The aptly named Long Beach Peninsula, 28 miles of sand, stretches like a beckoning finger along the Pacific Ocean at Washington's southwest corner. You won't find games or taffy stands on the Long Beach Boardwalk, just interpretive displays about the dunes, water and wildlife. But this low-key planked pathway parallels the beach, where kite fliers congregate year-round; the Washington State International Kite Festival is Aug. 15-21.

Steve Millburg