Photo: Kirkendall-Springs Photography

Twelvemile Beach

Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Michigan

This spectacular white-sand strand on Michigan's Upper Peninsula is a northern nirvana of fishing, beachcombing, and lakeshore camping. Twelvemile is flanked by two other natural wonders: the 300-foot-high Grand Sable Dunes, and the chromatic sandstone cliffs that give the park its name.

Hotel Recommendation: Rent a luxury lakeside cabin from Hiawatha's Vacation Homes. Read our review.