Here Are The 14 Most Unique Beaches In The United States

There are very few places in the world with red-sand beaches. I've been to one in Canada but did you know that there is one in Hawaii? Located in a cove in Hana on the Hawaiian island of Maui, the Kaihalulu Red Sand Beach is a rare natural wonder. With the colorful sand, rocky and rugged shoreline, and the blue waters of the Pacific, this is a bucket-list-worthy destination in Hawaii. However, to access the beach would require a treacherous hike with narrow parts and dangerous drops, and it is currently not advised to do so. Viewing photos of this red-sand beach will have to do for now. You can read the advisory on the Hana Maui website.

Not only is Hawaii home to a red-sand beach but a green-sand beach as well. This is quite a colorful state, to say the least! Papakolea Beach can be found on the southern shore of the island of Hawaii within Mahana Bay. Its green sand was created when the Pu’u Mahana cinder cone collapsed causing broken olivine crystals to collect on the beach. The result is utterly spectacular as this is one of the only green-sand beaches in the world. If you wish to visit this green-sand beach, one good way is to take a tour.

While Cape Cod has some of the state's most beautiful beaches (and yes, I may be biased since I spend my summers there), Cape Ann also has its share of stunning beaches. One, in particular, is the Singing Beach. Located in Manchester-by-the-Sea, this beach is more than just a pretty sandy beach to laze your summer days away. Take a walk along its stretch of sand and you may find something surprising, something oddly unique about it -- this beach can sing! Okay, okay, maybe it's more of a squeaking noise but it's still an incredibly cool feature that's caused by the size and shape of the grains of sand when friction is applied. Visit and try it for yourself!

Want to go bowling? Well, you may be inclined to after you visit the unusual Bowling Ball Beach in Port Arena, California. Tucked away along the Mendocino Coast in NorCal's Schooner Gulch State Beach Area, you'll be delighted by what you see along the beach during low tide. Curious round-shaped rock formations known as "concretions" are exposed when the tide recedes. And, yes, they look like bowling balls! To get to the beach, there is a small parking area along Hwy 1. You'll have to find the trailhead which is short yet steep towards the end.

Located within the Samuel H. Boardman Scenic Corridor in Brookings, Secret Beach is worth finding. This hidden gem beach is a sight to behold. Aside from the sandy beach, you'll see rock formations rising from the water creating the most otherworldly scenery. Visiting this secluded, hard-to-find beach is best during low tide so you can really enjoy your time here.

To access Secret Beach, drive about a third of a mile past U.S. 1 mile marker 345. You'll find a small gravel lot where you can park and find the trailhead to the beach.

Located within MacKerricher State Park in Fort Bragg, Glass Beach is a fascinating coastal gem to visit. You may be wondering how Glass Beach got all that glass. Well, here's the story...Back in the mid-1900s, Fort Bragg residents used this area as a garbage dump. It was active until 1967 when it was cleaned up. What was left behind from the cleanup were pieces of broken glass and pottery smoothed away from years of saltwater washing over it. It became quite a colorful beach to visit from that point on.

Incredible beaches aren't just along our coasts or in Hawaii; there are plenty of inland beaches to enjoy as well. One such beach is Iona's Beach along Lake Superior's North Shore in Two Harbors, Minnesota. Its proper name is Iona's Beach Scientific & Natural Area (SNA) and it's home to a beach of pink rhyolite that stretches for 300 yards. The colorful pink beach and the blue lake water are as stunning as can be!

While black sand beaches are typically associated with countries like Iceland and Greece, we have some of our own right here in the U.S.! Located in Prince William Sound lies Alaska's very own Black Sand Beach. Surrounded by awe-inspiring mountains and glaciers, it's no wonder why this is such a popular spot for both camping and sea kayaking. Black Sand Beach may only be a quarter mile long but the dark-colored sand in contrast with the surrounding glaciers makes it a picture-perfect setting for adventure. And Alaska is certainly full of adventure!

Welcome to Dry Tortugas National Park! Located 70 miles west of Key West, this national park boasts 100 square miles of mostly water. However, there are seven small islands, coral reefs, a historic fort, and, of course, beaches. There are only two ways to get here -- by boat or seaplane. You can even book a luxury boat tour if you'd like. For those who want to camp, campsites are only available on Garden Key where Fort Jefferson is located.

Have you ever wanted to see horses out in the wild? An enchanting place, the 37-mile-long Assateague Island is where you can observe wild horses roaming free on both the beach and inland. However, you are not allowed to approach the horses, only view them from a safe distance to appreciate their beauty. Most of this barrier island is in Maryland while its southern portion is in Virginia. Camping is allowed on the island as well, and if you decide to camp here, perhaps a few horses will drop by your campsite!

Maryland's not the only place on the East Coast where you can find wild horses on the beach. Head further south to Georgia's Cumberland Island and there's a population of wild horses. The largest and southernmost barrier island in the state, it was a working plantation once upon a time and then it became a winter retreat for the Carnegie family before becoming a national park in 1972. Aside from the wild horses, you'll discover undeveloped beaches, marches, and forests throughout the 36,000-acre park. It's also one of the best places in the state to search for seashells. Cumberland Island is only accessible by passenger ferry or private boat.

Another lakeside beach on our list, Wisconsin's Schoolhouse Beach can be likened to a tropical paradise in the Midwest. With its crystal clear water and a beach of limestone rocks, there aren't too many beaches like this in the world. You'll find it at Washington Harbor in Lake Michigan.

The largest lake in Glacier National Park, Lake McDonald is best known for its rocky shoreline of rainbow-colored pebbles. It's unsurprising why it's the most popular lake in this national park. The colorful rocks are quite vibrant along the lake's shallow waters so make sure you have your camera ready for some incredible shots at this unique beach in Montana!

When I was working on location in South Carolina on a TV series, I would spend my weekends exploring this incredible Southern state. One of my favorite day trips, by far, was Driftwood Beach by Edisto Island's Botany Bay Plantation Heritage Preserve. Although I grew up in the Ocean State and had ties to both Cape Cod and Southern California, I had never seen a beach as mesmerizing as this. My friend and I were the only ones here on our visit so we spent plenty of time taking it all in undisturbed. It's an incredibly peaceful stretch of beach with gorgeous seashells and driftwood littering the sand in the most beautiful way. This is one of the best and most unique beaches in the U.S.