Where the South meets the sea

Southern Living, Spring 2003 by Lingo, Karen

SPECIAL TRAVEL SECTION

The South's beaches rank among the most beautiful in the world. ranging from action-packed resort areas to quiet pockets of paradise.

Like the tides that rise to the pull of the goon and sun, we're irresistibly drawn to the sand-streaked edges of the South. From diet buff-off colored grains that dapple the southern Atlantic shores to the snowy fringes of the Gulf Coast, they lure us with their awesome beauty and promises of fun, relaxation, and discovery.

I've always felt that choosing the right beach for leisure time requires almost as much thought as selecting a neighborhood in which to raise a family. The choice is all about quality, value, and making memories.

The textures and tones of Southern beaches are rich and varied, and sampling them remains one of life's great pleasures.

Going for the Action

Bumper to bumper, Friday night traffic crawls ata turtle's pace during summer along Ocean Boulevard in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. On the strip, neon signs vie with the bright lights of the Myrtle Beach Pavilion Amusement Park-an 11-acre playground of rides and games that sits right in the heart of town and across from the beach. Tomorrow the brightest light will be the sun, under which parents will play golf or shop the outlet malls, while lithe young bodies soak up the sun's rays.

Another teen scene flourishes at Panama City Beach on Florida's Gulf Coast. One of the biggest draws is the Miracle Strip amusement park. No matter how much water the ocean holds, the younger set can't resist the wave pool at Shipwreck Island Water Park. There's still plenty of action out in the emerald Gulf waters, though, from waterskiing to snorkeling to scuba diving. As the sun sinks toward the horizon, many find their way to Capt. Anderson'svoted the South's top seafood restaurant in the Southern Living 2002 Readers' Choice Awards.

Follow the Boardwalks

Seafood also graces the best tables in Ocean City, Maryland. But the real attraction is the 3-mile-long boardwalk, which always appears to be more populated than the beach. It resembles a treadmill running alongside a smorgasbord of activities and tasty treats, with folks briefly stepping off to buy French fries or try a ride.

A half-hour drive up U.S. I from Ocean City leads past the lovely beaches of Delaware Seashore State Park and into Rehoboth Beach. Here you'll find not only another boardwalk and water activities, but also a wide assortment of outlet shops as well. (Sales are tax-free in Delaware.)

Travel down the DelMarVa Peninsula, across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, and you come to another lively boardwalk at Virginia Beach. Part art show, part restaurant row, and part musical venue (oceanfront stages are located at 7th, 17th, and 24th streets), it's wide enough to provide plenty of room for walking, running, in-line skating, and bicycling.

Made for Family Fun

Because Florida has more miles of coast than any other Southern state, it's only natural that it claims many of the most popular family beaches in the region. The Destin area is one, year after year voted the top beach in the Southern Living Readers' Choice Awards. Plus, sportfishing doesn't get any better than here, and the beaches are some of the best along the sandy crescent that stretches from Pensacola through Fort Walton Beach and Panama City to Port St. Joe.

West of Destin, Pensacola Beach lays out on a spit of sand so white you need sunglasses to block the glare. The center of activity is Pensacola Beach Fishing Pier and Observation Post, which reaches a quarter mile out into the Gulf of Mexico. On the western end of the island lies old Fort Pickens, part of the Gulf Islands National Seashore. On the eastern end, Navarre Beach delivers a low-key experience in a pristine setting.

Just 6 miles from downtown Miami, Key Biscayne claims one of the best beaches on Florida's eastern coast. Not only does it feature 2 miles of palm tree-lined sand, but you can also rent a sailboard and skim across Biscayne Bay, play golf or tennis at Crandon Park, or bicycle on 15 miles of trails that wind across the Key.

Farther up the coast, Daytona Beach and Jacksonville Beach both offer plenty of family appeal. In addition to its wide beach and amusement park attractions, Daytona Beach is home to the Daytona International Speedway and to Daytona USA, which recreates the thunderous excitement of auto racing at its best. Jacksonville Beach features miles of uncrowded sand, fishing, and other watersports opportunities, as well as a bounty of museums, amusement venues, and restaurants in nearby Jacksonville.

Alabama's Finest

Gulf Shores holds everything to delight a child-from souvenirs and go-cart tracks to a fishing pier and an old fort. There's also a sugar-white beach perfect for stalking sea creatures that ride in on waves. Gulf Shores shares a 32-mile stretch of sand with Orange Beach and its array of hotels, condos, and restaurants. Slip over the bridge to Perdido Key, and you'll find the Flora-Bama, one of the best beach bars in the South, straddling the Alabama-Florida state line.