Best USA Beaches

By | Last Updated:
Contents
  1. Narragansett Town Beach
  2. Scarborough State Beach
  3. Hunting Island Beach
  4. Lumaha'i Beach
  5. Yokohama Bay
  6. Hippie Hollow Beach
  7. East Beach
  8. Sachuest Beach
  9. Asilomar State Beach
  10. Gulf Shores
  11. South Padre Island Beach
  12. Asbury Park
  13. Shark's Cove
  14. Wrightsville Beach
  15. Nags Head
  16. USA beach map

The Best U.S. Beaches...

  • 151. Narragansett Town Beach // Rhode Island

    Narragansett Town Beach
    dee & tula monstah
    Great for:
    • Swimming
    • Surfing

    Narragansett Town Beach sits on the eastern side of Narragansett, and is split between a section of public beach and a privately-owned section. The public beach stretches for around half a mile at the southern end of Narragansett Town Beach. This is known as the rockiest area of the beach, although there is still ample sand.

    A relatively undeveloped stretch of sand, Narragansett Beach is primarily visited for its swimming and… read more »

  • 152. Scarborough State Beach // Rhode Island

    Scarborough State Beach
    Wheeler Cowperthwaite
    Great for:
    • Swimming
    • Surfing

    The sands of Scarborough State Beach sit beside the slightest indentation of Rhode Island's Atlantic Ocean coast that it's difficult to even call it a bay. Running almost perfectly straight for the majority of its half-mile plus length, the beach is sometimes divided into north and south sections, the latter being a 1980s extension of the original beach dating from 1937.

    The length and breadth of Scarborough State Beach means sunworshippers… read more »

  • 153. Hunting Island Beach // South Carolina

    Hunting Island Beach
    Marcus Andersson

    Hunting Island Beach lies in the cluster of islands which typify South Carolina's Atlantic coastline between Charleston to the north and Savannah, Georgia, to the south. It's a straight section of near-white sand stretching for around two kilometres, facing roughly eastwards.

    Backed by a basic campground, Hunting Island Beach sits within Hunting Island State Park. Its sands are reached via Route 21, also known as Sea Island Parkway. The park… read more »

  • 154. Lumaha'i Beach // Kauai

    Lumaha'i Beach
    © Dirk Davidson

    Lumaha‘i Beach is a beautiful and unspoiled stretch of golden sand on Kauai’s North Shore. Framed by lush green cliffs and backed by swaying trees this is the embodiment of a Kauai beach. The beach's claim to fame is it was used as a filming location for South Pacific, as this beach perfectly captures the wild, natural beauty of Hawaii. Its remote feel and dramatic scenery make it one of… read more »

  • 155. Yokohama Bay // Oahu

    Yokohama Bay
    Thomas Woodtli
    Great for:
    • Surfing

    Head to the northern tip of Oahu and you'll reach Yokohama Bay, also known as Keawa'ula Beach at Ka'ena Point. The remote route to the beach takes about 90 minutes to reach by car from Waikiki.

    Incidentally, "Keawa'ula" means "Red Bay" and it earned the name due to the squid that regularly spawned in the bay, apparently in such numbers that the bay waters turned red for a time.

    It's one… read more »

  • 156. Hippie Hollow Beach // Texas

    Hippie Hollow Beach
    LoneStarMike
    Great for:
    • Swimming

    Hippie Hollow is the only legally recognized clothing-optional public beach in Texas and was originally known as McGregor Country Park. The word "beach" is somewhat misleading as it is really a lakeside park and access to the water involves scrambling over the smooth limestone rocks when the water level is low.

    Located on the shores of Lake Travis, the park is managed by the Travis County Parks Department. It is… read more »

  • 157. East Beach // Rhode Island

    East Beach
    © Juliancolton
    Great for:
    • Fishing
    • Swimming
    • Surfing

    Southeast facing East Beach lies in the southern suburbs of the town of Westerly, close to the state lines with Connecticut and New York State. It's one of Rhode Island's least developed beaches, meaning its broad sweep of golden sand provides a relaxed space in which to enjoy the sea air.

    Despite this fact, East Beach still offers visitors a gravel parking lot, composting toilets and public changing rooms. There… read more »

  • 158. Sachuest Beach // Rhode Island

    Sachuest Beach
    ajay_suresh
    Great for:
    • Swimming
    • Surfing

    Also known as Second Beach, Sachuest Beach is a south facing beach tucked between Newport and Sachuest Point National Wildlife Refuge. Made up of soft sand, it runs for approximately 1.5 miles along Rhode Island's Atlantic Ocean coastline.

    Given its size, it's difficult for Sachuest Beach to ever feel particularly crowded, even on the warmest of summer days. Picturesque into the bargain, its sands are free of both litter and stones,… read more »

  • 159. Asilomar State Beach // Central California

    Asilomar State Beach
    Maxwell Pearl
    Great for:
    • Surfing

    Asilomar State Beach is a beautiful stretch of golden sand located on California's Monterey Peninsula. It is a popular spot for swimming, sunbathing, surfing, and tidepooling. The beach is also home to the Asilomar Conference Grounds, a historic resort and conference center. 

    The one-mile long beach that is made up of both sandy areas and rocky coves and forms part of the Asilomar State Marine Reserve. This means that there are special rules… read more »

  • 160. Gulf Shores // Alabama

    Gulf Shores
    John Tuggle
    Great for:
    • Fishing
    • Swimming
    • Kitesurfing

    Gulf Shores Beach is located immediately south of the downtown area of the town of the same name. Lining the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico, this particular stretch of brilliant white sand runs for approximately four miles, although include neighbouring beaches and this length can be more than doubled.

    Largely unaffected by the 2010 oil spill, as well as beachgoers, Gulf Shores attracts amateur game fishermen and women… read more »

  • 161. South Padre Island Beach // Texas

    South Padre Island Beach
    Todd Carr
    Great for:
    • Swimming
    • Kitesurfing

    It's the beach of South Padre Island that takes centre stage in this resort town immediately off the southern coast of the Lone Star State. It's possible to visit without having to get your feet wet via the Queen Isabella Causeway, which connects it to Port Isabel on the mainland. However, the beach of South Padre Island are an encyclopaedia of water sports, meaning you're sure to be looking to… read more »

  • 162. Asbury Park // New Jersey

    Asbury Park
    Fred170
    Great for:
    • Surfing

    Hitting its heyday in the 1920s, Asbury Park Beach in New Jersey remains an attractive proposition for those seeking out a day beside the Atlantic Ocean waves. Rated as one of the state's top beaches, in more recent times it has had some allure with the surfing community, while still drawing in those looking to relax on a wide expanse of clean sand.

    There are plenty of places to eat and… read more »

  • 163. Shark's Cove // Oahu

    Shark's Cove
    tdlucas5000
    Great for:
    • Snorkeling
    • Swimming

    Set on Oahu's North Shore, home to some of the most legendary surf spots on the planet, is this popular little beach. Unlike neighbouring beaches, Shark's Cove is not about the surf - this is one for the snorkelers. In fact it was rated as one of the best shore dives in the world by Scuba Diving Magazine back in 2005.

    Sharks Cove is part of Pupukea Beach Park. It… read more »

  • 164. Wrightsville Beach // North Carolina

    Wrightsville Beach
    Connie
    Great for:
    • Family
    • Surfing
    • Kitesurfing

    The Atlantic beach at Wrightsville stretches for around 4 miles and is best known by those of a certain age as a location in the TV series Dawson's Creek. The youthful atmosphere of Wrightsville Beach continues today due to its proximity to the University of North Carolina, Wilmington drawing students to its shoreline on sunny days.

    With the almost guaranteed waves of the Atlantic close at hand, Wrightsville Beach is a… read more »

  • 165. Nags Head // North Carolina

    Nags Head
    Suzie Tremmel
    Great for:
    • Family
    • Fishing
    • Surfing

    Nags Head Beach lies on North Carolina's Outer Banks barrier island network. It's lined on its landward side by private beachfront homes and hotels, although public access and parking is maintained at specific points.

    Once visitors have reached Nags Head Beach, they'll find an apparently endless expanse of golden sand. It probably takes its name from one of the many Nags Heads in England which usually relate to something horse head-shaped.… read more »