A GREAT BEACH IS ONLY HALF THE VACATION

Blue water and white sand will get our attention, but they are not enough to make a great beach destination. Once the sun goes down, we still need somewhere to eat. We want music, culture, excursions, nightlife, resorts worth booking, and enough personality that the destination feels like more than a beautiful place to lay out for a few hours.

That is what separates BlkTravel's Top 20 Beach Destinations from a ranking of the world's prettiest beaches. We are looking at the entire trip. Some destinations give you massive all-inclusive resorts and a week where leaving the property is optional. Others give you beach clubs, restaurants, nightlife, historic neighborhoods, local culture, or a city waiting just beyond the sand.

And every beach vacation does not require a passport or a twelve-hour flight. Miami Beach, Myrtle Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Gulf Shores, and other domestic favorites belong in the conversation too. Sometimes the best beach trip is the one you can pull together for a long weekend.

From the Caribbean and Mexico to Africa, Asia, South America, Hawaii, and the American coastline, these are destinations where the beach may bring you there, but the rest of the experience gives you a reason to stay.