Florida might be as flat as a pancake, making you wonder how much adventurous fun you can really have in this state. But the longer I live here (over half my life now), the more Iā€™m convinced we have the most spectacular beaches of any place in the world along our roughly 1,800 miles of coastline.

Iā€™ve spent pre-dawn mornings dodging nesting sea-turtle mothers as they lumber toward the waves, while the sun shimmers across the oceanā€™s surface. Iā€™ve waded along beaches backed by high-rise hotels, next to massive shadows in the water that turned out to be frolicking manatees. And Iā€™ve watched dolphins turn more flips than in any theme park, as if they were celebrating another sublime Gulf of Mexico sunset with just as much joy as me.

Since my college days at the University of Florida in Gainesville, when I traveled with the student outdoors club on weekend adventures that included snorkeling in freshwater springs and paddling canoes through mangrove labyrinths in the wilderness of the Ten Thousand Islands, Iā€™ve dedicated my time in Florida to exploring its wild. And so much of it, it turns out, exists along our easily accessible beachesā€”both developed and remoteā€”and in the shallows, just offshore.

In my opinion, here are some of the best beaches in Florida for first-time visitors and outdoor junkies. As a local, Iā€™d recommend you venture out with your scuba diving certificate, fishing license, hiking shoes, or your treasure hunting-acumenā€”or perhaps, most blissfully, just your bare feet.

From rideable-year-round waves at Sebastian Inlet and Cocoa Beach to hunting for Spanish galleon coins along Vero Beach and scuba diving to World War II shipwrecks off Panama City Beach, these sandy stretches offer mega adventure. Pack the SPF 30 (nay, 50), plenty of water, and get psyched for Floridaā€™s coastline to wow you.

Best Florida Beaches to Beeline to From Orlando

Vero Beach

Location: Along the stretch of Atlantic Ocean roughly 100 miles southeast of Orlando

Why We Love It: You can grab a metal detector after a storm and search for uncovered treasure from 18th century Spanish galleons that wrecked in these waters.

In 1715, a fierce hurricane hit just offshore from Vero Beach, along Florida’s coastline later dubbed the Treasure Coast, and sank eleven of 12 ships in the Spanish Fleet, spilling untold treasures onto the ocean floor. Much of the loot has since been recovered by professional salvage teams. But every so often, especially after a big Atlantic storm, the sandbars below get rearranged, and lucky beachgoers can find items like gold and silver coins and jewelry washed ashore.

Know Before You Go: To ensure itā€™s legal, keep your treasure hunting to the sand between the dunes and waterline (1715 Fleet āˆ’ Queens Jewels LLC owns the salvage rights to the remains of the 1715 Fleet in the water.) Seagrape Trail Beach, in the northern reaches of Vero Beach, is my favorite spot to scour the sand and has parking in a small lot onsite. You might even spot salvage boats bobbing in the waves and hunting for treasure, too.

Cocoa Beach

Location: About 60 miles east of Orlando on Floridaā€™s

Why We Love It: You can chill in the surf lineup for the next set while watching a rocket launch from Cape Canaveral, just north.

One of the closest beaches to Orlando, Cocoa Beach puts on zero pretense. This is your classic Florida beach town where locals cut out of work early (or skip it entirely) anytime the surf is up, and mom and pop hotels and restaurants still line State Road A1A.

If you’re a fan and lucky, you might see surf legend Kelly Slater catching a wave, too. (He grew up riding the breaks here, and still has family in the area.) The local nearby pays homage to the GOAT.

Thereā€™s also no cooler experience than waiting in the lineup when a rocket streaks across the sky. This happens several times a month, thanks to SpaceX, just up the road at the Kennedy Space Center (check the and time your visit accordingly.)

Donā€™t Miss: A post-surf pint or piƱa colada served up with a pile of nachos, live music, and ocean views at , a popular locals bar. Consider this an aprĆØs-surf rite of passage.

Sebastian Inlet State Park, Melbourne Beach

Location: About 90 miles southeast of Orlando

Why We Love It: You can explore gorgeous, undeveloped coastline backed by big dunes and lapped by some of the East Coastā€™s best surf waves.

As popular with anglers as it is with the board-riding crew, Sebastian Inlet State Park is one of the prime coastal jewels in Floridaā€™s state park crown (the state has a whopping 175 of them.) It spills its golden beaches across three miles of pristine barrier-island coastline, and spans both the north and south sides of Sebastian Inlet, a saltwater fishing haven where the Indian River Lagoon and Atlantic meet. On the north side of the inlet, the jetty pier stretches 1,000 feet into the ocean, luring those with fishing poles in tow to cast a line for snook, redfish, black drum, king mackerel, and more.

Its two main surf breaks, off both north and south jetties, draw huge crowds when theyā€™re firing and remain rideable most of the year, even when the swell is minimal.

The park has a with 51 sites (from $28 per night) just a short walk from the beach. And (from $32 per night), just outside the park and three miles north, is another of my favorite spots for dark skies and waterfront sites. Make time to visit the fascinating little ā€”on the south side of the state park at the site of the 1715 Fleetā€™s survivor and salvagers campā€”where you can see gems and coins from the galleons as well as dioramas of the ships.

Know Before You Go: Youā€™ll need to secure a saltwater fishing license before casting a line ($17 for in-state residents per year, $47 for out-of-staters, or $17 for three days.) Do this ahead of your trip through the .

Hutchinson Island

Location: About 130 miles southeast of Orlando (or 55 miles north of West Palm Beach)

Why We Love It: It’s one of the few places where you can ride a horse on the beach itself.

Roughly between Fort Pierce and Stuart, this span of two barrier islands fronting the Atlantic has long, lonely stretches of sand because itā€™s mostly residential. In other words, itā€™s never an issue to find an empty swath for yourself. Surfers pad barefoot along the coquina shell path at , on North Hutchinson Island, to paddle out into waves that break cleanest and largest on the incoming tide (preferably with a westerly wind to help them hold their shape.)

Hutchinson Island is one of the only places in Florida where you can go horseback riding on the beach, too. ($50 per hour) offers guided excursions that include a dip in the ocean (up to the horseā€™s knees) at or Ģż (currently closed for upgrades) in Fort Pierce.

Donā€™t Miss: in Jensen Beach is a sweet oceanfront spot to spend the night with the pounding surf as your sleep soundtrack. Sea turtles come ashore to lay their eggs here between March 1 and November 15, so you might see one retreating back into the sea if youā€™re up early for dawn patrol.

Best South Florida Beaches for In-and-On Water ŗŚĮĻ³Ō¹ĻĶų

Jupiter Beach

Location: About 20 miles north of West Palm Beach on Floridaā€™s Atlantic coast

Why We Love It: Itā€™s home to some of the stateā€™s best scuba diving in the crystal-clear waters of the Gulf Stream, a short boat ride offshore.

Every visitor assumes the Florida Keys is the stateā€™s ultimate scuba diving mecca. But keen and experienced divers know some of the best underwater views are north, just offshore from Jupiter Beach. The Gulf Stream swoops in close to Floridaā€™s flanks here, turning the water gin-clear, bringing with it plenty of open-ocean species to admire.

Head out with , a local dive shop and PADI 5-Star operation, which departs from the inlet for daily two or three-tank charters (from $120, for two tanks) that visit offshore wrecks and reefs teeming with life.

Shark season happens January through March, and divers regularly spot lemon and blacktip reef sharks among other predators. August and September bring goliath grouper to spawn, with aggregations upward of 60 strong, sometimes congregating above wrecks looking to mate.

Donā€™t Miss: Unusual for a Florida beach, limestone rocks line the sand at The Nature Conservancyā€™s (many of which get buried by sand from storms, and later reveal themselves anew.) During high seas and at high tide (check timing ), water forced through the rocks creates plumes that shoot up to 50 feet into the air. Take the 1.4-mile long preserve trail for access to the coolest views.

Hobie Island Beach Park

Location: Off the Rickenbacker Causeway on the shores of Virginia Key, right between downtown Miami and Key Biscayne

Why We Love It: Itā€™s an off-leash paradise for dogs and one of the best places to windsurf and kiteboard in all of South Florida.

Thereā€™s something singular about whizzing across the glassy waters of Biscayne Bay to the skyscraper-backdrop of downtown Miami and Brickell as you catch air at this wildly popular launch beach for kiteboarding and windsurfing. Hobie Island Beach Park is more commonly called Windsurfer Beach, thanks to the local concession thatā€™s been here for decades. You can sign up for lessons ( offers private beginner lessons at $75 per hour) if youā€™re still getting a handle on things. And thereā€™s even free, on-site parking, which is almost unheard of in Miami.

Donā€™t Miss: Hidden away in nearby on Key Biscayne, bar fronts No Name Harbor and serves up Miamiā€™s most gorgeous sunsets, best admired at alfresco picnic tables on the sand. Soak it all in with a glass of watermelon sangria and a side of ceviche, and you might think youā€™re somewhere in the Caribbean.

Lauderdale-by-the-Sea

Location: Roughly 7 miles north of downtown Fort Lauderdale

Why We Love It: You can go lobster and spear fishing on the that bustle with marine life just 100 yards from the beach.

Away from the party-focused crowds along Fort Lauderdale Beach proper (just south), Lauderdale-by-the-Sea is beloved among snorkelers, free divers, and spearfishing anglers, thanks to rubbly patches in the sand and rocky overhangs that harbor abundant marine life. On the reefs closest to shore, you might spot species like turtles, tarpon, snook, and nurse sharks. Manatees also swim here, too. And you can take a short boat trip with ($90 for a tank dive) to reach spots like Nursery Reef and the wreck of 19th century British steel-hulled schooner the , which rests in just 31 feet of water.

Know Before You Go: You can only catch lobster in Florida during the stateā€™s official lobster season, which is a two-part affair. Lobster mini-season is always the last consecutive Wednesday and Thursday of July for residents and non-residents. (Florida residents get a bonus day earlier in the month.) The regular spiny lobster season in Florida runs from August 6 to March 31. Permits cost $5 per year for residents and nonresidents, atop your saltwater fishing license. Be sure to check the to steer clear of no-take zones, which include Everglades National Park and areas within the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, among others.

Bahia Honda State Park, Florida Keys

Location: Roughly between Key West and Islamorada, 131 miles southwest of Miami

Why We Love It: You can gaze at dark night skies and stay at crĆØme de la crĆØme beachfront campsites.

The Florida Keysā€”an archipelago of coral cays stretching from just north of Key Largo all the way south to Key Westā€”are not known for their bountiful beaches, which comes as a surprise to most visitors. But here, youā€™ll find some of the best stretches for both snorkeling and camping at this beloved state park, which sprawls 500 acres between Florida Bay and the Atlantic. Plus, it’s home to three natural beaches.

You can rent kayaks and snorkeling gear from the parkā€™s onsite concession ($12 and $18 for single and double kayaks, respectively; $17 for a mask, fins, and snorkel.)Ģż Explore from the shore or take the state parkā€™s catamaran to scour the colorful reefs further offshore within . The parkā€™s has oceanfront and bayfront sites (from $36 per night) as well as spots for RVs and boat slips in the marina if you prefer to sleep afloat.

Bahia Honda State Park also supports one of the Florida Keysā€™ most diverse habitats for birds, including endangered white-crowned pigeons and, during the fall and winter migration, scores of wood warbler species.

Donā€™t Miss: Take a short hike on the .4-mile out-and-back Old Bahia Honda Bridge Trail timed with sunset to reach the eponymous aged Bahia Honda Bridge. It was originally built in the late 19th century by Henry Flagler as part of Floridaā€™s Overseas Railroad. And when the sun melts into the turquoise waters with the old bridge as a backdrop, thereā€™s no better view.

Best Florida Gulf-Coast Beaches for Fearless Frolics

Venice Beach

Location: About 20 miles south of Sarasota on Floridaā€™s Gulf Coast

Why We Love It: You never know when you might find an elusive Megalodon tooth.

Look hard enough and youā€™ll find shark teeth on most any Florida beach. After all, the predators have an endless supply of those pearly whites (which often look black when you find them) thanks to a mouth that regenerates them as they lose ā€˜em. But my local dive buddies confirm Venice is hands down the best beach in Florida place in the state to search for shark chompers, either by combing through the sand or searching underwater via a scuba diving charter.

Megalodon teeth once belonged to the largest predatory shark ever to exist and can stretch over seven inches from top to bottom. Youā€™re more likely to find them in the four to five-inch range, however, when you head offshore with (guided trips from $200 per person)ā€”a husband and wife team offering three dives per day with access to some of the most fertile fossil-hunting grounds. (Chances are, youā€™ll dive to success in just 15 to 35 feet of water.) Winter months tend to be the best for foraging the sandy bottom, thanks to fewer crowds and frequent cold fronts that bring in clearer water.

Know Before You Go: Venice Beachā€™s North Jetty Park was among the many places along Floridaā€™s Gulf Coast devastated by a storm surge during Hurricanes Helene and Milton in September and October 2024, but shark teeth-hunting companies are open for business.

Marco Island, Tigertail Beach

Location: 18 miles south of Naples in Southwest Florida

Why We Love It: Its sugary sands are a stepping-off point to explore the nearby Ten Thousand Islandsā€”a dazzling archipelago of mangrove islets.

Marco Islandā€™s six miles of beach is a Florida-family favorite for molten Gulf-Coast sunsets and sand as soft and blindingly white as it gets. If youā€™re looking to add a jolt of adrenaline to your getaway here, book a guided jet ski excursion through (from $245 per person, for two hours) into the Ten Thousand Islands and Rookery Bay. En route, youā€™ll be escorted into a jungle of mangroves and unique South Florida habitats that regular boats canā€™t access. Youā€™ll navigate through pristine red mangrove forests and over grassy flats, and naturalist guides will point out manatees, dolphins on the hunt, and roseate spoonbills, among more of the regionā€™s prolific wildlife.

Donā€™t Miss: For quieter explorations with birdwatching, shelling, and tidal pools in the mix, drive all the way south to Tigertail Beach, cross five boardwalks (about ten minutes walking), then hike along the lagoonā€™s edge until you reach wide-open white sands.

Best Florida Panhandle Beaches for Diving, Scalloping, and Paddling

Panama City Beach

Location: About 112 miles west of Tallahassee in Northwest Florida

Why We Love It: Itā€™s second only to the Florida Keys for the best wreck diving in Florida.

Serious and beginner scuba divers can look forward to epic and unexpected diving in Floridaā€™s Panhandle, thanks to its artificial reefs in the form of intentionally-sunk shipwrecks offshore from Panama City Beach. Divers with an advanced certification come from around the world to explore the 465-foot Empire Mica, a British tanker torpedoed offshore during World War IIā€”the longest war wreck in the Gulf of Mexico. Trips out with (from $300) to dive the wreck, 60 miles from Panama City, resting in 110 feet of water, take all day but are worth the effort. Closer to shore and shallower, the wreck of the Red Sea is covered with urchins and sponges and is home to goliath groupers that tip the scales over 300 pounds. , sunken bridge parts that once connected Panama City and Panama City Beach, is another stellar and super-fishy dive site clouded with bait balls.

Donā€™t Miss: Every spring (dates vary), the local festival takes over St. Andrews Marina and includes a procession of water vessels and blessings for those bound for the sea. Winter socks are tossed into a fire to burn as a symbol of walking into spring, and itā€™s a fun and free-to-witness vibe.

St. Joseph Peninsula State Park, Port St. Joe

Location: 66 miles southeast of Panama City Beach

Why We Love It: You can scallop from the shore and cook up your feast in a gorgeous state park.

17 miles of white-sand beaches in the Panhandleā€™s Cape San Blas stretch along the Apalachicola Peninsula all the way to another spectacular Florida state park thatā€™s a popular scalloping ground from late summer into early fall. From around mid-August into September (dates vary per year), you can wade waste-deep into grassy areas in the bay, just offshore from the beach, to search for the bivalves (theyā€™re much smaller than their northern Atlantic cousins, but their sweet flesh is delicious sautĆ©ed with butter and garlic.)

Itā€™s also worth heading to the ranger station to get a wilderness permit (first come, first served) to hike into the parkā€™s northernmost reaches along the six-mile . The reward is remote campsites (first come, first served, $5 per night) where you can sleep under a canopy of starlight.

Know Before You Go: If youā€™re going scalloping, bring an inner-tube to float and a bucket to collect your haul. Water shoes are a good bet, too, since the area where the sandy bottom meets the seagrass is a common spot for lurking stingrays.

Grayton Beach State Park, Santa Rosa Beach

Location: About 24 miles east of Destin in Northwest Florida

Why We Love It: Itā€™s one of very few places in the world where coastal dune lakes existā€”and you can paddle around in them.

Along with New Zealand, Madagascar, and a few other places on the planet, is unique for its coastal dune lakes. These rare freshwater lakes lie in dune systems near beachesā€”the result of wind and wave action. Western Lake at Grayton Beach State park is one such example, and paddling a kayak into the 100 acres of glassy waters surrounded by towering longleaf pines gives you an otherworldly, geological thrill. (Rent kayaks from the park for $20 per hour between March 1 and October 31, otherwise plan to bring your own.)

Nearby, the state parkā€™s gorgeous beach itself has a mile of sugar-fine sand that draws anglers for surf fishing and families for beach volleyball. Florida black bear, white-tailed deer, and endangered species like loggerhead sea turtles or the ā€‹ā€‹Choctawhatchee beach mouse are among the parkā€™s extremely diverse coastal fauna.

Donā€™t Miss: The park has tent sites (from $30) and cabins (from $130) for staying overnight. A few miles west, nature lovers can opt to stay at the newcomer (from $130 per night) with hiking trails into accessible just out your front door.

Florida-based travel writer lives in Tampa and writes about scuba diving, and outdoor, family, and cultural travel for ŗŚĮĻ³Ō¹ĻĶų, among other publications. Sheā€™s lived all over the Sunshine State since graduating from college and has visited the bulk of Floridaā€™s beaches, too, for everything from scuba diving, snorkeling, and kayaking, to paddleboarding, surfing, and camping. (She also loves searching for shells and shark teeth with her kids.) She canā€™t wait to stay on a houseboat this winter in Everglades National Park, go scuba diving in Biscayne National Park, and hit Homosassa to snorkel with the manatees.

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The beach is good; the sun is bad. Thatā€™s an oversimplification, but it’s how I approach my days on the coast. I like to spend all day on the beachā€”surfing in the morning before the wind kicks up, then lounging in the afternoons. WithĢżthis sort of attitude, shade becomes extremely important, especially when I’m forcing my wife and children to follow the same ā€œall-day beach dayā€ philosophy.

When I was younger, I simply draped a beach towel over my head and shoulders. As I matured, I used umbrellas that anchored into the sand but found that those only offered a small circle of shade, and if the wind kicked up, they blew away. So I progressed to tailgate tents, trying to anchor the legs in the sand with stakes, but again, these square tents became sails in the wind, and we had to station people at each corner to hold down the fort. Iā€™ve tried using camping tarps and oversized baby shadesā€”most of them are difficult to erect, and as soon as the wind kicks up, they fail miserably.

A few years ago, I discovered the ($275). It is, without a doubt, the best beach shade because it actually performs better in the wind. The secret is the simple design: a single tent pole runs through a fabric channel on the front of the poly canopy, bending and anchoring into the sand at each end, providing shape to the cover, and then the fabric is allowed to float free above you, like a kite dancing in the wind. The more the wind blows, the more shade the Shibumi provides. Itā€™s one of those products thatā€™s so practical and so useful that it makes you kick yourself for not thinking of it first.

Shibumi Beach Shade Classic with Quiet Canopy

I bought my first Shibumi beach shade five years ago, and in that time Iā€™ve seen the popularity of these shades grow. For a year or two, my family had the only Shibumi on our favorite barrier island in South Carolina. Other dads would approach me and ask about my shade. It gave me instant street cred. Now, that same beach is covered with Shibumis as far as the eye can see.

Itā€™s become so popular for a number of reasons.

Not only does the Shibumi work well in the wind, it throws a lot of shadeā€”150 square feetā€”which is big enough for six people if youā€™re friendly with each other. Four if you need more personal space. Thereā€™s also a ($195) built for two with 75 square feet of shade.

Second, it’s easy to set up. Slide the tent pole through the front channel, stick both ends of that pole in the sand, then plant the front tension cord, which is attached to a sack full of sand, tight in front of the pole. Thatā€™s it. I can do it solo in just a couple of minutes. You need two hands, so you have to set your beer down, but itā€™s a fast enough process that the beer doesnā€™t get warm.

The Shibumi is also easy to rearrange as the sun moves across the sky, or the wind shifts, so you can maximize your shade throughout the day without employing an army to move tent legs in unison.

The Downsides

Thatā€™s not to say the original Shibumi is perfect. For one, you have to have at least a little breeze to float the fabric. No wind, and the Shibumi hangs like a curtain. Itā€™s rare that thereā€™s no wind at the beaches I visit on the east coast, but it has happened occasionally. More troubling, the original Shibumi is loud in a high wind. The faster the breeze, the more the fabric flaps, making a snapping noise that can be so raucous, itā€™s hard to have a conversation under it.

Fortunately, the makers of the Shibumi recently released a of their shade made from a softer fabric with more stretch, which helps reduce the flapping sound in high winds. I tried out the new Shibumi on the coast of North Carolina, and found it much quieter. Same easy set up, same big patch of shade, but way less noise. Itā€™s not completely silent, but in a stiff wind, I had no problem holding a conversation.

The company has also released a accessory, which anchors the rear corners of the Shibumi fabric with cords and sand bags, giving the fabric structure without the need for a breeze, but I havenā€™t had the conditions to test it out yet. Both new developments have made a good product better, and more importantly, made it easier to hunker down from the sun as my family and I soak up these last days of summer. Beach day, all day.

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In my mid-20s, I moved to Ocean Beach, Southern California, specifically to learn how to surf. I spent the first six months of my tenure unemployed, so I was in the water every day, launching myself into the whitewash at Dog Beach, the most beginner-friendly break within a few miles of my apartment. I was enthralled with the surf, but I loved the town of Ocean Beach, San Diego, even more.

Back then, the small enclave was still grungy, with a downtown full of cheap breakfast joints and bars that only took cash. The bartenders looked at you funny if you wore closed-toe shoes. It was a surf town.

More than two decades later, Iā€™m still enamored with surf towns. My home is in the mountains, four hours and 22 minutes from the closest surf break (but whoā€™s counting?). Yet I still take surf trips regularly, as much to explore the towns by the beaches as the surf itself. Iā€™ve been fortunate enough to paddle into waves in Costa Rica, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Hawaii, and areas up and down So Cal and the Southeastern United States. Iā€™m not a great surfer, but I bar hop and scout out the best fish tacos at a very high level.

A great surf town has quick access to waves and adventure, but also good food, good vibes, and a dedication to quality of life. Read on for what I believe to be the eight best surf towns in the U.S.

1. Haleā€™iwa, Hawaii

Hawaii is loaded with bucket-list surf destinations, but itā€™s hard to beat the North Shore of Oahu, home of the world-famous beaches of Waimea Bay and Banzai Pipeline. The town of Haleā€™iwa is the cultural hub of the North Shore, with a small downtown full of shops, food trucks, and surf instructors ready to teach tourists.

Haleiā€™wa is only an hour from the bustling cities of Honolulu and Waikiki, but it has the slower pace of a farming community. The town sits within a 20-minute drive of Waimea Bay, Banzai, and Sunset Beach, and has plenty of adjacent surf as well. Winter brings heavy conditions, with massive, glassy waves that only pros should paddle into, but the swells mellow during summer, allowing us mortals a go in this storied destination.

Patches of reef scattered throughout the area on the sandy bottom catch the swell. Start with the beginner-friendly waves at Puaā€™ena Point, which is popular with surf instructors. The beach is small, but has plenty of shade. A double reef break offers bigger rides on the outer reef and a smaller, longboard-friendly wave closer to shore. Then try Aliā€™i Beach, the closest surf to town. Much like Puaā€™ena Point, Aliā€™i Beach has a beginner-friendly wave close to shore and a larger, more advanced wave in deeper water.

Haleā€™iwa proper has fewer than 5,000 permanent residents and a downtown full of sugar-plantation-era architecture framed by Oahuā€™s green mountains beyond. Itā€™s a picture-perfect island town where youā€™ll find waterfalls in the surrounding hills, and a fun and bustling live-music and food-truck scene in town. Paddleboarding the Anahulu River, beneath Haleā€™iwaā€™s Rainbow Bridge, is a great way to spend some time away from the surf.

Surf Shop: , right across the street from Aliā€™i Beach, has rentals from soft tops to performance short boards (from $30 a day).

Surf Instruction: , a female-owned company with a full staff of women instructors, teaches lessons at Puaā€™ena Point for the whole family (from $66).

Eat and Drink: If thereā€™s one thing you have to eat when youā€™re in Haleā€™iwa, itā€™s shaved ice from , a family-run business established in 1951 that still uses homemade syrup recipes. The North Shore has become a magnet for food trucks, which serve traditional Hawaiian dishes al fresco. Online reviews say the garlic butter shrimp at is the best in town. Iā€™m dying to go check out the reports.

2. Solana Beach, California

Hereā€™s the problem with an article about the best surf towns in the country: I could write about 20 deserving towns in California alone. Carlsbad, San Clemente, Santa Cruzā€¦all awesome. I could choose Huntington Beach, which is literally known as ā€œSurf City U.S.A.ā€ thanks to the legends that pioneered the sport there, but the town won the rights to that title via a court battle, which doesnā€™t seem very surfer chill to me. (Also, the breaks are notorious for their localism.)

So Iā€™m picking the much smaller and more easygoing Solana Beach, in San Diego County. Is there a bit of nostalgia involved because I took my first surf lesson here, 30 minutes north of my old apartment in Ocean Beach? Perhaps. But this small town has a gorgeous, cliff-lined coast and relatively friendly locals, which makes for a powerful combo in Southern California.

ā€œItā€™s super laid back, almost what you imagine when listening to a Beach Boys song,ā€ says John Cavan, a 48-year-old lawyer and surfer whoā€™s been exploring the beaches up and down the coast from Manhattan Beach outside of L.A. for more than 20 years.

The beach is flanked by tall cliffs topped by private residences, both of which help keep the crowds at bay compared to those in other popular breaks in Southern California, making Solana a top choice for surf instructors. The town offers quick access to a handful of breaks; the most obvious option is Fletcher Cove, Solanaā€™s main beach, with plenty of parking and a sidewalk.

A beach break that picks up size during the summer makes Fletcher a popular spot for all surfers, but itā€™s still a great option for beginners. Another good nearby choice, Seascape, has a long sandy beach and a reef break deeper offshore that is good for intermediate to advanced surfers. Want something more aggressive? Swamiā€™s, a legendary right-hand point break, is just four miles up the street in Encinitas.

In town, the Cedros Design District is full of boutiques and restaurants, and just outside of it is a weekend farmersā€™ market based in 1940s-era Quonset huts. The legendary live-music venue has hosted a wide variety of talent, from B.B. King to Ludacris to Hayes Carl.

Surf Shop: , located just south of Swamiā€™s on PCH 101, has been a SoCal institution since the 1960s. You can rent soft tops (from $20 a day) and performance boards (from $45 a day) along with wetsuits, snorkels, and SUPs.

Surf Instruction: For lessons, try , which offers two-hour instruction sessions ($120 per person).

Eat and Drink: has been a pillar of good pizza and craft beer since the early 1990s. The place helped establish the West Coast style of IPA and is still a master of it today.

3. Ocracoke, Outer Banks, North Carolina

The Outer Banks is a chain of barrier islands off the coast of North Carolina that is absolutely full of great surf, and a dozen towns up and down the islands could qualify for this list. OB is the epicenter of surf culture on the East Coast, and the towns that line the northern section, like Kitty Hawk and Nags Head, have some of the finest breaks on the Atlantic.

But theyā€™re also pretty crowded, which is why Iā€™m choosing Ocracoke, a sleepy fishing village on its own island on the southern end of the Outer Banks, as my favorite surf town. Iā€™ve surfed and camped dune-side there several times over the years.

Ocracoke has under a thousand year-round residents, and you can only reach the island by boat. A can take you from Cedar Island ($15 with car) to , crossing the Pamlico Sound in just over two hours. The remoteness means crowds are minimal compared to other towns on the barrier islands, and the vibe is pretty tranquil. A small fishing village wraps around the harbor, and most of the 17-mile-long island is protected as part of Cape Hatteras National Seashore, which means there are miles of undeveloped beach and dunes covered in sea oats to explore, not to mention inexpensive just inland of the breaks.

All of the surf on Ocracoke is beach break, and the sandbars are constantly shifting, so itā€™s hard to point you to one specific spot. Ocracoke Lifeguarded Beach, two miles south of the village, has a guard on duty and, thanks to that added safety net, is the best place to get in the water as someone who is new to the sport. But if youā€™re an experienced surfer and have 4WD you can cruise the beach looking for your own personal break. The surf is best in the fall and winter, but you can find good conditions year round. Youā€™ll need a (which is free) to drive the beach, and while youā€™re at it, snag a permit for a , too.

Surf Shop: has rentals (from $25 a day) and lessons (from $95 per hour).

Eat and Drink: is an institution, with a shaded back porch perfect for drinking beer. has the southern staples of barbecue and fried fish along with its bivalves.

4. New Smyrna Beach, Florida

The Sunshine State has no shortage of beach towns, but New Smyrna Beach, in North Florida directly northeast of Orlando, gets the nod on this list because of the consistent quality of waves and the variety of options. Sandwiched between Daytona Beach and Cocoa Beach (childhood home of pro surfer Kelly Slater), New Smyrna Beach is blessed with long beach breaks and a river inlet with stone jetties that create what may be the most bankable surf in all of Florida. The conditions are so good, the beach is a stop in the USA Surfingā€™s Prime Series of competitions for rippers under 18.

As you might expect, the breaks are incredibly popular, so weekends can feel like a zoo, especially at the best wave, Ponce Inlet, where two rivers meet the Atlantic between stone jetties, adding shape and size to the swell. Ponce is a great option for advanced surfers who know how to maneuver through a lineup, but New Smyrna also has 17 miles of other beaches and waves.

ā€œYou can drive onto the beach at Flagler Avenue and drive north on the sand until you see a spot you like,ā€ says Joshua Stallworth, a 24-year-old law student who spent his college years surfing the various breaks around New Smyrna Beach. You need a to drive on the beach ($20 per vehicle, per day).

The town is sandwiched between the Atlantic Ocean and the Intracoastal Waterway. Flagler Avenue is the main strip, stacked with fish shacks and surf shops, while Canal Street Historic District is a little more upscale, lined with palm trees and boutiques. New Smyrna Beach also makes for a great basecamp for exploring other beaches in the area.

Head south to , a 58,000-acre wildlife refuge with 26 miles of undeveloped sand. Playalinda Beach, inside the National Seashore, has a beginner-friendly beach break without many crowds. Canaveral is the longest stretch of undeveloped coast on the Atlantic coast of Florida, protecting wildlife such as manatee and sea turtles, as well as ancient shell mounds left by the native Temicua.

Surf Shop: is the areaā€™s oldest, with board rentals (from $35) delivered to you at the beach, and two-hour lessons (from $109).

Eat and Drink: You canā€™t beat the location of , a burger bar with local Half Wall Brewing beers on tap overlooking the Atlantic. Head to for a lobster roll and wood-fired pizzas.

5. Westport, Washington

Washingtonā€™s coast might offer the most dramatic surf backdrop in the U.S., with beach and reef breaks tucked between dense green redwood forests and craggy sea stacks rising offshore from deep water. The state offers adventure surfing at its finest, with many of the best options requiring multi-mile approach hikes where you carry your board. Westport, a town of 28,000 two hours west of Seattle, is the happy exception, with two steady breaks on its outskirts. The surfing is so good, locals refer to Westport as the ā€œSurf City of the Pacific Northwest.ā€

The two main breaks start with the Groins, a big left-hander on the north side of Westportā€™s marina. This one is best for advanced surfers, not just because of the sizable wave but the powerful currents and shifting tides, which can change as much as 20 feet. The Jetty, however, in Westhaven State Park, is less daunting and has something for both beginners and advanced surfers. Itā€™s known as the most reliable wave in Washington, thanks to the rock jetty that helps shape the swell and deliver point breaks, while the sandy bottom and frothy whitewash (that’s the foam after a wave breaks close to shore) offer a less intimidating option for learning.

ā€œThereā€™s always a wave in Westport,ā€ says Brian Calder, owner of Bigfoot Surf School. ā€œEven if the surf is too big for beginners, we can push them into the whitewater on a sandy beach so they can practice standing up in it. And we teach new surfers to respect the locals, who are usually surfing bigger waves on the outside.ā€

The Jetty can get crowded on weekends, but itā€™s an expansive break with long waves, so you should be able to find a spot in the lineup. Just be aware of rip currents, which locals may use as an expressway back out to the lineup after surfing a long wave inā€”not a move new surfers should ever try.

Surf Shop: was the first in Washington, opening in 1986. LOGE has a basecamp in Westport that not only has rooms, but performance boards and soft tops to rent.

Surf Instruction: has semi-private lessons (from $175 per person including the board) and will get you paddling out into the whitewash at Westhaven State Park.

Eat and Drink: Westport is a hub of commercial fishing, and you can find fisherfolk selling their catches, from albacore tuna to Dungeness crabs, right on the docks. Or you can hop over to , which has a variety of local catch as well as a fish ā€™nā€™ chips restaurant.

6. Newport, Rhode Island

Rhode Island may be the smallest state in the country, but itā€™s also dubbed ā€œthe Ocean State,ā€ with more than 400 miles of coastline to brag about. Located on the edge of the stateā€™s Aquidneck Island, Newport is positioned to make the most of that coast. Traditionally known as a hub for sailing (the harbor is full of yachts, and Americaā€™s Cup is staged here every year), the swanky town is also the epicenter of surf in New England, with very big swell showing up offshore during hurricane season in the fall.

Locals surf the townā€™s handful of beach breaks year round, getting the thickest wetsuits on the market for the bitter winter temps. Newport was long home to Water Brothers Surf and Skate, a cornerstone of surf culture for more than 50 years until the owner, Sid Abruzzi, closed the shop to focus on making apparel two years ago.

The northeastern edge of Aquidneck Island offers a handful of breaks, with something for all levels of surfers. Ruggles, with a rocky bottom and big, powerful storm waves, is the most famous of those breaks, attracting the biggest names in surf during hurricane season. Eastonā€™s Beach, near downtown Newport, has beginner-friendly waves.

The town of Newport is well-known for its Gilded Age mansions, once built by Americaā€™s wealthiest families as their summer retreats, some of which you can now tour as museums. Enjoy Newportā€™s historic 3.5-mile Cliff Walk, showing you many of those homes.

Surf Shop: has boards and anything else you might need for the water.

Surf instruction: offers private lessons ($75 per person for one hour, includes a board).

Eat and Drink: Seafood is the name of the game in Newport, and much of it is upscale. , though, is a casual burger-and-beer bar downtown. , in neighboring Middletown, has house-made clam chowder and massive warm lobster rolls.

7. Pacific City, Oregon

Pacific City is a former fishing village of just over 1,000 full-time residents that in recent years has turned into the surf mecca of Oregon. Surfing here is as much about the scenery as the waves. The break is framed by , a sandstone headland that reaches out into the water, protecting the beach from the wind, while huge sea stacks rise just offshore. As for the wave, itā€™s not huge, but the shield effect results in a glassy structure over a sandy bottom thatā€™s ideal for beginner and intermediate surfers. A popular is held at the beach every September, and it all happens steps from downtown at Pacific City Beach.

Pacific City is hella charming, even without the surfing. Fisherfolk launch dories straight from the beach and paddle beyond the break to haul in cod and salmon off the point of Cape Kiwanda. The hiking in travels through Sitka spruce forest to the top of the 246-foot tall ā€œGreat Dune,ā€ with dramatic views of the Pacific below. In town, breweries and restaurants embrace the scenery, with outdoor beer gardens and expansive windows.

Surf Shop: , two blocks from the beach, has everything you need for cold-water surfing, with full rental packages that include wetsuits (from $75). The place also offers daily two-hour lessons (from $165 per person).

Eat and Drink: might have the best view in town, with a beer garden that unfolds directly onto the beach and a full view of Haystack Rock, the most notable sea stack in the region. Kiwanda Ale is the placeā€™s signature easy-drinking beer, named after the home cape.

8. Sheboygan, Wisconsin

Yes, thereā€™s surfing on the Great Lakes, whose 4,500 miles of shores are often dubbed ā€œAmericaā€™s Third Coast.ā€ Hardy surfers track down waves all over these inland seas, and Sheboygan, a small town on the western shore of Lake Michigan, is arguably the most surf-centric town in the Great Lakes area. Locals call it the ā€œMalibu of the Midwestā€ because of the laid-back vibe and access to good surf, which can be found year round, but is best in the fall and winter.

ā€œSummer is pretty flat, but come fall and winter you can get out a couple of times a week at least,ā€ says Nathan Anderson, who grew up in the area and now works at EOS Surf Shop downtown.

The surf is dependent on the wind and gets the biggest when heavy gusts come in from the northeast or southwest. Since the best waves form in fall and winter, a thick wetsuit is necessary. The lakes are fresh water, less buoyant than salt, which means long boards are a must for most surfers.

North Beach of Deland Park is the best break in town, thanks to the jetty that helps shape the wave. The shore has a sandy bottom and can be suited to beginners on mellow days, or hard chargers when the wind and surf are up.

Beyond surfing, Sheboygan is a town of 49,000 situated between Green Bay and Milwaukee and known for its bratwurst. Thereā€™s a vibrant downtown with a good and even better food. Also cool, the city of Sheboygan places a handful of large fire rings, each about twice the size of a Solo Stove backyard pit, out for lakeside bonfires from Memorial Day through August, north of Deland Beach near North Point Park. Kohler-Andrae State Park, next door to downtown Sheboygan, has two miles of sandy beach and dunes.

Surf Shop: is the only game in town, and theyā€™ve got you covered with local knowledge, rentals (from $40 a day), and two-hour lessons ($120).

Eat and Drink: Youā€™ll find bratwurst all over town, but has been an institution since the 1950s, serving a brat burger that does the townā€™s reputation proud. To drink something local, check out , which has a 10,000-square-foot taproom and a Fresh Coast juicy pale ale.

Graham Averill is ŗŚĮĻ³Ō¹ĻĶų magazineā€™s national-parks columnist. Heā€™s always been torn between the mountains and the beach, but currently lives in the Southern Appalachians. Construction has begun on a surf wave in the French Broad River close to his home of Asheville, North Carolina, so that could solve all of his problems.

For more by this author, see:

The Best Ways to Get ŗŚĮĻ³Ō¹ĻĶų in West Virginia

The 10 Best National Parks in Canada

The Ultimate Guide to Driving the Blue Ridge Parkway

Boating Turns Me Green. But I Couldnā€™t Miss a Chance to See the Channel Islands.

The post 8 Surf Towns Where You Can Learn the Sport and the Culture appeared first on ŗŚĮĻ³Ō¹ĻĶų Online.

Nothing says vacation like a beach. But sand alone does not a great beach make. I want a peaceful place to soak up the sun but also prefer destinations where I can surf, swim, kayak, and hike to take in an incredible view. In my two decades as a travel writer, I’ve seen my fair share of gorgeous beaches, but none of them have struck me as much as these. Each is worth the journey to get there.

These are my picks for the 15 most beautiful beaches in the world.

LenĆ§Ć³is Maranhenses National Park, Brazil

Why itā€™s tops: When it comes to beaches, Brazil has an embarrassment of riches. But none can compare with LenĆ§Ć³is Maranhenses, a mirage-like landscape of cerulean lagoons hidden among 30-to-60-foot-high dunes the color of pearls. These freshwater pools are fullest between June and September, after the austral springā€™s rains, and the unique ecosystem is home to endangered species like the scarlet ibis and neotropical otter. You can explore the park on foot or with a dune buggy, but a horseback-riding safari with is the best approach, because you can choose a slow pace while still delving miles into the dunes.

How to get there: This 43-mile stretch of coast in northeastern Brazil is truly off the beaten path. First youā€™ll wing into SĆ£o LuĆ­s (a three-plus-hour flight from SĆ£o Paulo or Rio de Janeiro), then drive four hours east to the gateway town of Santo Amaro do MaranhĆ£o. Or head to the village of Atins, located at the mouth of the PreguiƧas River; the area is a popular kitesurfing spot from July to December.

Where to stay: Some of the tallest dunes are found on the west side of the park, easily accessed from Santo Amaro, which is sprinkled with inns like (from $45) and newcomer (from $580). In Atins, ($330) is a hip hotel.

What to bring: The sand can be scorching, so pack water sandals. And Atins has no ATM, so have cash or a credit card handy.

The post These 15 Beaches Will Blow Your Mind appeared first on ŗŚĮĻ³Ō¹ĻĶų Online.

If youā€™ve ever lived along the East Coast, thereā€™s a secret that all curious, outdoorsy people soon discover: the wildest, most deserted places are often those abutting the Atlantic. Thatā€™s right, the best East Coast beaches can be every bit as remote-feeling as Western landscapes. This is easier to comprehend when you realize that the East Coast has roughly 30,000 miles of coastline. (The entire Pacific Coast, by contrast, has 7,863.)

This revelation came to me early, while exploring New England in my twenties, and re-confirmed it in my 30s and 40s, as I looked to escape New York City on weekends. Since then, Iā€™ve driven as far as Maine and North Carolina’s Outer Banksā€”roughly eight hours in either directionā€”from NYC to explore an ā€œundiscoveredā€ beaches and maybe catch a fish or two. Iā€™ve also road tripped all over the south’s Lowcountry looking for an empty stretch of sand, and have spent way too much time on Floridaā€™s Atlantic Coast trying to to catch a redfish or bonefish on a fly rod.

Look, Iā€™m not foolish enough to think anyone can be an ā€œexpertā€ on 30,000 miles worth of barrier islands, salt marshes, and tiny beachside communities. But Iā€™ve explored enough to say with confidence that there are some wild damn places out there, and Iā€™ve been lucky enough to discover a few that are well worth a visit.

Here are just a handful of my favorites. This list also includes a mix of both remote, undeveloped gems and impossible-to-ignore standbys that are great simply because of their, wellā€¦beach vibes. Itā€™s a whole thing, and any town that has it, like Cape May, New Jersey, or Folly Beach, South Carolina, is worth a look-see, too. Trust me, you canā€™t go wrong with any of these beaches, as long as youā€™re packing some sunscreen (and maybe a bottle of bug spray for the real remote ones).

Best Beaches in Maine

Sand Beach, Maine

Location: Twelve miles south of Bar Harbor
Why We Love It: Soft sand surrounded by the coniferous forest of Acadia National Park

This is probably ā€”a pocket of white sand framed by rocky shorelines and wind-flagged treesā€”and one of the most beautiful beaches in U.S. National Parks. For New Englanders, Sand Beach is well-knownā€”for good reason. Itā€™s one of the few sandy beaches in this part of the state (hence the name), and itā€™s sheltered just enough from the wind that itā€™s often perfect for sunbathing on a warm day. In the summer months, thereā€™s even a lifeguard on duty. This all means that itā€™s popular and you can expect crowds in July and August. Even then, only a handful of people venture into the water, because its temperature usually peaks south of 60 degrees Fahrenheit. But if youā€™re willing to brave the cold Atlantic, swimming here can be good. Despite its popularity, it can even feel secluded on the right day. Thereā€™s also hiking and paddling in nearby Acadia. One of the more difficult and popular treks is , a 1.4-mile loop that ascends 450 feet and offers stunning views of the below.

Know Before You Go: Even though itā€™s inside Acadia National Park, there is no fee to access the beach. The parking lot, however, occasionally fills up on busy weekend days, so itā€™s best to arrive early.

Bonus Beach: Roque Bluffs State Park, Maine

Location: In the heart of Down East Maine, eight miles from the small town of Machias
Best For: A choose-your-own-adventure swim, either in the cold ocean waters or in a freshwater pond

The bulk of this is a half-mile crescent of sand and pebbles that divides the shallow waters of 60-acre Simpson Pond from Englishman Bay. In the heat of summer, itā€™s possible to swim in eitherā€”or both, a plunge in the brisk saltwater followed by the comparably warm waters of Simpson Pond. While itā€™s great for a plunge, this is not a lounging beach, to be clear, as the pebbles make laying on a beach towel uncomfortable. But Roque Bluffs does offer a relaxing stroll with dramatic views of rugged islands jutting out of the ocean waters. Thereā€™s also a series of short trails in the fields and woodlands inside the park, with an excellent vantage point of Pond Cove and Great Cove. If youā€™re in the area, itā€™s worth a dip.

Best Beach in New Hampshire

Seabrook Beach, New Hampshire

Location: 15 miles South of Portsmouth, near the border with Massachusetts
Why We Love It: A quieter alternative to its more bustling neighbors, with pristine sands

New Hampshire has the at just 18 miles, but it packs some excellent beaches into that stretch. Its most famous is Hampton Beach, a classic New England destination with white sand, long boardwalks, and a circus-like atmosphere, thanks to its string of arcades. Much better is Seabrook Beach, across the inlet from Hampton, with impossibly white sand, consistent waves, and none of the crowds. By comparison, it feels hidden, serene, and impossibly quaint. Thereā€™s a reason for this: parking is nearly impossible to find because itā€™s without a resident parking permit. But if you make it here, youā€™ll have a wide expanse of sand to stroll along or set up an umbrella. The surfing is good here, and the dunes make it seem wild, even if youā€™re only a few minutes to the Hampton Beach circus.

Know Before You Go: To get around the parking, take an Uber or ride a bike from the town of Seabrook, less than 5 miles away. You can also pay for parking at Hampton Beach and walk across Hampton Bridge, then down to Seabrook, a little over a mile walk.

Best Beaches in Massachusetts

Cape Cod National Seashore, Massachusetts

Location: The Outer Cape, roughly 90 miles from downtown Boston
Why We Love It: Unparalleled, wide-open stretches of soft sand and wind-swept dunes

No list like this would be complete without including , 40 miles of pristine beaches, freshwater ponds, and high dunes interspersed by lighthouses, cranberry bogs, and hiking trails. The recreational opportunities are practically endless, and whole books have been written about how to make the most of the beaches here. But if you want a down-and-dirty guide for newbies, this is it. Coast Guard Beach, in the town of Eastham, is one of the most popular beaches because itā€™s great for lounging and swimming on the Atlantic side, and it also offers paddling in nearby Nauset Bay or Salt Pond Bay. If you want to feel like youā€™re walking off the Eastern Seaboard, head to Marconi Beach, with sweeping Atlantic views. Hiking along the bluffs here will make you feel as if you could see a white whale at any moment.

Know Before You Go: Traffic headed to the Cape is infamous on summer weekends, so if you go during peak times, itā€™s best to stay overnight or through the weekend. (Or instead, go during the week.) If you do stay overnight, Provincetown, despite its crowds and high price tags, is worth the added cost. This artist colony and LGBTQ+ capital is brimming with verve and quirkiness and the energy it adds to a vacation is a perfect complement to days spent in the salt and sand.

Bonus Beach: Crane Beach, Massachusetts

Location: Five miles from the town of Ipswich, 30 miles north of Boston
Best For: Escaping the crowds and enjoying a slice of bucolic New England on your way to the beach

Cape Cod gets nearly all of the beach attention in Massachusetts, but this one, on the North Shore, backed by tall dunes and salt marshes. It can get busy on a summer weekend, but otherwise offers a peaceful opportunity for walking on the sand, hiking five miles worth of trails through the dunes, birdwatching, and paddling in the nearby Ipswich River or Essex Bay. Beach passes are required and can be . If you come, donā€™t leave before checking out , a palace-like summer estate built for industrialist Richard Teller Crane Jr., with impeccably maintained gardens and a rolling grass lawn stretching to the water.

Best Beach in Rhode Island

Sachuest Beach, Rhode Island

Location: In Middletown, next door to Newport
Why We Love It: A city-personā€™s beach that has a good hike within walking distance

Locals call this mile-long stretch of sand on the southeastern shore of Aquidneck Island , but it is anything but secondary. Not only does it have great swimming and sunbathing, the western flank of Sachuest, called Surferā€™s End, is known for its consistent swells. If you get bored sunbathing on the beach, you can also easily walk to the eastern end, which is the beginning of , with three miles of trails. Birdwatchers are common here because of the diversity of species, including the second largest wintering population of harlequin ducks on the Atlantic coast. It also has great fishing from shore, including an active for striped bass.

Know Before You Go: This is a full-service beach, with concession stands, bathrooms, grills, etc., so donā€™t expect pristine wildlandsā€”or to be by yourself. Rent a surfboard from the rental area and, after your session, check out Gilded Age mansions in Newport.

Best Beaches in New York

Ditch Plains Park Beach, New York

Location: Two miles east of Montauk Village, on the far eastern end of Long Island
Why We Love It: Itā€™s home to one of the best surf breafks on the East Coast.

For many New Yorkers trekking out to the Hamptons, this two-mile beach is as much a part of summer weekends as Hampton Water rosĆ©. Thatā€™s, in part, because Ditch Plains is such a great place to set up for a day in the sun, thanks to its Ģż(depending on conditions) and lifeguards on duty from Memorial Day to Labor Day (roughly). Thereā€™s also a food truck next to the beach, called , that serves up some of the areaā€™s best poke bowls and wraps. But the reason this beach is on this list is because of the surf break just offshore, which offers good waves in just about any swell direction. The lineup is notorious for getting crowded, but there are definitely days in the fall when, midweek, you can find yourself sharing swells with only one or two other surfersā€”or even snagging them all for yourself.

Know Before You Go: Parking in the lot next to the beach requires an (available to residents only). In the summer, take an Uber/Lyft or, better yet, rent a cruiser bike in Montauk and ride here.

Bonus Beach: Napeague Beach, New York

Location: Between Amagansett and Montauk, on the east end of Long Island
Best For: Getting a taste of what Long Island beaches felt like before the crowds invaded

Tucked off Highway 27 between the prim and proper Hamptons and the bustling beaches of Montauk lies one of the areaā€™s great secrets: a two-mile stretch of sand that even locals overlook. Technically, itā€™s part of 1,364-acre , but the beach here feels private, in part because itā€™s sandwiched between two neighborhoods who guard their sand with zeal. Napeague Beach is, however, open to the public, and itā€™s popular with 4x4ers that have . You can easily walk to the sand, however, by parking at a small, blink-and-youā€™ll-miss-it spot on the south side of Highway 27. This is where 4x4s access the beach, and youā€™ll have to walk from here through the dunes. Doing so only makes the empty beach feel that much more rewarding once you get a full view of the wind-swept dunes, with the occasional surfcaster chucking rigs far out into the ocean. Thanks to its remoteness, this beach is also popular with the endangered piping plover, so itā€™s often closed during summer nesting season. When itā€™s open, howeverā€”especially in fallā€”it can feel downright abandoned.

Best Beaches in New Jersey

Island Beach State Park, New Jersey

Location: Barnegat Peninsula, south of the town of Seaside Heights
Why We Love It: White sand beaches in a wild landscape that feels frozen in time

Many New Jerseyans have never even been to this park, with 10 miles of sand dunes, maritime forests, and freshwater wetlands. Thatā€™s because this place is as far from the manicured sand, boardwalks, and hotdog stands as it gets. is proof that remote-feeling beaches can exist anywhere, even in New Jersey. In addition to being home to the stateā€™s largest osprey colony, itā€™s frequented by peregrine falcons, waterfowl, shorebirds, and migrating songbirds. Fishermen flock here, too, whether theyā€™re targeting the surf on the Atlantic side or casting in Barnegat Bay. Thereā€™s a designated swimming beach (called Ocean Swimming Beach), surfing, an area for kitesurfing, and even eight miles of trails. Sunbathing is really the only thing you shouldnā€™t do here, because youā€™ll be missing out on so much else.

Know Before You Go: One of the best recreational opportunities may be paddling from Island Beach into the Sedge Island Wildlife Management Area, one of New Jerseyā€™s most productive wildlife habitats, with to paddle through it.

Bonus Beach: Cape May Beach, New Jersey

Location: Cape May, on the far southern coast of the state
Best For: Relaxing on manicured sand next to one of the most charming towns in all of New Jersey

This is the that many New Jerseyans will point to as their stateā€™s bestā€”and for good reason. The town of Cape May is lovely as hell, and downtown is adjacent to the main beach, with sugary sand that is raked cleaned nearly every day during summer, making it feel, well, pristine. Itā€™s also welcoming, full of sunbathers and swimmers chilling out on the weekend, which is all part of the charm. This is a social beach, with the occasional fireworks show or . If you want to sneak away from some of the crowds during the day, walk to the West, towards Cove Beach, which usually has more room to lay out an oversized beach towel (and great sunset views). Thereā€™s also plenty of activities nearby, including a few beach breaks good for groms, skimboarding, fishing, and paddling in the harbor.

Best Beach in Delaware

Delaware Seashore State Park Beach, Delaware

Location: Seven miles south of Rehoboth Beach
Why We Love It: Six miles of ocean-front sand and 20 miles of bay shoreline full of possibilities

This popular offers easy access to the junction of Indian River Bay, Rehoboth Bay, and the Atlantic Ocean. As such, it is overflowing with activities: swimming, surfing, fishing, sailing, windsurfing, hiking, paddling, crabbing, and camping, among others. There are two ocean swimming areas, patrolled by lifeguards during the summer season, and thereā€™s a decent , which can be great with some southerly wind protection (but is also challenging, thanks to its shallow water). If you want to stretch your legs, thereā€™s a one-mile hiking trail through the adjacent , with raised boardwalks over the marshlands.

Know Before You Go: Thereā€™s a $5 daily entrance fee ($10 for nonresidents), but those fees help make this an extremely well-managed park, with great resources to help you plan practically any adventure, whether itā€™s birding, surfcasting, paddling, or something else.

Best Beach in Maryland

Assateague Island National Seashore, Maryland & Virginia

Location: Marylandā€™s Eastern Shore, roughly 10 miles from Ocean City
Why We Love It: 37 miles of remote dunes with herds of wild horses

There is no other place on the East Coast that demonstrates just how wild a coastline can be like this national seashore, which stretches across the Maryland and Virginia border. Assateague is one of the largest barrier islands on the eastern seaboard with uninterrupted coastal habitats, and it has become famous for its wild horses, which have been here for hundreds of years. If you want to see them, you’re probably better offĢż heading to the Maryland side or by booking a tour with a third-party organizer. There are two entrances, one in the north and one in the south, and there is no vehicle access between the two (other than by going back to the mainland). If you want to really explore the beachesā€”and you have a four-wheel drive rigā€”you can apply for and purchase an over-sand vehicle (OVS) , which allows you to access . You can fish mile after mile of remote surf or just find an open stretch of sand to sit down and enjoy the ocean breeze.

Know Before You Go: Nearly every year, it seems, Assateague breaks its previous record for visitation, with . So yes, expect to share the sand. The northern end of Assateague Island tends to be less busy than the southern end, but the surest way to get away from the crowds is with an OSV permit or by walking a few miles down the beach.

Best Beach in Virginia

False Cape State Park, Virginia

Location: Roughly 19 miles south of Virginia Beach
Why We Love It: It remains one of the last undeveloped shorelines in this part of the Atlantic coast.

This is not the place to come if youā€™re hoping to lay out a towel and soak in some rays (there are no dedicated swimming areas, either), but it is one of Virginiaā€™s most dramatic, and least visited, parks. Situated between Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge and the North Carolina border, offers excellent stretches of open sand that are accessible only by hiking, biking, or boating to them. The reward is stunning coastal views, good surfcasting, and on the bay side, a maze of water trails to paddle. There are a to choose from, too, which total 15.3 miles. These include Barbour Hill, a 1.42-mile self-guided trek through the dunes to the ocean. If youā€™re committed, thereā€™s even a primitive camping program, which requires a of anywhere from five to nine miles. But youā€™re almost guaranteed to be all alone.

Know Before You Go: The park operates a ($8 per person) that offers a four-hour guided tour through Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge and False Cape State Park, which is a good way to see the wildlife here without committing to a longer hike or adventure.

Best Beaches in North Carolina

Cape Hatteras National Seashore, North Carolina

Location: On the Outer Banks, along highway NC-12
Why We Love It: Iconic lighthouses, unparalleled surf, and vast natural habitats

Itā€™s hard to think of a better beach for a list like this. In reality, though, this is an entire ecosystem, with 70 miles and 30,000 acres of grass-covered dunes, wide sand beaches, marshes, and woodlands that are home to some 400-plus bird species, among other critters. Sure, there will be crowds and traffic in summer, but itā€™s hard to find a more alluring coastline with so many activities. Surfing is excellent here, with regular swells at a range of spots, including Canadian Hole and the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, both near the town of Buxton. Itā€™s also very well established as a kite-surfing hotspot, with consistent winds blowing through Pamlico Sound (launch from ). Fishing is great, tooā€”both on the ocean and sound sidesā€”and paddlers can explore the flat waters on the sound side as well, launching from the Oregon Inlet Kayak Launch. There are even three different hiking trails, including a through the dunes and maritime forests on Hatteras Island. Frankly, itā€™s hard to imagine a better seashore for basically anything you want to do outside.

Know Before You Go: Cape Hatteras National Seashore is free to enter, but there are fees for just about everything elseā€”off-road vehicle use, camping, and climbing the 200 steps to the top of Bodie Island Lighthouse, for example (). Also, Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, a highlight for many people, is as it undergoes repairs.

Bonus Beach: Ocracoke Island, North Carolina

Location: In the southern Outer Banks, across the channel from Hatteras Island
Best For: Getting away from it all

Technically, this 13-mile-long barrier island is part of Cape Hatteras National Seashore, as most of it is managed by the park service, but it feels a world apart, thanks to its frozen-in-time quirkiness and just how raw the landscape feels. Ocracoke is also a testament to how going the extra mile is totally worth it. The island is only accessible by , which makes the beaches here much, much less crowded. It can often feel asĢż if youā€™re alone, especially in early fall. For surfing, the beach near Ocracoke Inlet offers consistent waves, and fishermen can surfcast along the Atlantic shores or set up on the sound-side shoreline, like at South Point. Hammock Hills Nature Trail offers a good walk for hikers. Thereā€™s even a herd of ponies managed by the park service that are that have lived on the island since the 17th or 18th century, give or take a 100 years.

Best Beaches in South Carolina

Folly Beach, South Carolina

Location: Twelve miles from downtown Charleston, on Folly Island
Why We Love It: An eclectic mix of Southern charm and seaside cool thatā€™s hard to find anywhere else

Folly Beach is no secretā€”tourists have been coming here for generationsā€”but this is the epitome of what a great seaside community should be. ā€œBeachingā€ is just a way of life here, which makes the whole thing irresistible, even if youā€™re just walking down the fishing pier. Of course, thereā€™s a reason people flock here: six miles of white sand, palm trees, and warm Atlantic waters ideal for sunbathing, swimming, and, of course, surfing. Follyā€™s most famous break is the Washout, known for kicking up some of the best waves on the East Coast. Thereā€™s also plenty of other outdoor activities, from kayaking and SUPing through the marshes on the Folly River side of the island to riding a cruiser bike around town. Folly Beach can be a bit of a scene at night, but that also makes it great for snagging some beach town energy and good eats, from fresh seafood to beachside tacos. Thereā€™s perhaps no better place to escape reality for a weekend (or two).

Know Before You Go: While surfing at Folly Beach is better in the winter, the summer months are the prime time for live music, festivals, outdoor movies, and crowds, making it the best time to experience its full intensity. Parking can be a challenge, so if youā€™re only coming for a weekend day, itā€™s best to rideshare.

Bonus Beach: Hunting Island State Park Beach, South Carolina

Location: 15 miles east of the town Beaufort, and roughly 90 miles south of Charleston
Best For: A beach trip thatā€™s as much about outdoor adventures as lying on the sand

is South Carolinaā€™s most popular parkā€”5,000 acres of pristine Lowcountry thatā€™s full of salt marshes, palmetto and live oak forests, and a four-mile-long stretch of white sand. Even with the crowds on a summer weekend, however, this barrier island feels pristine, as itā€™s almost totally undeveloped. And if you come on a weekday (or, better yet, in the fall,), itā€™ll feel downright remote. There are a number of great hiking trails in the park, including the and the easy-peasy , which might be the best spot along the coast for taking in the sunset. Thereā€™s a 950-foot fishing pier, and paddling in the marshes surrounding the island. As for the beach, it doesnā€™t disappoint either, and if you walk to the southern end you can see Little Hunting Island Boneyard Beach, where skeletal remains of dead trees dot the sand.

Best Beaches in Georgia

Sapelo Island, Georgia

Location: Roughly 75 miles south of Savannah, near the tiny town of Darien
Why We Love It: Untouched natural beauty and a rich history on the Southā€™s most overlooked coastline

Sapelo Island, the fourth largest barrier island in Georgia, is one of the East Coast’s best-kept secrets. There are miles and miles of pristine beaches, maritime forests, and salt marshes across this island, which has hardly changed since the 1980sā€”or even the 1880s. While the landscape here is unforgettable, the island is mostly known for its unique history, being home to the Hog Hammock community, one of the Southā€™s few remaining , descendants of enslaved West Africans brought to work on plantations along the Atlantic coast. Today, there are roughly 70 people who live in Hog Hammock. Each of the islandā€™s two most famous buildings, the R.J. Reynolds Mansion and the Sapelo Island Lighthouse, have over 200 years of history on the island, too. In short, if you want a place thatā€™s perfect for disconnecting from the modern world, this is it. You can ride a bike down the empty streets, kayak to Blackbeard Island National Wildlife Refuge (of Blackbeard pirate fame) for bird-watching, or simply stroll along the untouched shoresā€”all of which can be mind-blowingly deserted. Nanny Goat Beach, for example, is completely wide-open sand with hardly a soul on it. Itā€™s hard to believe a place like this even exists today.

Know Before You Go: This is not the place to come if youā€™re looking for a quick getaway. The only way to arrive at Sapelo is via a 30-minute ferry ride, provided by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (). Planning ahead is essential, as youā€™ll likely need to stay the night and there are very few places to crash. AirbnB may be your best bet or reserve a spot at . Locals still protect this island and its heritage as if itā€™s their ownā€”because it is. A little respect goes a long way to making your visit feel rewarding.

Bonus Beach: Cumberland Island, Georgia

Location: On the far southern coast of Georgia, just across the water from Fernandina Beach, Florida
Best For: Camping in one of the Southā€™s most serene, untouched landscapes

Cumberland is Georgiaā€™s largest and southernmost barrier island, and itā€™s easy to add another superlative to this list: wildest. This stretches over 17 miles of empty beaches, framed by majestic live oaks and palmettos, and is home to a population of feral horses, which you can often see passing by on the unpaved roads. The island’s isolation is its appeal, but there is plenty to do, too. There are wide sandy shores to walk on, ruins from to explore, and an to amble around on. Access to Cumberland Island is controlled via the National Park Service, and the easiestĢż way to get here is via a (and youā€™ll need an if you plan to camp here). There are no stores and very limited facilities, so you also need to be self-sufficient. But the experience of camping under the stars with the sounds of the ocean and the sight of wild horses is simply unmatched.

Best Beaches in Florida

Cocoa Beach, Florida

Location: A little over an hour East of Orlando, just a short drive from Kennedy Space Center
Why We Love It: A surferā€™s paradise with a laid-back atmosphere on Floridaā€™s ā€œSpace Coastā€

Cocoa Beach, with its endless stretches of soft, sandy beaches, and consistent waves no matter the season, is one of the East Coast’s most iconic beach destinations. No other city on the eastern seaboard is so well-known for its surfing and surf culture (itā€™s the hometown of Kelly Slater, after all). It lives up to the hype. There are waves for beginners and seasoned surfers alike, with the iconic Cocoa Beach Pier providing the perfect backdrop for those looking to simply enjoy the view of the lineups. The area is also steeped in space history, being just 20 miles to the Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral. You can even watch a rocket launch from the beach if you time it right (check out the at the space centerā€™s website). If youā€™re looking for slower-paced activities, thereā€™s decent fishing from the pier and the Banana River is great for paddling. Windsurfing is common here, too, so thereā€™s plenty going on, even without rocket ships to the moon.

Know Before You Go: It may seem like cheesy activity, but the nearby is totally worth the trip. The same can be said of the , which bills itself as the largest surf shop in the world, at 52,000 square feet.

Bonus Beach: Sebastian Inlet State Park, Florida

Location: Floridaā€™s central east coast, roughly 17 miles north of Vero Beach
Best For: Surfing and fishing excursions

is well-known for its surf breaks and its fishing spots, which are both excellent on account of the park being situated where the Indian River flows into the Atlantic. The parkā€™s First Peak and Monster Hole offer some of the best surf breaks on the East Coast and its waters are teeming with snook, redfish, and Spanish mackerel, making it a premier fishing destination. The Indian River Lagoon has calm waters that are good for paddling and thereā€™s even a decent trail in the park to walk on, called Hammock Trail. There are, of course, long stretches of unspoiled sand great for sunbathing and shell collecting (this is a Best Beaches list, after all.) Itā€™s a bit of an ordeal to drive to it, because the causeways accessing the barrier island are miles apart, but that also makes it less crowded. The best part, though, is that itā€™s far away from the hoopla of the Miami metroplex in the south and Daytona Beach in the north, meaning this beach is totally worth the extra effort to get to it.

Ryan Krogh lived on the East Coast for 12 years, split between Boston and New York City, and spent nearly every weekend finding the areaā€™s best nooks and crannies for adventures. Among the many great ones was a day at Napeague Beach, reeling in striped bass on a fly rod. He now lives in Austin, Texas, where he spends much of his time exploring the Hill Country and the Texas coast while dreaming of getting on another fall striped bass blitz off the shores of Long Island.

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Itā€™s clichĆ© to say everything is bigger in Texas. But when it comes to outdoor adventures in the Texas Gulf Coast, itā€™s simply true. If youā€™re on the hunt for bigger and better access to coastal exploration, thereā€™s no better place to explore than . From Gulf Coast surf culture and other beach city fun to opportunities for wildlife spotting and on-the-water activities, hereā€™s everything you need to go full send on your biggest coastal adventure yet.

Hit the Beach, of Course

Howā€™s this for big? Corpus Christi offers easy access to more than 100 miles of gorgeous coastline, with plenty of options for adventure seekers and loungers. If youā€™d rather be on the water than in a beach chair, head to . The 18-mile-long barrier island is just off the coast of Corpus Christi (about a 30-minute drive via the JFK Causeway) and offers year-round beach activities. Kayak more than 20 miles of marked water trails on the bay side of the island. These protected waters are home to marine life, including sea turtles, dolphins, and shorebirds. On the islandā€™s gulf side, check out the regionā€™s famous surf spots, including Fish Pass Jetties. January is the best month to catch clean waves, but beginners can practice in smaller surf year-round. Not ready to ride the waves on your own? offers daily surf lessons and multiday camps on the neighboring island just south of the state park.Ģż

Loungers and beachcombers will find the relaxation they seek at the . With more than 60 miles of protected coastline, itā€™s the longest stretch of undeveloped barrier island in the world and a haven for marine life and visitors alike. Hunker down in a beach chair at Malaquite Beach, the car-free section of shoreline near the parkā€™s visitor center. Or, if you have a four-wheel-drive vehicle, explore more of the parkā€™s 130,000 acres of protected sand dunes, marshlands, and beaches. Hunt for unique shells of all shapes and sizes on and beaches, where youā€™ll find some of the largest concentration of seashells in the park. And when youā€™re ready for a change of pace, book a beachfront horseback ride with . The local outfitter offers year-round rides for all levels.

Tip: Remember to leave seashell discoveries where you find them for others to enjoy.Ģż

Explore Coastal Ecosystems

Barrier islands and beaches are just two aspects of the rich biodiversity found in the Texas Gulf Coast. Delve deeper into the regionā€™s unique ecosystems at the . Located on the south side of Corpus Christi, along Oso Bay, the refuge protects marshes, woodlands, and mudflatsā€”all habitats for local species of shorebirds. The unique mix of ecosystems within a small area makes for top-notch birding. Stroll the 1.3-mile nature trail at sunrise for the most beautiful views, or time your visit to align with low tide for the most active wildlife.

For more of natureā€™s highlights, head to the . The garden showcases native plants and natural wetland habitats alongside stunning floral exhibits. Birders should plan to visit in April, when the gardens host the Birdiest Festival in America. The event includes talks about seasonal migrations to and from the Texas Gulf Coast, plus field trips to observe spring migration hot spots. Of course, you can still see resident birds and reptiles year-round. The garden is home to more than 40 birds and 60 reptiles, including a nonvenomous desert king snake and veiled chameleon.

Tip: For a unique birding opportunity, head just north of Corpus Christi to the , where whooping cranesā€”one of North Americaā€™s rarest birdsā€”overwinter from November to March.Ģż

Enjoy the Freshest Seafood

Craving the catch of the day? Local Corpus Christi restaurants have you covered. For a true Texas Gulf Coast experience, head to Marker 37 Marina, where youā€™ll find plenty of options for bayfront dining. Try ā€”one of the cityā€™s renowned ā€œcook your catchā€ dining experiences. Relax on the deck with views of the Intracoastal Waterway while the chef whips up a dish featuring your very own catch of the day, or head to nearby Snoopyā€™s Pier for old-fashioned (read: fried) Gulf Coast seafood dishes. Founded by a local commercial fisherman, this waterfront restaurant features its own fish house and shrimp-breading facility, so guests are guaranteed the freshest catch. Gulf Coast favorites include fried seafood baskets in the fish, shrimp, and oyster varieties, as well as fresh catch of the dayā€”grouper, redfish, snapper, mahi-mahi, sea bass, and more.Ģż

Across the bay, soak in the coastal atmosphere at . This lively waterfront locale features a newly renovated sports bar with yard games and regularly scheduled live music. The restaurant serves up delicious house-smoked seafood and classic sports bar fare with a coastal twist.Ģż

Tip: Save room for dessert at Scoopyā€™s Veranda, just next door to Snoopyā€™s Pier. Try the Chocolate Barnacleā€”a sugar cookie base with a layer of ice cream topped with chocolate mousse. Or, for a less traditional sweet treat, order the dessert sticky rice. The signature dish pairs warm, sweet rice with a scoop of ice cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce.

Experience Gulf Coast Culture

Round out your Corpus Christi vacation with a day spent exploring the city and getting to know the spirit of the Gulf Coast. Start your morning with a sunrise yoga session on Water Dog Yogaā€™s floating dock in the Corpus Christi Marinaā€”the cityā€™s main downtown marina. Then, take a walk through the nearby Bayfront Park. Donā€™t miss the . Situated right on the water in Corpus Christi Bay, the museum is a must-visit. The building itself is a work of art, with postmodern and Mexican modernist architectural details and floor-to-ceiling windows. Inside, the collection features a mix of works by acclaimed international artists, as well as exhibits highlighting cultures and artists that have shaped the stateā€™s art history.Ģż

For an in-depth look at how Corpus Christi played a role in Gulf Coast history, book a city tour with . During the classic two-hour sightseeing and history tour, a local guide shares stories of the cityā€™s rich history and points out important landmarks and public art along the way.

Tip: Get to know another side of the city on a Corpus Christi ghost tour, which features .

Visit Corpus Christi is a state and national award-winning 501(c)(6) Destination Management Organization contracted by the city of Corpus Christi with a mission to create a better community by sharing Corpus Christi with the world. For more information, go to .

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With plenty of spandex clothing, flashy social-media activations built just for a weekend, and massive laser shows beaming out over the crowd, modern festivals might not look like hotbeds of activism. But itā€™s embedded in their DNA. Woodstock, the Monterey International Pop Festival, and the Harlem Cultural Festival in the 1960s, all carrying a peace-and-love political valence, were their precursors.

Todayā€™s versions remain rock-star-studded and intend to fix world problemsā€”and now they’re aware of the amount of carbon humans have since released into the atmosphere, too. Festivals are increasingly becoming a gathering place for young people concerned for our environment and hoping to create positive changeā€”as well as have a great time.

As a music, food, and travel editor, Iā€™ve attended dozens of festivals, clomping around on the grassy fields or beaches where thousands of people gather. Iā€™ve been most impressed by a growing group of socially minded festival organizers, chefs, and musicians who are greening their eventsā€™ infrastructures, sharing their stages with environmental activists, and making sure attendees understand climate change and how to help.

Collectively, these fests now reach hundreds of thousands of people and are having a tangible impact. The Great Northern, a winter festival in Minnesota, reliably draws 200,000 attendees. Farm Aid attracts 30,000 and has multiple times campaigned Congress to incorporate climate-resilient agriculture into legislation.

Here are my favorite U.S. festivals pushing for a greener world.

1. The Great Northern

Minneapolis and Saint Paul, Minnesota,ĢżJanuary 25 to February 4, 2024

Mission: Communicate the importance of winter and how to protect it as temperatures rise

One way to communicate the urgency of climate change to a wide swath of people: creative programming. Hence , which celebrates the cultural and environmental importance of winter in Minnesota, will have 50 events in 2024.

The eye-catching offerings range from a village of saunas and a 100-foot-long outdoor barā€”yes, the kind that serves alcoholā€”carved out of ice, to a ā€œClimate Solutionsā€ speaker series with talks by the Project Drawdown executive director, Jonathan Foley, and the well-known eco-drag queen Pattie Gonia, among others. Melanin in Motion, an organization dedicated to getting Black people involved in outdoor recreation, will host a fireside chat, and the sauna village will have nights geared toward queer, trans, and body-positive communities.

Jovan C. Speller Rebollar, the eventā€™s executive director, says she is particularly excited about The Last Supper, cooked by the celebrity chef Sam Kass using ingredients at risk of disappearing as global temperatures rise. On the menu are chocolate, chickpeas, and more.

“We love our food here,ā€ Speller Rebollar said. ā€œ[Climate change] becomes real when you can’t have the things that are a part of the ways in which you celebrate, the ways in which you come together ā€¦ and take care of yourself.ā€

At the last festival, on January 29, the ecological-death-care advocate Katrina Spade spoke on natural organic reduction, a burial process that turns the human body into soil. The former Minnesota State Senator Carolyn Laine was an attendee, Speller Rebollar said. On March 6, Minnesota State Representatives John Huot, Mike Freiberg, and Samantha Sencer-Mura introduced a bill to legalize natural organic reduction.

2. Old Salt Festival

Location and 2024 dates TBA (2023 event was June 23 to 25, in Helmville, Montana)

Mission: Promote regenerative agriculture

The newest gathering on the list is Montanaā€™s , an initiative of the Old Salt Co-Op, an association of generations of ranchers who want ā€œto do for meat what microbreweries have done for beer,ā€ as the event founder, Cole Mannix, said. Old Salt Co-Op promotes regenerative animal agriculture, and it processes meats that are sold through a restaurant and online shop.

Community and local sourcing are essential, and when Mannix says community, he is including not only his neighbors down the street but the non-human, ecological world. He envisions a society where everything, down to the shirt on his back, is locally sourced.

ā€œIt’s not easy to do regenerative agriculture. It’s a whole societal shift,ā€ Mannix said. ā€œWe have to completely remake ourselves. All of us, customers, producers, the whole supply chain, and I don’t really know how to talk about that other than just spend three days together and immerse ourselves in a beautiful place.ā€

The first Old Salt festival took place in June on the Mannix family ranch in Helmville, Montana. Local writers recited poems about the land, local bands played, local vendors sold knives and leather goods, and regional conservation and ranching organizations spoke. An 80-pound anvil was launched 300 feet in the air, and 1,600 people ate food cooked over a live fire.

Mannix said, ā€œYou canā€™t do that in a conference room.ā€

3. Pickathon

Happy Valley, Oregon, 2024 Dates TBA (2023 event was August 3 to 6)

Mission: Create a model of a truly green festival

Festivals require gargantuan amounts of energy. From the light shows, to the sound systems, to the food vendors, the average festival emitted approximately 2500 tons of carbon in 2019, according to , a company that tracks European music festival emissions. A whopping 41 percent of those emissions come simply from attendees traveling to events.

Thatā€™s why Pickathon, an indie music festival outside of Portland, Oregon, chose a site only a 40-minute drive from the city and incentivizes attendees to bike or use public transit. Pickathon was also the first festival to utilize solar arrays and, in 2023, was selected by Toyota to be the first to use the companyā€™s hydrogen fuel cell generator.

Originally founded in 1999, Pickathon has become an experiment in eco-friendly festivals, one that can seem radical compared to the industry standard. The stages here are built between the trees of a forest, and the materials for each are reused every year. The Treeline Stage, designed by architecture students at Portland State University, looks like a lattice of blooming plants and will be repurposed for an outdoor classroom. The Woods Stage is made from materials found lying on the forest floor, tree branches shaped into something between a nest and a cave. There is no single-use plastic. Attendees receive a metal cup upon arrival, and rent their dishware.

Though you may not recognize the Americana, rock, and hip hop names on the lineup, Pickathon bookers have an eye for up-and-comers: Sturgil Simpson, Andrew Bird, Leon Bridges, and Big Thief all played here before making it big.

4. Deep Tropics

Nashville, Tennessee,ĢżAugust 16 to 17, 2024

Mission: Show how electronic festivals can go green, too

Though Pickathon gives it a run for its money, Tennesseeā€™s claims to be the greenest music festival in the country. Even coming close would be impressive for an EDM festival where DJs sit on stages in front of multiple movie-theater-sized screens flashing psychedelic visuals, the sound system must be clear and bone-shaking, and the light and laser displays that EDM is known for must expand over a throng of thousands.

According to the event website, by recycling, composting, minimizing single-use plastic, building Instagram-ready art with sustainable materials, and planting trees to offset carbon, organizers divert 93 percent of the festivalā€™s waste from landfills and create more energy than they consume. (.) Vendors, too, focus on sustainability, selling vintage and upcycled versions of the sheer shirts, fringe jackets and occasional fedoras common among EDM fans.

Deep Tropics attracts top talent. In 2023, headliners included the critically-acclaimed SG Lewis, LP Giobbi, and Troyboi.

5. Sacred Acre

Ninilchik, Alaska, 2024 Dates TBA (2023 event was September 8 to 10)

Mission: Raise awareness about the dangers of bottom trawling

nearly triples the population of Ninilchik, Alaska, with an influx of 2,500 ravers. They come, yes, for the bass-heavy music, provided in 2023 by Of the Trees, Boogie T, and Daily Bread, but this EDM festival is a vocal advocate against bottom trawling, a fishing industry technique in which boats drag large, conical nets across the ocean floor.

Sacred Acre uses minimal plastic and educates attendees on the dangers of trawling, which can entangle sea turtles, dolphins, and whales, and harm the delicate plant life in seabed habitats. The festival also runs foraging and fly-fishing expeditions, and places its DJs to perform among the Alaskan waterfalls.

6. Farm Aid

2024 Dates TBA (2023 event was September 23, in Noblesville, Indiana)

Mission: Protect American farmers and age climate-resilient agricultural techniques

Giants of musical genres can definitely convene numbers. In the case of that number was most recently, 20,000, as the founders Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, and Neil Young performed, and so did Margo Price and Dave Matthews, who are board members.

Attendees ate shrimp and grits, burgers, brussel sprouts, chicken tenders, and more, all sustainably raised and sourced from local farms as part of the festivalā€™s Homegrown Concessions. The Homegrown Village educated attendees on the work of American farmers, especially as it pertains to environmental health. Soil, like trees, sequesters carbon, and farmers can optimize it with the right techniques.

ā€œFarmers have this incredible capacity to help us store that carbon through the ways that they’re stewarding soil and growing good food,ā€ said Jennifer Fahy, Farm Aid communications director. ā€œWe’re supporting them doing that.ā€

7. Ohana Festival

Dana Point, California, 2024 Dates TBA (2023 event was September 29 to October 1)

Mission: Conserve the ocean environment

Like Farm Aid, utilizes the star power of its famous founder, in this case Pearl Jamā€™s Eddie Vedder, to raise awareness for ocean conservation. The main stage abuts the sands of Doheny State Beach, where Veder learned to surf and now headlines Ohana.

Industry heavy hitters populate the rest of the lineup, which in 2023 included the Killers, Haim, the Chicks, Foo Fighters, and the Pretenders. Thereā€™s a collegial atmosphere, as performers pop in and out of each othersā€™ sets as surprise guests. This past September, Van Halenā€™s lead vocalist, Sammy Hagar, joined the Killers for a cover of Van Halenā€™s ā€œWhy Canā€™t This Be Love?ā€

At the smaller Storytelling Stage, researchers, activists, politicians, and even surfers give talks about the environment, and attendees can sign up to volunteer at environmental organizations with booths nearby. Ohana gives a portion of its proceeds to the Doheny State Beach Foundation and San Onofre Parks Foundation.

8. Hawaii Food and Wine Festival

Hawaii, Maui, Oahu,ĢżOctober 18 to November 3, 2024, weekends only

Mission: Promote local, sustainably-sourced food in Hawaii

The , founded by the James Beard Award-winning chefs Roy Yamaguchi and Alan Wong, is all about foods local to the leafy islands. For 13 years, it has brought in dozens of the worldā€™s top chefs, some with top awards of their own, and issued a challenge: prepare something excellent using at least one ingredient grown in Hawaii.

Each of the festivalā€™s three weekends takes place on a different island, jumping from Hawaii, to Oahu, to Maui. The most popular events, like the Roy Yamaguchi Golf Classic and an extensive tasting at the Hawaii Convention Center, happen every year, along with newer offerings like adventures into the taro fields and fisheries, where attendees can try their hand at harvesting and, in 2023, an event highlighting indigenous cuisines from across the world. Expect plenty of color on your plate: black caviar served resting atop the bright white meat of a coconut cut in half, the pink of fresh raw fish, the green Hawaiian breadfruit ulu, and, of course, wine on the beach in whatever color you like.

A portion of ticket proceeds go to nonprofits that support sustainable agriculture like the Hawaii Ag and Culinary Alliance and the local hospitality industry, totalling $3.5 million over the festivalā€™s lifetime. On November 18, after much of Maui burned in wildfires, a special edition of the Hawaii Wine and Food Festival was held on Maui to encourage responsible tourism to the area and raise money for the Kokua Restaurant & Hospitality Fund, which has supported industry workers impacted by the fire. You can also find more info here on how a visitor can give back after the tragedy undergone by Hawaii in 2023.

9. Art With Me

Miami, Florida, and Ƈeşme, TĆ¼rkiye, 2024 Dates TBA (Miami event was December 8 to 10, and the Turkey event June 23 to 25, 2023)

Mission: Advanced sustainability and low-waste partying

Consider a photo negative of Art Basel Miami, a posh art festival with over-the-top, star-studded parties. At Art With Me, you can be barefoot. You can attend cacao ceremonies and talks on sustainability. You can do yoga, then lie in a circle of dozens of people, heads in the center, feet out, and meditate, all on Miamiā€™s quiet Virginia Key Beach.

Happening the same week and in the same city as Art Basel Miami, which has some glam electronic-music afterparties of its own, Art With Me is a lower-key music-and-art festival. Programming is family-friendly and focuses on restoration for both its attendees and the environment. Through its Care With Me foundation, the festival has lobbied the Mexican government to ban single-use plastic. (Art With Me was founded in Tulum, Mexico, and has another iteration in Turkey.) And, through recycling and composting, Art With Me organizers say they create almost zero waste.

Art Basel and Art With Me share a love of artā€”massive sculptures dot Virginia Key Beachā€”and great DJs. In 2023, Polo & Pan and Underworld headlined Art With Me.

More Festivals!

If you have room in your schedule, check out , an EDM festival thatā€™s received A Greener Festivalā€™s highest level of certification;, an Alaskan folk festival committed to protecting salmon habitat; and one just outside of the U.S., , a Canadian electronic and arts festival that relies exclusively on reusable energy.

is a writer, editor, and former ski instructor based in Brooklyn who has covered music festivals since her college days in New Orleans, a city with more fests than days of the year. She is managing editor at the biannual music, food, and travel publication Fifty Grande.

See the below for two outdoor festivals still to go as 2023 wraps up. The Indio International Tamale Fest in Indio, California, is December 2 to 3, and the Ullr Fest, Breckenridge, Colorado, is December 7-9.

The 29 Best Outdoor Festivals in 2023, from Music and Sports to Food and Film

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Itā€™s a bright, windy December day, and weā€™re on a boat barreling east from Belize City. For nearly three hours, the Caribbean has been choppy and rough, until the water abruptly goes still. The sudden calm can only mean weā€™re inside the reef. Weā€™re almost there.

I poke my head through a porthole in the ceiling. Ahead of us on the blue horizon, a small island is growing bigger and more distinct. Longer than it is wide, it appears to consist of palm trees, a narrow crescent of yellow-sand beach, and, at the north end, a cluster of wooden, thatch-roofed cabanas. A small dock on the lee side awaits. Figures emerge, arms raised in greeting.

Belowdecks, someoneā€™s kids are shrieking like lunatics.

I blink, letting my eyes adjust to what Iā€™m seeing, waiting for my mind to catch up. Am I here or there? Is it then or now? What Iā€™m seeing makes complete sense, and also it doesnā€™t. Iā€™ve gone across the sea and back in time.

The post Time Has Stood Still on This Belize Island. How Wonderful. appeared first on ŗŚĮĻ³Ō¹ĻĶų Online.

As the cold settles in, we’re thinking about those places we know will have sun, blue skies, warm turquoise waters, and amazing adventures all winter long. Start dreaming and maybe scheming. We’ve made it easy for you by choosing the top 10 places to go, along with the best things to do there. See you on the beach.

Hike Coast-to-Coast in Costa Rica

Since Costa Rica became the spokesmodel for ecotourism in the 1990s, its natural treasuresā€”the cloud forests of Monte Verde, the gently active Arenal volcanoā€”have attracted millions of visitors every year. But you can still escape the crowds. a 174-mile trail stretching between the Caribbean and the Pacific, was completed in 2018 and showcases largely untrodden parts of the country, like the coffee-growing region of TarrazĆŗ and the Indigenous territory of Nairi Awari.

Funded by the nonprofit Mar a Mar Association, the 16-stage route spans four provinces and half a dozen or more microclimates; borders protected areas; and passes through remote villages, Native lands, and more than 20 towns that receive little benefit from conventional tourism. Trekkers can eat with locals in their homes and sleep in family-run lodges, campsites, or boutique hotels set on farms with hot springs.

Expect to hike between four and twenty-four miles per stage, cross rivers, and do plenty of up and downā€”more than 70 percent of the route is hilly, with a peak elevation of upward of 19,000 feet. If you push the pace, you can complete the whole thing in 11 days. But if time permits, allot 16 days so you can tack on experiences like whitewater rafting the Pacuare River or visiting the Pacuare Nature Reserveā€™s turtle hatchery.

You could technically go it alone, but given the trailā€™s isolation, a guide is advisable. Five local outfitters, including Urri Trek and Ticos a Pata, operate group and individual trips, and their naturalist guides will school you in the unique flora and fauna, like purple tibouchina flowers, massive guanacaste trees, glasswing butterflies, and broad-billed hummingbirds. ā€”Jen Murphy

The post The World’s Top 10 Tropical ŗŚĮĻ³Ō¹ĻĶųs appeared first on ŗŚĮĻ³Ō¹ĻĶų Online.