Best Beaches with Disability Access in the World

Located in the Mission Beach neighborhood of San Diego, Mission Beach is a long and popular beach with light brown sand that is slightly over a mile long.  Travel+Leisure magazine listed this beach as one of the best beaches in the United States, and it is also a favorite of Randall Kaplan, the world’s foremost beach expert who is known as Mr. Beach.

Panama City Beach is a stunning vacation destination that combines tranquil, island paradise with bustling city life. A strip of skyscrapers sits along the golden sand, creating the paradoxical aesthetic that is unique to this Floridian beach. If you're looking for a beach with plenty of thrills and adventures, Panama City Beach is the destination for you.

This beach is the ultimate beach-palooza, with a myriad of watersports, including boating, fishing, parasailing, diving, and more. Take advantage of the opportunity to explore the turquoise waters of the Gulf Mexico by swimming with dolphins, deep-sea fishing on a charter boat, scuba diving through sunken ships and colorful reefs, and more. Scuba diving is especially popular among the artificial reefs of historic shipwrecks, including the Black Bart, World War II Liberty Ship, and Empire Mica. Further your underwater adventures with Panama City Dive Center, which offers diving lessons and the chance to become scuba-certified.

Jet-skiing on a Yamaha Waverunner is another popular beach activity. Enjoy your beach day by slicing through the bright blue waters at incredible speeds. Stand-up paddleboarding is another fun pastime on the beach or on nearby lagoons and rivers -- you can even fish or do yoga on your board! Parasailing is an adrenaline-filled experience above sparkling, blue coastline that many beachgoers go for during the summer months. At the end of the day, head to Saltwater Grill for amazing seafood and cocktails, or to Firefly for a romantic dinner under twinkling lights. It's clear that Panama City Beach is a legendary sandy paradise, complete with water activities, gorgeous views, and great food. Is Panama City Beach the beach for you? Come to Florida's northern coast yourself to find out.

Located in the city of Venice in Southern California, Venice Beach – also known as Venice City Beach - is an extremely popular three-mile long beach that has light brown sand and rocky breakwaters. This beach is very large – approximately 238 acres in size. The southern portion of Venice Beach is known as Venice Pier Beach- this portion received this name because it has a 1,300-feet long pier named the Venice Pier that is also known as Venice Fishing Pier. Venice Beach has been named the 3rd Best Beach in the Top 50 Beaches in the United States list in 2022 by Randall Kaplan, the world's foremost beach expert who is known as "Mr. Beach.” (Please note that Venice Beach in California should not be confused with another popular beach in the United States named Venice Public Beach, which is also known as Venice Beach) that is located in Sarasota County in Florida.) 

Venice Beach hosts many sporting events, and two of them – skateboarding and 3x3 basketball – will be held there during the 2028 Summer Olympics. Venice Beach has lifeguards from 8 am to sunset (that usually occurs around 6 pm) - during summers, lifeguards here are posted from 7 am till sunset (that occurs around 8:30 pm). In addition to lifeguards, Venice Beach and the area around it offer many other amenities including picnic areas, restrooms, showers, bike rental facilities, a bike path, grassy recreational areas, paddle tennis courts, basketball courts, skateboarding, volleyball courts, handball courts, walking paths, nearby watersports equipment rental facilities, and a kids’ play area. Dogs are not allowed on Venice Beach.  

Santa Monica Beach, located in the city of Santa Monica, is a highly popular 3.5-mile-long beach with light brown sand. This beach, also known as Santa Monica State Beach, is divided into three main sections: Santa Monica Beach - North Beach (which is also known as Santa Monica - North Beach and Santa Monica North Beach), Santa Monica Beach - Pier Beach (which is also called Santa Monica - Pier Beach and Santa Monica Pier Beach), and Santa Monica Beach - South Beach ( which is also called Santa Monica – South Beach, Santa Monica South Beach, and Ocean Park Beach). 

Santa Monica Beach—North Beach is quieter, offering a more peaceful experience, while Pier Beach is at the center and features the iconic Santa Monica Pier. Santa Monica Beach - South Beach, also referred to as Ocean Park Beach, is situated to the south of the pier.

Santa Monica Pier, stretching 1,650 feet, is a well-known landmark and draws millions of visitors annually. It is an iconic pier that was initially opened in 1909 and has been designated as a Santa Monica Historic Landmark - this pier offers a large variety of things to do including a popular amusement park named Pacific Park that has the world’s only solar-powered Ferris wheel, fun rides for kids (including a 1920s carousel), an arcade, an aquarium at the end of the pier named Heal The Bay Aquarium, and interesting concessions and shops. If you are planning to fish from the Santa Monica Pier or from any part of Santa Monica State Beach, please follow the local fishing regulations that can be found on the website of California Department of Fish and Wildlife. 

Santa Monica Beach is also frequented by snorkelers and scuba divers, and visitors may spot wildlife such as seals, sea lions, and migrating whales at certain times of the year. If you’re into biking or skating, the Ocean Front Walk (also called the Santa Monica Boardwalk) offers a scenic path with oceanfront views and passes by various restaurants and shops. The North Beach Trail section includes unique artwork inspired by local plant and animal life. A portion of another famous biking trail named the Marvin Braude Bike Trail (also known as The Strand) is also located along Santa Monica State Beach - this popular 22-mile oceanfront biking, jogging, and roller-skating trail mostly runs parallel to the coastline of the Santa Monica Bay.

Located in the city of Pattaya in Chonburi Province on the east coast of the Gulf of Thailand, Pattaya Beach is an immensely popular three-kilometer-long beige sand beach. The beach is divided into three main sections: North Pattaya, Central Pattaya, and South Pattaya.  The northern part of the beach has a quieter atmosphere with upscale hotels, whereas Central Pattaya is known to be the busiest area with numerous shops, spa centers, restaurants, and bars, and South Pattaya is famous for its nightlife. The beach has a beautiful background of many oceanfront buildings, including shops, shopping centers, cafes, nightclubs, upscale restaurants, opulent hotels, and a paved promenade offering incredible views.

Located in Tybee Island near Savannah, North Beach – also known as Tybee Island North Beach and Tybee Island – North Beach – is a popular white-sand beach with multiple rocky jetties.  North Beach has been named one of the Top 50 Beaches in the United States by Randall Kaplan, the world’s foremost beach expert who is known as Mr. Beach.  In addition, this beach has also been listed as one of the "25 Best Beaches in the USA" by Travel+Leisure magazine.

Located in the city of Gulf Shores in Alabama, Gulf Shores Main Public Beach – also known as Gulf Place West and East Beach, Gulf Place, and Gulf Shores Public Beach – is a large and popular white-sand beach.  This beach was listed as one of the 25 best beaches in the United States by the Travel+Leisure magazine.  It was also listed as one of the “The Best Beaches Near New Orleans You Can Drive to This Summer” by the online media website Thrillist, and is a favorite of Randall Kaplan, the world’s foremost beach expert who is known as Mr. Beach.

Located in the eastern part of the Kauai shoreline, Lydgate Beach Park - also called Lydgate Park - is a large and immensely popular recreational park that has a large and two-and-a-half-mile long beach with a large amount of driftwood, a few pebbles, and many nearby trees. This beach is called Lydgate Beach and it is situated near the mouth of the Wailua River. The ocean water near the northern part of Lydgate Beach Park is enclosed by multiple artificial rocky breakwaters - this enclosed double-section pool of ocean water is locally known as the Lydgate Pools (it is also alternatively known as Morgan’s Ponds) and it was built during the 20th century. The idea for a double-sectioned pool (a pool that has two portions) near Lydgate Beach was originally envisioned by Albert S. Morgan Sr. and there is a plaque around the beach that recognizes his contribution to the construction of the pool - Albert was a local resident who became inspired to build a protected swimming pool near Lydgate Beach Park when he encountered a similarly protected saltwater pool during his trip to Italy in 1958. 

It is important to note that while some people may refer to this park as Lydgate State Park, this name is misleading and incorrect because the park is not managed by the Division of State Parks (which is a part of the State of Hawaii’s Department of Land and Natural Resources). Lydgate Beach Park is named in honor of Reverend John M. Lydgate, who was a prominent local community leader and the former pastor of the Lihu’e United Church and the Koloa Union Church. Reverend Lydgate was also the managing director of the McBryde Sugar Company and the Garden Island newspaper before his death in 1922. Lydgate Beach Park has been featured in many movies including the 1962 movie Diamond Head and the 1961 Elvis Presley movie Blue Hawaii. 

Located along the south-eastern shoreline of the island of Oahu, Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve is a preserve that has a scenic bay named Hanauma Bay - this bay has a long unnamed and popular crescent-shaped light-brown sand beach along its shores. This unnamed beach is also known as Hanauma Bay Beach and is situated within a 30,000 year-old volcanic crater called the Hanauma. Many palm trees are present around this scenic beach. Hanauma Bay was earlier a recreational beach park. However, the huge influx of tourists to this popular beach caused significant damage to the local marine landscape and fragile marine biodiversity, prompting local authorities to turn this park into a preserve and take and apply stricter rules for tourist regulation. The meaning of the Hawaiian name of this bay (Hanauma) is widely interpreted as "curved bay" in English. Hanauma Bay was earlier used by Ancient Hawaiian nobles for recreational purposes. In addition, Hanauma Bay was also used by Ancient Hawaiians as a stop-over and launch point for canoes due to its calm water. Ancient fishing tools have also been found around Hanauma Bay by archaeologists. The beach in Hanauma Bay is a favorite of Randall Kaplan, the world’s foremost beach expert who is known as Mr. Beach.  Hanauma Bay has also featured in many films and television shows including Tora! Tora! Tora!, Hawaii Five-O, and Blue Hawaii. 

Located within the popular and beautiful coastal resort of Playa del Carmen along the Riviera Maya in the state of Quintana Roo in Mexico, Playa del Carmen is a long and wide white sand beach.  The beach is positioned along the Yucatan Peninsula on the Caribbean coast and has a beautiful backdrop of many oceanfront buildings, including hotels, restaurants, bars, nightclubs, a promenade lined with many shops, and a large park popularly known as the Parque Los Fundadores, which together offer Instagram-worthy views.  Playa del Carmen is part of the Riviera Maya, a tourism corridor that attracts millions of visitors each year, contributing significantly to the local economy and emphasizing the importance of sustainable tourism practices and conservation efforts while protecting the natural environment and marine life.

Located in the city of Myrtle Beach, Myrtle Beach State Park is a 312-acre state park that has a wide white sand beach which is approximately a mile long. A maritime forest and sand dunes are present near the beach. The beach also has a pier named Myrtle Beach State Park Pier. A creek also flows through the beach into the Atlantic Ocean. Myrtle Beach State Park was the first South Carolina State Park, and has been named the 14th Best Beach in the Top 50 Beaches in the United States list in 2022 by Randall Kaplan, the world’s foremost beach expert who is known as "Mr. Beach." Myrtle Beach State Park has lifeguards in its northern portion between mid-May and mid-September.  

Located in the city of Virginia Beach, Virginia Beach Oceanfront - also known as Oceanfront Beach - is a large and extremely popular beach area that has light brown sand. Virginia Beach Oceanfront has a marvelous background of waterfront high-rise buildings. An approximately three-mile long boardwalk named Virginia Beach Boardwalk is present near the beach - this boardwalk was listed by CNN as one of the 19 best boardwalks in the United States. Additionally, Virginia Beach was named the 48th Best Beach in the Top 50 Beaches in the United States list in 2022 by Randall Kaplan, the world's foremost beach expert who is known as "Mr. Beach.” A rocky jetty is also present near the southern end of the Virginia Beach Oceanfront, along with an aquatic inlet named Ruddy Inlet. 

Located on Siesta Key in Florida’s Sarasota County, Siesta Beach – also known as Siesta Key Beach and Siesta Key Public Beach – is a large and popular beach with white sand.  This beach was named as the best beach in the United States by TripAdvisor’s Travelers Choice awards in 2020.  It was also listed as the 9th best beach in the world by TripAdvisor in 2024, and it is also a favorite of Randall Kaplan, the world’s foremost beach expert who is known as Mr. Beach.   

The beach is open between 6 am and 10 pm.

Located in the city of Key Largo, John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park has a long and narrow beach on the south side of the city of Miami.  John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park is behind many waterways and is adjacent to Key Largo Kampground & Marina which is an awesome family-friendly spot.  John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park is surrounded by many world-renowned restaurants, nightclubs, theaters, and cultural destinations. 

Located in the city of Oxnard, Oxnard Beach Park has a half-mile long and wide beach situated on the north and south side of Hollywood Beach and Mandalay Beach respectively. Also known as Oxnard Shores Beach, Oxnard Beach Park is a great place for families as it has a pirate-themed playground for children. In addition to that, Oxnard Beach Park is a large grass park with palm trees, picnic tables, and barbecues.