Closest Beaches

Beaches Near Washington, DC

The closest real beach to DC is about 45 minutes east — and the answer is rarely Ocean City. Chesapeake Bay beaches on the Western Shore are the practical day-trip move: less traffic, less parking stress, and water that's usually swimmable earlier in the season.

Plan This Week

Monday looks like the best day across this list.

Strongest single forecast: Chapman State Park on Tuesday (87).

Within 60 mi

Chapman State Park

21 mi · ~30 min drive · Charles County, MD

Skip the beach today.

84°F water 81°F air 8 mph wind Best this week: Tuesday (87)

Kings Landing Park

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

Skip the beach today.

84°F water 84°F air 10 mph wind Best this week: Monday (86)

Quiet Waters Park

29 mi · ~42 min drive · Anne Arundel County, MD

Decent day for sunbathing.

84°F water 85°F air 12 mph wind Best this week: Monday (86)

Beverly Triton Nature Park

29 mi · ~42 min drive · Anne Arundel County, MD

Decent day for sunbathing.

84°F water 84°F air 12 mph wind Best this week: Monday (86)

Mayo Beach Park

29 mi · ~42 min drive · Anne Arundel County, MD

Decent day for sunbathing.

84°F water 82°F air 13 mph wind Best this week: Monday (87)

Franklin Point State Park

30 mi · ~43 min drive · Anne Arundel County, MD

Decent day for sunbathing.

84°F water 84°F air 14 mph wind Best this week: Monday (86)

Chapel Point State Park

30 mi · ~44 min drive · Charles County, MD

Skip the beach today.

85°F water 83°F air 8 mph wind Best this week: Monday (85)

North Beach

31 mi · ~44 min drive · Calvert County, MD

Decent day for sunbathing.

84°F water 85°F air 12 mph wind Best this week: Monday (86)

Brownies Beach (Bayfront Park)

31 mi · ~45 min drive · Calvert County, MD

Decent day for sunbathing.

84°F water 85°F air 12 mph wind Best this week: Monday (86)

Friendship Farm Park

32 mi · ~46 min drive · Charles County, MD

Skip the beach today.

85°F water 82°F air 7 mph wind Best this week: Monday (85)

Breezy Point Beach

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

Decent day for sunbathing.

84°F water 83°F air 12 mph wind Best this week: Monday (86)

Fort Smallwood Park

35 mi · ~50 min drive · Anne Arundel County, MD

Great day for photography.

85°F air 13 mph wind Best this week: Monday (85)

Purse State Park

35 mi · ~50 min drive · Charles County, MD

Skip the beach today.

85°F water 79°F air 7 mph wind Best this week: Tuesday (87)

Sandy Point State Park

35 mi · ~50 min drive · Anne Arundel County, MD

Great day for swimming.

84°F water 87°F air 12 mph wind Best this week: Monday (82)

Downs Park

35 mi · ~51 min drive · Anne Arundel County, MD

Great day for photography.

87°F air 12 mph wind Best this week: Monday (81)

Dares Beach Park

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

Decent day for sunbathing.

84°F water 81°F air 13 mph wind Best this week: Tuesday (87)

Matapeake Beach & Dog Park

37 mi · ~53 min drive · Queen Annes County, MD

Great day for swimming.

84°F water 84°F air 15 mph wind Best this week: Monday (86)

Terrapin Nature Area & Beach

38 mi · ~55 min drive · Queen Annes County, MD

Great day for swimming.

84°F water 84°F air 15 mph wind Best this week: Monday (86)

North Point State Park

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

Great day for photography.

83°F air 14 mph wind Best this week: Monday (85)

Cox's Point Park

41 mi · ~59 min drive · Baltimore County, MD

Great day for photography.

86°F air 12 mph wind Best this week: Monday (84)

Claiborne Landing

41 mi · ~59 min drive · Talbot County, MD

Decent day for sunbathing.

84°F water 84°F air 10 mph wind Best this week: Tuesday (86)

Rocky Point Beach & Park

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

Great day for photography.

87°F air 12 mph wind Best this week: Monday (83)

Snow Hill Farm Park

42 mi · ~1 hr 1 min drive · St. Mary's County, MD

Skip the beach today.

84°F water 82°F air 10 mph wind Best this week: Monday (86)

Ferry Point Park

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

Great day for photography.

84°F water 83°F air 10 mph wind Best this week: Monday (87)

Hart-Miller Island State Park

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

Great day for photography.

85°F air 13 mph wind Best this week: Monday (85)

Distance is straight-line, drive times are estimates

Mileage shown is straight-line distance from the center of Washington. 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.