Experience
Beach
A beach holiday stands or falls on the water and what is behind it: clean swimming, how the wind runs, and a town that keeps its life off-season. Pick the coast first, then a base with beds close to the sand.
Where to stay →Best places to stay for beach
Ranked by global recognition — how widely each place is read about across Wikipedia's language editions. Never paid placement, prices, or reviews.
Los Angeles
California · United StatesLos Angeles stretches along the Pacific coast of Southern California, the largest city in California, known for its beaches and its film studios.
Dubai
Dubai · United Arab EmiratesDubai rises along a creek off the Persian Gulf, the largest city of the United Arab Emirates and a gold-trading port founded in 1833.
Barcelona
Catalunya · SpainBarcelona is the capital of Catalunya, a Mediterranean port city below the wooded ridge of the Serra de Collserola.
San Francisco
California · United StatesFog rolls over the hills of San Francisco, a bay city in northern California, known for its cable cars and the steep curves of Lombard Street.
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv District · IsraelWhite Bauhaus facades line the Mediterranean shore at Tel Aviv, a coastal city in the Gush Dan area of Israel, founded in 1909 beside ancient Jaffa.
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro · BrazilBetween the mountains and the South Atlantic sits Rio de Janeiro, the second-largest city in Brazil, founded in 1565.
The Hague
Provincie Zuid-Holland · NetherlandsThe Hague faces the North Sea in Zuid-Holland, the seat of Dutch government and home to the Peace Palace and the Binnenhof.
Odesa
Odeska Oblast · UkraineOdesa is a Black Sea port in the south-west of Ukraine, capital of Odeska Oblast, known for its grid old town and the Transfiguration Cathedral.
Nice
Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur · FranceNice stretches along the Mediterranean shore on the French Riviera, at the foot of the French Alps, known for the seafront Promenade des Anglais.
San Diego
California · United StatesSan Diego lines the Pacific coast at the southern tip of California, a harbour city on the Mexican border, known for Balboa Park and its Navy waterfront.
Honolulu
Hawaii · United StatesHonolulu is the capital of Hawaii on the southern shore of Oʻahu, a Pacific port city known for Waikiki Beach, the Aloha Tower, and Kawaiahaʻo Church.
Antalya
Antalya · TurkeyAntalya rises above its old harbour on Turkey's Mediterranean coast, a walled city below the Taurus Mountains and the main resort of the Turkish Riviera.139 more Beach destinations, by country
United Kingdom (6)
South Korea (1)
Russia (4)
Sweden (21)
MalmöSkåne County · SwedenHelsingborgSkåne County · SwedenHalmstadHalland County · SwedenYstadSkåne County · SwedenTrelleborgSkåne County · SwedenÄngelholmSkåne County · SwedenVarbergHalland County · SwedenMotalaÖstergötland County · SwedenFalkenbergHalland County · SwedenSimrishamnSkåne County · SwedenLysekilVästra Götaland County · SwedenUlricehamnVästra Götaland County · SwedenBorgholmKalmar County · SwedenTrosaSödermanland County · SwedenHöganäsSkåne County · SwedenLaholmHalland County · SwedenFalsterboSkåne County · SwedenLommaSkåne County · SwedenBåstadSkåne County · SwedenVellingeSkåne County · SwedenSkoghallVärmland County · Sweden
Mexico (6)
Georgia (1)
Lebanon (1)
Thailand (1)
France (7)
Egypt (7)
Dominican Republic (1)
United States (13)
Santa MonicaCalifornia · United StatesLong BeachCalifornia · United StatesSanta BarbaraCalifornia · United StatesBoca RatonFlorida · United StatesConey IslandJersey City · New Jersey · United StatesCorpus ChristiTexas · United StatesVirginia BeachVirginia · United StatesPensacolaFlorida · United StatesMiami BeachFlorida · United StatesWilmingtonNorth Carolina · United StatesLa JollaSan Diego · California · United StatesBarbary CoastSan Francisco · California · United StatesWest SeattleSeattle · Washington · United States
Puerto Rico (1)
India (2)
South Africa (1)
Bulgaria (2)
Morocco (3)
Kenya (1)
Albania (1)
Ukraine (1)
Jordan (1)
Vietnam (1)
Tanzania (1)
Argentina (1)
Malaysia (1)
New Caledonia (1)
Japan (1)
Sierra Leone (1)
Norway (8)
Denmark (20)
SkagenNorth Denmark Region · DenmarkRønneCapital Region of Denmark · DenmarkKøgeRegion Zealand · DenmarkGrenaaCentral Denmark · DenmarkHørsholmCapital Region of Denmark · DenmarkLøkkenNorth Denmark Region · DenmarkGillelejeCapital Region of Denmark · DenmarkFrederiksværkCapital Region of Denmark · DenmarkGreveRegion Zealand · DenmarkIshøjCapital Region of Denmark · DenmarkMarielystRegion Zealand · DenmarkSøndervigCentral Denmark · DenmarkBlokhusNorth Denmark Region · DenmarkHelsingeCapital Region of Denmark · DenmarkÅbybroNorth Denmark Region · DenmarkSolrødRegion Zealand · DenmarkVallensbækCapital Region of Denmark · DenmarkSolrød StrandSolrød · Region Zealand · DenmarkHøjbyRegion Zealand · DenmarkRungsted KystHørsholm · Capital Region of Denmark · Denmark
Finland (1)
Croatia (2)
Colombia (1)
Netherlands (2)
United Arab Emirates (1)
Common questions
What makes a beach destination worth the trip?
Water quality and shelter come first: a swimmable, clean shore beats a long but exposed one. After that it is the town — places that live year-round keep their restaurants and transport when the season ends, which is what separates a beach resort from a beach with a car park.