The Best Beach Towns In The US You Probably Didn’t Know About
The coastal United States is beautiful any time of the year, with many atmospheric towns offering great bases to start exploring. If you live for the smell of seawater in the air, the crashing sounds of the ocean, and the show-stopping sunrise and sunsets, discover these 11 best-hidden beach towns around the nation.
Anna Maria, Florida
This calm and serene barrier island and town in the Gulf of Mexico is a gorgeous white-sanded paradise. The tropical destination comes with aquamarine waters bounding beautiful beaches for a vacation suitable any time of the year. Aside from the never-crowded beaches, there are great seafood restaurants, along with the Island Creperie waiting for a queue-free visit. The nearby Bradenton brims with more attractions, along with the Longboat Key just south for diverse scenic and out-on-the-town opportunities.
Anna Maria resembles a tranquilized Miami with unbelievable cuisine and dialed-down nightlife. The peaceful locale comes with a speed limit on the water at 35 mph and no fast food restaurants in town that will make one believe in having landed in a heaven made for unwinding. The 7-mile-long island with only a few blocks to explore has a concentrated amount of shops and galleries for perusing, along with lively bars balanced out by quaint lodgings. The active and nature fans will enjoy kayaking, stand-up paddle-boarding, and dolphin tours.
Avalon, California
This lesser-visited beach locale is the only city on the famous Santa Catalina Island that starred in the Stepbrothers comedy. The island known for the Catalina Wine Mixers is part of the beautiful California Channel Islands, while Avalon is the base for the beaches galore of water sports and great restaurants. The town's Long Beach offers romantic strolls at sunset, as well as spotting playful dolphins splashing in the distance from a cruise.
There's swimming with local sea lions, deep sea diving, and an epic Glass Bottom Boat ride to see how the local marine goes about their daily beings. There are also many off-beach unique and in-demand activities to indulge in, including golfing, bison expeditions, and falconry, along with campsites for rustically-charming stays amongst serene nature.
Boca Grande, Florida
The beach town paradise is an idyllic getaway destination known for its old Florida charm. It is set on the gorgeous Gulf island of Gasparilla with a connection to Florida's folklore of a namesake pirate who lived there. The laidback town full of relaxed vibes is the largest on the island, bounded by Gulf of Mexico shores and no street lights in town. There's excellent fishing, swimming, snorkeling, as well as shelling when the ocean brings bountiful sea treasures onto the beach each winter.
The tree-lined streets, such as Banyan Street with namesake trees, call for fresh-air strolls to admire the old architecture while locals get around in golf carts. Boca Grande is the renowned home to the Gasparilla Island State Park, with the wilderness around the island to explore. The classic 1913 Gasparilla Inn & Club offers cute cottages for a great stay, while the funky Temptation is a must-stop for lunch. The 1890 Boca Grande Lighthouse is also home to a museum, along with scenic picnicking at the nearby Sandspur's shady pavilions.
Cannon Beach, Oregon
Cannon Beach is a must-visit throughout the year as one of the nation's most scenic experiences of a lifetime. The aptly-named town is bounded by a characteristically-rocky coastline, with a beach that is most known for the grand rock crowning the sandscape. The 235-foot-high Haystack Rock scenically emerges out of the waters as one of nature's most iconic wonders. It calls for atmospheric picnics in the shade, while the many tide pools around demand exploring. Cannon Beach also features a significant bird population to the delight of avid naturalists.
Tourists and locals alike enjoy making bonfires, building sandcastles, and walking dogs along scenic shores. The generous four-mile stretch of sandy beach is a blissfully quiet place with the stand-out granite precipice and proud puffins walking around. There is protected wilderness around, along with the Ecola State Park to the north with its own secluded Crescent Beach. The restaurant scene boasts a farm- and sea-to-table cuisine, while the in-town poses as the region's art hub.
Capitola, California
The West Coasters are a lucky bunch who get to enjoy the wonderful California town of Capitola. Its beach comes beautifully lined by bright-colored and pastel houses for the best photo ops, while the year-round great weather is perfect for non-stop shore-grazing and activities on the sand. The blissful locale of the quaint seaside village was once just a humble tent camp along Monterey Bay's shore called Camp Capitola. It first welcomed visitors in 1874 as the first resort beach town in the state with the magnificent wood-frame Victorian infamous Hotel Capitola. Although the hotel fell victim to fire, the hillside along Soquel Creek is smattered with colorful shops and seaside restaurants.
The great town for a romantic getaway features an atmospheric bay-front promenade lined with shops and eateries to peruse on a stroll. Capitola Beach is a bustling scene, while the Esplanade Park is full of benches to relax in the shade and fresh air among the sights. The quintessential beach comes with a wide sea wall lined by painted tiles featuring the community's artwork, which adds a special vibe to the scene. The Bay offers swimming, surfing, boogie boarding, and stand-up paddle boarding with panoramic views of the vibrant village from the waters. The Capitola Wharf is wonderful for strolls and fishing, where people often leave flowers on the railings.
Gulf Shores, Alabama
The 32 miles of coastline along the Gulf Coast feature some of the country's most underrated beaches with the finest and whitest sands. Gulf Shores is well-known as one of the most affordable beach town getaways during winter and comes with plenty of scenically-set attractions like the Waterville USA water and amusement park. The beach galore comprises pastel-colored houses and fresh seafood eateries, along with the unexplained natural phenomenon known as "jubilees" when crabs and fish flop up on the beach on some nights.
There's the scenic West Beach with an undeveloped waterfront of wide sandy shore that sees only random tourists but is a magnet for beachcombing locals. One can find a vacation rental in the Little Lagoon neighborhood some blocks of the Gulf, with homes boasting piers for fishing and boating right from the doorstep. The bounding Gulf State Park of preserved 6,500 acres features diverse ecosystems to explore vibrant natural life along with recreational opportunities, including a pier, three lakes, a picnic area, hiking trails, and green spaces.
Los Osos, California
The town home to the majestic Montaña de Oro State Park is a true playground base for all nature lovers. The rugged cliffs, hidden sandy beaches, coastal plains, and other landforms in the park are the product of several years of volcanic activity, plate tectonics, and erosion. It offers spectacular scenery to explore via hikes, backpacking, mountain biking, and on horseback along quaint trails. The park and town are beloved destinations for get-togethers, families, and sunbathers, along with wonderful camping and picnicking areas.
The park features some 250 different species of birds, while the peace-infused Morro Bay Estuary is a favorite among kayakers. The back bay is known for quiet waters and panoramic sunsets to watch from the sand or via a kayaking tour. The beautiful Elfin Forest offers unforgettable hiking opportunities among the pygmy oak trees that are only four to twenty feet tall, along with more notable plant life. There's also a mile-long boardwalk connecting the forest with multiple trailheads, wildlife, and lookout points with views of the nearby mountains.
Marco Island, Florida
Marco Island is a truly hidden gem of a beach town set off the southwestern tip of Florida. It sees far fewer tourists along the shores, allowing some peaceful time in solitude or sand and water fun in a close-knit group away from others. The calm and clear Gulf waters of balmy temperatures are ideal for families, while Marco Shores, just across the bridge, offers perfect accommodations to stay on the breakwater, with alligators and herons walking right in the backyard that kids love.
There's a large square in-town brimful with restaurants that feature outdoor terraces, along with a movie theater and museums for varied pastimes. The natural pursuits around include a swamp sanctuary, a local nature preserve, and whole watersports galore for the active, including paragliding for the adrenaline junkies. The perfect town for relaxation during the day is also set within driving distance of the nightlife in either Naples or Fort Myers.
Palos Verdes Estates, California
Palos Verdes Estates is a tiny yet highly sophisticated community with some of the state's best beaches for year-round lounging. The rural town offers a real respite from the city with ample peace and natural pursuits without crowds, drawing the outdoorsy types in trickling streams. There's great scuba diving, surfing, swimming, and sunbathing, along with some well-deserved R&R on the un-crowded beaches. The whole town and its beach give the feeling of having landed in a remote paradise where time is of no essence.
Despite the town's small size, the vast oceanfront boasts recent preservation efforts so that future generations can keep experiencing its majesty. The bearings of the lovely Malaga Cove Beach provide a true sense of seaside solitude with easy access via a winding trail for some exercise before plopping down on the sands. The path is overseen by the surrounding high and steep bluffs to one side and swelling ocean waters to the other for a real dramatic hike.
South Kingstown, Rhode Island
South Kingstown is one of the most overlooked beach towns in the nation that is beloved by those in the know when other state-dwellers head to Newport. The town is the epitome of fun and relaxation in the "Ocean State," with East Matunuck State Beach, Roy Carpenter's Beach, Matunuck Beach, and South Kingstown Town Beach worthy of exploration.
There's plenty of space for relaxation to the sound of the waves and sunbathing in the summer months, while the Deep Hole is beloved by surfers of all levels. The Matunuck Oyster Bar is a fine dining establishment renowned for seafood, while the Ocean Mist is an atmospheric spot for fun, themed nights with great grub and drinks. It is right on the waters, with the surf crashing below for the most memorable time spent with friends.
York, Maine
York is a small hidden-gem village with gorgeous York Beach, Short Sands Beach, and Long Sands Beach. The sparsely-populated beaches offer blissful time spent for those who know about the town. The smallest Short Sands Beach set-scenically on the northern coast of Cape Neddick is the liveliest of the three. One will find boutique shops and local restaurants on the promenade in close vicinity.
The proximate amusement park, York’s Wild Kingdom, is a beloved destination by whole families, as well as Dunne’s Ice Cream for the quintessentially-New England frozen treats. The larger Long Sands Beach also sees some visitors on its south shore locale of two miles breadth with white sands and perfect surf. The vast beach with shallow tide pools and a laidback atmosphere has more than enough room for solitude, fun family time, or a quaint get-together.
These scenic beaches with natural wonders and white sands are hidden for year-round enjoyment in peaceful solitude. The vibrant town centers come with all the comforts and days-worth of attractions in the surroundings of pristine shores that add a wistful touch.
