With temperatures rising and summer around the corner, it’s time to hit the beach. Instead of competing with the crowds at pricey beaches, look further along the coast to budget-friendly beaches.
Cheap beach vacays offer not only beautiful beaches on a budget, but travelers also avoid jam-packed boardwalks, jockeying for a place to pitch beach umbrellas, and sunbathing elbow-to-elbow with other beach-goers.
Fortunately, the U.S.’s coastlines are populated with hundreds of cheap beach vacation spots affording travelers multiple chances to go beachin’ on a budget. Here are our favorite cheap beach vacays in the USA.
Redneck Riviera, Florida
Old-school beaches of yesteryear wait in the Redneck Riviera as locals affectionately call the Florida panhandle. The pristine, white powder beaches here are solitary in the summer months and less crowded than beaches further south. Destin, Fort Walton Beach and Panama City are the most popular and populated, but other serene stretches along the Gulf of Mexico include Grayton Beach State Park, a 2,000 acre park located in a sleepy beach town punctuated with wooden houses and narrow streets paved with crushed shells, and T. H. Stone Memorial St. Joseph Peninsula State Park, which boasts nine-and-a-half miles of beaches on the coastal barrier peninsula.
South County, Rhode Island
There are 100 miles of coastline in South County, Rhode Island complete with white sand beaches, shoreline villages and picture perfect views. From Watch Hill from the west to East Greenwich to the east, there are plenty of options, including East Beach in Charlestown, a picturesque, undeveloped three-mile long barrier beach; Narragansett Town Beach, an exceptional spot for surfing in Narragansett; and Scarborough State Beach, a family friendly, popular beach with pavilions, a boardwalk, concessions and shower facilities in Narragansett.
Huntington Beach, California
Huntington Beach (aka Surf City USA) is one of the most beautiful and budget-friendly beaches in California. The 10-mile beach is famous for surfing, beach volleyball and Ocean Strand pedestrian pathway. The lively downtown, with boutique shops and restaurants, adds to the laid back California beach vibe.
Rehoboth Beach, Delaware
For decades, families have flocked to the perennially popular Rehoboth Beach, which boasts plenty of sand and fun in the sun. The free beach features a boardwalk and amusement park. Popular pastimes include dolphin watching, pontoon boat excursions and, of course, swimming.
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Hugging the Atlantic Ocean coast, Myrtle Beach’s 60 miles of beaches are a picturesque playground for swimming, sunbathing, boating, fishing, diving and just about any aquatic activity beach-goers could desire. Combing the beaches along The Grand Strand for sand dollars, shark teeth and other treasures is a popular activity. Be sure to take a stroll along the 1.2-mile oceanfront boardwalk and browse the restaurants and shops along the way too.
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Gulf Shores, Alabama
The 32 miles of sugar white sands and crystal clear waters off the southern coast of Alabama are the perfect spot for southern beach fun with a side of southern hospitality. The sands here are made from quartz grains washed down from the Appalachian Mountains thousands of years ago. The sand is so soft, it squeaks under your feet. Though there are plenty of no-frills beaches, the Gulf Shores Main Public Beach, where Highway 59 dead-ends, is the most popular beach with pavilions, picnic areas and a beach bar.
Long Beach Island, New Jersey
Long Beach Island, or LBI as the locals call it, is an enchanting stretch of white sand beaches located along a narrow, 18-mile-long island in southeastern New Jersey. In addition to a plethora of picturesque patches of beach, the island boasts the Barnegat Lighthouse, a water park, quaint beach towns and charming shops at Bay Village, a replica of a 19th century waterfront village in Beach Haven on the southern end of the island.
Cupsogue Beach, Long Island, New York
Heading to The Hamptons doesn’t need to be a summer time ritual only for the rich. Cupsogue Beach in Westhampton is a free, public beach where patrons only pay for parking. Open seasonally, the 296-acre family-friendly beach fills up quickly on the weekends, but the crowds are limited (once the parking lot is filled, no more visitors are allowed in). The area is known for its bass fishing and each summer, a family-friendly sand castle contest is held.
South Padre Island, Texas
South Padre Island, a barrier island in southern Texas, is 34 miles of beach-y bliss. The cobalt blue waves of the Gulf provide the perfect backdrop for the pristine white sand beaches, arguably the best in Texas.
Chincoteague Island, Virginia
Virginia’s only resort island, Chincoteague Island, is a rustic respite from the mid-Atlantic’s more crowded beaches. Located on Virginia’s eastern shore, the former fishing village is now a popular paradise for beach-goers seeking a more sedate experience. Don’t miss the 38-mile Assateague Island, an adjacent barrier island and wildlife sanctuary connected by a bridge east of Chincoteague Island whose southern portion is part of Virginia and whose northern part is part of Maryland. There are 14,000 acres of beaches, maritime forest, marshlands and two herds of wild ponies.
(Main Image: Petra Spiess / used under a Creative Commons Attribution license)
