Beaches in the USA
99 beaches across 24 coastal regions — from California's Pacific surf and Florida's Gulf paradise to the wild shores of the Atlantic seaboard, Gulf Coast, Pacific Northwest, and Alaska
99 beaches across 24 coastal regions — from California's Pacific surf and Florida's Gulf paradise to the wild shores of the Atlantic seaboard, Gulf Coast, Pacific Northwest, and Alaska
The United States has one of the world's most diverse and celebrated coastlines — over 12,000 miles of ocean shoreline spanning radically different beach worlds. California's Pacific Coast is defined by surf culture from Malibu Surfrider to Huntington Beach. Florida offers Gulf Coast white sand paradise and Miami's South Beach glamour. Hawaii brings volcanic black sand, world-class snorkeling, and tropical beauty across Oahu, Maui, and Kauai. On the Atlantic seaboard, South Carolina's Grand Strand, North Carolina's Outer Banks, New Jersey's Shore, and Massachusetts's Cape Cod National Seashore each offer distinct character. The Gulf Coast continues through Texas, Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana's barrier islands. The Pacific Northwest delivers dramatic scenery at Oregon's Cannon Beach and Washington's Olympic coast wild shores. And Alaska's Kachemak Bay wilderness beaches complete one of the most extraordinary coast-to-coast collections in the world. With 99 handpicked beaches across 24 coastal states, this guide covers the very best of America's extraordinary beach landscape.
Explore 24 of America's most celebrated coastal states — each with a completely different character, climate, and coastal personality.
15 beaches from LA and Malibu to San Diego's Coronado and La Jolla, plus Big Sur's hidden gems.
15 beaches15 beaches from Miami's South Beach and Fort Lauderdale to the Gulf Coast's Clearwater, Destin, and Sanibel Island.
15 beaches10 beaches across Oahu, Maui, Kauai, and the Big Island — from Waikiki and Hanauma Bay to Waimea and Hanalei Bay.
10 beaches5 beaches from Rockaway and Coney Island in NYC to Jones Beach and the Hamptons on Long Island's East End.
5 beaches5 beaches from Myrtle Beach's Grand Strand to Hilton Head Island's resort shores, Folly Beach, and Isle of Palms.
5 beaches5 beaches across the Outer Banks — Cape Hatteras National Seashore, Nags Head, Wrightsville, and Emerald Isle.
5 beaches2 beaches — the bustling resort strip of Virginia Beach and secluded Sandbridge beside Back Bay Wildlife Refuge.
2 beaches5 Jersey Shore classics — Cape May's Victorian serenity, Atlantic City, Ocean City, Wildwood's rides, and Long Beach Island.
5 beaches4 Cape Cod National Seashore beaches — Race Point, Nauset, Coast Guard, and Herring Cove on the outer Cape.
4 beaches4 Gulf Coast beaches — South Padre Island, Galveston's historic strand, remote Boca Chica, and Mustang Island State Park.
4 beaches2 Gulf Shore beaches — Gulf Shores's white-sand family paradise and Orange Beach's pier and surf scene.
2 beaches2 Gulf Coast beaches — Biloxi's historic beach boardwalk and Gulfport's wide barrier island sand.
2 beaches1 remote barrier island beach — Grand Isle, Louisiana's only Gulf Coast public beach and premier fishing destination.
1 beach3 Golden Isles beaches — Tybee Island near Savannah, and the live-oak shores of Jekyll and St. Simons Islands.
3 beaches4 dramatic Pacific Coast beaches — Cannon Beach's Haystack Rock, Seaside, Pacific City, and Bandon's sea stacks.
4 beaches3 Pacific Northwest beaches — Long Beach Peninsula, Ocean Shores, and Olympic National Park's wild Ruby Beach.
3 beaches3 New England beaches — Old Orchard Beach's pier, Popham Beach's tidal sandbars, and Acadia's pink-granite Sand Beach.
3 beaches1 classic New England beach — Hampton Beach's lively boardwalk on NH's short but beautiful Atlantic coastline.
1 beach2 Delaware Shore classics — Rehoboth Beach and Bethany Beach, the famously peaceful "Quiet Resort."
2 beaches2 Atlantic beaches — Ocean City's family resort boardwalk and Assateague Island's wild ponies on an undeveloped barrier island.
2 beaches2 Atlantic beaches — Narragansett's consistent surf and Misquamicut State Beach's family-friendly shoreline.
2 beaches2 Long Island Sound beaches — Hammonasset Beach State Park's nature sanctuary and Westport's beautiful Compo Beach.
2 beaches1 Great Lakes beach — Presque Isle State Park's beautiful Lake Erie peninsula with 7 distinct beach areas.
1 beach2 wilderness beaches — Homer Spit's Kachemak Bay shore and Shingle Beach in Kachemak Bay State Park.
2 beachesThe Pacific Coast at its finest — surf culture, stunning scenery, and 15 world-class beaches from Los Angeles to San Diego and beyond.
LA's iconic beach anchored by the famous pier, Pacific Park, and the western end of historic Route 66.
California's most counterculture beach — the legendary Boardwalk, Muscle Beach gym, street performers, and vibrant skate park.
Artist colony turned coastal resort with dramatic coves, tide pools, and world-class snorkeling.
The birthplace of California surf culture — a legendary First Point wave that has shaped surfing history for 70+ years.
Surf City USA — host of the US Open of Surfing with 10 miles of open Pacific coast and the International Surfing Museum.
LA's premier beach city — birthplace of beach volleyball, a beautiful pier, and South Bay's affluent beach scene.
Beach volleyball's spiritual home with a vibrant pier plaza, consistent surf, and the compact character of a true beach town.
Consistently rated America's top beach — silver mica-flecked sand, the iconic Hotel del Coronado, and pristine surroundings.
San Diego's premier family and watersports beach with calm swimming, kayaking, and adjacent sea lion cove snorkeling.
LA County's largest beach — 2 miles of wide Pacific strand north of Malibu with clean water and consistent surf.
Big Sur's most spectacular beach — purple manganese sand, the iconic Keyhole Arch, and a remote forest access road.
Malibu's most photographed beach — sea caves, towering rock formations, and legendary sunset light for photographers.
Undeveloped Orange County coastline with an underwater state park, historic cottages, and dramatic tide pools.
LA's only beach bonfire destination — the sole LA County beach where fire pits are permitted, plus excellent RV camping.
The World's Safest Beach — a sheltered Santa Barbara County cove with year-round camping and exceptional tide pools.
From South Beach's Art Deco glamour to the Emerald Coast's pristine white sands — Florida offers 15 beaches spanning Atlantic, Gulf, and island shores.
Miami's iconic Art Deco beach strip — wide white sand, electric atmosphere, and world-famous Ocean Drive nightlife.
One of America's most awarded beaches — powdery white quartz sand, crystal-clear Gulf water, and spectacular sunsets.
World-famous for its 99% pure quartz crystal sand — the whitest, coolest-to-the-touch sand in America.
The full stretch of Miami's Atlantic coastline — mid-beach and North Beach offer a more relaxed alternative to South Beach.
The World's Most Famous Beach — 23 miles of hard-packed Atlantic sand, a lively boardwalk, and a legendary motorsports heritage.
The Venice of America's beachfront — a wide Atlantic strand lined with the vibrant A1A promenade, ocean-view bars, and watersports.
Southwest Florida's most elegant beach — pristine Gulf shoreline, a beloved historic pier, and dazzling sunsets over the water.
The Emerald Coast's pristine beginning — sugar-white sand in the Gulf Islands National Seashore, one of Florida's most protected beaches.
The Emerald Coast's crown jewel — impossibly clear emerald water, snow-white sand, and legendary Gulf-front fishing.
The Gulf's most accessible resort beach — 27 miles of white sand with every watersport imaginable and a legendary party atmosphere.
Palm Beach County's most charming beach city — a pristine Atlantic shore paired with the walkable boutiques and dining of Atlantic Avenue.
South Florida's hidden gem — the beloved Hollywood Broadwalk promenade with a European village feel between Miami and Fort Lauderdale.
Florida's Space Coast surf capital — home of Ron Jon Surf Shop, visible rocket launches, and consistent Atlantic swells.
The Gulf's classic resort strip — Pinellas County's iconic barrier island beach with powder-soft sand and the legendary Don CeSar resort.
The shell capital of America — Sanibel's east-west orientation creates a natural shell-collecting phenomenon unmatched anywhere in the world.
Volcanic islands, world-class snorkeling, legendary surf breaks, and paradise scenery — 10 beaches spanning Oahu, Maui, Kauai, and the Big Island of Hawaii.
The world's most famous urban beach — Diamond Head backdrop, surf schools, outrigger canoes, and the electric energy of Honolulu's resort strip.
Oahu's hidden paradise — powder-white sand, turquoise water, and the twin Mokulua Islands offshore. Known for Hawaii's finest sunrise views.
Maui's premier resort beach — the nightly cliff-diving ceremony at Black Rock and some of Hawaii's richest near-shore snorkeling.
The most hallowed arena in big-wave surfing — home of the Eddie Aikau Invitational on Oahu's legendary North Shore.
Hawaii's #1 snorkeling spot — a protected marine reserve in a volcanic crater bay with 400+ reef fish species.
Kauai's top family beach — a natural tombolo lagoon, Hawaiian monk seals, spinner dolphins, and living coral year-round.
The Big Island's most dramatic beach — jet-black olivine sand and resident Hawaiian green sea turtles basking in an otherworldly lava landscape.
Windward Oahu's most beloved beach — white sand, calm clear water, kayak rentals to Flat Island, and charming Kailua town nearby.
South Maui's biggest undeveloped beach — 850 m of golden sand with whale watching from November–May and volcanic snorkeling headlands.
Kauai's most spectacular bay — backed by Na Pali mountains, with winter surf, summer family swimming, and a timeless Hawaiian serenity.
From NYC's subway-accessible surf spots to Long Island's world-class Hamptons shores — 5 beaches that showcase New York's surprising Atlantic coast.
NYC's surf beach — A train accessible from Manhattan, with designated surf zones, a rebuilt boardwalk, and the unique ocean community of Rockaway Peninsula.
The quintessential NYC summer beach day — beach, Luna Park rides, the Wonder Wheel, the Cyclone, and Nathan's Famous, all subway accessible from Brooklyn.
Long Island's definitive family beach — Zach's Bay swim area for children, full State Park facilities, and the iconic Jones Beach Theater.
America's consistently highest-rated Atlantic beach — pristine white sand and clear Atlantic water in The Hamptons, with elegant East Hampton Village a short walk away.
Southampton's Dr. Beach Hall of Fame pick — exceptional quality, low crowds, genuinely clear Atlantic water, and the elegant Southampton village nearby.
From the Grand Strand's 60-mile resort beach to Hilton Head Island's resort shores, Folly Beach's surf scene, and the quiet residential barrier islands of Isle of Palms and Surfside Beach.
The Grand Strand's iconic 60-mile resort beach with boardwalk, amusement parks, miniature golf, and the signature appeal of America's most visited family beach destination.
12 miles of pristine resort beach on one of America's finest barrier islands — Sea Pines Preserve, wide hard-packed sand perfect for cycling, and the calm Atlantic of Lowcountry Carolina.
Charleston's lively beach town — the "Edge of America" surf scene with consistent Atlantic waves, a fishing pier, boardwalk bars, and a creative community 20 minutes from historic Charleston.
Upscale barrier island north of Charleston — Wild Dunes private beach atmosphere, clear Atlantic water, and excellent bird-watching at the adjacent Dewees Island Preserve.
The "Family Beach" of the Grand Strand — no chain restaurants fronting the sand, a wide uncrowded shore, and a genuinely peaceful small-town character at the southern end of the Myrtle Beach area.
The Outer Banks and Crystal Coast — from Cape Hatteras National Seashore's wild undeveloped shores to the surf culture of Nags Head, the clear waters of Wrightsville Beach, and Emerald Isle's Crystal Coast tranquility.
Cape Hatteras National Seashore — 70 miles of undeveloped Outer Banks coastline with wild ponies, the tallest brick lighthouse in America, and world-class surfing at the Point.
The Outer Banks hub — Jockey's Ridge State Park's massive sand dunes, consistent surf breaks that built OBX surf culture, and the charming Jennette's Pier fishing experience.
Wilmington's pristine barrier island beach — exceptionally clear Atlantic water, excellent snorkeling off the jetties, and a local beach town character far removed from resort excess.
A classic retro boardwalk beach near Wilmington — vintage funnel cake stands, a state park with carnivorous plants, and an affordable family beach town with consistent Atlantic swells.
Crystal Coast's serene residential barrier island — beautiful emerald-green water, no high-rise hotels, loggerhead nesting grounds, and a genuinely quiet community character.
The Hampton Roads coastline — Virginia Beach's resort boardwalk and the secluded Sandbridge shore beside Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge.
America's largest resort city by land area — a 3-mile boardwalk, the Oceanfront entertainment district, consistent surfable Atlantic swells, and the military history of Naval Station Norfolk nearby.
Virginia's quiet coastal gem — 4 miles of pristine Atlantic beach between Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge and the ocean, accessible only by two roads, with few commercial establishments.
The classic Jersey Shore — Victorian Cape May, Atlantic City's boardwalk glamour, Ocean City's family resort, Wildwood's amusement piers, and Long Beach Island's barrier island quiet.
A National Historic Landmark Victorian seaside town — the most serene Jersey Shore community, where Cape May diamonds sparkle on the beach and horse-drawn trolleys still pass near the shore.
The original American resort city — the world's first boardwalk (1870), casino resort energy, free public beach access, and the Steel Pier amusement park rising above the Atlantic.
New Jersey's most popular family-friendly beach — an alcohol-free resort city with Playland Castaway Cove, the "Music Pier," Shriver's saltwater taffy, and a beautiful 2.5-mile boardwalk.
The Jersey Shore's most exuberant boardwalk — 6 piers of amusement rides, Morey's Piers waterparks, Doo-Wop motels, free beach admission, and one of the widest natural sand beaches on the East Coast.
An 18-mile barrier island with a residential rather than resort character — quiet Victorian summer colonies, Barnegat Lighthouse State Park birding, and an unhurried summer pace.
Cape Cod National Seashore — four sublime outer Cape beaches where the Atlantic meets the tip of the Cape, from Race Point's wilderness to Nauset's barrier beach and the calm sunset light of Herring Cove.
The very tip of Cape Cod — a remote windswept National Seashore beach accessible only by a walk or shuttle, with whales visible offshore and no commercial activity in sight.
Cape Cod National Seashore's most pristine long barrier beach — 10 miles of wild Atlantic strand with shifting dunes and perfect solitude when walking north from the parking area.
One of America's most beautiful beaches — the Eastham National Seashore strand accessible only by shuttle, preserving a genuinely remote feel on one of Cape Cod's finest shores.
Provincetown's quiet west-facing bay beach — spectacular sunset light over Cape Cod Bay, calm swimming for families, and a contemplative atmosphere attracting artists and writers.
The Texas Gulf Coast — South Padre Island's tropical resort scene, Galveston's historic strand, the remote wilderness of Boca Chica, and Mustang Island's pristine state park.
Texas's premier barrier island resort — clear Gulf waters on the Laguna Madre side, consistent surf on the Gulf side, world-class kiteboarding, and a spring break culture that draws hundreds of thousands.
Texas's historic Victorian island resort — the famous Pleasure Pier, Moody Gardens, Strand Historic District, and a seawall protecting a beloved Gulf family beach just an hour from Houston.
Texas's most remote beach — at the very tip of the USA where the Rio Grande meets the Gulf, near SpaceX's Starbase, with miles of wild untouched barrier island shoreline.
A pristine state park barrier island near Corpus Christi — 18 km of undeveloped Gulf beach with primitive camping, coastal prairie birding, and the serene quiet of a traffic-free shore.
The Alabama Gulf Coast — Gulf Shores's white-quartz family beach and Orange Beach's 32-mile pier and surf scene on the Redneck Riviera.
Alabama's premier Gulf resort — Gulf State Park's white quartz sand, the famous Hangout Music Fest venue, and some of the most emerald-clear Gulf of Mexico water accessible to southeastern US families.
Alabama's surf destination — the Alabama Point area delivers consistent gulf swells, the famous 1,540-foot fishing pier, and the turquoise Gulf waters of what locals call America's Riviera.
The Mississippi Gulf Coast — Biloxi's historic beach boardwalk and Gulfport's wide barrier island sand, connected by a 26-mile man-made barrier island shoreline.
The Biloxi Back Bay and Gulf beachfront — casino resort entertainment, the Biloxi Lighthouse (1848), seafood heritage, and a man-made beach restored after Hurricane Katrina on the Mississippi Sound.
Mississippi's second city's Gulf fronting beach — a wide sandy strand on the Mississippi Sound with cruise port access, the Gulf Islands National Seashore visitor center, and Ship Island ferry access.
Louisiana's remote barrier island coast — Grand Isle, the state's only public Gulf beach, accessible through scenic marsh bayou country.
The Georgia Golden Isles — Tybee Island near Savannah, and the old-growth live oak shores of Jekyll Island (state park preserve) and St. Simons Island.
Savannah's barrier island beach — 18 miles from Savannah's squares, a classic Georgia beach town with consistent Atlantic surf, Tybee Island Lighthouse (1773), and a beloved annual Pirate Fest.
A state-owned island limited in development by Georgia law — 10 miles of Atlantic beach, the Millionaires' Club historic district, loggerhead nesting season, and carefully managed natural tranquility.
Golden Isles' most elegant island — centuries-old live oaks create cathedral canopies over coastal roads, and East Beach offers a placid Atlantic strand with the historic Fort Frederica National Monument nearby.
The dramatic Oregon Coast — Cannon Beach's Haystack Rock arts colony, Seaside's classic boardwalk, Pacific City's haystack and surf culture, and Bandon's wild sea stack wilderness.
Oregon's most iconic coastal destination — the 235-foot Haystack Rock's tidal pools and puffin colony, a world-class arts community, and the contemplative Pacific Coast atmosphere that defines Oregon beach culture.
Oregon's classic resort town — the original Lewis and Clark Expedition destination, a vintage Broadway boardwalk, consistent summer surf breaks, and the historic Turnaround monument at the promenade end.
Oregon's dory boat surf destination — Cape Kiwanda's golden sandstone headland, flat-bottomed dory boats launched through the surf since 1940, and Pelican Brewing Company's legendary beach brewery setting.
Oregon's most dramatic sea stack beach — Face Rock, Table Rock, and Elephant Rock rise from the Pacific along miles of driftwood-strewn deserted beach above the headlands of Bandon Dunes Golf Resort.
The Pacific Northwest coast — Long Beach Peninsula's 28-mile driveable beach, Ocean Shores on the Gray's Harbor coast, and Ruby Beach's wild Olympic National Park wilderness.
America's longest driveable beach — 28 miles of Pacific strand on the Long Beach Peninsula, famous for razor clam digging, the World Kite Museum, and Cape Disappointment State Park's lighthouse panoramas.
Washington's Pacific resort city — a planned destination on Gray's Harbor peninsula with 6 miles of driveable beach, ATV rentals, kite flying, surf fishing, and whale-watching boat tours from the marina.
Olympic National Park's crown jewel — no facilities, no services, just massive sea stacks, towering Pacific driftwood, and the profound quiet of pristine old-growth rainforest meeting raw Pacific coastline.
New England's pristine coast — Old Orchard Beach's classic pier, Popham Beach's dramatic shifting tidal sandbars at the Kennebec River mouth, and Acadia's pink granite Sand Beach.
Maine's most popular beach resort — a classic New England pier with carnival rides, 7 miles of smooth Atlantic sand, a Franco-American cultural character, and proximity to Portland's extraordinary food scene.
One of Maine's most beautiful state parks — dramatic shifting tidal sandbars, Fox Island, Civil War Fort Popham, and the profound wildness where the Kennebec River meets the Atlantic Ocean.
Acadia National Park's only sand beach — enclosed by pink granite headlands on three sides, with the Beehive Trail rising above, timed entry permits preserving this precious Maine gem's natural tranquility.
New Hampshire's short Atlantic coastline — Hampton Beach's classic New England resort on one of the East Coast's most approachable family beaches.
The Delaware Shore — Rehoboth Beach's Boardwalk Avenue resort scene and Bethany Beach, Delaware's famously "Quiet Resort" community since 1953.
The Summer Capital of Washington D.C. — DC's closest Atlantic beach with a vibrant Boardwalk Avenue mixed with national retailers, local restaurants, Funland amusement park, and lively beach nightlife.
Delaware's "Quiet Resort" — strict quiet-hours ordinances since 1953, no late-night bars, a small pleasant boardwalk, and a genuinely calm Atlantic vacation town that takes its peaceful character seriously.
Maryland's Atlantic coast — Ocean City's famous boardwalk resort and the wild ponies, pristine dunes, and undeveloped shore of Assateague Island National Seashore.
Maryland's premier beach resort — a 10-mile boardwalk with Thrasher's French fries (no ketchup), Fisher's popcorn, amusements, and the Inlet area's vibrant fishing wharves and watersports culture.
Atlantic wild horse country — the free-roaming Chincoteague pony herds have inhabited this barrier island since the 1600s, and the National Seashore protects an undeveloped beach, maritime forest, and dune ecosystem.
The Ocean State's Atlantic coast — Narragansett Beach's consistent surf and Misquamicut State Beach's family-friendly shoreline on the smallest state's surprisingly broad beach scene.
Rhode Island's surf capital — consistent Atlantic swells break near the iconic Towers landmark (1883), and the Narragansett town beach is one of New England's best for intermediate surfers and families alike.
Westerly's classic family beach — a 2-mile state beach with Atlantic amusement park Misquamicut Amusements, warm shallow swimming waters, and a beloved New England summer resort character in Washington County.
Long Island Sound's Connecticut shore — Hammonasset Beach State Park's vast coastal nature sanctuary and Westport's elegant Compo Beach on the Sound.
Connecticut's largest state park — 2 miles of Long Island Sound beach, Meigs Point's exceptional tidal pools and IBA bird sanctuary, a huge campground, and a contemplative natural environment near Madison.
Westport's serene Sound beach — sailboats drifting on Long Island Sound, evening concerts at a historic pavilion, beautiful sunsets, and a community beach culture that values peace and beauty over commerce.
Pennsylvania's Great Lakes coast — Presque Isle State Park's extraordinary Lake Erie peninsula with 7 distinct beach areas and exceptional migratory bird watching.
Alaska's Kachemak Bay wilderness beaches — Homer Spit's legendary halibut fishing peninsula and Shingle Beach's remote Kachemak Bay State Park coastal wilderness.
Alaska's legendary halibut spit — a 7 km gravel peninsula into Kachemak Bay, bald eagles overhead, sea otters offshore, glacial mountain panoramas, and the contemplative beauty of one of Alaska's finest small towns.
Kachemak Bay State Park wilderness — accessible only by water taxi from Homer, with Grewingk Glacier panoramas, brown bears roaming the coast, and total isolation from any road-accessible world.
20 beaches across Tulum, Cancún & Los Cabos
Crystal-clear waters across Nassau, Exuma & Eleuthera
Stunning beaches across Punta Cana & Samaná
Vibrant beaches from Rio to Florianópolis & Bahia
10 beaches across Sydney, Queensland, Western Australia & Victoria
20 beaches across Barcelona, Costa Brava & Mallorca
10 beaches across the Algarve & Lisbon Coast
10 beaches across Sardinia, Amalfi Coast, Sicily & Puglia
10 beaches across Phuket, Krabi & Koh Phi Phi
