The first volume in the bestselling One Hundred & One series devoted to the United States, this book is a unique photographic tour of the most charming towns along the American littoral, from ancient New England fishing towns and the wide strands of Florida’s beach towns to the rugged West Coast. Stephen Brewer’s inviting text not only draws attention to aesthetic, natural, and architectural points of interest in every region, but also brings to life the special history of each place, from William Randolph Hearst’s "castle" on California’s central coast to Newport’s grand nineteenth-century "cottages." Every stretch of the U.S. coast is included—Maine’s bracing fishing coves, Louisiana bayous, and undiscovered gems like California’s Eureka, a charming Victorian town just beyond the "Lost Coast" in the state’s far north. An appendix provides details about hotels, restaurants, shops, and nearby points of interest for each town. This tour of the hidden treasures and charming sights of America’s seaside is perfect inspiration for the armchair traveler or anyone considering a vacation closer to home.