The 24 best beaches in America, ranked
24. One of the alluring beaches that lies along the southern coast of the Hawaiian island of Kauai, Poipu Beach Park has a lifeguard on duty seven days a week, which is why it's often considered one of Hawaii's safest beaches. Plus, it's not uncommon to spot humpback whales, green sea turtles, and endangered Hawaiian monk seals here.
23. Head to Henderson Beach State Park in Destin, Florida, for white sands and emerald waters that you can enjoy without massive crowds. The family-friendly beach also has pavilions for picnics and BBQs, and is often noted for its cleanliness.
22. Panama City Beach, Florida, offers more than 27 miles of busy hotels and beautiful white sands. Activities here range from parasailing and fishing to boating and jet skiing, with a wide variety of restaurants where you can enjoy the catch of the day.
21. At St. Augustine Beach in Florida, you'll find miles of stunning coastline, opportunities for blue-water fishing, and a variety of beachfront hotels and restaurants to enjoy.
20. Located on Hawaii's Big Island, Kauna'oa Bay is also known as Mauna Kea Beach. Thanks to its calm waters, the crescent-shaped beach is ideal for swimming, and its waters have an abundance of marine life for snorkelers to enjoy.
17 (tie). Head to the island of Nantucket in Massachusetts, and you'll feel like you're stepping back in time as you take in its simple white cottages and cobblestone streets. Nantucket is also home to a variety of popular beaches like Surfside Beach, where you can enjoy a picnic, fly a kite, and take in the views.
17 (tie). Considered one of the finest beaches on the Hawaiian island of Maui, Kapalua Bay Beach is a crescent of golden sand lined with palm trees. The bay is protected by an outcropping of lava rocks and offers sublime snorkeling.
17 (tie). Another picturesque beach in Maui, Ka'anapali Beach is lined by some of the island's most luxurious resorts — fitting, since it used to be a retreat for Maui royalty. Today, visitors to the beach will find three miles of white sands and clear waters. There's also an exhilarating cliff-diving ceremony that takes place here.
16. At St. Pete Beach, located on a barrier island on the Gulf Coast of Florida, you can enjoy long stretches of undeveloped white-sand beaches. Pass-A-Grille, at the southernmost end of the town, is known for its laid-back vibes and historic resorts.
15. Head to Myrtle Beach in South Carolina for an extensive stretch of soft white sands and activities that range from fishing and swimming to sailing and surfing.
14. Lanikai Beach — which translates to "heavenly sea" — is located on the coast of Oahu and has warm turquoise waters that brush against its soft sand beach. Head here to enjoy relaxing on the sand or to take a swim in clear blue waters.
13. Hulopo'e Bay has one of the most popular beaches on the Hawaiian island of Lanai, with a rich marine life that makes it ideal for snorkeling and swimming. The bay is popular with dolphins and whales, and you'll find plenty of tide pools housing everything from hermit crabs to sea stars.
12. Ocean City, Maryland, is home to miles of family-friendly beach terrain, where you can go surfing and fishing in the summer and horseback riding in the winter. Once you’ve had enough of the water and sands, head to the boardwalk for a bike ride and shopping at the variety of stores that line its path.
11. Protected as a National Seashore, Cape Hatteras includes miles of undeveloped shoreline along the Outer Banks of North Carolina. It has something for everyone, from plants and wildlife to salt marshes and ocean waves and even a lighthouse. Consider a trip to Ocracoke, at the southern tip of the cape, to enjoy miles of uninhabited shoreline.
10. Considered the most popular beach in East Hampton, New York, Main Beach is both pristine and uncrowded, making it the ideal destination for those looking for a luxury vacation without big groups of people.
9. Ogunquit Beach in Ogunquit, Maine, includes three and a half miles of sandy beach and grassy dunes. Visitors can rent beach chairs and umbrellas for lounging, or boogie boards to enjoy the water.
8. Part of the Cape Cod National Seashore, Coast Guard Beach in Eastham, Massachusetts, is an expansive beach filled with dunes, marshlands, and stunning views. The popular beach has large waves that make it ideal for surfing.
7. La Jolla Shores extends about a mile long in the community of La Jolla near San Diego, California. The summer waves are considered to be the most gentle of all the beaches in San Diego. There are scuba diving classes for beginners, and permanent lifeguard stations.
6. Named one of the nation's top 10 beaches by TripAdvisor, Florida's Pensacola Beach is home to sugar-white sands and emerald waters. Here, visitors will find an array of fresh seafood options to choose from, and lots of fishing opportunities on the Pensacola Beach Pier.
5. Wai'anapanapa State Park is famous for its black-sand beach, which draws a striking contrast with its lush surroundings of emerald palms and blue waters. The area is also home to ocean caves and volcanic terrain you can explore.
4. Coronado Municipal Beach in Coronado, California, consistently ranks among America's best beaches thanks to its warm, calm waters and its glittering sands. The beach is especially great for walking since it is so wide and flat. Visitors can bring their dogs to the northern section of the beach.
3. Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve is located in Honolulu, Hawaii. It was formed within a volcanic cone and is a protected marine life conservation area and underwater park.
2. The gulf waters of Clearwater Beach in Clearwater, Florida, are warm and inviting, and the town itself is family-friendly, with an aquarium, plenty of restaurants, and beachfront activities.
1. Siesta Beach on Florida's Siesta Key has sand that's almost pure quartz, so it’s no wonder the beach has been recognized for having some of the whitest and finest sand in the world. Siesta Beach boasts shallow water near the shoreline, year-round lifeguard protection, and "Blue Wave" certification by the Clean Beaches Council.
Popular Right Now
Advertisement