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

Tuesday looks like the best day across this list.

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

Within 60 mi

Chapman State Park

21 mi · ~30 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)

Kings Landing Park

28 mi · ~40 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)

Quiet Waters Park

29 mi · ~42 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

29 mi · ~42 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

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

Decent day for photography.

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

Franklin Point State Park

30 mi · ~43 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

30 mi · ~44 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)

North Beach

31 mi · ~44 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)

Brownies Beach (Bayfront Park)

31 mi · ~45 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)

Friendship Farm Park

32 mi · ~46 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)

Breezy Point Beach

34 mi · ~49 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)

Fort Smallwood Park

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

Decent day for photography.

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

Purse State Park

35 mi · ~50 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)

Sandy Point State Park

35 mi · ~50 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)

Downs Park

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

Decent day for photography.

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

Dares Beach Park

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

Great day for fossil hunting.

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

Matapeake Beach & Dog Park

37 mi · ~53 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)

Terrapin Nature Area & Beach

38 mi · ~55 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)

North Point State Park

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

Decent day for photography.

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

Cox's Point Park

41 mi · ~59 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)

Claiborne Landing

41 mi · ~59 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)

Rocky Point Beach & Park

41 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)

Snow Hill Farm Park

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

Great day for a beach walk.

63°F water 60°F air 14 mph wind Best this week: Tuesday (67)

Ferry Point Park

43 mi · ~1 hr 1 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)

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)

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.