Top 10 Favorite Beaches Across The USA

We’re ready for summer – heat, sand, surf, bbq’s and rosé. There are so many incredible beaches to see from east coast to west coast, and some of our favorites aren’t on this list because technically they are not rest & relaxation places, but these are the classics, so grab you suit and let’s hit it!

1. Manele Bay, Hawaii + Kauna’oa Bay, Hawaii:   It’s a given that Hawaii (and California + Florida) boast some the most magnificent beaches for summer fun. Hulopo’e Beach on the island of Lana’i, long considered one of the world’s most perfect stretches of sand, at the base at Manele Bay – a designated marine preserve filled with colorful fish and the occasional spinner dolphin. Kauna’oa Bay, Hawaii  is located on the Kohala Coast of the Aloha-state’s Big Island, Kauna’oa Bay is quintessential, picture-postcard Hawaii. With its abundant white sand, palm trees and clear, calm blue water, the crescent-shaped beach is a natural draw.

2. Point Dume Malibu (L.A.), California: The clean and expansive beaches in Malibu are something else, with their dramatic cliffs above, soft sand and sufers galore. Big Dume Beach a.k.a. Dume Cove Beach is the main beach – a crescent-shaped beach facing southeast from the east side- and you can walk east to Little Dume Beach and beyond to Paradise Cove.

3. Coronado (San Diego), California. As previously discussed in the San Diego city guide post here, Coronado Beach stretches 1.5 miles behind the great houses along Ocean Boulevard in front of the glamorous Hotel Del Coronado.

4. Cape Hatteras National Seashore, North Carolina: Stretching for 72 miles along the Atlantic coast on the Outer Banks, the Cape Hatteras National Seashore is a skinny strip of barrier islands from Nags Head to Ocracoke Island. The beach’s hallmark high, sandy dunes front frothy surf perfect for swimming, beachcombing and body-surfing. 

5.  Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Remember the movie “Shag” anyone? This was their destination. As the largest resort along South Carolina’s 60-mile Grand Strand, Myrtle Beach is the East Coast’s ultimate vacation hub and offers an extensive stretch of silky white sand, with opportunities for fishing, swimming, sunbathing, sailing and surfing. (*Honorabale mention: Folly Beach just outside of Charleston)

6. Nantucket, Massachusetts: A trip to Nantucket is like visiting a faraway fairytale land — one set against a bright blue backdrop of ocean and bay in a community of simple, weathered white cottages surrounded by wild roses. 

7. Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts: Classic. It can get crowded in the summer but respite can be found in the Vineyard’s far eastern reaches – up-island – at Moshup Beach, an unspoiled paradise of soft, white sand and cliffs looming from above.

8. Clearwater Beach, Florida: There are A LOT of gorgeous beaches around Florida, but Clearwater Beach has lured countless sun seekers to its broad, sandy shores and beachfront hotels. Spread along a narrow, 3-mile stretch of the Pinellas Peninsula on the Gulf Coast, Clearwater Beach straddles the blue waters of the Gulf of Mexico to the west, and tranquil Tampa Bay to the east. 

9. Cape May, New Jersey: The farthest point south on the Shore, Cape May is the crown jewel of the region with gorgeous beaches and a quaint town center filled with gingerbread Victorians and colorful bed and breakfasts. 

10. East Hampton, New York: There are many area to choose from in The Hampton’s (just east of NYC at the tip of Long Island), but East Hampton boasts the best stretch of white sand beach. The picturesque town is a favorite with A-listers, but it’s fun to stroll Main Street to Main Beach, where perfect white beaches and incredibly tasty lobster rolls await.