Up and down the east coast of the United States, from South Carolina to Maine, summer is the time to hop in the car and head to a beach house for a week or four. Millions of people from Canada and throughout the United States look to the Atlantic coast between June and September to provide affordable and idyllic escapes from the hustle bustle of everyday life. Suitable for parents and children alike, or even college kids on a raucous road trip, these Atlantic beach towns prove that Florida is not the only state with a premium on vacation appeal.
As the principal nexus point of the Grand Strand, a coastline area of the state of South Carolina popular with tourists, Myrtle Beach is a lively resort city. Home to over 300,000 people, the beach town is one of the premier vacation destinations in America, with no shortage of ways to spend your time under the summer sun.
Surfside Beach, South Carolina
In direct contrast to Myrtle Beach, Surfside Beach is a tiny community of under 5,000 people that caters to a different kind of clientele. Known as “The Family Beach”, Surfside plays the part of oceanside hidden gem quite well.
Virginia Beach is synonymous around the world as a vacation playground, with myriad hotels and resorts built up chockablock on a beautiful and lengthy stretch of Atlantic Ocean coast. Incredibly, with just under 500,000 people, the city’s dynamic growth over recent decades now puts it atop all others in the state of Virginia in population terms.
On the border of Delaware, Ocean City is a small community that welcomes scores of tourists every summer, many of whom charter boats to track down a stupendous variety of game fish.
Delaware may not have a global reputation as a tourist destination but people who live in Philadelphia and Wilmington certainly know all about Rehoboth Beach. In the summer months, the resident population of under 2,000 expands over tenfold.
Within close proximity to Rehoboth Beach, Bethany Beach has a reputation as one of the “Quiet Resorts” of the state and as such, draws a large number of summer tourists to comfortable vacation homes up and down the coast.
One of the most popular oceanside towns in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, Provincetown has been a mainstay on the summer vacation calendar for millions of East Coast vacationers since the hippie days of the 1960s. With a vibrant gay community and a notable historic district, Provincetown has a lot to offer.
Another staple for visitors to Cape Cod, Chatham has a history that dates back to the late 17th century and also rose to prominence as a hospitable and laid-back coastal retreat in the 1960s. The small community of under 7,000 people has many superb natural landmarks.
With over 100,000 seasonal residents, Cape May is a rather attractive town at the point where the Delaware Bay meets the Atlantic Ocean. Visitors come for the beach, sunsets, to watch whales and even tour local vineyards.
Famous as a summer vacation resort, Wildwood has been a popular escape for Eastern Seaboard urbanites for decades. Though much of the town’s Jetsons-style futurist architecture seems incredibly dated, Wildwood is still big on beach resort charm.
Perhaps more famous than the Maryland version, Ocean City, New Jersey swells with well over 100,000 tourists in the hot summer season. Known as a top-notch family beach town, Ocean City is affordable and features a great boardwalk for leisurely sunset strolls.
Maine is one of the most beautiful states in all of America but for the most part, soars under the radar. With the motto “Beautiful Place by the Sea”, Ogunquit is a veritable jewel, with great seafood, a gorgeous cove and beach and a serene, casual vibe.
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The pictures are incredible! It really looks like the paradise down there! I would love to go to Virginia Beach sometimes soon but first i have to do some savings!