Outer Banks Beaches

The Outer Banks beaches stretch for 90 miles on a barrier island, which frames the eastern coast of North Carolina. These sands -- in particular -- are known for their cleanliness and their family friendliness. And take note: the Outer Banks Tourism site says all OBX shores -- except for Duck -- employ lifeguards from Memorial Day to Labor Day.

One TripAdvisor user puts it like this: "The Outer Banks of North Carolina are by far the best beaches on the east coast. After my first visit, I never went back to New Jersey -- EVER. I would rather drive the 7 hours to OBX than the hour and a half it takes to get to NJ beaches from where I live."