Beach is an area of sand, pebbles, or small rocks along a shoreline. The materials of the beach may be supplied by streams. They may also wear away from sea cliffs or wash up from shallow sea bottoms.
Waves and currents give beaches a variety of shapes. For example, pocket beaches have a curved shape. Such beaches are usually bordered by hills. An example is Halfmoon Bay in California. Spits and hooks stretch out into the water in the shape of a finger or hook. An example is Sandy Hook in New Jersey) Sedimentary capes also extend into the water but are broader than spits and hooks. Cape Canaveral in Florida is a sedimentary cape. A beach may also be a sandy stretch that connects islands with a mainland, such as Marblehead, Massachusetts. Waves along low coasts may build barrier beaches, such as Miami Beach, Florida Barrier beaches run parallel to the coastline. A sound or lagoon separates barrier beaches from the mainland.
Beaches are popular recreational spots. Well-known beach resort areas include the Riviera on the Mediterranean coasts of southern France and northern Italy. Beaches on the coasts of Florida, California, and Hawaii in the United States also attract many visitors.
