The Best Budget US Beaches

Discover the best US beaches

The United States has some of the best beaches in the world, but not all coastlines are born equal. Many things define what makes the perfect beach.

For our study, we’ve included great weather, beach lounger availability, affordable ice cream, beer and cocktails and data on the beachs’ popularity. We have analyzed the United States top beaches to create a ranking of the best sandy spots to cool off this summer.

The 35 Best Beaches for the Summer

											Rank
Select all rows
Select row	1	Illinois	Oak Street Beach	Chicago	$20.00	$3.95	$7.00	$10.00	69°F	4.8	100.0
Select row	2	New Jersey	Cape May Beach	Cape May	w/o	$3.75	$6.00	$8.00	73°F	4.7	99.4
Select row	3	Georgia	Driftwood Beach	Jekyll Island	$25.00	$3.00	$4.00	$9.00	81°F	4.7	92.1
Select row	4	Maryland	Ocean City Beach	Ocean City	w/o	$4.13	$6.00	$9.00	75°F	4.7	86.5
Select row	5	Michigan	Grand Haven City Beach	Grand Haven	w/o	$5.00	$7.00	$10.00	67°F	4.7	86.5
Select row	6	California	Zuma Beach	Malibu	w/o	$5.00	$7.00	$9.00	72°F	4.7	85.4
Select row	7	Puerto Rico	Playa de Isla Verde	San Juan	$25.00	$3.95	$5.00	$8.00	81°F	4.7	82.6
Select row	8	Florida	Saint George Island State Park	St. George Island	w/o	$4.00	$5.50	$7.00	82°F	4.8	80.4
Select row	9	Massachusetts	Coast Guard Beach	Eastham	w/o	$4.90	$6.00	$13.00	64°F	4.8	77.5
Select row	10	New York	Coopers Beach	The Hamptons	$15.00	$4.90	$7.00	$12.00	68°F	4.6	76.9
Select row	11	Maine	Ogunquit Beach	Ogunquit	$24.00	$5.95	$6.00	$13.00	68°F	4.7	76.7
Select row	12	Puerto Rico	Balneario Seven Seas	Fajardo	w/o	$2.99	$4.00	$8.00	82°F	4.4	76.3
Select row	13	California	Coronado Beach	San Diego	$25.00	$4.70	$8.00	$12.00	72°F	4.8	73.2
Select row	14	North Carolina	Lighthouse Beach	Outer Banks	$35.00	$5.10	$6.50	$11.00	75°F	4.8	73.2
Select row	15	Hawaii	Wailea Beach	Maui	$25.00	$5.79	$5.00	$11.00	77°F	4.7	70.2
Select row	16	Texas	Stewart Beach	Galveston	$40.00	$5.89	$5.00	$12.00	73°F	4.5	67.7
Select row	17	New Jersey	Asbury Park Beach	Asbury Park	$15.00	$6.00	$6.00	$11.00	73°F	4.5	65.6
Select row	18	South Carolina	Coligny Beach	Hilton Head	$40.00	$5.25	$4.00	$8.00	86°F	4.7	62.7
Select row	19	Hawaii	Poipu Beach Park	Kauai	$10.00	$5.79	$7.00	$10.00	79°F	4.7	54.6
Select row	20	North Carolina	Wrightsville Beach	Wilmington	$25.00	$4.39	$4.50	$12.00	84°F	4.6	50.5
Select row	21	Massachusetts	Lambert's Cove Beach	Marthas Vineyard	w/o	$7.00	$5.00	$11.00	64°F	4.1	49.6
Select row	22	Florida	Siesta Beach	Siesta Key	$50.00	$5.95	$7.00	$10.00	81°F	4.8	48.7
Select row	23	Oregon	Cannon Beach	Cannon Beach	w/o	$3.75	$6.00	$10.00	55°F	4.8	46.6
Select row	24	California	Venice Beach	Los Angeles	w/o	$7.25	$8.00	$11.00	73°F	4.6	44.0
Select row	25	Florida	Henderson Beach State Park	Destin	$50.00	$4.75	$5.00	$11.00	88°F	4.8	43.2
Select row	26	Washington	Alki Beach Park	Seattle	w/o	$4.99	$7.00	$13.00	60°F	4.7	42.8
Select row	27	Florida	Caladesi Island State Park	Clearwater	$35.00	$4.99	$7.00	$9.00	86°F	4.8	42.4
Select row	28	New York	Rockaway Beach	New York City	w/o	$6.50	$7.00	$12.00	61°F	4.6	35.7
Select row	29	Hawaii	Duke Paoa Kahanamoku Beach Park	Oahu	w/o	$6.00	$7.00	$13.00	79°F	4.6	33.1
Select row	30	South Carolina	Kiawah Beachwalker Park	Kiawah Island	$30.00	$5.50	$6.00	$13.00	84°F	4.7	31.5
Select row	31	New York	Coney Island	New York City	w/o	$7.00	$8.00	$12.00	76°F	4.5	29.8
Select row	32	Massachusetts	Jetties Beach	Nantucket	w/o	$6.95	$7.00	$14.00	63°F	4.5	29.5
Select row	33	Florida	Miami Beach	Miami	$30.00	$7.49	$6.00	$11.00	84°F	4.7	26.8
Select row	34	California	Carmel Beach	Carmel-by-the-Sea	w/o	$5.30	$7.00	$13.00	57°F	4.8	25.7
Select row	35	Florida	Smathers Beach	Key West	$20.00	$6.00	$7.00	$13.00	84°F	4.2	0.0

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Heat Escape – See you at the beach!

As in previous years, this summer is shaping up to be another scorcher. While the sun is a welcome sight, high temperatures, especially those exceeding 85 degrees, can make city life uncomfortable. Instead of relying on air conditioning, we suggest planning a trip to the coast to cool down at one of the best beaches in the US.

Our travel experts have examined 35 of the most popular beaches across various states. To determine the best beach, we considered factors such as visitors’ online reviews, average summer temperatures, and relevant retail price data.

A perfect beach day includes essentials like a sun lounger for shade, cool drinks such as local beer or cocktails, and a scoop of ice cream. Fortunately, as our study found, these can all be enjoyed without breaking the bank.

Discover Top Low Budget Beaches!

Oak Street Beach, Chicago, Illinois

Located in Chicago’s Gold Coast district, Oak Street Beach is the best low-budget option for every Chicagoan looking to escape the midsummer heat. The beach offers all the necessities for a perfect day off. You can rent a sun lounger for $20 and enjoy ice cream for around $3.95. A beer costs $7. Oak Street Beach is one of the most popular beaches in the US, with a Google rating of 4.8.

Driftwood Beach, Jekyll Island, Georgia

Driftwood Beach on Jekyll Island holds a distinct charm. While the island's shore boasts soft white sands and inviting waters, the beach is popular for an unconventional reason—the abundance of driftwood. Driftwood Beach is an inspiring sight where entire trees are washed ashore, creating a picturesque backdrop. A regular serving of ice cream close to the shore costs only $3, and local diners serve drinks starting at $4.

Zuma Beach, Malibu, California

Zuma Beach is the most budget-friendly beach in California, easily accessible via the Pacific Coast Highway. It's ideal for escaping the midsummer city temperatures of Los Angeles, with opportunities for swimming, beach volleyball, and surfing. After sunset, local diners nearby serve drinks such as beer for $7 and cocktails for $9. If you fancy a scoop of ice cream at the beach, it will cost you $5.

Saint George Island State Park, Florida

Located 70 miles from Tallahassee, St. George Island is a favorite for beachgoers seeking refuge from the scorching Florida heat. The State Park is perfect for camping, swimming, and picnicking. If you're in need of a break, ice cream is available for $4, and cool drinks start at $5.50. While the park entrance requires a small fee, it's absolutely worth it, as this funds amenities like public bathrooms and daily clean-ups.

Ocean City Beach, Ocean City, Maryland

One of the most budget-friendly shores, Ocean City Beach is a perfect getaway for families with children. The nine miles of sandy beach are a local favorite with a wide variety of recreational offerings. The highlight is the boardwalk, featuring shops, restaurants, an amusement park, and a Ferris wheel. Ice cream shops serve treats starting at $4, and a cocktail at one of the local beach bars is around $9.

Some shade and ice cream – the perfect beach day

A beach lounger with an umbrella provides essential protection from the sun and a comfortable spot to relax. While in Hawaii and even in The Hamptons, NY, you can rent one for about $15 a day, at Florida beaches it will set you back more than $50.

For the perfect beach day, delicious ice cream is a must-have. Those looking to save money are best off in Puerto Rico, where ice cream is the cheapest at Balneario Seven Seas ($2.99). Enjoying ice cream is also affordable at Driftwood Beach, GA ($3), Cape May Beach, NJ ($3.75), and Cannon Beach, OR ($3.75).

Beachgoers spend $5.25 on average for a serving of ice cream at US beaches. The most expensive ice cream is sold at Miami Beach, FL ($7.49).

Cheers! Here’s what you’ll pay for beer and cocktails

What’s better on vacation than winding down the day at a beach bar? Cocktails, from Margaritas to Mojitos, are especially popular in summer, ranging from around $7 at Saint George Island State Park, FL, to $14 at Jetties Beach in Nantucket, MA. The average cost of a cocktail at US beaches is $11.

Another beloved classic among refreshments is beer, sold in beach bars for between $4 and $8. On average, you’ll spend $6 for a local beer at the beach. Saving tip: Beachgoers can find significantly lower beer prices at beaches in the Carolinas, Georgia, and Puerto Rico.

Escape the heat in Scandinavia

An increasing number of vacationers are deliberately seeking destinations with more pleasant temperatures to escape the scorching heat of their city. This phenomenon even has its own name: they are looking for a “coolcation”!

The Nordic countries of Scandinavia are a perfect option, offering ideal summer temperatures, breathtaking nature, endless coastlines, and countless lakes for swimming. Particularly popular among travelers who prefer cooler destinations are southern Sweden, Denmark’s islands, the West Fjords in Norway, as well as Scotland and Iceland.

Scandinavian destinations are also ideal for avoiding the tourist crowds that many European countries like Italy, Spain, or Greece already experience.

Hundreds of crystal-clear lakes in Sweden offer a family-friendly alternative to Mediterranean vacations. Here, holiday homes and accommodations with only a few guests are standard, unlike hotel resorts with thousands of visitors.

In Norway, guests can expect a break from record heat and aridity. The summer months bring many long, bright days, with daytime temperatures rarely exceeding 70 degrees. These pleasant conditions are perfect for activities such as hiking, climbing, kayaking, and fishing.

Denmark provides a breath of fresh air with its moderate midsummer temperatures and the calm environment of untouched coastal regions and islands. In the spirit of Hygge, families can focus on the essentials: spending quality time together in nature and unwinding from everyday life.

Popular routes in Scandinavia

Top Beaches for Cooler Escapes

For beachgoers who prefer cooler locations, three beaches are especially recommended. Alki Beach Park in Seattle, WA, Carmel Beach at Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA, and Cannon Beach in Oregon are some of the cooler-tempered shores with average summer temperatures of 60 degrees or less. These are ideal locations for long walks, enjoying the fresh air, birdwatching, and watching the sunset.

While Alki Beach is a typical small city beach and a great spot for locals to hang out after work, Carmel Beach is a wider, sandy shore. Cannon Beach, on the other hand, is an Instagram favorite, with Haystack Rock making it a great photo opportunity.

We identified the best and most affordable beaches by selecting 35 of the most popular US beaches. Our selection was based on factors such as popularity and relevance. For each of the selected beaches, we gathered data according to the criteria outlined below.

Beach Lounger: We manually researched the average daily rental price for a beach lounger, including a parasol. Our sources included rental company websites, Google Maps listings, and the ratings on the Tripadvisor platform. This information was collected only for beaches where loungers are available for hire, contributing 10 percent to the final ranking.

Ice cream: We manually researched the average price for a standard serving of ice cream (typically a scoop) from ice cream parlors and shops located near the beach. Listings on Google Maps and ratings on Tripadvisor were our primary sources. Only businesses adjacent to the beach were considered, and the average price was calculated from multiple listings.

Beer: The average price for a standard bottle of beer was manually researched. Sources included beach bar websites, listings, and guest ratings on platforms like Google Maps and Tripadvisor. Only bars located by the beach were considered, and the average price was calculated from multiple listings.

Cocktails: The average price for a cocktail was also manually researched. For better comparability, the prices for the Spritz drink were researched. Similar sources were consulted, including beach bar websites, listings, and guest ratings on platforms like Google Maps and Tripadvisor. Again, only bars situated by the beach were included, and the average price was calculated from various listings.

Temperature: Average temperatures for June to September were sourced from the Climate Data database. Considering the theme of Heat Escape beaches, those with average temperatures between 67°F and 70°F were rated the highest in our study. Beaches deviating further from this ideal temperature received lower ratings.

Popular vote: All beaches studied are on Google Maps where users and visitors leave reviews and star ratings between 1–5. The visitor rating used in this study corresponds to the average star rating of Google Maps users.

Ranking: Results from all beaches were compared by standardizing the data on a scale from 0 to 100, except for beach loungers and temperature. The beach with the best or most affordable result for each factor received a score of 100, while the worst-performing beach received a score of 0. Other beaches were ranked accordingly between 0 and 100 based on their results.

The final ranking was determined by summing up all standardized evaluation results, also standardized on a scale from 0 to 100. A common normalization formula was applied for standardisations.

This investigation was conducted in May 2024.