Top Beaches on the East Coast of the USA

• Cooper's Beach (Southampton) // New York

  

  This beautiful and serene beach in Southampton, Long Island, has a stretch of white sand running along the Atlantic Ocean. You can walk on the beach, sit in the sun, or you can surf and bodyboard. A local eatery, Serenity, has a Lobster Bake every Friday and Saturday, and there are live concerts. You will also find a concession stand, bathhouse, and chair and umbrella rentals.

  The wide sandy beaches attract many New York City dwellers throughout the summer and this is one of a handful of beaches in the Hamptons… read more »

• Lucy Vincent Beach // Massachusetts

  

  Located near Chilmark on the island of Martha's Vineyard, Lucy Vincent beach is a beautiful stretch of golden sand that runs along the Atlantic coast. Sadly, unless you are a resident or renting a house in town, you cannot access this beach from June 1 through September 15. Beach passes are required during that time.

  The beach was originally owned by the town librarian, Lucy Vincent, and upon her death in 1970, her heirs worked out a deal with buyers that the town could have the beach and access to… read more »

• Marconi Beach // Massachusetts

  

  Named for the Italian wireless inventor, Guglielmo Marconi, Marconi Beach is part of the Cape Cod National Seashore. It was from this location that Marconi sent a message from President Theodore Roosevelt to King Edward VII of the United Kingdom from this location. This was the first transatlantic radio transmission from the United States back in 1903.

  Marconi Beach provides views of the Atlantic Ocean, the Cape Cod Bay, and the Outer Cape. It is located in Wellfleet, and it is a large beach backed by steep grassy sand dunes. There… read more »

• Race Point Beach // Massachusetts

  

  Race Point Beach is in Provincetown, right at the very top of Cape Cod. The scenery here is both unique and beautiful, with sandy beaches, whales in the ocean, and historical lighthouses among the extensive dunes. You will love walking on the beach or relaxing in the sand.

  Spring is the time to come for whale watching, you can spot various species breaching out in the ocean. From critically endangered North Atlantic right whales to huge finback whales. So don't forget to bring your binoculars if you are visiting at… read more »

• East Hampton Beach // New York

  

  Main Beach is on the eastern edge of Long Island in East Hampton, New York. This prisitine shoreline has sand which is soft and stretches endlessly between the dunes and the waters of the Atlantic Ocean.

  There's plenty to do at this upmarket location. You can rent surfboards, kayaks, or paddle boards or even take a lesson if you are just learning. There are lifeguards to make sure that you are safe in the water and you will also find a snack bar, restrooms, and showers.

  You can take a… read more »

• Silver Sands State Park // Connecticut

  

  Around 15 miles southwest of New Haven in Milford, Silver Sands Beach is located in the southwest corner of Silver Sands State Park, close to the Beaver's Dam scenic lookout. Running continuously with Walnut Beach, Silver Sands Beach is backed by a 1.2 km boardwalk suitable for wheelchairs and prams, which takes visitors over rehabilitated salt marsh.

  The beach is protected in part by breakwaters and The Bar (or Tombolo), a sand link with the 14-acre Charles Island bird sanctuary. This is said to be the burial place for Captain… read more »

• Duxbury Beach // Massachusetts

  

  This impressive barrier beach stretches for over six miles along the Massachusetts coastline. Duxbury Beach is known for its mix of sand and pebbles, rolling dunes, and views of Cape Cod Bay. A classic New England seaside experience.

  The beach is divided into a public section, accessible from Duxbury Beach Park, and a residents-only area further north, ensuring plenty of space for visitors to spread out and enjoy the natural surroundings.

  The calm, shallow waters make it a great spot for swimming and paddleboarding, whilst the wide low-tide shoreline is… read more »

• Sandy Neck Beach // Massachusetts

  

  Set in the relative shelter of Cape Cod Bay, Sandy Neck Beach is a large, long beach with pebbly sand. In fact it is six miles long, and you can get an off-road permit for the 4x4 vehicle trails. Thse trails lead to the tip of the sandy spit and around the southside of the extensive sand dunes.

  If you go for a walk on the beach, you will see the cottages that are over 100 years old. They are mostly owned by people who are there all summer. As… read more »

• Joseph Sylvia State Beach // Massachusetts

  

  This glorious Joseph Sylvia State Beach has soft white sand and shallow water and is one of the most popular public beaches on Martha's Vineyard (many of the beaches are privately owned or for residents only).

  Stretching 5 miles between Oak Bluffs and Edgartown, this easterly facing beach is on a spit, accessed across a bridge. It's a local landmark and popular for jumping off into the Nantucket Sound waters below. You may get a sense of déjà vu at Joseph Sylvia State Beach as it is best known as the… read more »

• Horseneck Beach // Massachusetts

  

  Horseneck Beach, located in Westport, is a popular two-mile stretch of sandy shoreline at the mouth of Buzzards Bay. 

  The beach is part of the larger Horseneck Beach State Reservation, which features sand dunes, salt marshes, and walking trails teeming with wildlife. The waves here are typically gentle, making it a great spot for swimming, while the steady winds attract kite surfers and sailors. The adjacent marshlands provide excellent birdwatching, with species like piping plovers and ospreys frequently spotted in the area.

  Horseneck Beach also has plenty of amenities, including… read more »

• Gunnison Beach // New Jersey

  

  Washed by the waters of the Atlantic Ocean, Gunnison Beach is a beach that is difficult to fault. It is situated within Fort Hancock and the Sandy Hook Proving Ground Historic District, part of Gateway National Recreation Area. Its views include those of Verrazano Narrows Bridge, connecting Staten Island and Brooklyn, New York. During the summer months there are even direct ferry services between Manhattan and Gunnison Beach, making it popular with residents of the Big Apple.

  Known to some as Beach G, lifeguards keep watch over swimmers, surfers, windsurfers and… read more »

• Coney Island Beach // New York

  

  Brooklyn's iconic seafront is home to a generous stretch of sand backed by a boardwalk and vast array of amusements. This is the beach people instantly think about when you mention NYC beaches, and judging by the summer crowds it is the one they go to as well!

  Only marginally less busy than nearby Rockaway, Coney Island beach is guaranteed to be jam-packed when the mercury hits the red. And as for Memorial Day, it's pretty much standing room only! This shouldn't be much of a surprise as Coney Island… read more »

• Apollo Beach // Florida

  

  Located on Florida's eastern Atlantic coastline in New Smyrna, Apollo Beach is on the Canaveral National Seashore (National Park). Great for beach lovers, it has an endless strip of pristine golden sand and, being more secluded, it is one of the top nudist beaches in Florida. (This should not to be confused with the other Apollo Beach on Florida's Gulf Coast near Tampa!)

  Located on a barrier island, Apollo Beach is 10 miles south of New Smyrna Beach. The beautiful soft white sand stretches for 5 miles and… read more »

• Gay Head Town Beach // Massachusetts

  

  Many continue to call Gay Head Town Beach by its original name, although Gay Head Town has been known formerly as Aquinnah (meaning ‘land under the hill') by its population of 440 since 1997. At the end of Massachusetts' famed island of Martha's Vineyard, the beach is best known for its dramatic cliffs and the ocean views they deliver.

  Designated a National Natural Landmark by the US National Park Service, Gay Head Town Beach is also known as a focal point for the culture of the Wampanoag people. Its waters have… read more »

• Cocoa Beach // Florida

  

  This six-mile long stretch of biscuit-coloured sand sits at the heart of Florida's Space Coast. It's well known for its watersports scene, with surfers flocking from far and wide to ride the waves here - it's even where 11-time surfing world champion Kelly Slater learned his craft. 

  Cocoa Beach is also home to the world's biggest surf shop, Ron Jon's and you'll find surf schools are dotted along the beach. If you prefer something a little more laidback when the waves aren't up, there's paddleboarding and kayaking on the cards too.

  And… read more »

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