Mission Beach Sunset and View of Downtown, San Diego California

11 US Beaches to Put on Your Travel Bucket List

Popular snorkel beach Hanauma bay on island of Oahu, Hawaii, USA.

image: Getty/M Swiet Productions/Moment

Hanauma Bay in Honolulu, Hawaii – This is one of the best snorkeling spots in the world. This beach was a former volcanic crater resulting in a tuff ring along three sides of the area, making it a prime beach for spotting beautiful fish and sea life you can’t see almost anywhere else. Pufferfish, eels, sea turtles, and angelfish are just a few of the daily sights when happening upon this amazing beach.


 

Lighthouse at Montauk point, Long Islans.

image: Getty/Alex Potemkin/iStock

Montauk Beach in New York – Montauk is known for its spectacular seventy foot high bluffs, which stretch all the way to the point. It is a favorite beach for natural exploring—no huge developments or crazy boardwalks to be seen. The beaches with white sands and quickly breaking waves make it a wonderful place to relax and unwind. From catching fresh seafood to exploring the historical lighthouse, I like to think of this beach as the best of the Hamptons, only better!


 

Saint Thomas is an island in the Caribbean Sea and a constituent district of the United States Virgin Islands. Christopher Columbus sighted the island in 1493 on his second voyage to the New World. For long time the island was a center of sugar trade.

image: Getty/Danita Dellmont/Gallo Images

Bolongo Bay Beach in St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands – This is the perfect beach for grabbing late night drinks with your feet in the sand. This beach hosts the oh so popular Iggies Beach Bar and is a barefoot dream. It beckons you to a quick trip for a weekend of revelry. Nothing is as relaxing for me as waking up by the ocean and ending my days dancing, drinking, and enjoying good company.


 

Golden Gate Bridge from Baker Beach

image: Getty/Karsten May/Moment

Baker Beach in San Francisco – Baker Beach is hands down one of my all time favorite beaches. We travel here often, seeing as how it’s only a quick three hours from my home in Reno, Nevada. The cool air of San Francisco and the salty mist coming off the water here transports me into a dream state. You can sit under the Golden Gate Bridge and enjoy the bay views. On clear days you can see all the way to the Marin Headlands, but the fog-filled view of the bridge isn’t a bad one either. After lunch on the beach, you can catch one of the Presidio trails and make an entire day of the adventure.


 

White sand beach and turquoise waters in front of Fort Jefferson, Dry Tortugas National Park, Florida Keys, Florida, United States of America, North America

image: Getty/Michael Runkel/Robertharding

Dry Tortugas Beaches in Florida is the type of beach I wouldn’t have expected to find in the US. With white powdery sand and gorgeous blue water, it proves you don’t have to leave the US for a gorgeous summer vacation spot. The backdrop of this beach is an old fort and barracks, making the entire experience feel old worldly and special. The coral reef is only meters from the shore, providing a great snorkeling experience as well. 

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