Hawaii's volcanic shores, Florida's Gulf Coast, California's Pacific Highway — North America's coastlines span every beach style from wild and rugged to manicured resort perfection.
United States
Volcanic landscapes, whale watching, and golden sand beaches.
United States
Art Deco architecture, world-class nightlife, and wide Atlantic beaches.
Mexico
Desert meets ocean at the tip of Baja, with world-class sportfishing and nightlife.
United States
Hemingway's island: sunset celebrations, coral reefs, and the southernmost point in the continental US.
Mexico
Mayan ruins above turquoise water, cenotes in the jungle, and bohemian beach clubs.
United States
Wild barrier islands, shipwrecks, wild horses, and the birthplace of flight.
United States
Year-round sunshine, legendary surf breaks, and a booming craft beer and taco scene.
Mexico
Pacific coast charm with cobblestone streets, jungle hikes, and sunset-soaked beaches.
United States
North Shore surf legends, Waikiki's golden sand, and Polynesian culture on every corner.
United States
Emerald Gulf waters, sugar-white sand, and the self-proclaimed 'world's luckiest fishing village.'
United States
Historic Southern charm, Lowcountry cuisine, and barrier-island beaches minutes from downtown.
Mexico
A bohemian surf village on Mexico's Pacific coast with colorful streets and killer ceviche.
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Find Cheap Flights to Beach Destinations
Mexico low season runs May to mid-December. The Pacific — Puerto Escondido, Huatulco — is the real bargain; Caribbean beaches get sargassum. September is cheapest and riskiest.
Read more about thisMercado 23, Benito Juarez, Pino Suarez and Lucas de Galvez run daily; Olas Altas, Sayulita and San Jose del Cabo are seasonal. Skip Cancun's Mercado 28.
Read more about thisWhale sharks off Isla Mujeres run mid-June to mid-September, La Ventana kitesurfing November-March, Zicatela surf April-September, and Cozumel drift diving year-round.
Read more about thisMexico's most Instagrammable beaches: the Marietas Hidden Beach, Balandra, Bacalar's seven-color lagoon, Holbox glow, Tulum ruins, and Las Coloradas pink lakes.
Read more about thisRip currents, not crime, are the main hazard on Mexico's beaches. Red means the water is closed, Cancun lifeguards work 9am-5pm, and Zicatela and Zipolite are not swimming beaches.
Read more about thisMexico bans vapes and pseudoephedrine outright, and Quintana Roo cenotes reject chemical sunscreen at the gate. Pack mineral SPF, reef shoes, a rash guard and pesos in small bills.
Read more about thisPay a guide at Tulum, Campeche, Quiahuiztlán and Xcambó. Do Punta Sur, El Rey and San Juan de Ulúa yourself — INAH guides cost 600-1,500 pesos per group, not per person.
Read more about thisMexico's best beach spas: Sense at Rosewood Mayakoba, SE Spa at Grand Velas, Maroma Spa by Guerlain, NIZUC's ESPA, One&Only Palmilla, Apuane at Punta Mita and Yäan in Tulum.
Read more about thisMexico's cheapest beach towns are Puerto Escondido, Mazunte, Mazatlán, La Paz, Progreso and Bacalar at roughly US$40–70 a day. Cancún and Tulum cost double for the same sand.
Read more about thisMexico's best snorkeling and diving: Cozumel's Palancar and Santa Rosa walls, Cabo Pulmo in Baja, Akumal turtles, MUSA off Isla Mujeres, Puerto Morelos and the Tulum cenotes.
Read more about thisMexico's coastal wildlife by season: gray whales Jan-Apr in Baja, humpbacks Dec 8-Mar 23 in Banderas Bay, whale sharks May-Sep off Isla Mujeres, olive ridleys Aug-Oct in Oaxaca.
Read more about thisMexico's best beach stays for couples in 2026: Rosewood Mayakoba, La Casa Que Canta, Hotel Escondido, Casa Las Tortugas, Privilege Aluxes and Hotel El Ganzo. Four are adults-only.
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