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Reader Participation Day: Which is Your Favorite National Seashore?

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Though Cape Cod National Seashore is considered to be an "urbanized park," there are vestiges of wild dunescapes such as this one near Race Point. NPT file photo by Kurt Repanshek.

Which is your favorite national seashore, and why? Seems like a pretty straightforward question, no?

How tough can it be to answer?

After all, there are just a handful of national seashores: Cape Cod, Cape Hatteras, Cape Lookout, Point Reyes, Assateague Island, Canaveral, Cumberland Island, Fire Island, Gulf Islands, and Padre Island. And they all have a mix of sun, sand, surf and sea.

But don't they all have their own personalities, too? Assateague has its ponies, Cape Hatteras its off-road contingents, Cape Cod its somewhat urbanized setting.

Share your thoughts, which seashore is your favorite?

Comments

Point Reyes is great. You can backpack in the wilderness area. You can camp along the coast and gather driftwood for campfires on the beach. There are sea caves to explore at low tide, and a beautiful waterfall that drops onto the beach. The Bishop pine forest on the ridgetop has a rainforest look. The hike to the northern tip of Tomales point is spectacular, and it has a herd of Tule elk. Point Reyes is close to the Bay Area, so you need to plan months in advance to get a camping permit.


Cape Lookout was my favorite National Seashore. It was so remote and absolutely beautiful. It was a challenge finding a ferry boat to take me to the island (at least when I went, nearly 20 years ago) but that added to its charm.


Certainly Point Reyes is special to me. However - "National Seashore" is just a designation. I would note that the coastal section of Olympic National Park has all the qualities that one would want in a "National Seashore".


I would note that the coastal section of Olympic National Park has all the qualities that one would want in a "National Seashore".

As does Acadia.

And, as usual, Kurt's showing a prejudice against hyposaline waters by not including the National Lakeshores!

And finally, I find it important to note that my CAPTCHA is "cubic dungs". That's great.


Hey, no prejudice Kirby. I'm just working my way through the countless NPS designations! The possibilities for reader surveys are endless when you break down the system that way;-)


Cape hatteras. It's one of the few places left where i can drive my Ford F-250 down the beach and crack open a few brewskis while I'm surfcasting.


You can legally drink a brewski or two on the beach at Cape Hatteras, but visitors need to be aware of the various regs pertaining to alcoholic beverages at this seashore. Having open containers of beer or wine in your vehicle, even on the beach, is strictly forbidden. North Carolina laws also forbid the consumption of distilled liquors (whiskey, vodka, fortified wine, etc.) anywhere in public. The legal blood alcohol limit is .08, and the legal drinking age is 21.


There are two places for me. On the East coast it's Cape Hatteras just an beautiful great place to be. If I'm on the West coast Point Reyes for the mountains and sites. You can hike for days and not see everything it has to offer.


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