When it's hot, we gotta get there. Whether a beach has body-surfing or boogie-boarding, snorkeling or surfing, tide pools, or packed sand for walking for miles, we love 'em. And little kids are in heaven with just a sand-pail and shovel.

• Top Beaches: every year, "Dr. Beach" (a real-life scientist who studies beaches) picks "America's Best Beaches."
• Beach Vacations - A to Z Resorts
• Cape Cod -popular New England vacation spot
• Myrtle Beach, SC - budget-friendly; fun parks; 60-mile Grand Strand
• Hilton Head SC: resorts with kids' programs
• Florida- so many different beach areas
• Gulf Shores Alabama - white sand, rolling dunes