A beach in summer with a large amount of people

Beach Vacations

The beach holiday is the platonic ideal of vacations: what nearly every traveler, whether active or armchair, dreams of. Soft sand, shady palms, a cold drink, a warm surf—what more could you want? It's no wonder so many ad campaigns hang their hook (and their products) on this seaside ideal: brands of beer, lines of clothes, models of cars. Travel + Leisure writers and editors are no strangers to the allure of the shore, and so search the world for the best beach vacations it can offer.
Latest Stories
Yacht on the sea from top view. Turquoise water background from top view.
The Real Reason Why Some Ocean Water Is More Turquoise Than Others
A waterfront scene with a building having a red roof and a tower surrounded by palm trees and facing a body of water
I’ve Lived in California for 10 Years—and This Is the Best Secret Beach Town in the Golden State
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Boat on a beach with a castle and hill in the background people visible along the shore
9 Stunning Spanish Beach Towns Recommended by Locals and Travel Experts
A wooden hut on a sandy beach with surfboards propped against it
10 of the Best Under-the-radar Beach Towns in Mexico—With World-class Diving and Fabulous Oceanfront Hotels
An observatory dome under a night sky filled with stars and the Milky Way
This Beach Town Is One of the Best Places to Stargaze on the East Coast—and It Has Quiet Beaches and Local Clam Shacks
A coastal view featuring Morro Rock a prominent volcanic plug in Morro Bay visible from the road and beach
It’s Whale-watching Season in California—This Small Town on the Central Coast Is the Best Place to See Them
A lifeguard chair on a wooden platform near the beach with tall grass in the foreground and the ocean in the background
This May Be One of North Carolina’s Best Beach Towns—and It Has Cozy Hotels, Crystal-clear Water, and Southern Charm
A tropical beach with palm trees people walking along the shore and waves reaching the sand
This Is the Best Beach in Hawaii—and It Has White Coral Sand, Calm Clear Waters, and Winter Whale-watching
A vintage car parked near a white building with palm trees in a sunny street corner
This Is California’s ‘Last Great Beach Town’—and It Has One of the Most Peaceful Beaches in the State With No Crowds
Coastal town with moored boats buildings and a distant hill
I’ve Lived in Italy for Over 40 Years—These Are the Most Beautiful Islands No One Talks About
A lighthouse and a nearby house with a fenced yard at sunset
These Are the Best Beach Towns in Georgia, According to Locals
A beachfront view with palm trees near the shore as seen from an arched opening
This Underrated Caribbean Beach Town Is a Celebrity-favorite—and It Has Stunning Beaches, Boutique Hotels, and Crystal-clear Lagoons
Cape Hatteras Lighthouse with a rocking chair in the foreground
This Outer Banks Island Has 70 Miles of Wild Beaches and the Tallest Lighthouse in the U.S.
Aerial view of a coastal city with a long pier extending into the ocean hills visible in the background beach and buildings in foreground
This Beach Town Is California's Best-kept Secret, According to a Local—and It Has a Taco District and Easy Access to One of the State's Best National Parks
Three individuals walking on a sandy beach carrying surfboards waves and cliffs in the background
16 Best Beach Towns to Visit in Portugal, According to Locals
A hand holding white stones in a desertlike landscape with mountains in the background
This Surreal Beach in Spain Has 'Popcorn Sand'—How to Visit
Aerial view of a pier extending into the ocean with a city and sandy beach in the background
I’ve Lived in California for 50 Years—and These Are the Best Secret Beach Towns in the Golden State
A historic Mayan temple structure surrounded by trees in Tulum, Mexico
This Beach Town in Mexico Has Gorgeous Boutique Hotels, Ancient Maya Ruins, and the Whitest Sand in the World
Person lounging on a beach chair between palm trees near the ocean
This Iconic Mexican Beach City Has Award-winning Resorts and Restaurants—Plus Pyramids and Crystal-clear Cenotes
A tropical beach with black sand and palm trees along the shoreline
Travel + Leisure Readers’ 5 Favorite Islands in Hawaii of 2025
Coastal homes and a gazebo near a rocky shore with a view of the water and an American flag waving
10 Best Jersey Shore Towns to Visit This Summer
An empty wooden pavilion at the edge of a calm, grassy coastal area with buildings in the background
This Underrated Coastal Region in South Carolina Has Pristine Beaches and Tasty Local Seafood—but It’s Still Uncrowded and Affordable
A sandy beach at sunset, with calm ocean waves and a partly cloudy sky in the background
This New Jersey Beach Was Just Named One of the Most Underrated Beaches in the U.S.
A wooden drawbridge over water with buildings in the background, a boat near the bridge in a harbor setting
This Tiny Town in Maine Offers a Quintessential New England Summer—With Gorgeous Beaches and a 100-year-old Lobster Restaurant
Virginia Beach boardwalk and oceanfront view, with buildings on one side and sandy beach on the other
The Birthplace of East Coast Surfing Is Getting the First 'Wavegarden' in the U.S.—and It's Just 2 Blocks From the Ocean
View of a coastal town with hillside buildings and a waterfront
10 Postcard-perfect Towns to Visit on the Amalfi Coast, According to Locals
Beachfront swing facing calm ocean waters during sunset, a scenic tropical setting
This Caribbean Island Is Famous for Beautiful Beaches and All-inclusive Resorts—and It’s the Birthplace of Reggae and Jerk Cooking
Aerial view of boats docked near a beach
Guide to Jost Van Dyke in the British Virgin Islands
Aerial view of a beach
Anegada, British Virgin Islands, Travel Guide
Sandy beach, Vomo Island, Mamanuca Islands, Fiji
This Tiny Island Nation's Beaches Were Just Named the Best in the World for 2024
Sandbanks beach with the dunes and Bournemouth in the distance
This Beach Was Named the World's Most Sustainable Beach
Panoramic view of Ghajn Tuffieha Bay (Mellieha) at sunset light, Malta
This Lesser-known Beach Was Just Named the Best in Europe — and It Has Red Sand, Clear Water, and Stunning Cliffs Surrounding It
View of Salt Creek Beach, in Dana Point, Orange County, California
A Local's Guide to the Best Beach Towns in California—With Epic Surfing, Beloved Seafood Restaurants, and Storybook Charm
View of woman swinging on white sand beach relaxing and sunbathing by the lagoon in Mexico
10 Best Beaches Near Merida, Mexico, for Soft Sand, Blue-green Waters, and Thousands of Flamingos
Surfside beach homes. Texas, USA
9 Best Beach Towns in Texas, According to Locals
Beach with Umbrellas-Hilton Head Island,South Carolina
12 Best Beach Towns on the East Coast, According to Locals
Beach Houses in the Outer Banks
This Is the Most Affordable Vacation Destination in the U.S. — and It Has Pristine Beaches
Coopers Beach in Southhampton, NY
This Stunning Beach Was Named the Best in New York State — and It Has Massive Dunes and White Quartz Sand
Cannon Beach, Oregon
This Is the 'Happiest' Beach in the U.S.—and It Has Adorable Puffins, Stunning Rock Formations, and a Charming Town
Beach in Kaanapali, Hawaii
The No. 1 Trending Summer Vacation Spot in the U.S. Has One of the Best Beaches in America
Beach and lifeguard tower on Delray Beach, Florida
This Beach Was Named the Cleanest on the U.S. East Coast
Aerial view of San Juan del Sur with a beach, bay, and a statue on a hill
This Surf Town in Nicaragua Feels Like a Secret—and It's Just 3 Hours From the U.S.
Playa Norte beach in mexico
This Country Has the Most Clean Beaches in All of North and South America—and It's Famous for Its Gorgeous Waters
Sunset over the Rosemary Beach, Florida
This Underrated Coastal Region Is One of the Most Popular Spring Break Destinations This Year, According to Vrbo
Lewes, Delaware waterfront with boats and restaurants in summer
This Charming Delaware Town Has Sandy Beaches, Oyster Houses, and Cute Nautical Inns—How to Visit
A seaside town with a prominent domed church and surrounding buildings along the Amalfi Coast
15 Most Beautiful Beach Towns Around the World
sunset hawaii beach in wailea
16 Best Tropical Vacations in the U.S.
Palawan
23 Affordable Beach Vacations Around the World
View of houses and the Pacific Ocean from a cliff in San Clemente, California
17 Best Beach Towns in the U.S. With Laid-back Vibes and Stunning Coastal Views
Thousand Steps Laguna Beach California
The 25 Best Beaches in California
Aerial view of Thistle Cove in Cape Le Grand National Park, in Western Australia
Discover the World's 26 Most Beautiful Beaches with Breathtaking Views
Elafonissi Beach in Greece
This Is the Best Beach in the World—and It’s Not in the Caribbean
A plam tree on a beach
10 Best Islands to Visit in the South
two people walking on a beach
Ambergris Caye, Belize Travel Guide
Palm trees on a beach
Culebra, Puerto Rico Travel Guide
City Hall on Plaza Benito Juarez in Loreto, Baja California Sur, Mexico. Loreto was the first Spanish colonial city in Baja and the original capitol of all of California. According to some sources the oldest inhabited area of the Baja Peninsula.
Loreto, Mexico Travel Guide
An aerial view of Longboat Key, Florida
Travel Guide to Florida's Charming Longboat Key
Blue and white striped beach umbrellas and people on a beach in Italy
Positano or Capri? How to Decide Between These Iconic Italian Beach Destinations
Bequia Island in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
St. Vincent and the Grenadines Travel Guide
beach paradise with palm tree's and rocks. The Baths National park, Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands, Caribbean.beach ocean scenic vacation destination
How to Plan the Perfect Trip to Virgin Gorda
Willemstad embankment in Curacao, Caribbean.
How to Plan the Perfect Trip to Curaçao
view of seaside village on the coast with bright vibrant hourses and many boats out on the water next to the piers
How to Get the Most Out of a Private Yacht Charter in Croatia, According to a Top Travel Advisor