12 BEST US Beaches for Your Bucket List!

You don’t need a passport to find a gorgeous beach. The United States is a huge country with lots of natural diversity – and that includes beaches. I’ve been searching for the best US beaches for most of my adult life; some of the romantic getaways in the USA also deserve consideration as the best beaches in the world.

If you’re not a fan of heat and sandy swimsuits, not to worry…here are some great USA winter bucket list destinations!

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These beaches are best visited as part of a road trip in those states.

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Ready to go to the beach? Check out my top ten beaches in the United States for the one that best appeals to you!

1) Lanikai, Oahu, Hawaii

This small half-mile strip of beach on Oahu’s windward (east) coast is consistently ranked among the best beaches in the world. Lanikai, one of the most exclusive beaches in Hawaii, is tucked inside a residential community. It is a favorite of locals, but because of its legendary beauty –particularly the stunning view backdrop of the Mokulua Island on the horizon – it’s also sought out by tourists. Crystal-clear turquoise water lapping onto the soft sandy beach isn’t hard to take either. About a mile offshore is a coral reef that protects the beach from sharks. The only downside is that there is no parking at the beach, so if you don’t come early, it can be difficult to find parking in the neighborhood of Lanikai.

2) Flamenco Beach, Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico’s Flamenco Beach is a mile-long crescent-shaped beach on the Caribbean island (aka the Spanish Virgin Islands) of Culebra just a short ferry ride from the country’s mainland. Also highly ranked world-wide, Flamenco is known for its magnificent variegated water hues that range in color from clear as glass to baby blue, to iridescent turquoise, to deep emerald green, white sand, and diving sites. Contrary to most Caribbean beaches, Flamenco is not surrounded by high rise hotels or crowds for most of the year, making it seem more like “paradise.” We were there during the month of February; it was still warm, but there were virtually no other people on the beach, the ultimate in romantic beach vacations!

3) Cayo Costa

An unspoiled island scattered with dunes, impossibly turquoise bays, sand bars, and wind-bent trees, Cayo Costa State Park, on the Gulf Coast, is accessible only by charter boat, private boat, kayak, ferry, or helicopter.

This secret gem is coastal Florida at its best – 2500 acres and nine miles of undeveloped shoreline offering idyllic solitude. Its bathtub-warm waters are ideal for swimming, snorkeling, scuba diving, and kayaking the mangroves. Hiking and biking nature trails crisscross the lovely island.

This unique island is very well known for its shelling, and locals and tourists alike flock here every year to scour the sandbars in search of colorful shells and conchs. Shelling is encouraged by the Cayo Costa State Park‘s website, although they advise that some may still have living inhabitants so handle it delicately and it is mandatory to return to the water.

Campsites and cabins in designated areas are available for overnight stays and have access to fire pits, restrooms, and showers.

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4) Pensacola, Florida

Pensacola Beach is on the Gulf Coast barrier island of Santa Rosa. It is world-famous for the sandy beaches so white as to almost be blinding, with spectacular emerald-green waters. The beaches include the protected Gulf Islands National Seashore. There’s a boardwalk on Santa Rosa Sound with shops, restaurants, nightclubs, street musicians, and stage for outdoor concerts. There’s also a pier that stretches into the Gulf of Mexico. Nearby is historic Fort Pickens to explore, or hike along the Sand Eco Trail where you can learn about the dangerous journey of sea turtles. Pensacola is one of the 10 best southeastern beaches in the USA!

5) Driftwood Beach, Jekyll Island, GA

“Boneyard Beach” is so-called because of the bleached skeletons of dead driftwood oak branches. These three miles of shoreline along the Nassau Sound are a visual wonderland and locals keep it a close-kept secret retreat.

Over time, the cedar “bones” have become sun-bleached, smoothed, and battered by sun, sand, and wind.

While the trees are no longer standing, Mother Nature still has an important job to do in the coastal ecosystem. They protect the cities and inland salt marshes by dispersing and breaking up wind and waves, slowing further erosion and absorbing the brunt of Atlantic hurricanes.

It’s no wonder that this magical beach of massive driftwood trees is an Instagram sensation…for those who find out about it.

6) Aquinnah, Martha’s Vineyard, MA

Aquinnah Beach, also known as Moshup Beach, nestled in the Gay Head Cliffs of charming Martha ’s Vineyard Island, is one of the most beautiful beaches in the United States. Soft golden sand, occasional boulders, and clean deep-blue crashing waves make the mile-long beach a very enjoyable and walkable beach. Because it’s far from the bustling and touristic town centers in the western half of the Vineyard, Moshup Beach is usually quieter and less crowded than the other beaches on the island.

Please take note that a portion of Aquinnah Beach is known for its unofficial “clothing optional” area. There’s no signage so it’s easy to stumble onto it without knowing for those that are not aware.

Also, it is prohibited to climb on the cliffs or remove any clay; the cliffs are owned by the Aquinnah Wampanoag Tribe and are under special environmental protection to prevent erosion.

RELATED: Best New England Beaches

7) Hanauma Bay, Oahu, Hawaii

Part of what makes Hanauma Bay so special is that it lies at the bottom of a volcanic crater. Sitting along the southeast coast of Oahu, Hanauma is a marine embayment formed within a tuff ring. The spectacular bay has long attracted snorkelers from all over the world.

Because Hanauma is one of the most popular tourist destinations on Oahu, it has suffered from over-tourism. At one time (although no longer), visitors could even feed the fish, making the waters very cloudy. State park officials stepped in and made changes and the marine park has improved.

RELATED: Snorkeling in Hanauma Bay

8) Siesta Beach, Florida

Siesta Beach on Siesta Key, a barrier island in the Gulf of Mexico, is known for its sandy beaches. It’s an eight-mile stretch of a unique sand composition of 99% pure quartz – possibly the softest and whitest you’ll ever see, juxtaposed on the Gulf’s shimmering blue-green water. There’s very little seaweed and I didn’t see any trash at all. From your beach chair, wildlife sightings of dolphins, manatees, egrets, and pelicans are quite common. Another advantage is the close proximity to the shops and open-air cafes of Siesta Key Village.

9) South Beach, Florida

Personality-plus Miami’s South Beach, aka SOBE, is known for its highly-visited beaches, glitzy nightlife, trendy shopping, and posh celebrity-chef restaurants. Ocean Drive with its attractive, well-preserved art deco architecture is ground zero, complete with a boardwalk frequented by rollerbladers and skateboard aficionados. Quirky as it is, there’s something very something special about this chunk of Miami Beach that brings me back time and again.

10) Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

Myrtle Beach, on South Carolina’s Atlantic coast, is the hub of the Carolinas. With 60-miles of sparkling blue/green water and sandy beaches, celebrity-designed golf courses, live shows, a famous beachfront boardwalk, arcades, souvenir stands, restaurants, and one of the country’s tallest Ferris wheels, you’ll never run out of things to do. In addition to lounging on the beaches, nearby Brookfield Gardens invites visitors to take a leisurely stroll around the beautiful grounds to take in the sculptures, reflection pools, and flora and fauna, and there’s also the ruins of Atalaya, the Moorish mansion which was once the winter home of industrialist and philanthropist Archer M. Huntington and his world-renowned sculptor wife, Anna Hyatt Huntington.

11) Coronado Beach, California

Coronado Beach in San Diego is arguably the nicest beach in California. The wide, 1.5 mile-long beach is set against the backdrop of the iconic and upscale Hotel del Coronado. When opened in 1988, the Victorian architecture “Del” was the largest resort in the world and gives the ocean boulevard the vibe of a bygone era. You can channel your inner Marilyn Monroe here—Some Like It Hot was filmed at the Hotel del Coronado.

Waves crash onto boulders piled along part of the shore; a wide expanse of golden sand glitters because of the tiny specs of mica, lending a magical feeling. For those who prefer not to plunge their toes in the sand to take a walk along the beach, there’s a long promenade behind a low seawall. Swimmers, sun-worshipers, surfers, and beachcombers all love this beach, but surprisingly, Coronado Beach is usually not as crowded as some other Sand Diego area beaches.

12) Avon Beach, Outer Banks, North Carolina

Of the many beaches strewn across the Outer Banks, Avon is hands-down my favorite. If you want to be close to amenities but still bask in sunny solitude, you will fall in love with Avon, too.

Shimmering turquoise waves crash underneath Avon Pier. Visitors can fish or simply take a stroll down the length for a spectacular view of the town. On the pier, you’ll find a convenience store, a tackle shop, and a gift shop.

Considered by many to be the “Center of Hatteras Island,” this charming coastal town is home to the island’s only chain grocery store, several delicious restaurants, a medical center, gift shops, a spa, a mini-golf course, and just enough amenities to entertained without distracting from the appeal of the unspoiled beaches.

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Runner’s Up:

12) Laguna Beach, California

13) Ogunquit Beach, Maine

iPhoto credit: Fred Hsu

Epilogue

Keep in mind that these are the best beaches…in my opinion. I generally prefer warmer climates and turquoise beaches, so that rules out beaches on the northwest coast (it has rained EVERY time I’ve visited Portland and Seattle), which you might love.

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About the Author

Patti Morrow is a freelance travel writer and founder of the award-winning international blog Luggage and Lipstick and the southern travel blog Gone to Carolinas. TripAdvisor called her one of the “20 Baby Boomer Travel Bloggers Having More Fun Than Millennials” and she was named one of the “Top 35 Travel Blogs” in the world.

She is also the star of the upcoming TV series “Destination Takeover” which is scheduled to premiere in the next few months.

Patti is the author of the book “Girls Go Solo: Tips for Women Traveling Alone,” and has over 150 bylines in 40 print and online publications, including The Huffington Post, International Living Magazine, Washington Post Sunday Travel, Travel Girl, Travel Play Live Magazine, and Ladies Home Journal. She has traveled extensively through six continents looking for fabulous destinations, exotic beaches, and adventure activities for her Baby Boomer tribe.