North Carolina: Kure Beach, Crab Cakes, Sandcastles and a Fishing Pier. Located on the Cape Fear Coast, where the Cape Fear River meets the Atlantic Ocean, Kure Beach is a charming family-oriented seaside community that offers vacationers a relaxed atmosphere with a variety of coastal activities nearby. It is a secret spot with a reputation as a favorite vacation spot for families and fishermen. The combination of uncrowded beaches, casual restaurants and comfortable accommodations make Kure Beach a favorite for many vacationers. The hub of Kure Beach is the 711-foot long Kure Beach Fishing Pier. A great spot for fishing, Kure Beach is the site of several annual tournaments. Kure Beach offers a wide array of accommodation choices to fit every size family and every size budget from beach front vacation homes to cozy cottages by the sea. Off beach bonus: Kure Beach is a short drive from Fort Fisher, the largest earthen fortress of its kind in the South where visitors can tour the remains of the last major stronghold of the Confederacy. Discovery: Also in close proximity is the North Carolina Aquarium, which features a 235,000-gallon saltwater tank and a 20,000 square foot conservatory, as well as live exhibits of sharks, sea turtles, alligators, and other native marine life. (Cape Fear Coast Convention & Visitors Bureau 24 North Third Street Wilmington, NC 28401. 1-800-631-1460, (910) 341-4030 or www.kurebeachinfo.com)

Virginia: Virginia Beach, Music, Wildlife and a Boardwalk. This beach delivers on fun with daily entertainment at several locations along the boardwalk beach. Cream colored and comfortable, the beach is wonderful with plenty of people watching, quirky conversations, dramatic sunrises and calming waves. It is wide, clean and a delight to experience with kids. The signature three-mile oceanfront boardwalk provides the backdrop to world class entertainment. The thoroughfare frames the waterside and provides space for bicyclists, in-line skaters, and strollers. Outdoor cafes and ice cream stops make the boardwalk tour a blast for active families. Off beach bonus: Starting in June, visitors to Virginia Beach and Williamsburg can enjoy a comfortable, free ride back and forth between these two popular tourist destinations by taking The Boomerang, a free summertime shuttle service being offered by VDOT. Departures leave the 24th Street and Atlantic Avenue kiosk in Virginia Beach each morning with one bus traveling to Busch Gardens and one traveling to the Colonial Williamsburg Visitor’s Center. The same bus will return with visitors traveling from the Colonial Williamsburg Visitor’s Center to Virginia Beach (www.164info.com). Discovery: Day-trips include Busch Gardens Williamsburg, Water Country USA, the Virginia Marine Science Museum, the Virginia Air Space Center, Nauticus and the battleship Wisconsin in Norfolk. (Virginia Beach Visitors Bureau. 1-800-VA-BEACH or www.vbfun.com)

South Carolina: Litchfield Beach, Brown Sugar Sand, Beach Houses and Oodles of Golf. Known for great golf and awesome entertainment, the area also offers an array of day adventures to create the perfect family beach vacation. You’ll find sun soaked beach days, shopping bargains, scrumptious seafood, kid-friendly golf and plenty of entertainment to fill the nights. Just south of action packed Myrtle Beach, Litchfield Beach is a residential/resort beach with an easy pace; perfect for families that want to just chill. Offering miles of sand, mostly hard-packed and the color of brown sugar, it is a safe, comfortable quiet spot. It seems almost everyone sleeps late and no one hurries. Activity choices include swimming, shelling, kayaking and tee times at more than 100 golf courses. Off beach bonus: The real advantage to Myrtle Beach as a family vacation destination is the exceptional variety of excellent musical entertainment. Alabama Theatre has created family nights to showcase their award winning show. And what family with teens can resist The House of Blues? Discovery: From the Myrtle Beach website print coupons to redeem on your vacation. Fun deals include: Broadway at the Beach, Brookgreen Gardens, Family Kingdom Amusement Park Grand Prix Family Thrill Park, MagiQuest, Myrtle Waves Water Park, NASCAR, Speedpark, Downwind Sails, Ocean Watersports and Planet Hollywood. Golf deals include: discounts provided by Cane Patch Par 3 Golf & Driving Range, Captain Hook's Adventure Golf, Dragon's Lair Fantasy Golf, Jungle Safari Mini Golf, Jurassic Golf, Midway Par 3 at South Beach Resort, Myrtle Beach National, Shipwreck Island Adventure Golf. Shopping deals include: bargains at Barefoot Landing, Bass Pro Shops, Coastal Grand Mall and Colonial Mall. Entertainment deals include: discounts at Alabama Theatre, Carolina Opry, Legends In Concert, Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament and Palace Theatre. (To see the bigger picture, make vacation plans and take advantage of website online discounts go to www.visitmyrtlebeach.com)

Georgia: Brunswick Golden Isles, Hermit Crabs, Kayaks and a Bit of History. The sugary sands of Cumberland, Jekyll, Sea and St. Simons Islands were made for family beach vacations. The tide is calming and the waves rarely challenge the sandy beach. It is the ideal spot to go sea kayaking; bike along island pathways; play golf and practice tennis; try turtle trekking and stargazing; relax at a spa or celebrate the sunset. Golden Isles offer visitors more than 90 miles of pristine coastline and natural beauty plus the amenities offered by some of the world’s leading resorts, hotel properties and exclusive getaways. About 20 minutes by land or sea separates the five locations within this unique vacation cluster. The largest and most developed island is St. Simons, tethered to the smaller Sea Island by a narrow strip of land. A laid-back vacation atmosphere prevails in the small seaside community inviting visitors to relax and enjoy the moment. Each island offers its own family friendly experience and all work together creating hundreds of exceptional ways to have fun. Off beach bonus: Fort Frederica was established in 1736 by James Oglethorpe to protect the southern boundary of his new colony of Georgia. Colonists from England, Scotland, and the Germanic states lived at Frederica to protect the coast and the new colony from Spanish invaders. Throughout the year ranger programs and living history vignettes provide visitors with a sense of fort life in Colonial America. On the grounds visitors enjoy nature walks, stargazing, and wildlife viewing. The last Saturday of each month view the “Bloody Marsh Musket” reenactment. A complimentary activities book for children is available at the Information Desk. (www.nps.gov/fofr) Discovery: Tidelands Nature Center on Jekyll Island provides visitors with a unique sense of place. In just one visit see native species of fish, turtles, crabs, snakes, alligators, and other critters. Activities for adventuresome families include both explorations by kayak and canoe. During the summer months they organize nightly turtle treks. Plans are underway to add an underwater dock/touch tank display and an alligator tank/ fresh water display as well as an 1100-gallon sea turtle tank and a coastal sea marsh model. (The Jekyll Island Sea Turtle Project at www.tidelands4h.org) (The Brunswick Golden Isles - St. Simons Island, Sea Island, Little St. Simons Island and Jekyll Island call toll-free 1-800-933-COAST (2627) or Brunswick Golden Isles Chamber & Visitors Bureau at www.bgivb.com)

Louisiana: Lake Bruin State Park, Fishing, Hiking, and Canoeing. With more than 3,000 acres of water surface on Lake Bruin, visitors to the park experience incomparable freshwater fishing and superb water sports with three large fishing piers and a year-round boat launch. Along the lake a sandy swimming beach offers easy access to the water, and picnic tables, barbeque grills and playground areas round out the site. Off beach bonus: Nearby, Tensas National Wild Refuge is a 57,000-acre refuge of bottomland forest offering hunting, fishing, hiking, wildlife-viewing, canoeing, interpreted trails, a boardwalk and educational programs. (Off I-20, 2312 Quebec Road, Tallulah. 1(318) 574-2664 or www.fws.gov/tensasriver) Discovery: Also nearby is the town of St. Joseph – the heart of cotton country, a town rich in Civil War history, surrounded by wildlife management areas, historic sites, cultural attractions and antique store (off US 65 south of I-20 at Tallulah). Lake Bruin State Park: (Lake Bruin State Park 201 State Park Road, St. Joseph. 1-888-677-2784 or 1(318) 766-3530 or www.stateparks.com/lake_bruin.html)

Louisiana: Cypremort Point State Park, Crabbing, Windsurfing and Acadian Spirit. Cypremort Point is the only locality near the Gulf of Mexico that can be reached by car. The half-mile stretch of a beach provides a delightful area for relaxing, picnicking and enjoying the water. The area also affords an opportunity for fishing, crabbing, water skiing, windsurfing and sailing. Off beach bonus: Visit the Longfellow-Evangeline State Historic Site, located on the banks of Bayou Teche, interprets the history of the French-speaking peoples of Louisiana. Featuring le Maison Olivier, built circa 1815, and an Acadian farmstead and house. Visitors will find livestock, crops, kitchen and herbal gardens, living history and interpretive programs, the Visitors Center, a picnic pavilion and an outdoor classroom. (1200 N. Main Street, St. Martinville. Toll-free 1-888-677-2900 or www.crt.state.la.us/parks/ilongfell.aspx) Discovery: In addition to excellent sailing and swimming facilities, the 185-acre park also holds a special attraction for nature enthusiasts. Located in the heart of a Louisiana marsh, the site contains an abundance of wildlife. Cypremort Point State Park. (Cypremort Point State Park 306 Beach Lane, Cypremort. Toll-free 1-888-867-4510, 1(337) 867-4510 or www.stateparks.com/cypremort_point.html)

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