What is your favorite East Coast beach?

[katie111]

Looking to go somewhere new this summer. We live in MA & have been to Maine, RI, Hilton Head and all over Cape Cod. We have 3 very easily sunburned kids ages 10-14 so we need some non-beach activities for them as well. If we can rent a house & drive there, we'd like to bring our dog but we are also open to flying & leaving the dog at home. Resorts are an option as well. Would love to find some hidden gem we have never heard or thought about.

Any thoughts?

 

[kymom99]

Siesta key Florida is on the gulf side. Beautiful white sand

 

[Hikergirl]

Assateague Island (Maryland) National Seashore. We rent a cottage in an RV resort near there, and it is close to Ocean City. I have been to beaches from Maine to VA, and that is by far my favorite. The wild horses are pretty amazing, and they come and walk, and even sleep on the beach.

 

[Northernlites]

Grand Bend Ontario Canada, probably one of North America's top five white sand beach. Plus your dollar buys $1.35 Canadian. Lots of Americans have summer seasonal properties along Lake Huron.

Keeping with the Canadian theme the JW Marriott at Lake Rosseau 2hours North of Toronto is an amazing 5 star resort. It has everything you need....... http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/yqajw-jw-marriott-the-rosseau-muskoka-resort-and-spa/

 

[Eureka]

I grew up in Maine and like Ogunquit up there. But I live in the mid-Atlantic now and love Rehoboth Beach, DE. There are midway games on the boardwalk, rides, mini golf on the roof and plenty of shopping and food.

 

[fredflintstone]

Lewes, Rehoboth, Dewey and Bethany Beach are all great choices. Lots to do and they all tie into each other. Lewes is very calm water with a nice friendly slow feel, Rehoboth has rougher waves and TONS of things to do. The boardwalk is unlike any other (besides Ocean City, MD), my kids always love to go to the boardwalk when we go home for a visit. Lots of shopping, arcade and rides and good restaurants. You have to have broccoli bites at Grotto's even their pizza is good, grab a Nic-o-boli from Nicola's, Thrasher's fries for sure, and then Kohr Bros ice cream. Dewey Beach used to be more for the kids, as in college kids and a big party scene. I know they have tried to change that, but not sure how well they have done with that. I love going to the Rusty Rudder for dinner and drinks on the deck...before the night time craziness comes along. It surely is a great vacation for sure!


ETA: these are in the lower part of Delaware!

 

[magicmommy]

I'm from the North Shore. Have you tried the Cape Ann Beaches? Gloucester, Rockport, Manchester by the sea and Ipswich all have some great beaches.

 

[HeatherC]

Outer Banks

 

[bearzabout]

We like Ocean City NJ or Cape May (take the ferry for the day to Rehoboth and Lewes as mentioned above), Myrtle Beach SC, or Williamsburg (drive to Virginia beach for the day).

 

[Judique]

Assateague Island (Maryland) National Seashore. We rent a cottage in an RV resort near there, and it is close to Ocean City. I have been to beaches from Maine to VA, and that is by far my favorite. The wild horses are pretty amazing, and they come and walk, and even sleep on the beach.

I have been to East Coast beaches from Nova Scotia in Canada to Key West in Florida and this is one of my favorite places.

Another favorite is Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. Great walking beaches with firm sand there.

 

[Ngwira]

My vote is for the "Joisy" shore. Ocean city, cape may, Long Beach island...you can't go wrong with any of them.

 

[snoopy5386]

Outer Banks, Myrtle Beach, Emerald Isle NC, Seabrook Island SC

 

[My3Princez]

I love Carolina Beach in NC. Small-town beach feel, but lots of options nearby. Fort Fisher & the aquarium. Tony Silvagni Surf School/Rentals. Britts Donuts on the Boardwalk (only one type, cash only, and people stand in line for up to an hour for them - they are that good!) The beach allows you to use pop-up tents for shade (many others only allow umbrellas) and just Tuesday night the town voted to allow dogs on the beach during prime season before 9am and after 5pm. (They were already allowed on the beach from October-March). You can also take the ferry boat to SC and drive to Myrtle Beach for the day.

 

[Tattylou]

Looking to go somewhere new this summer. We live in MA & have been to Maine, RI, Hilton Head and all over Cape Cod. We have 3 very easily sunburned kids ages 10-14 so we need some non-beach activities for them as well. If we can rent a house & drive there, we'd like to bring our dog but we are also open to flying & leaving the dog at home. Resorts are an option as well. Would love to find some hidden gem we have never heard or thought about.

Any thoughts?

We live in Mass too. We drove to Prince Edward island in Canada one summer. We got a cute cottage for very reasonable cost. It is beautiful up there. Gorgeous red sand beaches and red rocks cliffs. It was a 14 hour drive, but there were some interesting overnight stops along the way (Bay of Fundy - highest tides in the world, amazing to see).

 

[Tattylou]

Assateague Island (Maryland) National Seashore. We rent a cottage in an RV resort near there, and it is close to Ocean City. I have been to beaches from Maine to VA, and that is by far my favorite. The wild horses are pretty amazing, and they come and walk, and even sleep on the beach.

That sounds awesome!

 

[Dakota731]

We like the Outer Banks and the Delaware beaches because they are very dog friendly and he's our baby!

 

[Hikergirl]

It is awesome. I don't know how to add my own pictures but here is one that I found online.

 

[jasmom1022]

We love Wingearsheek in Gloucester, MA. Also really love Scarborough Beach in Maine. Probably not much to do around either of them, though.

-Dianne

 

[Kelly loves Food]

Another MA girl...we love Outer Banks (about a 14 hour drive) and are going to Long Beach Island in NJ this summer

 

[kydisneyfans]

We really enjoyed the Ocean City, MD and Island visit with the horses. We visited Va Beach for the first time last fall and found it really clean and not as touristy as expected. We were stuck inside due to Hermine for a few days though. Myrtle is too commercial for us. We didn't like New Smyrna at all, mostly due to the driving on the beach.