Top 5 non-ocean ‘beach’ destinations
Summer may be coming to a close, but there's still time to get your beach on, even if you're nowhere near an ocean. Below are the top 5 "beach" destinations in North America, ocean not required:
Lake Powell, Utah: Beautiful Lake Powell is located among the red-rock canyons of Utah. For the athletic types, there's everything from kayaking to hiking; for the not-so-athletic types, there are plenty of houseboats available for lazing about. Fun fact: The lake has more shoreline than the entire West Coast.
Lake Travis, Texas: Austin is a well-known hippie-dippy college town, known for its Tex-Mex, Longhorns, and top-flight music festivals. But Austin is also home to Lake Travis, an 18-acre lake, with 270 miles of shoreline. Fishing? Check. Water sports? Check. Parasailing and diving? Check, check. Fun fact: Lake Travis also boasts the "clothing optional" Hippie Hollow Park.
World Waterpark, Alberta, Canada: In a city that boasts an average temperature of 15 degrees, the opportunities for slipping into your bathing suit are few and far between. Not to fear: Alberta is also home to the world's largest indoor park. The best part? It's in a mall! The West Edmonton Mall is home to World Waterpark, which features five ACRES of water-filled goodness: water slides, tube slides and the world's largest indoor wave pool. Fun fact: What? That's not enough for you?
Sleeping Bear Dunes, Michigan: It's nowhere near an ocean, but the Dunes are on the eastern shoreline of Lake Michigan, for you water lovers. This year, the park was named "The Most Beautiful Place in America" by ABC's "Good Morning America." You can hunt, fish, hike, canoe, ski, snowboard - you can even get hitched there. Fun fact: The park is home to the world's largest moving sand dune.
And the number 1 spot in North America for watery fun ... (drumroll, please) ...
Lake Havasu, Arizona! Contrary to popular belief, Lake Havasu isn't just for beer-chugging Spring Breakers. It's actually a family-friendly vacation spot, with plenty of activities for both little kids (beaches and water sports) and big kids (casinos and off-roading). Fun fact: Lake Havasu City founder BOUGHT the London Bridge (the actual London Bridge from the song) for $2.4 million in 1968. He had it shipped over, rebuilt and London Bridge "re-opened" in 1971.
