North American Beaches

Molokai and Lanai share fewer than 100,000 visitors a year between them. Three-mile-long Papohaku Beach sits empty most days, spinner dolphins play in Hulopoe Bay by morning, and the logistics alone keep the crowds away.

Green means safe, red means dangerous, purple means marine life -- but most beachgoers can't identify all the flag colors. Here's the full system, country-specific variations, and what to do when there are no flags at all.

Sayulita is a colorful surf village on Mexico's Riviera Nayarit with a beginner-friendly point break, $2 fish tacos, and a bohemian energy that hasn't been polished away by development. Forty-five minutes from Puerto Vallarta, it runs on its own clock.

From San Diego's free beach wheelchair program to Barcelona's assisted bathing service, here's a practical guide to beach accessibility for wheelchair users -- what works, what doesn't, and how to plan ahead.

Charleston's barrier island beaches blend wide Atlantic sand with Lowcountry character -- salt marshes, Spanish moss, and dolphins in the creeks. Folly Beach brings the surf, Sullivan's Island keeps it quiet, and downtown delivers some of the best food in the South.

Beyond Cancun's crowded pool parties, spring break travelers can find better beaches, richer culture, and lower costs across the Caribbean, Mexico, and beyond. This guide covers 9 alternatives with specific pricing for flights, accommodation, and nightlife.

Cozumel is two islands in one: calm west-coast beach clubs and raw east-coast surf. From the starfish sandbar at El Cielo to drift diving along Palancar Reef, here's how to navigate the cruise port chaos and find the real island.

Cancun's all-inclusive resorts ranked: Le Blanc for luxury ($550/night), Secrets The Vine for couples ($280), Hyatt Ziva for families ($250), Riu Palace Peninsula for value ($150), and Temptation for parties ($200). Plus Isla Mujeres, cenotes, and Chichen Itza day trips.

Destin and Florida's Emerald Coast combine sugar-white quartz sand with Gulf water so green it looks digitally enhanced. World-class fishing, the floating party at Crab Island, and the boutique beach towns along 30A make this Panhandle stretch a family favorite.

A brutally honest guide to Riviera Maya all-inclusive resorts, covering what your money actually buys at budget, mid-range, and luxury tiers, the resorts worth recommending for couples, families, and luxury seekers, the sargassum problem, and why leaving the resort is the best thing you can do.

No passport required, US currency accepted, and beach resorts that rival anything in the Caribbean. From the Ritz-Carlton Reserve in Dorado to bioluminescent bays in Vieques, here are Puerto Rico's best resort options.

Every cheap beach option from Chicago mapped out with prices: Michigan lake towns an hour away, $120 flights to Fort Lauderdale, $200 flights to Cancun, and complete trip budgets for weekends under $300 and weeks under $800.