Closest Beaches

Beaches Near Bethesda, MD

Bethesda-to-beach is a solved problem: skip the I-95/50 combo on Friday evenings, drive early Saturday or go Sunday morning, and aim for the Western Shore before the boats crowd in.

Plan This Week

Tuesday looks like the best day across this list.

Strongest single forecast: Purse State Park on Tuesday (74).

Within 60 mi

Chapman State Park

25 mi · ~36 min drive · Charles County, MD

Great day for a beach walk.

63°F water 61°F air 13 to 16 mph wind Best this week: Tuesday (72)

Quiet Waters Park

33 mi · ~47 min drive · Anne Arundel County, MD

Great day for a beach walk.

63°F water 59°F air 15 mph wind Best this week: Tuesday (66)

Beverly Triton Nature Park

33 mi · ~48 min drive · Anne Arundel County, MD

Decent day for photography.

63°F water 58°F air 16 mph wind Best this week: Tuesday (67)

Mayo Beach Park

33 mi · ~48 min drive · Anne Arundel County, MD

Decent day for photography.

63°F water 59°F air 17 mph wind Best this week: Tuesday (67)

Kings Landing Park

34 mi · ~49 min drive · Calvert County, MD

Great day for a beach walk.

63°F water 61°F air 9 to 14 mph wind Best this week: Tuesday (70)

Franklin Point State Park

34 mi · ~49 min drive · Anne Arundel County, MD

Decent day for photography.

63°F water 59°F air 17 mph wind Best this week: Tuesday (71)

Chapel Point State Park

36 mi · ~51 min drive · Charles County, MD

Great day for a beach walk.

63°F water 61°F air 14 mph wind Best this week: Tuesday (69)

Fort Smallwood Park

36 mi · ~52 min drive · Anne Arundel County, MD

Decent day for photography.

63°F water 59°F air 18 mph wind Best this week: Tuesday (68)

North Beach

36 mi · ~52 min drive · Calvert County, MD

Great day for a beach walk.

63°F water 59°F air 15 mph wind Best this week: Veterans Day (66)

Friendship Farm Park

36 mi · ~52 min drive · Charles County, MD

Great day for a beach walk.

63°F water 61°F air 14 mph wind Best this week: Tuesday (70)

Brownies Beach (Bayfront Park)

37 mi · ~53 min drive · Calvert County, MD

Great day for fossil hunting.

63°F water 59°F air 15 mph wind Best this week: This Afternoon (72)

Downs Park

37 mi · ~53 min drive · Anne Arundel County, MD

Decent day for photography.

63°F water 59°F air 17 mph wind Best this week: Tuesday (68)

Sandy Point State Park

38 mi · ~54 min drive · Anne Arundel County, MD

Decent day for photography.

63°F water 59°F air 13 to 17 mph wind Best this week: Tuesday (63)

Purse State Park

39 mi · ~56 min drive · Charles County, MD

Great day for fossil hunting.

63°F water 61°F air 12 to 16 mph wind Best this week: Tuesday (74)

North Point State Park

39 mi · ~57 min drive · Baltimore County, MD

Decent day for photography.

63°F water 59°F air 20 mph wind Best this week: Tuesday (66)

Breezy Point Beach

40 mi · ~58 min drive · Calvert County, MD

Great day for a beach walk.

63°F water 59°F air 15 mph wind Best this week: Veterans Day (65)

Matapeake Beach & Dog Park

40 mi · ~58 min drive · Queen Anne's County, MD

Decent day for photography.

63°F water 58°F air 15 to 20 mph wind Best this week: Tuesday (68)

Cox's Point Park

40 mi · ~58 min drive · Baltimore County, MD

Great day for a beach walk.

63°F water 59°F air 15 mph wind Best this week: Tuesday (68)

Terrapin Nature Area & Beach

41 mi · ~59 min drive · Queen Anne's County, MD

Decent day for photography.

63°F water 58°F air 15 to 20 mph wind Best this week: Tuesday (71)

Rocky Point Beach & Park

42 mi · ~1 hr drive · Baltimore County, MD

Decent day for photography.

63°F water 58°F air 16 mph wind Best this week: Veterans Day (65)

Dares Beach Park

43 mi · ~1 hr 2 min drive · Calvert County, MD

Great day for fossil hunting.

63°F water 59°F air 17 mph wind Best this week: Tuesday (70)

Miami Beach Park

43 mi · ~1 hr 2 min drive · Baltimore County, MD

Great day for photography.

63°F water 60°F air 15 mph wind Best this week: Tuesday (68)

Hart-Miller Island State Park

43 mi · ~1 hr 2 min drive · Baltimore County, MD

Decent day for photography.

63°F water 59°F air 18 mph wind Best this week: Tuesday (71)

Claiborne Landing

45 mi · ~1 hr 5 min drive · Talbot County, MD

Decent day for photography.

63°F water 58°F air 15 to 20 mph wind Best this week: Tuesday (70)

Ferry Point Park

46 mi · ~1 hr 6 min drive · Queen Anne's County, MD

Decent day for photography.

63°F water 58°F air 15 to 20 mph wind Best this week: Tuesday (70)

Distance is straight-line, drive times are estimates

Mileage shown is straight-line distance from the center of Bethesda. Real drive times depend on highway routing, weekend traffic, and where in the metro you start. For summer Saturdays, plan 20–40 minutes longer than the estimates here. The range slider above filters by the same straight-line distance.