Summertime turns nearly every corner of the country into a hotspot for fun, but some American towns take things to the next level. These are the places that are the setting for summer vacations that stay with you for the rest of your life, so click on the slideshow to find out which place does summer best in your state.

Alabama's eye-catching coastline is no longer a secret and Gulf Shores is still the best place to get your feet wet. Summer starts with a bang at the Hangout Festival and NCAA Beach Volleyball Championships each year, followed by a rolling tide of seasonal fun on the sand.

Strictly speaking, DNP is not a municipality, but that doesn't mean it isn't the capital of summer fun in the state. Visitor numbers swell between May and September as people from all over the world gather to catch a glimpse of the local wildlife and make once-in-a-lifetime memories.

Arizonans looking to evade the summer head up to Flagstaff, but those looking to embrace it go to Lake Havasu. One of America's greatest lakes for good times, you'll have a blast out on the water or at a waterside beach bar.

The fun overflows at "America's First Resort" each summer. The lakes around Hot Springs are the scene for the annual Fishing Challenge while Magic Springs theme park and its cool waterpark are the settings for adrenaline rushes on rollercoasters and lazy days by the wave pool.

Thought boardwalks and seaside theme parks were only found on the East Coast? Well, think again. Santa Cruz and its historic boardwalk is the place to be for quintessentially Californian summer vibes and scores of vintage rides.

Lots of Colorado ski towns will keep your spirits high long after the snow melts, but Telluride takes the cake. Outdoor concerts & movie nights, Shakespeare in the Park, mountain biking & hiking, floating on the San Miguel River and a summer-ending film festival are just a few of the great things that make it such a great May to September spot.

This town has become synonymous with its marquee attraction: Mystic Seaport. This living, breathing museum is one of the most beloved family attractions in the entire East Coast and each summer the entire town comes alive for seaside fun.

Rehoboth Beach is hands-down the finest summertime destination in The First State. Spend your morning lazing on the beach, afternoon on the boardwalk enjoying saltwater taffy from Dolle's and evening taking in a concert at the renowned Rehoboth Beach Bandstand.

This postcard-perfect retreat on the panhandle becomes "heaven on surf" in the summertime. Outdoor cinema, al fresco concerts and a host of other fun events await those who retreat to the sugary sands of this South Walton town.

Between May and September, this island near Savannah is awash in visitors pedaling beach cruiser bicycles (the July 4th bike parade is especially fun!) before parking themselves on the beach. As far as summer evenings are concerned, with a host of fantastic restaurants, outdoor movie showings and the Tybee Post Theater, there's always something fun going on.

Okay, so technically there is no town with the name Waimea Bay, but this stunning stretch of Hawaiian coast still turns into a hotspot come summertime. Why? Because the massive waves of winter-that could up until this point only be truly enjoyed by surfers-have calmed down and now present the perfect water for divers, swimmers, and snorkelers.

Mccall makes a fantastic base for winter sports during the cold and dark months, but when the temperatures warm up each summer, it's all about being by the water. Spend a day doing nothing on the beach or an adrenaline-filled day river rafting: it's up to you. Then, begin your evening with a sunset cruise on the lake before having an ice cream under the stars.

When the summer gets going, seemingly the entire city of Chicago goes to the lakefront. Nope, no American city knows how to shed its winter layers quite like the Windy City. Add in an endless array of summer events and concerts (Lollapalooza and Taste of Chicago being two famous examples) and you have a magical combination.

Lake Wawasee is one of the Hoosier State's most sizzling summer spots and Syracuse sits right on its shores. In summer, the restaurants and bars here are filled with waterskiers and boaties swapping stories about their days out on the lake and chatting about what special summer event they will attend that night.

If you are seeking out summer fun in Iowa, then you simply must go to Okoboji. The town sits at the heart of the Iowa Great Lakes region and is home to the vintage charm of Arnolds Park Amusement Park. Fun out on the water is the other main pursuit here, which is typically followed up by a libation or two at one of the country's best beach bars.

The Wild West is still alive in Dodge City and each summer travelers flock here for a completely different style of Sunflower State fun. Visit the Boot Hill Museum for a true taste of what this raucous cowtown was really like in the old days.

Lake Cumberland becomes a wonderland of watery fun each summer and Jamestown makes the best base from which to explore the lake. Here, you will find an impressive marina, multiple restaurants and several establishments where you can rent a houseboat-a must-do in these parts.

Some Louisianans go to Grand Isle when the summer heat cranks up, but those in the know head to Lake Charles. The summer months bring a nonstop parade of outdoor recreation opportunities, festivals, and alfresco events. No summer vacation is complete without a stroll on the city's famous boardwalk.

They arrive for the golden beaches and the historic pier, but they come back each year for the timeless summer vibe that just can't be found anywhere else on the Maine coast.

Ocean City is awesome all year round, but when summer arrives, the fun times go into hyperdrive. In fact, the only problem is fitting it all in. You could just laze the day away on the beach, but with so much fun going on at the local theme parks, the collection of beach bars and on the boardwalk, it might be a harder decision than you think.

Martha's Vineyard is a magnet for summer vacationers and it typifies what many of us think of when we think of a "New England summer". Spend your days on the sand or kayaking along the coast and your nights making a toast at one of the island's fine restaurants.

The Great Lakes don't get any better than this. A step back in time and a pretty nice tan awaits those who arrive on car-free Mackinac Island during summertime. Get out on the water during the day before touring the island on a bicycle at dusk and sampling some local fudge.

When you live in a state nicknamed "The Land of 10,000 Lakes", you are never far from a cool body of water in the summertime. Bemidji is located near a lake (and all the watery fun that that entails), but there are plenty of cool things to see in town too, including a huge statue of Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox.

Gulfport is the center of the summer fun on Mississippi's gorgeous (and still underrated) Gulf Coast. Dig your toes into the sand of the impressive dunes and sugary beaches near the water before heading off to play mini-golf at one of the country's best courses.

They flock from all over the Midwest to take to the water at the Lake of the Ozarks, spending days under the Missouri sun and nights at the beach bars that line the lake's shores. Lake Ozark is the region's liveliest hub of restaurants, arcades and go-kart tracks.

People from all over the Plains and the country are falling in love with Omaha and summer is certainly the best time to be in town. The fun starts with the College World Series each June and keeps on rolling from there. Hang with the friendly locals at an outdoor concert downtown or join them on a stroll across the town's famous pedestrian bridge.

Whitefish is the best base for exploring Glacier National Park but you will go away from your summer vacay impressed with this town, too.

The capital of Nevada is located at the foot of the Carson Range of mountains, which helps make it the Silver State's summer escape. Here, in the morning, you can set off into the hills to do some mountain biking and be sitting by Lake Tahoe with a drink in your hand by sunset.

There are hundreds of isles on Lake Winnipesaukee and each summer, Meredith buzzes with the comings-and-goings of island explorers. The town itself is home to great local shops & restaurants and is located near a set of fetching covered bridges.

No state knows how to do beachside boardwalks like the Garden State and you will find an especially grand paved one in Cape May. The town fills up each summer with beachgoers, boardwalk strollers and those admiring the town's pretty "gingerbread" houses. Countless events make sure the nights are as fun as the daytime.

When the heat is being turned up on the rest of the state, Taos-which sits at over 9,000-feet above sea level-typically stays much cooler. This refreshing air and packed social calendar is a major reason why people flock here in the summer, long after the snow on the slopes has melted away.

It doesn't get much more All-American than Cooperstown. Set beside Otsego Lake and surrounded by rolling hills, it is a dream location for Upstate summer recreation. In addition, each year the town throws a big party to celebrate the latest inductees into their beloved Baseball Hall of Fame.

The entire stretch of the OBX evolves into a summer paradise each May, but you won't find anywhere in the 'Banks better than Kill Devil Hills. Spend your days on the beach with a bevy of fellow vacationers before watching a sunset and then playing putt-putt at one of the country's best mini golf courses.

Most of the year, Minot flies under the radar as one of North Dakota's hidden gems. During the summer months though, the town comes alive with revelers intent on having the time of their lives at the North Dakota State Fair. Pair that with a visit to the local Scandinavian Heritage Park and you are sure to have a fine time.

This small island in the Great Lakes bubbles over with fun each summer as visitors descend to experience a bit of "island life" in the Midwest. Fishing for perch and walleye are popular daytime activities while visiting the island's numerous bars is the most popular post-sunset pastime.

Grove gives summer visitors a close-up view of Grand Lake's beauty. The town serves as a meeting point for fishermen and boaties who spend their days out on its sparkling waters and their nights swapping stories over a cold libation.

Oregon-and the Pacific Northwest in general-might not necessarily pop to mind when you think of summery beach towns, but one trip to Newport will set you straight. This coastal fishing town is swimming in soft sand, fresh seafood and surfing waves, which is all you really need this time of year.

There's no doubt that winters can be a little cold around here, but Erie sure knows how to thaw out in sensational fashion. The star summer attraction in town is Presque Isle State Park-a peninsula full of soft sand beaches and scores of summertime sunbathers.

People come from all over the country to admire the gorgeous Gilded Age mansions from the Cliff Walk, but this town hits "peak summer" when the first notes of world-famous Newport Jazz Festival are played.

From the serene beaches to the relative hustle of Harbour Town, Hilton Head is summer vacation heaven. Spend days being lazy on the beach or getting active swinging a tennis racquet or golf club before listening to local icon Gregg Russell sing under the stars at night.

Made even more famous by the HBO series Deadwood, this formerly lawless town makes for a lovely summer vacay spot. See the spot where Wild Bill Hickock played his last hand of poker before setting off to see nearby Mount Rushmore-one of the country's most patriotic destinations.

The Gateway to the Smokies becomes a center of family fun each summer. Between nearby Dollywood, several top-notch mini-golf courses, haunted houses and a museum dedicated to salt & pepper shakers, you and the crew will never run out of things to do.

Galveston makes for a great escape any time of year, but summertime is something to behold. Spend your days topping up your tan on the sand and your night son the historic pleasure pier-home to a host of both retro and thrilling rides.

Visitors from around the world make their way here each summer to experience two of our country's finest national parks: Arches and Canyonlands. Include nearby drop-dead gorgeous Dead Horse Point and you are sure to make summer vacation memories in Moab that will last a lifetime.

Set on the fringes of Lake Champlain, Burlington owns one of the most beautiful settings for summer fun in the Northeast. Visitors flock here from all over to experience the charms of the town (especially during the Discover Jazz Festival) and explore the nearby islands.

In Virginia Beach, you will find soft sand, an excellent beachside cycle path, a lively boardwalk full of vendors serving up fantastic food and if that's not enough to impress you: a giant statue of Neptune.

They weren't kidding when they named this peninsula Long Beach. The sand stretches for around 30 miles and in summer, the resort town of the same name is the place to go for good times.

Summerville may be located in the middle of the Mountain State, but its namesake lake provides endless watersports opportunities. Spend your days riding the jet skis and diving into the water and your nights whetting your whistle at the local bars.

Baraboo is the hometown of the famous Ringling Brothers and each summer, scores of families arrive to explore the Circus World Museum together. Afterward, they head to the nearby Devil's Lake to admire the gorgeous rock cliffs.

Jackson Hole is a great place to be no matter what season it is. During summer, the local trails fill with hikers and cyclists and placid Jackson Lake fills up in the evening with scores of sunset watchers.