The Cleanest U.S. Beaches

Last week, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) released its 22nd annual beachwater quality report, Testing the Waters, breaking down the best and worst of our nation's shorelines. This year, 13 of the nation's 200 most popular beaches earned the highest rating of five-stars based on low contamination, monitoring frequency and fast acting public notification when levels violated health standards.[slideshow:533]

To find out if your beach made the cut, check out our slideshow of the 13 five-star beaches in the U.S. Then take a dip!