The East Coast is comprised of numerous beaches, and it would take a great deal of time to visit them all! If you’re looking for the absolute best beaches on the East Coast, you’ve come to the right place. From Ship Bottom Beach in New Jersey to Mayflower Beach in Massachusetts, join us as we take a look at the best beaches on the East Coast.
Ship Bottom Beach, New Jersey
Ship Bottom Beach is a beach that’s located on Long Beach Island in New Jersey. It’s one of the more popular beaches amongst locals in the state, and it’s becoming more and more popular with tourists. Still, this strip of Long Beach Island is a good deal quieter than many of the other beaches in the Garden State. For this reason, Ship Bottom Beach gets the first mention in this article.
There are plenty of great activities to partake in while visiting Ship Bottom Beach, whether you’re interested in trying your hand at watersports or simply relaxing in the sands. The beach is also a great place to start collecting shells. join us as we take a look at the best beaches on the East Coast.
Jetties Beach, Massachusetts
Heading over to New England, Jetties Beach is an awesome beach that finds it’s home in Nantucket, Massachusetts. Visitors to Nantucket will be pleased to find that Jetties Beach is a mere walk away, and it’s certainly one of the best places to take in the area’s culture.
In addition to the beautiful beach itself, the surrounding area is bustling. Those who are looking to get a taste of some New England seafood should try the Sandbar at Jetties Beach Bar & Restaurant, which is located just along the beach. Whether you’re looking for a drink or a full meal, you’ll find it here!
South Beach, North Carolina
South Beach is a fairly nondescript name, but it’s a great and one of the best beaches on the east coast! Located on Bald Head Island in North Carolina, South Beach is known for it’s calm waters. These waters are perfect for kids to play in. If you’re bringing a big family along with you then South Beach is the place to be. Not only are the waters perfect for swimming, but the sand is also perfect for building sandcastles.
Visitors can rent all the umbrellas and chairs that they’ll need to lounge on the beach once they get there. South Beach on Bald Island is inarguably one of the best beaches in North Carolina, as well as one of the best on the whole of the East Coast.
Scarborough State Beach, Rhode Island
Another great New England beach is Scarborough State Beach, which is located in Narragansett, Rhode Island. Scarborough State Beach is a fairly tranquil spot, and it’s one of the more relaxing beaches on this list. One of the biggest draws of this beautiful and best beaches on the east coast because of it’s scenery. There’s even an observation tower from which to take in the whole scene from a greater vantage point. If you’re looking for great views of the Atlantic Ocean, this is the place to find them!
Coligny Beach Park, South Carolina
As it’s name should suggest, Coligny Beach Park isn’t just a beach, but an entire beach park! This means that Coligny Beach has a good deal more free amenities than other best beaches on the East Coast. These amenities include such things as gazebos and picnic tables, as well as changing rooms and outdoor showers. To top it all off, the beach has free parking for all of it’s visitors. All of this combines to make Coligny Beach Park incredibly popular with both locals and tourists, so expect to face some crowds! The beach is located in Hilton Head, South Carolina.
Main Beach Park, Florida
Main Beach Park is another beach that’s more than just a beach. Main Beach Park has facilities that are just as accommodating as those found at Coligny Beach Park. However, the location is in Florida instead of South Carolina. Main Beach Park resides on Amelia Island, and it’s waters are a good deal warmer than those found at Coligny Beach.
Main Beach Park also goes above and beyond with some of it’s amenities, which include a skate park and a couple of volleyball courts. Given the fact that Main Beach Park is always sunny and warm, it’s generally even more crowded than Coligny Beach Park! However, it’s worth the fight. Join us as we take a look at the best beaches on the East Coast.
Main Beach, New York
All that way on the other end of the East Coast from Florida’s Main Beach Park is another Main Beach. The Main Beach in East Hampton, New York, may not be quite as accommodating to the general public as it’s similarly named Florida cousin, but it can be just as fun to visit for the right crowd! For those unfamiliar with the East Hampton area, it’s pretty upscale.
However, you don’t have to have a house in the area in order to visit the beach. While many of the beach’s denizens are wealthy locals, tourists can still have fun so long as they don’t feel too out of place. One of the most popular activities to partake in at Main Beach is paddleball.
Ocean City Beach, Maryland
Those who think that Main Beach sounds too upscale may prefer the family-friendly thrills of Ocean City Beach, which is located in Maryland. Ocean City Beach is a significantly large beach at 10 miles, though the beach itself isn’t the only thing that makes the area popular to visit. Ocean City Beach comes replete with it’s own boardwalk, where you’ll find amusement park rides, eateries, and fun shops. If this all sounds a little corny, maybe you’ll enjoy the quieter beach experiences found elsewhere.
However, those who enjoy loud noises and bustling crowds will find that there’s plenty of fun to be had at this old-timey beach boardwalk. On the beach itself, you’ll find such idyllic sights as kids flying kites and building sandcastles. Out on the waters, you may sight tourists learning how to parasail. Join us as we take a look at the best beaches on the East Coast.
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Myrtle Beach is another South Carolina beach, and it’s offerings are fairly similar to those of the aforementioned Ocean City Beach. While Myrtle Beach isn’t a public park like the other South Carolina beach that we’ve taken a look at in this article, it makes up for it’s lack of free amenities with it’s impressive boardwalk. Now, Myrtle Beach’s boardwalk isn’t quite as grand as Ocean City Beach’s, but it gives it a run for it’s money. It’s not quite as large in length, but it’s amusement park rides are more fierce. There’s also a miniature golf course, and plenty of shops and eateries.
Folly Beach, South Carolina
One last South Carolina Beach is Folly Beach, which is a little bit quainter in comparison to the two other South Carolina beaches that we’ve explored in this article. Folly Beach is located near Charleston, and it’s known for being incredibly clean and having lots of open space. This is a great place for families to relax and play, and there’s also a 1,000-foot pier for visitors to walk along and get some incredible views of the ocean.
Bowman’s Beach, Florida
Back down in Florida we have Bowman’s Beach, which sits on Sanibel Island. If Ship Bottom Beach in New Jersey is a great place to start your shell collection, than Bowman’s Beach in Florida is a great place to finish it! Amongst all the East Coast beaches, Bowman’s Beach is perhaps the one that is best known for it’s shell-collecting opportunities. If you’re interested in scraping the sands to see what kind of treasures they have to offer, visiting Bowman’s Beach can be plenty of fun! Just know that you may run into some local competition, as shell collecting is quite the popular sport.
Driftwood Beach, Georgia
Of all the beaches that we’ll be taking a look at in this article, Driftwood Beach is perhaps the most unique. Located on Jekyll Island in Georgia, the thing that makes Driftwood Beach stand out is right in it’s name. The beach is filled with driftwood, and this results in it looking like few other beaches in the world. Those who have never seen a beach filled with driftwood might not realize just how impressive the sight is!
Footbridge Beach, Maine
Footbridge Beach is a quiet beach in Ogunquit, Maine, and it’s perfect for relaxing. Enjoy local seafood from one of the eateries in the quaint town and then head to the beach to take in the stunning Maine sunset!
Mayflower Beach, Massachusetts
for families. Lifeguards are on duty during the day, and the beach’s sands are perfect for building castles. The waters of Mayflower Beach are also a bit calmer than those found elsewhere in Massachusetts, which makes them a bit better for playing in. Meanwhile, parents can enjoy the beach’s stunning views.
These beaches represent the very best that can be found along the East Coast. Whatever type of beach experience you’re looking to have, one of these beaches should provide you with the perfect destination.