Dunes with Grass, Denmark

A wide beach where wind whips the salty spray and cars cruise by on hard-packed sand. Where could we be? It's not Daytona, it's Denmark—specifically the popular Saltum Beach on the country's north coast. Here, visitors can settle in for a lazy beach day or enjoy a sunny drive on 12-plus miles of beach open to motor vehicle traffic. Or if you're really adventurous, the windsurfing here is said to be excellent.A large peninsula flanked by 406 islands, Denmark is full of stark seaside scenes like this. Despite its small area, the Scandinavian country is outlined by more than 4,000 miles of ever-shifting coast. It's an easy day trip for most any Dane to visit the seemingly endless shore, as almost the whole population lives less than 30 miles from seawater.