Best USA Beaches

By | Last Updated:
Contents
  1. Kitty Hawk
  2. Topsail Beach
  3. Oak Island
  4. Emerald Isle
  5. Bald Head Island
  6. Kure Beach
  7. Atlantic Beach
  8. Harry Harris Park
  9. Waialea Bay
  10. Makalawena Beach
  11. Goosewing Beach
  12. Napatree Point Beach
  13. Newport Beach
  14. Will Rogers State Beach
  15. Tennessee Beach
  16. USA beach map

The Best U.S. Beaches...

  • 166. Kitty Hawk // North Carolina

    Kitty Hawk
    Great for:
    • Family
    • Surfing

    Kitty Hawk Beach is located on the oceanic side of Bodie Island, a naturally-formed barrier island. Centred around its pier, the beach stretches out in either direction for several miles. Although lined almost all the way by beachside properties built to face the miraculous Atlantic sunrises, Kitty Hawk Beach still manages to maintain a feeling of serenity above all else.

    Local and visiting fishermen can often be found on the pier,… read more »

  • 167. Topsail Beach // North Carolina

    Topsail Beach
    © VisitNC.com
    Great for:
    • Family
    • Fishing

    With four miles of white sand, it's easy to see why Topsail Beach has been drawing in the crowds since before World War Two, when visitors would have to arrive by boat. Just north of Wilmington, Topsail (pronounced Topsal) Beach forms a significant part of the Atlantic side of a 30 mile long barrier island.

    Backed by private homes, there are 20 public beach access points onto Topsail Beach, which comprises… read more »

  • 168. Oak Island // North Carolina

    Oak Island
    Patrick Reynolds
    Great for:
    • Fishing
    • Surfing

    Oak Island Beach is located a short distance south of Wilmington. Separated from mainland North Carolina by the Intracoastal Waterway, Oak Island Beach meets the Atlantic Ocean between Oak Island Golf Club and Long Beach.

    Facing directly south, the sands of Oak Island Beach are unusual for NC in offering the chance to witness both sunrise and sunset. In between, visitors to Oak Island Beach have a choice of water sports,… read more »

  • 169. Emerald Isle // North Carolina

    Emerald Isle
    Zebralongwing
    Great for:
    • Family
    • Fishing
    • Swimming
    • Surfing

    Emerald Isle Beach can be thought of stretching in a continuous ribbon of white sand from The Point at the western end of the island to Indian Beach approximately halfway down its length. That makes Emerald Isle Beach roughly 9 miles long.

    Emerald Isle Beach has previously taken the crown as the best beach in North Carolina as voted for by the readership of USA Today, and with good… read more »

  • 170. Bald Head Island // North Carolina

    Bald Head Island
    © VisitNC.com
    Great for:
    • Family
    • Fishing
    • Surfing
    • Kitesurfing

    Once known as Smith Island, Bald Head Island helps form the eastern bank of the Cape Fear River as it exits for the Atlantic Ocean, in North Carolina's Brunswick County. It can be accessed via a 20-minute ferry ride from Southport.

    A nationally recognized turtle nesting site for four different sea turtle species, Bald Head Island's main beach is a broad sweep of yellow sand on the island's south coast. It… read more »

  • 171. Kure Beach // North Carolina

    Kure Beach
    © VisitNC.com
    Great for:
    • Fishing
    • Surfing

    Around 16 miles south of Wilmington, Kure Beach edges the Atlantic side of the town sharing its name (pronounced cure-ey). Its sands run in a near-straight line for roughly 4 miles, before meeting with Wilmington Beach to the north and the seawalls of Fort Fisher to the south.

    Kure Beach's width maxes out at nearly half a mile, although most areas are much narrower. Averaging around 100 yards wide, some of… read more »

  • 172. Atlantic Beach // North Carolina

    Atlantic Beach
    © VisitNC.com
    Great for:
    • Fishing
    • Surfing

    Atlantic Beach is located at the eastern end of Bogue Banks barrier island between Bogue Sound and the Atlantic Ocean. Notable for its long, near-straight expanse of off-white sand, Atlantic Beach is an area of coast well known for its water sports. More than one surf shop makes it incredibly easy to hit the waves on a board, while other adrenaline-inducing activities include jet ski rentals and yacht charters.

    For those… read more »

  • 173. Harry Harris Park // Florida Keys

    Harry Harris Park
    Great for:
    • Family
    • Snorkeling
    • Fishing
    • Swimming

    The beach at Harry Harris Park on Key Largo is one of the best family beaches in all of the Florida Keys. OK, so the beach is man-made with sand imported from the mainland, but who cares. Backed by swaying palms and parkland and with calm, clear water out front Harry Harris beach doesn't get many complaints.

    One of the main attractions of Harry Harris Park beach is the large… read more »

  • 174. Waialea Bay // Big Island

    Waialea Bay
    Great for:
    • Snorkeling
    • Swimming

    Located on the northwest coast of the Big Island is the ever popular Waialea Bay. Although it isn't difficult to reach the beach from nearby Puako it still retains a rather secluded feel. There really isn't much in the way of development here with just a few houses hidden away beyond the kiawe trees that line the beach.

    Waialea beach 69 sits in a little bay which is made to feel… read more »

  • 175. Makalawena Beach // Big Island

    Makalawena Beach
    Davedawggy
    Great for:
    • Snorkeling
    • Swimming
    • Surfing

    Like many of the Big Island's best beaches, Makalawena is situated on the west-facing Kona coast. Hear you will find everything you would want and expect from a Hawaiian beach; powdery white sand, clear blue water and a fringing of lush green foliage.

    Like neighboring Manini'owali and Mahaiula beaches, Makalawena is part of the Kekaha Kai State Park. However, Makalawena beach has no direct access from the road with the nearest parking about a mile… read more »

  • 176. Goosewing Beach // Rhode Island

    Goosewing Beach
    Will_y_theweatherguy473737
    Great for:
    • Surfing

    Goosewing Beach is a pristine coastal preserve located in Little Compton. This protected stretch of sand, part of the Goosewing Beach Preserve managed by The Nature Conservancy, offers an unspoiled retreat along the Atlantic shoreline. Known for its soft pale-golden sand, rolling dunes, and sweeping ocean views, it is one of the most scenic and ecologically important beaches in the Rhode Island.

    The beach is a haven for wildlife,… read more »

  • 177. Napatree Point Beach // Rhode Island

    Napatree Point Beach
    Rhododendrites
    Great for:
    • Swimming

    Set on a narrow spit of sand jutting out towards Connecticut is Napatree Point beach - a lovely arc of near-white sand is backed by low grassy dunes and a small lagoon. The beach sits just to the west of Rhode Island's exclusive Watch Hill and the bay is overlooked by Watch Hill Lighthouse.

    Now a nature reserve the headland here was once the site of an artillery installation. Today all… read more »

  • 178. Newport Beach // Southern California

    Newport Beach
    Mitch Barrie
    Great for:
    • Fishing
    • Surfing

    Home of the biggest recreational harbor on the west coast, the classic California surf town of Newport Beach offers sandy beaches, water sports, and incredible views of the sunset. This is a place you will never run out of ways to fill your day, and you can experience a real slice of Southern California beach life.

    The sand stretches for 10 miles at Newport Beach with the central Municipal beach… read more »

  • 179. Will Rogers State Beach // Southern California

    Will Rogers State Beach
    © Don Ramey Logan
    Great for:
    • Swimming
    • Surfing
    • Kitesurfing

    Will Rogers sits between two illustrious neighbours, Malibu and Santa Monica, just to the north of Los Angeles. Stretching for nearly 3 miles this is a great option when the city beaches become too busy.

    The long sandy beach here is everything you would imagine of a South Californian beach. Surf from the deep blue pacific, permanent sunshine and a host of volleyball courts.It should be little surprise… read more »

  • 180. Tennessee Beach // Northern California

    Tennessee Beach
    Fabrice Florin

    Tennessee Beach is located on the west side of the Marin Headlands in San Francisco's Marin County. It is named after the SS Tennessee, a ship which ran aground here in 1853 while trying to enter Golden Gate Bay. Though all 500 passengers on board escaped, its iron carcass can still be seen during the lowest tides of the month.

    Only twenty minutes by road from downtown San Francisco, the… read more »