the world.
• Hoover Dam - big big BIG

Historic Civil War battlefields

• Gettysburg - the bloodiest battle of the war, and where Lincoln made his most famous speech.
• Appomattox - where Lee surrendered to Grant to end the Civil War.
• Vicksburg - One of the most famous battles, this one to gain control of the Mississippi.

Deserts

• Badlands National Park South Dakota - like a lunar landscape, run over by prairie dogs.
• Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, Nevada - just outside Vegas, and one of the most beautiful red sunsets anywhere.
• Painted Desert, Arizona - home of the petrified forest.
• Death Valley, California - 280 feet below sea level, unworldly, and perfect for watching the stars.

Cities

• New York - perhaps the greatest city on earth. Your kids won't believe it. Make sure to see the Statue of Liberty up close.
• Boston - history abounds, like a book come to life.
• San Francisco - a one-of-a-kind wonder, perhaps the most beautiful city for natural beauty in the world.
• Washington DC - center of American democracy, and the ultimate civics lesson.
• Chicago - the greatest mid-Western city at the soul of America itself.
• Savannah Georgia - historic old South, renowned for its architecture.
• Charleston, S. Carolina - last remaining remnants of the old South before it Sherman burned it down.

Great beaches

• Cannon Beach, Oregon - one of the most untouched beaches in the U.S.
• Poipu Beach, Hawaii - kid-friendly, with ample opportunities for shallow snorkeling for children.
• Ocracoke LIfeguard Beach, North Carolina - so private that "banker ponies" still wander freely.

A holiday vacation provides families with an excellent opportunity for bonding. Find unique holiday gifts ideas for dads, kids and moms.