Bonfire Basics
Bonfire building is equal parts art, science, and socializing. First check local beach rules to make sure it's legal. (We've provided a short list for you, but check the specific requirements for state parks and municipalities by visiting your community's Web site or calling the local parks department.)

Locate a spot in the middle of the beach—away from dunes, grasses, structures, and the tide. Some beaches may provide ready-made pits for your convenience, but it's best to come prepared. To start your own, begin by digging a pit in the sand 1 to 2 feet deep to shelter the fire from wind and to prevent sparks from jumping out. Then stand dry, split logs up to form a tepee, which allows air to flow underneath the logs and feed a roaring fire.

If you're working with younger helpers, send them out in search of dry grass, newspaper, cardboard, or thin pieces of driftwood, and place these pieces of kindling under the tepee. With the kids at a safe distance, tightly roll up a newspaper, light the end with a match, and hold the flame against the kindling until it catches. And always—always—finish the evening by drenching the bonfire with plenty of seawater. Hot coals buried under sand can hurt beachcombers walking past your pit even hours after you've gone home.

Easy Does It
Want to enjoy the experience without any work? California's Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Resort & Spa offers bonfire kits. Toes on the Nose, the hotel's on-site adventure shop, will transport and set up the wood, chairs, s'mores, and beach towels—and they'll even get a huge fire roaring for you ($150 for up to eight people). "It's a real part of Huntington Beach's beach culture," says employee Sara Ann Hadfield. "You can't come here and not do it." To make reservations, call 714/845-4638 or visit toesonthenose.com.

Fired Up
For a bonfire that's out of the ordinary, participate in one of several large bonfire celebrations from coast to coast. Popular fire fiestas include Sea Witch Halloween & Fiddlers Festival in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware; and Celebrate the Season by the Sea in Maine's Old Orchard Beach. Guy Fawkes Day, also known as Bonfire Night, is the most famous of them all; every November 5, bonfires light up worldwide.

Hot Spots
The following beaches welcome bonfire builders.

Mission Beach, San Diego, California
As the center of The Strand, a 2-mile-long stretch of sand on the West Coast, Mission Beach bustles with activity during the summer months. During fall, crowds dissipate, providing plenty of room for a bonfire on the beach. Containers for fires are provided, but only on a first-come, first-served basis. Call 619/235-1169 for permit information for larger parties, or visit sandiego.gov.

Golden Gardens Park, Seattle, Washington
With a number of designated fire pits, Golden Gardens Park makes lighting up hassle-free. The park is on Puget Sound, with spectacular views of the Olympic Mountains. Don't forget to bring a blanket for chilly evenings. Call 206/684-4075.

Sunset Beach, Seaside, Oregon
After an afternoon of exploring hiking trails that weave in and out of the sea cliffs, relax in front of a bonfire at Sunset Beach. Call 888/306-2326 or visit shearwaterseaside.com for more information about Seaside and the surrounding areas.

Padre Balli Park, Corpus Christi, Texas
Enjoy views of the Gulf while you warm yourself by a glowing bonfire. At Padre Balli Park, on the northern end of Padre Island, you're free to create a fire on the open beach, as long as it stays contained in a 3- by 3-foot area. Call 361/949-8121 for details.

Cape Hatteras National Park, Outer Banks, North Carolina
No permits are required for a bonfire on this East Coast shore, but farther north in Nags Head, you need a permit from their fire department. These barrier islands in the Atlantic Ocean are quiet and isolated, so you may have the shore to yourself. Visit outerbanks.org or nps.gov/caha for more information.

ALSO: Beach Bonfires
Timeless and traditional, they light up coasts around the country.