242 beaches
Best Quiet Beaches
If you want solitude, avoid the obvious: Sandy Point, Ocean City, and anywhere with "state park" in the name on a summer weekend. The quiet beaches are the ones that require effort — advance-reservation parks like Beverly Triton and Mayo Beach, upper-Bay spots like Betterton, working-watermen towns like Rock Hall and Tolchester. Calvert Cliffs and Flag Ponds require hiking to reach the beach, which filters out casual crowds. Weekdays and shoulder season turn even popular beaches quiet.
What to look for
Advance-permit parks, boat-access-only sites, long hike-in trails, or beaches without lifeguards (they stay quieter because families skip them).
Ranked by Today's Conditions
Cape Hatteras National Seashore
Ideal for quiet
Cape Lookout National Seashore
Ideal for quiet
Carmel Beach
Ideal for quiet
Cowans Gap State Park
Ideal for quiet
Dash Point State Park
Ideal for quiet
Duck Beach
Ideal for quiet
Glass Beach (Fort Bragg)
Ideal for quiet
Gold Beach (South Beach Park)
Ideal for quiet
Indian Beach
Ideal for quiet
Kitty Hawk Beach
Ideal for quiet
Kure Beach
Ideal for quiet
Locust Lake State Park
Ideal for quiet
North Topsail Beach
Ideal for quiet
Ocracoke Beach
Ideal for quiet
Saltwater State Park
Ideal for quiet
Sunset Beach (North Carolina)
Ideal for quiet
Topsail Beach
Ideal for quiet
Alki Beach Park
Ideal for quiet
Baker Beach (San Francisco)
Ideal for quiet
Bellevue Landing
Ideal for quiet
Cayucos State Beach
Ideal for quiet
Corolla Beach
Ideal for quiet
Herrington Manor State Park
Ideal for quiet
Holden Beach
Ideal for quiet
La Jolla Cove
Ideal for quiet
Martinak State Park
Ideal for quiet
Pawleys Island
Ideal for quiet
Pfeiffer Beach (Big Sur)
Ideal for quiet
Trap Pond State Park
Ideal for quiet
Whipple Dam State Park
Ideal for quiet
Avalon
Ideal for quiet
Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge
Ideal for quiet
Big Stone Beach
Ideal for quiet
Brigantine
Ideal for quiet
Chic's Beach
Ideal for quiet
Claiborne Landing
Ideal for quiet
Eastern Neck National Wildlife Refuge
Ideal for quiet
False Cape State Park
Ideal for quiet
Fenwick Island State Park
Ideal for quiet
Ferry Point Park
Ideal for quiet
Fort Smallwood Park
Ideal for quiet
Fortescue
Ideal for quiet
Gandy's Beach
Ideal for quiet
Greenwell State Park
Ideal for quiet
Janes Island State Park
Ideal for quiet
Litchfield Beach
Ideal for quiet
Louisa Lane Park (Charlestown Beach)
Ideal for quiet
Myrtle Point Park
Ideal for quiet
North East Community Park
Ideal for quiet
Oxford Beach
Ideal for quiet
Piney Point Lighthouse Museum & Historic Park
Ideal for quiet
Port Mahon
Ideal for quiet
Public Landing Beach
Ideal for quiet
Sandbridge Beach
Ideal for quiet
Savage Neck Dunes Natural Area
Ideal for quiet
Slaughter Beach
Ideal for quiet
Snow Hill Farm Park
Ideal for quiet
Spring Lake
Ideal for quiet
Stone Harbor
Ideal for quiet
Terrapin Nature Area & Beach
Ideal for quiet
Tyaskin Wharf
Ideal for quiet
Villas
Ideal for quiet
Assawoman State Wildlife Area
Great for quiet
Belle Isle State Park
Great for quiet
Betterton Beach
Great for quiet
Beverly Triton Nature Park
Great for quiet
Broadford Lake Park
Great for quiet
Broadkill Beach
Great for quiet
Calvert Cliffs State Park
Great for quiet
Chapel Point State Park
Great for quiet
Chapman State Park
Great for quiet
Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge Beach
Great for quiet
Cove Road Beach
Great for quiet
Dauphin Island Public Beach
Great for quiet
Dundee Creek Marina (Gunpowder Falls SP)
Great for quiet
El Matador State Beach
Great for quiet
Ferry Park (Rock Hall)
Great for quiet
Flag Ponds Nature Park
Great for quiet
Flying Point Park
Great for quiet
Hilton Pier Park
Great for quiet
Jean S. Roberts Memorial Park
Great for quiet
Jefferson Patterson Park & Museum
Great for quiet
Kings Landing Park
Great for quiet
Kitts Hummock Beach
Great for quiet
Leo Carrillo State Park
Great for quiet
Lewes Beach
Great for quiet
Lighthouse Beach
Great for quiet
Madaket Beach
Great for quiet
Pickering Beach
Great for quiet
Prime Hook NWR — Fowler Beach
Great for quiet
Rock Hall Beach
Great for quiet
San Onofre State Beach
Great for quiet
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
Great for quiet
Smith Point Beach
Great for quiet
South Bowers Beach
Great for quiet
St. Michaels Waterfront Beach
Great for quiet
Tolchester Beach
Great for quiet
Woodland Beach Wildlife Area
Great for quiet
Brighton Beach
Great for quiet
Brownies Beach (Bayfront Park)
Great for quiet
Cave Point County Park
Great for quiet
Cox's Point Park
Great for quiet
Cunningham Falls State Park (Hunting Creek Lake)
Great for quiet
Dares Beach Park
Great for quiet
Downs Park
Great for quiet
Empire Beach (Lake Michigan Beach Park)
Great for quiet
Friendship Farm Park
Great for quiet
Heceta Head Beach (Devils Elbow)
Great for quiet
Henderson Beach State Park
Great for quiet
Manhattan Beach Park
Great for quiet
Miami Beach Park
Great for quiet
Orient Beach State Park
Great for quiet
Padre Island National Seashore
Great for quiet
Perryville Community Park
Great for quiet
Purse State Park
Great for quiet
12th Street Beach (Chicago)
Great for quiet
Assateague Island National Seashore
Great for quiet
Boca Chica Beach
Great for quiet
Cannon Beach (Haystack Rock)
Great for quiet
Cape Perpetua Scenic Area
Great for quiet
Cove Point Beach
Great for quiet
Deal Island Wildlife Management Area
Great for quiet
Franklin Point State Park
Great for quiet
Hart-Miller Island State Park
Great for quiet
Long Beach (Washington)
Great for quiet
Margate City
Great for quiet
Mustang Island State Park
Great for quiet
Navarre Beach
Great for quiet
New Germany State Park
Great for quiet
Pass Christian Beach
Great for quiet
Perdido Key State Park
Great for quiet
Point Dume State Beach
Great for quiet
Reeds Beach
Great for quiet
Roaring Point Waterfront Park
Great for quiet
Roger W. Wheeler State Beach
Great for quiet
St. Clement's Island State Park
Great for quiet
St. George Island
Great for quiet
Ventnor City
Great for quiet
West Ship Island
Great for quiet
Whitefish Dunes State Park
Great for quiet
Yachats State Recreation Area
Great for quiet
Barnegat Lighthouse State Park
Great for quiet
Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge
Great for quiet
Cape May Point State Park
Great for quiet
Crystal Cove State Park
Great for quiet
Mayo Beach Park
Great for quiet
North Point State Park
Great for quiet
North Wildwood
Great for quiet
Seaside Park
Great for quiet
Third Beach (La Push)
Great for quiet
Wildwood Crest
Great for quiet
Bandon Beach (Face Rock)
Great for quiet
Bethany Beach
Great for quiet
Cape Disappointment State Park
Great for quiet
Hobuck Beach
Great for quiet
Island Beach State Park
Great for quiet
Sandy Point State Reservation (Plum Island)
Great for quiet
Seal Beach
Great for quiet
South Bethany Beach
Great for quiet
Crane Beach
Great for quiet
Double Bluff Beach
Great for quiet
Ecola State Park
Great for quiet
Morro Bay (Morro Strand State Beach)
Great for quiet
Pacific Beach State Park
Great for quiet
Rockaway Beach
Great for quiet
Shi Shi Beach
Great for quiet
Anini Beach Park
Great for quiet
Fire Island National Seashore — Watch Hill
Great for quiet
Singing Beach
Great for quiet
Wingaersheek Beach
Great for quiet
Fort Worden State Park
Great for quiet
Race Point Beach
Great for quiet
Wilderness State Park
Great for quiet
Presque Isle Park (Marquette)
Great for quiet
Rialto Beach
Great for quiet
Cape Lookout State Park
Great for quiet
Jennings Randolph Lake — Shaw Beach
Great for quiet
Kalaloch Beach
Great for quiet
Hug Point State Recreation Site
Great for quiet
Larrabee State Park
Great for quiet
Ruby Beach
Great for quiet
Lanikai Beach
Great for quiet
Manzanita Beach
Great for quiet
Second Beach (La Push)
Great for quiet
Jenness State Beach
Great for quiet
Magic Island Lagoon
Great for quiet
Wallis Sands State Beach
Great for quiet
Yokohama Bay (Keawaula Beach)
Great for quiet
Hanauma Bay
Great for quiet
Ogunquit Beach
Great for quiet
Tunnels Beach (Makua)
Great for quiet
Mokuleia Beach Park
Good for quiet
Polihale State Park
Good for quiet
Wells Beach
Good for quiet
Pemaquid Beach Park
Good for quiet
Reid State Park
Good for quiet
Maniniowali Beach (Kua Bay)
Good for quiet
Big Beach (Makena State Park)
Good for quiet
Honolua Bay
Good for quiet
Napili Bay
Good for quiet
Tawas Point State Park
Fair for quiet
Papakolea Green Sand Beach
Fair for quiet
Punaluu Black Sand Beach
Fair for quiet
Matagorda Beach
Tough for quiet today
Surfside Beach (TX)
Tough for quiet today
Seaside Beach (30A)
Tough for quiet today
Jamaica Beach
Tough for quiet today
Parker Dam State Park
Tough for quiet today
Grayton Beach State Park
Tough for quiet today
Rosemary Beach (30A)
Tough for quiet today
Topsail Hill Preserve State Park
Tough for quiet today
Cape San Blas (Salinas Park)
Tough for quiet today
Lantana Municipal Beach
Tough for quiet today
Neptune Beach
Tough for quiet today
Oceanfront Park Beach (Boynton Beach)
Tough for quiet today
Cape Canaveral Beach
Tough for quiet today
Pirates Beach
Tough for quiet today
Sullivan's Island Beach
Tough for quiet today
Amelia Island Beach
Tough for quiet today
T.H. Stone Memorial St. Joseph Peninsula State Park
Tough for quiet today
Anne's Beach
Tough for quiet today
Melbourne Beach (Spessard Holland South)
Tough for quiet today
Mexico Beach
Tough for quiet today
Bahia Honda State Park
Tough for quiet today
Bathtub Reef Beach (Hutchinson Island)
Tough for quiet today
Crystal Beach (Bolivar Peninsula)
Tough for quiet today
Cumberland Island National Seashore
Tough for quiet today
Sombrero Beach
Tough for quiet today
Captiva Island Beach (Alison Hagerup Beach Park)
Tough for quiet today
Vero Beach
Tough for quiet today
Coquina Beach
Tough for quiet today
Caladesi Island State Park
Tough for quiet today
St. Simons Island Beach
Tough for quiet today
Edisto Beach State Park
Tough for quiet today
Jekyll Island Beach
Tough for quiet today
Longboat Key Beach (Bayfront Park Access)
Tough for quiet today
Sanibel Island Beach
Tough for quiet today
Headlands Beach State Park
Tough for quiet today
Lovers Key State Park
Tough for quiet today
Port Crescent State Park
Tough for quiet today
Sandy Island Beach State Park (Sandy Pond)
Tough for quiet today
Sims Park Beach (Euclid)
Tough for quiet today