Alabama's Gulf State Park in the city of Gulf Shores features a two-mile white sand beach for swimming; more than seven miles of backcountry trails for walking and biking; and camping and lodging facilities for people who want to spend more time at the park. 
With its predecessor destroyed by Hurricane Ivan in 2004, Gulf State Park's pier opened in 2009 claiming the title of largest pier on the Gulf of Mexico at 1,540 feet long and 41,800 square feet. The new pier features 2,448 feet of fishing space. 
Once a dumping ground for cars, appliances, household trash and glass, the appropriately-named Glass Beach is now part of MacKerricher State Park on the northern California coast. Dumping was halted in the 1960s, and nature responded with waves pounding the glass trash into beautiful smooth glass pebbles on the beach. 
The smooth glass at Glass Beach is lovely to look at but collecting is prohibited. There's still plenty to explore and enjoy, including a nice collection of tide pools. 
Hammonasset State Park in Madison, Connecticut, has sandy beaches, but it also has rocks -- big rocks. At the end, Meigs Point features an imposing section of rocks and boulders. 
The Harbor of Refuge lighthouse stands guard in the distance beyond the trails and dunes of the beach near Lewes, Delaware. 
Dunes rise nearly 30 feet above the beach at the Ponce de Leon historical site at Ponte Vedra Beach, about 20 miles southeast of Jacksonville, Florida. 
Cumberland Island is Georgia's southernmost and largest barrier island, accessible via ferry at St. Mary's. Cumberland has been home to Native Americans, enslaved and freed African-Americans and wealthy industrialists. It's also where John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette were married in September 1996. 
Wild horses inhabit the island. They can sometimes be spotted around the Dungeness ruins area. Visitors should keep a safe distance and not feed, water or bother them. 
Lanikai Beach in Kailua, Oahu, features the beautiful waters and sands that make Hawaii famous for its beaches. 
Beachgoers can kayak to two nearby small islands, the Mokuluas.
The Creole Nature Trail All-American Road in southwest Louisiana features 26 miles of Gulf Coast beaches, including the rustic Rutherford Beach.
Sand Beach is tucked into 290 yards between the rock-laden shores and the granite mountains of Mount Desert Island at Acadia National Park. It's one of the most popular spots on the island. 
Acadia National Park's Sand Beach in Maine consists mostly of sand made from the ocean surf pounding on shell fragments for thousands of years. There are hiking trails on both sides of the beach. 
Assateague Island National Seashore's horses are feral, which means they used to be domesticated but have returned to a wild state. The national seashore is located in Maryland and Virginia, and each state has a herd of horses. The National Park Service manages the Maryland herd, shown here. 
The horses were made famous in Marguerite Henry's famous book "Misty of Chincoteague." Take care to view the horses from a distance. They have been known to bite and kick visitors who disturb them. 
Wellfleet is located in the middle of Massachusetts' Cape Cod, offering summer visitors a choice of swimming, seafood, sailing, kayaking and other sports. Many guests rent houses by the week and enjoy the community's offerings. 
While Wellfleet is a beautiful spot with its fresh and salt water swimming at town-owned and operated beaches during the summer, car parking requires a permit. Permits are limited to residents and visitors staying in town (with proof of their temporary residency). 
The Mississippi Gulf Coast features 26 miles of gentle ocean beaches, including Long Beach (shown here) just west of the Gulfport/Biloxi area. 
Hampton Beach State Park features summer fireworks displays, a sand sculpting competition and a September seafood festival, but its rugged beauty and pristine waters are what make this beach a state favorite. This rock formation separates the southern end of the New Hampshire state park from its Massachusetts neighbor. 
Enjoy the lovely beaches in Cape May, New Jersey, and stay at one of its Victorian bed and breakfast inns. The entire town was declared a National Historic Landmark because of its collection of Victorian architecture. 
East Hampton, once a little fishing village with origins dating back to the 1640s, has become a summer home to New York's rich and famous. Main Beach is one of only two beaches in the New York village of East Hampton where you can pay by the day for parking ($25 per day on weekdays, more on weekends). Other town beaches require a village parking permit. Bicycle riders can avoid the fee. 
Bald Head Island is the southernmost of North Carolina's cape islands. Most of its 12,000 acres is set aside as natural preserves. The island includes the salt marsh and paddle trail, with the historic Old Baldy lighthouse and the beach shown in the distance. 
Bald Head Island is home to nearly 200 species of birds, deer, alligators, foxes and sea turtles. 
Head to Oregon's Ecola State Park to enjoy outdoor recreational activities and cross the path of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. From the park, visitors can see Tillamook Rock Lighthouse about a mile offshore from Tillamook Head on the north coast of Oregon. It's now privately owned and the repository for ashes of the deceased. 
Twelve miles off the coast of Rhode Island, Block Island features 17 miles of beaches (all free, as is parking) as well as two harbors for boaters. Sunset at Great Salt Pond is shown here. 
Hilton Head, South Carolina, is known for its beaches, boating and golfing. Shown here are some docked shrimp boats. 
Not too far from Galveston Island's new Pleasure Pier attraction, this Texas town's beach still exudes calm and beauty. 
Kiptopeke State Park in Virginia is unusual among East Coast beaches because visitors can actually watch the sun go down over the water. It faces west because it's located on the Chesapeake Bay side of Virginia's Eastern Shore. 
Washington state's Long Beach Peninsula includes Cape Disappointment State Park, featuring rugged cliffs, beaches and North Head Lighthouse (shown here). 
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- Late summer is the time to enjoy some coastal gems
- Wonderful beaches dot the western, eastern and southern U.S. coasts
- There are less obvious choices in even the most beach-centric states
(CNN) -- As the long lazy days of summer draw to a close, beaches along the coasts of the United States are still calling to shoreline explorers.
Each coastal state has its popular beaches, where locals and tourists alike will try to squeeze in a little bit more lounging before it's time to go back to school or work.
And then there are a few spectacular or unusual beaches that stand out because of their unique geography, historical significance or simply their overwhelming beauty. It's nearly impossible to choose, especially in those states where you have a seemingly endless number of spectacular beaches.
Whether you prefer the Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic or the Gulf of Mexico, these U.S. beaches have your end-of-summer cravings covered. Click through the gallery to see some of this country's most intriguing beaches. What would you add to the list?
Please share your favorites in the comments section below.
