Capitol, Symbol of Democracy, Off-Limits on Independence Day

WASHINGTON (AP) — The one-two punch of the coronavirus pandemic that shuttered the Capitol’s doors in the spring of 2020 and the deadly January riot by Donald Trump's supporters has left the icon of American democracy closed to all but a select few.

It's still off-limits to most public visitors.

And it's the longest stretch ever that the building has been closed in its 200-plus year history.

As the rest of the nation emerges from the pandemic this July Fourth holiday, the people’s house faces a more difficult moment. Millions of people usually visit each year, often in the summer months.

Congressional leaders are working on a plan to safely reopen.

LOOK: Here are the 50 best beach towns in America

Every beach town has its share of pluses and minuses, which got us thinking about what makes a beach town the best one to live in. To find out, Stacker consulted data from WalletHub, released June 17, 2020, that compares U.S. beach towns. Ratings are based on six categories: affordability, weather, safety, economy, education and health, and quality of life. The cities ranged in population from 10,000 to 150,000, but they had to have at least one local beach listed on TripAdvisor. Read the full methodology here. From those rankings, we selected the top 50. Readers who live in California and Florida will be unsurprised to learn that many of towns featured here are in one of those two states.

Keep reading to see if your favorite beach town made the cut.