Cheapflights.ca Presents: Sand & the City

TORONTO--(Marketwired - Jun 4, 2013) - A typical city break is a fun whirlwind of shopping, dining and plenty of sightseeing, which all make for an exhilarating, yet exhausting getaway. For those looking to balance all the excitement of a big city vacation with the sun and relaxation of a beach retreat, look no further. The travel experts at Cheapflights.ca, the online leader in finding and publishing travel deals, combine the best of both worlds in their latest beach list featuring the Top 10 City Beaches around the World. These are top-notch beaches adjacent to world-class cities -- perfect pairings for making the most of your vacation time and budget this summer.

Check out these five city beaches in the Americas where you can take in the excitement of the city and retreat to the beach all in the same day:

• Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - No trip to Rio is complete without a stop at Copacabana. This two-and-a-half mile stretch of sand is busy with sunbathing, kite flying, rollerblading and loads of beach sports. The iconic black and white wave of the Copacabana promenade, which trails the length of the beach, is a hot spot for tourists and residents alike. From the beach there are great views of Sugarloaf Mountain, the Corcovado and the azure waters of the Atlantic Ocean. And if the sun gets too hot, there are plenty of places to cool off with a caipirinha (Brazil's national cocktail). Other beaches to check out in and around Rio de Janeiro are Ipanema, Prainha Beach and Praia Vermelha.
  
  
• Waikiki Beach, Honolulu, Hawaii, United States - Located in the heart of Hawaii's capital city, Waikiki is a year-round spot for the traveller seeking sun and sand. The quintessential turquoise waters of Waikiki Beach have been a popular spot for relaxation as far back as the early 1900s when Hawaiian royalty would visit in search of great surfing. And if sunbathing isn't for you, the options for beach activities are abundant, including surfing, snorkelling and scuba diving. There are great places for a stroll, including the Waikiki Beach Walk and the Waikiki Historic Trail as well as a number of other popular sites, including Pearl Harbor and Nu'uanu Pali Lookout.
  
  
• Kitsilano Beach, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada - Vancouver might not seem like a top beach destination, but during the warm summer months Kitsilano is the perfect spot to cool off after taking in the sites of the city. There are a number of beach volleyball courts, a playground for kids and even a salt water swimming pool. If you're looking for something to do before or after the beach, Kitsilano is close to a number of museums, including Museum of Vancouver, the Maritime Museum and the Planetarium. Other beaches in and around Vancouver include Jericho Beach and Spanish Banks.
  
  
• South Beach, Miami, Florida, United States - South Beach isn't just a beach where Floridians and visitors alike go to sunbathe; it's a hot spot for top-rated restaurants, world-class hotels, excellent shopping and rambunctious partying. Located in Miami Beach, South Beach has transformed in recent decades from run-down to extremely wealthy. But don't let your budget stop you from visiting as there are plenty of budget-friendly accommodations and restaurants. And while you're there, be sure to check out the Art Deco district, Casa Casuarina and Espanola Way.
  
  
• Venice Beach, Los Angeles, California, United States - Most visitors don't go to Venice Beach for the sun; they go for the people watching. Littering the boardwalk along the beach are fortune tellers, snake charmers, artists and musicians. If that doesn't sound exciting enough, stop by Muscle Beach where there's an outdoor gym and bodybuilders showing off their stuff to anyone who will watch. All summer long there are plenty of festivals, art shows and celebrations, so even if you aren't sunbathing there's always something to do or someone to watch.
  
  

Looking to take your urban adventures a little further? Check out these urban beaches that span the globe: Camps Bay - Cape Town, South Africa; Barceloneta Beach - Barcelona, Spain; Costa de Caparica - Lisbon, Portugal; Bondi Beach - Sydney, Australia and Stanley Beach - Hong Kong. To read Cheapflights.ca's complete list of Top 10 City Beaches around the World, visit www.cheapflights.ca/travel/top-10-city-beaches-around-the-world.

About Momondo Group
Momondo Group is an online travel media and technology company that is driven by the belief that an open world is a better world. The group now serves travel search and inspiration to over 13 million visitors a month -- plus 6 million travel newsletter subscribers -- via its Cheapflights (www.cheapflights.ca) and momondo (www.momondo.com) brands.

Skygate began the sourcing of complex air-travel data in 1992, while Cheapflights pioneered the online comparison of flight deals for users in 1996 and momondo launched meta-search in the Nordic countries in 2006. 

The Group has offices in London, Copenhagen, Boston and Toronto, with a consumer base across more than 20 core international markets but users all over the world.

Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/cheapflights

Follow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/cheapflights