The Cleanest Beaches In The U.S.

Dauphin Island Public beach is known for its beautiful beachfront parks and clean sand. According to the National Resources Defense Council Staff Blog (NRDC), this beach has met the national water quality benchmarks 98% of the time over the past five years. Bonus: It is the only pet friendly beach in the region.

According to reviews on Trip Advisor, Long Beach's water is safe, clean, and has great waves! The beach is 3.3 miles long and has a 2.2 mile boardwalk. There are no animals permitted on the beach, no barbeques allowed, and alcohol is prohibited. This results in one of the cleanest beaches in the United States.

The water at Newport Beach is frequently monitored, making it the perfect beach for aquatic sport activities. According to The Orange County Register, the beach "was the only one in California to make it on the Natural Resources Defense Council's beach superstar list for the environmental nonprofit's 24th annual beach report card." In addition, Newport Beach didn't exceed bacteria levels once over the course of 50 tests.

Visit the most popular beach on the South Shore, Po'ipu Beach for white sand beaches, and spectacular reef formations. According to poipubeach.org, "Poipu Beach was named America's Best Beach by The Travel Channel, ranking top among the 10 "best" beaches selected nationwide." Here, you are free to go swimming and snorkeling in the clear waters.

Go swimming, fishing and camping at Hampton Beach State Park. According to the NRDC, They have met the national water quality benchmarks 98% of the time over the past five years. Hampton Beach State Park has a "Carry-In/Carry-Out" program; they encourage everyone to keep the park clean by carrying out whatever they brought in.

Singing Beach was ranked 14 in Beach Water Quality (out of 30 states) according to the NRDC. It's a stunning historic beach with the attraction "Eaglehead" located there. Enjoy the seclusion and beautiful scenery of Singing Beach.

"The Maine Healthy Beaches Program is providing the State of Maine with a system to monitor public beaches and notify the public when there is a potentially hazardous condition (mainecoastdata.org)." That being said, Goodies Beach is clean and safe for swimming, lounging and water sports.

Virginia Beach gives you the opportunity to swim in the waters of the Atlantic Ocean. There are miles of beaches to choose from, and if you are looking to take a vacation, there are hundreds of hotels nearby.

Dewey Beach is a sandbar community. According to www.townofdeweybeach.com, "Delaware's beaches have been recognized for the cleanest water quality in the nation, with Rehoboth and Dewey recognized as two of the country's 13 'Superstar Beaches' for their perfect swimming water quality for the past four years, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC)."

If you love collecting shells, you're going to love Bowman's Beach. It's a private and secluded, with barbecue grills making it perfect for a family picnic. Enjoy the spectacular view of the ocean and for some adventure, take out on a canoe and kayak.

Hapuna Beach is known as one of Hawaii's finest beaches. Sunbathe on the beautiful white sand and take up a new water sport in the clear waters. Bonus: There is ample parking available and food venders for when you get hungry.

Go for a walk on the beach, kayak in the beautiful waters and explore the plants and wildlife at Cape Hatteras in North Carolina. Bonus: There are ramps all along the beach that permit off-road vehicles, allowing you the chance to experience the beauty of the beach and the incredible wildlife in the comfort of your own vehicle.

According to City of Gulf Shores Alabama, "the City of Gulf Shores partners with the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) and the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) to routinely monitor bacteria levels at the three major public beach locations within the city — Fuld Shores Public Beach, Gulf State Park Pavilion Beach and Little Lagoon Pass." Based on the most recent test, it has been recorded that Gulf Shores Public Beach water quality is acceptable.

Other than the free parking, concession stands, playground, and picnic tables, Coquina Beach South is known to be one of the cleanest beaches in the U.S. and is a well-known spot for surfers and dolphin sightings. Tip: Be sure to check out the spectacular sunset.