Swimmers enjoying the water at South Padre Island, TX ©Antanith
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With summer in full swing and temperatures rising all across the United States, one of the best places to cool down is the beach. But not all beaches are safe for swimming this season. According to the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), in 2011 U.S. beaches had the third highest number of closings and advisory days in more than 20 years.
The council recently compiled a report of 12 national beaches that are considered 5-star, or in other words, possess low contamination levels and are swim-worthy. The NRDC has also created a searchable database on their website with details on 200 of the most popular U.S. beaches. See a full list of the NRDC’s best beaches and how your favorite beach fared here.