What is your favorite East Coast beach?

[shamrock30]

Another North Shore, MA person here. I agree that we have some lovely beaches right here. Just beware of greenhead fly season, although it doesn't affect all the beaches. Crane and Wingaersheek are two that are affected. I also agree with the PEI suggestion, although I haven't been there in a while. Before we moved to the North Shore, we rented a cottage there every summer.

 

[tgarre06]

Ogunquit, Maine. It is one of our happy places!

 

[Boatsanbeaches]

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!

I'll piggyback off of this and say Cape May, New Jersey, the other side of the Delaware river! Awesome historic Victorian town with lots to do!

 

[fredflintstone]

I'll piggyback off of this and say Cape May, New Jersey, the other side of the Delaware river! Awesome historic Victorian town with lots to do!

Oooh and you can take the Ferry over to Jersey for the day too! That is super fun!

 

[Scse1029]

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!

Agreed. This is a great area for beaches with alot to do. We went for the first time last summer with my 3 kids (15,15 & 3) and there was enough to keep them all occupied with outside of the beach.

 

[leebee]

York Beach, ME. There are several beautiful, white-sand beaches here (Long Sands, Short Sands, and Harbor Beach), as well as a "quaint" (honky-tonk?) downtown area with tourist shops, an arcade, bowling alley, restaurants, and York's Wild Kingdom. You can drive out to Nubble Light House and have ice cream at Dunne's. York Village has some historic colonial houses, and there's a great microbrewery (SoME) and a distillery (Wiggly Bridge). It's a 15 minute drive to Portsmouth, NH, which has all KINDS of attractions: Museums, malls, theaters (movie and live), outdoors theater in the park, Strawbery Banke living history museum, a dry-docked submarine to tour, tug boat tours of the harbor or out to the Isles of Shoals, a wonderful downtown area, and incredible restaurants. LOTS to do (and you can drive up the coast to Ogunquit) besides the beach!

 

[Eureka]

I already weighed in on my current fave....however, having grown up in Maine and with a DH who grew up in Ipswich, MA, I'll say that the problem with New England beaches in the summer is that the water is still feeezing. So keep that in mind if enjoying the water is a priority. Also, last time we were at Crane Beach (granted it's been years), the seagulls were very aggressive with wanting people's lunches.

 

[Eureka]

York Beach, ME. There are several beautiful, white-sand beaches here (Long Sands, Short Sands, and Harbor Beach), as well as a "quaint" (honky-tonk?) downtown area with tourist shops, an arcade, bowling alley, restaurants, and York's Wild Kingdom. You can drive out to Nubble Light House and have ice cream at Dunne's. York Village has some historic colonial houses, and there's a great microbrewery (SoME) and a distillery (Wiggly Bridge). It's a 15 minute drive to Portsmouth, NH, which has all KINDS of attractions: Museums, malls, theaters (movie and live), outdoors theater in the park, Strawbery Banke living history museum, a dry-docked submarine to tour, tug boat tours of the harbor or out to the Isles of Shoals, a wonderful downtown area, and incredible restaurants. LOTS to do (and you can drive up the coast to Ogunquit) besides the beach!

York Harbor Inn had a fantastic lobster dinner years ago. Probably still does.

 

[MEM]

Another North Shore, MA person here. I agree that we have some lovely beaches right here. Just beware of greenhead fly season, although it doesn't affect all the beaches. Crane and Wingaersheek are two that are affected. I also agree with the PEI suggestion, although I haven't been there in a while. Before we moved to the North Shore, we rented a cottage there every summer.

The greenheads are gone by August 1st at Crane Beach - its almost like they have little calendars! More likely, its the end of their lifecycle. I take vacation days during the week so we can enjoy the beach without the crowds. The water is colder than I like - I spent childhood summers at Rehoboth Beach, DE.

 

[Princess Minnie321]

York Beach, ME. There are several beautiful, white-sand beaches here (Long Sands, Short Sands, and Harbor Beach), as well as a "quaint" (honky-tonk?) downtown area with tourist shops, an arcade, bowling alley, restaurants, and York's Wild Kingdom. You can drive out to Nubble Light House and have ice cream at Dunne's. York Village has some historic colonial houses, and there's a great microbrewery (SoME) and a distillery (Wiggly Bridge). It's a 15 minute drive to Portsmouth, NH, which has all KINDS of attractions: Museums, malls, theaters (movie and live), outdoors theater in the park, Strawbery Banke living history museum, a dry-docked submarine to tour, tug boat tours of the harbor or out to the Isles of Shoals, a wonderful downtown area, and incredible restaurants. LOTS to do (and you can drive up the coast to Ogunquit) besides the beach!

We love York! We live about 45 minutes away so we are already planning a bunch of beach days at short sands and a day at York animal kingdom.

 

[wendow]

I already weighed in on my current fave....however, having grown up in Maine and with a DH who grew up in Ipswich, MA, I'll say that the problem with New England beaches in the summer is that the water is still feeezing. So keep that in mind if enjoying the water is a priority. Also, last time we were at Crane Beach (granted it's been years), the seagulls were very aggressive with wanting people's lunches.

I have always wondered about this. I grew up in south TX and vacationed at the beaches in TX or we drove to FL. Do the waters even get warm enough at the beaches up north for swimming? No doubt the beaches are gorgeous up there...Much prettier than some of the beaches in the south.

 

[Eureka]

I have always wondered about this. I grew up in south TX and vacationed at the beaches in TX or we drove to FL. Do the waters even get warm enough at the beaches up north for swimming? No doubt the beaches are gorgeous up there...Much prettier than some of the beaches in the south.

Not really. Sand Beach in Acadia National Park (Maine) is not far from where I grew up and we could barely get in past our ankles. The lakes were/are warmer.

 

[wendow]

Not really. Sand Beach in Acadia National Park (Maine) is not far from where I grew up and we could barely get in past our ankles. The lakes were/are warmer.

OH that makes sense. Thanks for your response!

 

[mrodgers]

Though I think Ocean City, MD is disgustingly filthy, I want to take a week alone next year there. It would be great riding the bicycle north from OC 30 miles or so for lunch and hit all the little beach towns and ride back. Looks on the map like in between the towns would be nice stretches where there'd be water on both sides.

Myrtle would certainly be easily doable to ride a bicycle to Pawleys Island, Murrels Inlet and north to North Myrtle, but it wouldn't be as scenic of a ride to get to these areas.

 

[hsmamato2]

what beaches on Cape Cod are the best? I'm heading out there for the first time in many years....