Light Houses Galore

massachusetts Lighthouses List
Can you rank the six New England states in order of how beautiful they each are in your opinion?

In descending order?

I would also like you to provide REASONS why you ranked the state in that position.

Here's an example of an answer I'm looking for:

1. Connecticut - Wealthy suburbs, New Haven, Litchfield Hills, 250-mile coastline
2. Massachusetts - Boston and Cambridge, Cape Cod National Seashore, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket Island
3. Maine - Acadia National Park, charming small towns, lighthouses
4. New Hampshire - Great Outdoor Activities such as mountains and state parks, cool summers, Interesting 18-mile coastline
5. Vermont - Nice rural setting
6. Rhode Island - Although last on this list, also beautiful. Rhode Island gets credit for Providence and boating.

Depends on what you are looking for when you say "beautiful". Cool urban areas, natural settings?

For me (I have lived in every New England state except Vermont):

1. Maine -- Gorgeous rocky coastline with great towns all along the coast. Portland is a very cool small city. However, once you get off the coast, there's not much to Maine for the visitor. But you could spend years visiting all the small seaside towns.

2. Massachusetts -- Great blend of resort-style, ocean-side towns on the Cape and Islands, mixed with a very vibrant, young, cultured city in Boston. The most diverse state in New England, it has both the urban eastern portion, and a very rural, picturesque western half. Also has some really bad cities you don't want to wander in (Fall River, New Bedford, Springfield, etc.).

3.New Hampshire -- More industrial than Vermont, but also has some nice in-land villages. Good skiing (not as good as Vermont). The short coastline is possibly the best in New England with nice beaches and lots of beachfront shopping, dining, etc. Portsmouth is a great small city.

4. Vermont -- Quiet and quaint, picturesque "New England Towns" (white churches and red barns). Great skiing. Not a whole lot going on, though.

5. Rhode Island -- The southern part of the state is very nice with great beaches and small villages along the coast, with great dining and shopping. This area is probably the least "touristy" of all the New England waterfront. Newport alone is worth the visit to RI. Providence has a few OK features, but everything off the coast in RI is pretty unremarkable, even downright ugly.

6. Connecticut -- It has a few nice towns along the coast, and it has the casinos. Most of Connecticut seems to be either very rural, economically depressed urban, or wealthy suburb. New Haven, apart from areas around Yale, is not a nice city. Hartford is cleaner, but seems to be just offices, no social/cultural scene. Of all the states, Connecticut has the least "feel", in my opinion.

Once Upon a Stretch of Sand..

We are creatures of the sea. It is in our genetic makeup to seek out the bonding point of water and shore, to dance in frothy surf and leave footprints on sands as varied as is our species. The United States is blessed with thousands of miles of coastline, some of it rocky crags meeting each wave with loud protest, other parts lengths of fine white powder gently sloping to water's edge.

Offering warm sands, swaying palms and frothy waters in every shade of blue found on an artist's palette, it is no wonder that Hanalei Beach on the island of Kauai heads the list of the top ten beaches in the U.S. for 2009. The remote two mile (3.2 kilometer) crescent of white sand, flanked by 4,000 feet (1,219 meters) of sculptured emerald mountains moved up from the second place spot on Stephen Leatherman's (Dr. Beach) 2008 top ten ranking.

Hamosa Beach, on the Hawaiian island of Maui, ranks at number five. A favorite of Ernest Hemingway, this pride of the Valley Isle offers coral and lava sands, a backdrop of verdant cliffs, swaying coconut palms and brilliantly hued flowers along its shoreline.

The mainland has its gems as well. The number two spot goes to Florida's Siesta Beach in Sarasota Florida. Considered one of the finest white sand beaches in the world, its clear warm waters host a viable marine ecosystem that is quite attractive to snorkelers and SCUBA divers.

Green sea turtles and humans alike share a fondness for Florida's second nod on the top ten list. Cape Florida State Park in Key Biscayne claims the number eight spot. Sporting its own lighthouse, emerald shaded water and a gently sloping sandy shoal, this very swimmable beach is an admirable choice.

Heading northward to the shores of South Carolina, Beachwalker Park on Kiawah Island, number ten, we find thousands of birds sharing their barrier island home with two legged visitors of the human variety. Wander the 10 mile (16.1 kilometer) sandy shoreline or paddle a canoe or kayak through tidal inlets on this ecologically blessed isle.

Cape Hatteras, Outer Banks, North Carolina makes the list at number seven. Considered one of the best surfing spots on the East Coast, this beach grass blessed barrier island is also the first designated U.S. National Seashore. Serving as both a recreational outlet and an ecological preserve, it provides a multi faceted beach experience.

Still farther north, Coopers Beach, Southampton, ranks at number three, and Main Beach, East Hampton, number six, give dual honors to the state of New York. Not to be outdone by its larger neighbor, Coast Guard Beach in Cape Cod Massachusetts makes the list at number nine. This steeply sloping stretch of sand is only accessible by bike or shuttle bus and offers panoramic views of the bay and barrier islands.

Travel west to sunny southern California to find Coronado Beach, winner of the number four spot. Man has made his mark with the century old Hotel del Coronado, but the beach's Mediterranean like warm sands and mild surf are complemented by the landmark's stunning architecture.

For more information on beaches, visit http://www.topbeaches.us

About the Author