Best USA Beaches

By | Last Updated:
Contents
  1. Orchard Beach
  2. Rockaway Beach
  3. South Beach (Staten Island)
  4. Holden Beach
  5. North Topsail Shores
  6. Crescent Beach
  7. Lone Ranch Beach
  8. Stonefield Beach
  9. Moolack Beach
  10. Nye Beach
  11. Short Sand Beach
  12. Rockaway Beach
  13. Goddard Memorial State Park Beach
  14. Frank Moody State Beach
  15. Edisto Beach
  16. USA beach map

The Best U.S. Beaches...

  • 271. Orchard Beach // New York

    Orchard Beach
    Bebo2good1
    Great for:
    • Swimming

    A lovely broad stretch of clean sand, Orchard Beach edges Pelham Bay for a length of well over a mile. Brought to a definitive stop at either end of the bay by stone seawalls, it faces out towards Long Island from the East Bronx on Long Island Sound.

    Part of Pelham Bay Park, the beach is subdivided into 13 sections backed by a paved promenade spotted with food stores and other… read more »

  • 272. Rockaway Beach // New York

    Rockaway Beach
    Shinya Suzuki
    Great for:
    • Swimming
    • Surfing
    • Kitesurfing

    Long Island's Rockaway Beach stretches along the Jamaica Bay oceanfront a short distance from the take offs and landings of JFK Airport. Forming the southernmost parts of the Borough of Queens, it holds the record for being the largest urban beach in the United States.

    Sometimes called the 'Irish Riviera' because of the number of residents in the neighbourhood with ancestors back on the Emerald Isle, Rockaway Beach had to undergo… read more »

  • 273. South Beach (Staten Island) // New York

    South Beach (Staten Island)
    Tommy Miles
    Great for:
    • Fishing

    With beautiful views back towards Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge, South Beach is a long stretch of sand where Upper Bay opens out into Gravesend Bay. Its northeast end – closest to the bridge, is edged by Battery Hudson historic landmark and the Camp Gateway campground, while its opposite end runs into Midland Beach without a break. The Franklin D Roosevelt boardwalk and bike path follows its entire 1.5 mile length.

    South Beach is… read more »

  • 274. Holden Beach // North Carolina

    Holden Beach
    5chw4r7z
    Great for:
    • Fishing
    • Surfing

    Holden Beach lies at the eastern end of a long thin barrier island separated from the mainland by the Intracoastal Waterway. Easily reached by car, Holden Beach has been voted one of the best family beaches anywhere in the US.

    Its soft sands are a great space for having some fun in the sun, while its Atlantic waves are perfect for a quick swim. Surfboards, paddleboards, boats and bikes can all… read more »

  • 275. North Topsail Shores // North Carolina

    North Topsail Shores
    © VisitNC.com
    Great for:
    • Fishing
    • Surfing

    North Topsail Shores, located on the north-western end of Topsail Island, is a relatively quiet and unspoiled stretch of beach. With its soft golden sand, rolling dunes, and clear blue waters, it is a perfect destination for those looking to escape the busier beaches further south. 

    The waters off North Topsail are generally excellent for swimming, kayaking, and paddleboarding, with gentle waves making it accessible for all skill levels. Fishing… read more »

  • 276. Crescent Beach // Oregon

    Crescent Beach
    © rFonz

    Crescent Beach is a secluded beach within Ecola State Park. Located between Ecola and Chapman Points, its wide dark sands are reached via the 3.2-kilometre Crescent Beach Trail. Along the way, you'll encounter a small waterfall, and also the possibility of elk. The beach itself is known to be used by populations of seals and sealions, while migrating gray and killer whales can sometimes be seen in deeper waters.

    In addition… read more »

  • 277. Lone Ranch Beach // Oregon

    Lone Ranch Beach
    Joe Mabel

    Lone Ranch Beach lies roughly ten kilometres north of Brookings in southern Oregon, and is part of the Samuel H Boardman State Scenic Corridor. A fantastic area of coastline for nature lovers and those seeking a little tranquillity, the sea stacks here are a favourite with photographers too.

    When it comes to food, its best to bring a picnic, and then take advantage of the picnic benches and fire ring. To… read more »

  • 278. Stonefield Beach // Oregon

    Stonefield Beach
    Visitor7

    Close to Newport, Stonefield Beach is as wild and undeveloped as Oregon beaches get. Cared for by the Oregon State Parks and Recreation Department, it is a quiet beach that runs for just a couple of hundred yards or so before being bounded by Ten Mile Creek.

    The sand of Stonefield Beach is broken up by eruptions of natural rock – ancient lava flows some 40 million years old. They make… read more »

  • 279. Moolack Beach // Oregon

    Moolack Beach
    Jonathan Mueller
    Great for:
    • Surfing

    Moolack Beach lies approximately four miles north of Newport, Lincoln County. Entirely undeveloped, it then stretches for a further five miles of sand, although the beach's width and evenness is highly variable, since the sand is built up and then taken away naturally over the seasons.

    Taking its unusual name from the word for elk in the Chinook Jargon native American language, it is bounded by Yaquina Head Lighthouse at its… read more »

  • 280. Nye Beach // Oregon

    Nye Beach
    Great for:
    • Fishing
    • Surfing

    Nye Beach is located within the bounds of the city of Newport, Lincoln County, within a district sharing its name. As a result, there are plenty of places to eat, stay, shop, and even rent sports equipment including surf boards.

    Nye Beach attracts a diverse crowd. As well as surfers, a fair number of beachcombers and tidal pool enthusiasts also visit. Swimming is not uncommon, especially during the summer months when… read more »

  • 281. Short Sand Beach // Oregon

    Short Sand Beach
    Ryan Harvey
    Great for:
    • Surfing

    A two-hour drive from Portland, Short Sand Beach is anything but short, running in a continuous ribbon of sand for somewhere over four miles. Located within Oswald West State Park, it's popular with both surfers and body boarders, who call it Shorty's. They come for the shorebreak off Smuggler's Cove, which protected by jutting arms of the surrounding cliffs, offers relatively consistent waves throughout the year.

    To reach Short Sand Beach… read more »

  • 282. Rockaway Beach // Oregon

    Rockaway Beach
    Paul Hamilton

    Rockaway Beach lies on Oregon's north Pacific coast close to Portland. And while the PR agencies have coined the phrase "where the mountains meet the sea" to describe it, we're far more interested with the almost white sands that seem to stretch for eternity here.

    Measure them, and they come out at a mere seven miles, which unsurprisingly means the beach remains uncrowded despite the fact there are plenty of places… read more »

  • 283. Goddard Memorial State Park Beach // Rhode Island

    Goddard Memorial State Park Beach
    Joe Bar
    Great for:
    • Family
    • Swimming

    Goddard Memorial State Park Beach sits on the northern side of the club-shaped peninsula pushing into Greenwich Bay from the south. This sand beach is widest at its midpoint, where there's parking and public access, before narrowing to either side.

    Backed by dense woodland, Goddard Memorial State Park Beach has a total length of a little over half a mile. Well-known as a swimming beach, facilities range from restrooms to public… read more »

  • 284. Frank Moody State Beach // Rhode Island

    Frank Moody State Beach
    Swampyank
    Great for:
    • Swimming

    Set within the Lincoln Wood's State Park, just to the north of Providence, this lakeside beach is actually one of the most popular in Rhode Island.

    Great for swimming, sunbathing and fishing,the beach has plenty of sand and is equipped with showers, restrooms, and a concession stand.

    Frank Moody beach is named after a local lifeguard and water safety instructor in recognition for his 60+ years of dedication to his job and… read more »

  • 285. Edisto Beach // South Carolina

    Edisto Beach
    Meredith Harris
    Great for:
    • Fishing
    • Surfing
    • Kitesurfing

    Edisto Beach is the name of both the beach and the surrounding town of around 400 residents, most of whom commute from here. A vacation spot since the 1920s, today Edisto Beach is one of just a handful of largely uncommercialised, family-friendly beaches located in the region.

    Although only stretching a few metres back, the beach runs uninterrupted for around four miles, from the mouth of Big Bay Creek to the… read more »