Top Beach Destination: Hanalei Beach, Kauai

Hollywood could not have designed a more perfect beach: Nestled along the romantic North Shore of Kauai, Hanalei Bay is a two-mile-long half-moon of golden sand with a dramatic backdrop of craggy volcanic cliffs laced with thousand-foot waterfalls.

The clear turquoise waters sport vibrant coral reefs, where rainbow-colored fish swarm and snorkelers and divers are in heaven. During the summer months, the waters in Hanalei Bay relax with the sunny weather and become so placid the entire bay resembles a giant swimming pool, where swimmers, fishermen, canoe paddlers, and kayakers flock. In the winter, large oceanic waves churn up the waters into sets of big waves, drawing board surfers and windsurfers to the thundering breakers.

On shore, the picture-postcard village of Hanalei is the center of the laid-back lifestyle of the North Shore. An eclectic array of unique shops and restaurants sprinkle both sides of the two-lane highway running through the tiny town. A handful of accommodations ranging from charming bed and breakfasts to a luxury resort attract tourists from around the globe.

A series of one-lane bridges lead in and out of Hanalei, one traveling to the end of Kauai's road where the wild and rugged Na Pali trail begins an adventure of a lifetime and the other direction leads to the series of tiny towns hugging the coastline.

Life in Hanalei is like no where else on the Garden Isle, time seems to slow down, people walk at a slower pace, and smiling and waving at strangers is the norm.

Jeanette Foster, who has lived most of her life in Hawaii, is the author of several Frommer's guides, including: Frommer's Hawaii, Frommer's Honolulu, Waikiki & Oahu, Frommer's Kauai, and Hawaii Day by Day, among others. She also is the editor of Zagat Hawaii Restaurants.