Maui, Hawaii

If the first thing you want to do after landing in Maui is take to the beaches, head to Baldwin Beach Park just out of historic Paia. It also has a Baby Beach for the youngest, and is a preferred place by the locals too, so will certainly help you get in the Hawaiian mood.

The area of Kihei welcomes visitors with plenty of activities across its flat beaches: bodysurfing and skimboarding are the things to try here. Makena includes the mile-long Big Beach with many excellent snorkeling spots like the Five Grave, and the Little Beach, unofficially considered among the best nudist beaches in the U.S. The Secret Cove just south of Makena is also a popular wedding location.

La Perouse will not only amaze you as a beach, but also as a rich archaeological site that still bears marks of the last volcanic eruption in Maui in 1790. This is a beach where wearing closed shoes is highly recommended, especially if you are looking to hike the rocky King's Highway into the Ahihi Kinau Natural Area Reserve.

You don't have to do without pristine beaches if you are taking the famous road to Hana or hiking in Haleakalā, far from the lively western side of Maui: Wai'anapanapa State Park's black sand volcanic beaches with its cabins and picnic area will won't leave you disappointed.