Top Disability Beaches in United States
Located in Newport Beach in Southern California, Newport Municipal Beach is one of the beaches most popular with families in the area because of its clear waters, expansive sands, and picturesque pier.
We’ve all heard of Miami’s South Beach. Featured heavily in iconic films such as Scarface, Miami Vice, Baywatch, Goldfinger, and Ride Along, it’s one of the world’s most famed and instantly recognizable beaches. With its iconic Ocean Drive, renowned restaurants, luxury shopping, opulent hotels and resorts, and bustling nightclubs, South Beach is possibly the world’s most popular beach destination. Additionally, Miami Beach – South was named theBest 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.”
When you arrive at South Beach, you’ll immediately notice the beach’s incredible views. From the sand, beachgoers marvel at Miami Beach’s skyline. With its art-deco architecture, dramatic modern high-rises, and sky-scraping palm trees, the skyline is arguably South Florida’s most iconic sight.
Once you walk onto South Beach’s glistening golden sand, you’ll see that South Beach is more than just a tourist destination. It’s a naturally stunning beach in its own right. With vibrant turquoise water and glistening golden, it’s the perfect place to lounge and enjoy nature while just steps from the big city. While you’re there, be sure to catch South Beach’s vibrant sunsets, which peak at around 7 pm.
Sebastian Beach is one of the most popular beaches for gay beachgoers and recently named the “Hottest U.S. Gay Beach” by Out Traveler. Located across the Ritz Carlton and at the corner of Sebastian Street and A1A, Sebastian Street Beach is often frequented by gay men and is surrounded by guesthouses. Beachgoers rave about how clean the water and sand is. The waves aren’t calm, but the water is warm enough to enjoy a swim. There are lounge chairs and umbrellas for rent, and the presence of lifeguards makes for a relaxing atmosphere.
Connecting South Beach and North Beach is Mid-Beach, which is considered by many to be Miami’s beach neighborhood of the moment. Located near a number of large parking garages, Mid-Beach is easily accessible and convenient. Covering Collins Avenue from the 25th to 50th Streets, Mid-Beach, with its stunning beachfront and views, vibrant atmosphere, diverse amenities, is a destination for Miami beachgoers looking for the liveliness of South Beach with a more upscale and traditional twist.
Separated from bustling Collins Avenue by a raised boardwalk, Mid-Beach is pristine and has kept its natural beauty in the face of massive urban development. It has vibrant turquoise water, glistening white sand, and is lined with lush greenery and tall trees. Its walking paths lead to benches and trails with panoramic views of the Miami Skyline, the Florida coastline, and Fisher Island.
If you’re looking to do more than just lie on the sand during your beach day, Mid-Beach has you covered. Mid-Beach has bike paths, fishing areas, volleyball courts, and a variety of water sports such as sailing, jet-skiing, snorkeling, and paddle-boarding, which promise to keep adrenaline junkies entertained. And, if you’re with kids, take them to the Indian Beach Park Tot Lot located at 46 and Collins Ave. There you will find swings, slides, climbers, canopies, and other fun play areas where the little ones can roam freely.
And while Mid-Beach is already a destination during the day, it absolutely comes alive at night. After the sun sets, Mid-Beach offers world-class nightlife and dining. Looking to party at one of the world’s most popular and exclusive nightclubs? Go to Club LIV at the Fontainebleau Hotel, a celebrity favorite hotspot that offers the ambiance of an ultra-exclusive lounge with the energy of a nightclub. Want the best handcrafted cocktails in Miami? Go to the Broken Shaker, an award-winning bar known for its incredible drinks. If you’re looking for a fun night without the hangover, go to Malibu Farm, a California-style eatery with possibly the best panoramic ocean views in Miami. When you’re ready to call it a night, head over to the Fontainebleau Hotel and get your beauty sleep at one of the city’s most iconic hotels.
Located in the city of Destin, Destin Beach is a beach with white sand.
Considered Manhattan Beach’s more youthful and rowdy counterparty, Hermosa Beach is one of South Bay’s most popular beaches. At Hermosa, experience the quintessential small-town beach experience with a lively twist. Situated near the Los Angeles International Airport, Hermosa Beach offers LA beachgoers a much-needed escape from the hustle and bustle of the big city. Only 40 minutes from the hustle and bustle of Downtown Los Angeles, Hermosa Beach feels worlds away. Although it has less street parking than nearby Manhattan Beach, it’s still far more accessible than many LA beaches even during the summer. Beachgoers flock to Hermosa for its stunning beachfront, which is the spitting image of the perfect LA beach. With its clear and vibrant turquoise water, clean white sand, quaint walking and biking paths, and panoramic views from the bluffs of Palos Verdes to Malibu, Hermosa visitors hitch an umbrella and lounge in paradise.
Located in Honolulu, Waikiki Beach is a beautiful and extremely popular beach with light brown sand and nearby palm trees. This beach is located in the popular touristy neighborhood of Waikiki. The beach’s name in Hawaiian means "spouting water" - the beach received this name because in the past multiple springs and rivers used to flow around this beach – as another fun fact Waikiki Beach was used by Hawaiian nobility for surfing. Waikiki Beach is one of the most famous beaches in the United State and was named the 4th 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.” It is important to note that Waikiki Beach is a part of a larger beach area that stetches for almost two miles that is also called Waikiki Beach – in addition to Waikiki Beach, this larger beach area is composed of seven other beaches including Duke Kahanamoku Beach (also called Kahanamoku Beach and Duke Paoa Kahanamoku Beach Park), Fort DeRussy Beach (also known asFort DeRussy Beach Park, Gray’s Beach (also known as Grays Beach, Halekulani Beach, Kawehewehe, and Grey’s Beach), Royal Hawaiian Beach (also known as Waikiki Beach Center and Royal Moana Beach), Kuhio Beach (also known as "The Ponds", Kuhio Ponds, and Kūhiō Beach), Queen’s Beach (also known as Queen Kapiolani Beach , Queen’s Surf Beach, and Kapiolani Beach Park), and Kaimana Beach (also known as also known as Kaimana Beach Park, Kaimana’s Beach, Waikiki at San Souci Beach, Sans Souci Beach, and San Souci Beach).
Waikiki Beach is constantly threatened by erosion – some of Waikiki Beach’s parts have been significantly reduced in size due to erosion. There are multiple rocky jetties and seawalls near Waikiki Beach – the beach’s southwestern portion particularly has many rocky seawalls near it. Although most of the portions of Waikiki Beach have lifeguards, there are some portions that do not have lifeguard deployment – these portions are located near 2055 Kalia Road, in front a hotel named the Halekulani Hotel, and adjacent to another hotel named Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort. In addition to lifeguards,
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 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.
Located in the Oregonian city of Cannon Beach, the beautiful Cannon Beach is a large four-mile-long beach with light brown sand. Cannon Beach has been named the 2nd 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." Portions of this popular beach are situated below oceanfront bluffs. This beach has a magnificent backdrop of oceanfront hills and residential houses. Many offshore rock formations are present in the water near Cannon Beach and the most iconic offshore rock formation along the Cannon Beach shoreline is a 235-feet tall intertidal basalt sea stack named Haystack Rock - this rock is the third largest intertidal rock formation in the world. This beach was named as the sixth best beach in the United States by TripAdvisor’s Travellers’ Choice awards in 2020. In addition, the beach was also listed by the travel division of the American media company U.S. News & World Report as one the 27 best beaches in the United States. Renowned academic Dr. Stephen Leatherman has listed Cannon Beach as the "Best Overall Beach" in Oregon in his book America’s Best Beaches. The city of Cannon Beach was also listed by National Geographic as one of "America’s Best Beach Towns." A creek occasionally flows through the beach into the Pacific Ocean. As an interesting fact, the beach and the city of Cannon Beach are named after a cannon from the 19th century United States Navy schooner Shark - this cannon was discovered near Cannon Beach’s current location in 1898 and it sparked the name change of the city from "Elk Creek" to "Cannon Beach."
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.
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 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.
North Beach, South Beach’s more mellow counterpart, is quickly becoming Miami Beach’s next destination. Located about 25 minutes away from Downtown Miami and South Beach, North Beach is attracting travelers looking for a beach day that is quiet and relaxing, while still offering Miami’s flair and lively urban atmosphere.
When you ask a Miami native about North Beach, she’ll probably first tell you about its beauty. The beach is wide, with clear turquoise waters and a dramatic shoreline that is hugged by the Miami skyline. Unlike some of Miami’s other bustling and occasionally rowdy beaches, North Beach isn’t nearly as packed, which preserves its natural beauty and serene setting. Situated on North Beach is North Beach Oceanside Park, which is a lush urban park that sits alongside the sandy shore. Lined with tall old-growth trees and greenery, filled with amenities such as barbecue and picnic areas, playgrounds, concessions, showers, a dog run, and convenient street parking, the park enhances North Beach’s natural beauty and creates a more enjoyable setting.
But North Beach is much more than a beach. It’s also a dynamic urban area with activities to keep beachgoers of all ages entertained. Just seven minutes off of North Beach is The Spa at Carillon Miami Wellness Resort, which is the largest and one of the most prolific spas in Miami. From its Finnish sauna to its rooftop pool and crystal steam room, The Spa is the perfect place for anyone looking to double down on relaxation after their beach day. For beachgoers seeking more exciting activities, the North Beach Bandshell is an open-air amphitheater that locals frequent for its many concerts and shows. And when everyone is hungry, North Beach has a variety of great restaurants. Sazon Cuban Cuisine and Cafe Prima Pasta are popular local spots known for their affordable and authentic offerings, as well as their ambiance. When you call it a night, check-in at the Sea Side Resort & Spa in North Beach or the Waterside Hotel, two local boutique hotels with top-notch hospitality and central locations.
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.
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.
