Corpus Christi is a coastal city on the Gulf of Mexico in southern Texas, set along Corpus Christi Bay and separated from the open Gulf by Padre Island and Mustang Island. Its landscape includes broad beaches, tidal flats, coastal wetlands, and shallow bays that support a wide range of marine and bird life.

Point Reyes is a rugged coastal region of Northern California, extending into the Pacific Ocean on the western side of Marin County. Much of the peninsula is protected within Point Reyes National Seashore, where windswept beaches, coastal cliffs, grasslands, forests, wetlands, and rocky headlands create a varied landscape.

Cape Town, located at the southern tip of South Africa, is one of the world’s most striking coastal cities. Towering over it is Table Mountain, a flat-topped landmark that can be reached by cable car or on foot, offering sweeping views of the city, ocean, and beyond.

Lomé, the capital city of Togo, sits along the Gulf of Guinea and serves as both the political and cultural heart of the country. Lomé’s coastline features beaches where locals gather and where visitors can enjoy views of the Atlantic Ocean.

Kirkenes sits at the far northeastern edge of Norway, just a few kilometers from the Russian border and not far from Finland. This Arctic town offers travelers a perspective they won’t find anywhere else in the country. With street signs in both Norwegian and Russian, and a local history shaped by war, trade, and shifting borders, Kirkenes has long stood at the crossroads of cultures.