North American Beach Guides

Zipolite in Oaxaca is Mexico's only designated nude beach. The Désire and Hidden Beach all-inclusive resorts on the Yucatán coast are the adults-only alternative.

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.

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.

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.

Oahu packs world-class surf on the North Shore, the turquoise perfection of Lanikai, and the urban energy of Waikiki into one island. With 112 miles of coastline, every shore has a different personality and season.

Puerto Vallarta wraps around Banderas Bay where jungle mountains crash into the Pacific. Boat-access beaches, humpback whale watching from December through March, and street tacos at $2 make this one of Mexico's most rewarding coastal cities.

A guide to clothing-optional campgrounds near beaches across North America and Europe, covering De Anza Springs, Bare Oaks, Euronat, Valalta, and more, with etiquette rules and honest first-timer advice.

San Diego delivers 70 miles of coastline with year-round surf, leopard sharks at La Jolla, and a taco scene fueled by proximity to the Mexican border. From Torrey Pines bluffs to Coronado's sparkling sand, every neighborhood has its own beach personality.

You don't need a flight to find great sand. Here are the best beaches within two hours of New York, LA, Miami, San Francisco, Chicago, Boston, Seattle, Houston, and Washington, DC — with transit tips and specific restaurant picks.

A guide to Georgia's Golden Isles beaches, from the driftwood sculptures of Jekyll Island to the wild horses and empty sand of Cumberland Island, with ferry logistics, shrimp and grits recommendations, and honest notes on the murky water.

The Outer Banks stretches 200 miles along the North Carolina coast with wild horses, shipwrecks, and some of the best surfing on the East Coast. From Corolla's mustangs to Ocracoke's empty shores, this barrier island chain rewards exploration.

A practical guide to Maine's best beaches, from the seven-mile boardwalk at Old Orchard Beach to the glacial pocket cove at Acadia's Sand Beach, with honest water temperature data and lobster shack recommendations.

A 2,000-mile Atlantic coast road trip from Key West to Acadia, with stop-by-stop beach picks, restaurant recommendations, and seasonal timing for every section. Two to three weeks, 14 states, and the full range of American beach culture.

A stop-by-stop PCH road trip from Santa Monica to San Francisco: El Matador sea stacks, Big Sur's purple sand, Santa Cruz boardwalk, and Baker Beach under the Golden Gate. Five to seven days, practical budget, and a heads-up on highway closures.

Maui's beaches range from the resort polish of Ka'anapali and Wailea to Big Beach's powerful shore break and Ho'okipa's afternoon turtle haul-out. Plus Molokini snorkeling, whale season timing, and what to know about Lahaina's post-fire recovery.

Great beachcombing requires the right beaches. Sanibel Island produces 250+ shell species, Fort Bragg's Glass Beach delivers polished sea glass, and Seaham in England offers rare multi-colored finds. Here are the best spots for collectors.

The geology behind beach formation — from parrotfish producing white sand to longshore drift moving entire coastlines, plus how climate change is reshaping the shores we know.

Where to find the best tidal pools in North America and Europe, what species to look for in each zone, how to read tide charts, and the rules for exploring without causing damage.