17 Top Beach Camping Spots in the U.S. | Travel

When summertime rolls round, vacationers head exterior in droves to immerse themselves in nature. However with so many gorgeous locales in the U.S. to select from – together with expansive nationwide parks, pristine lakes and tropical islands – deciding the right way to spend your hard-earned trip days generally is a problem. That can assist you make the most of your day without work this summer time, U.S. Information rounded up a number of seashores the place you may camp instantly on or proper subsequent to the sand. Learn on to find which locations are perfect for combining a seaside trip with a tenting getaway. (Observe: A few of the locations talked about could also be affected by the coronavirus outbreak. Verify with the CDC, the U.S. Division of State and native tourism boards earlier than touring.)

Camp like America’s elite did in the early twentieth century at Lengthy Key State Park. Situated in the center of the Florida Keys, this waterfront state park was considered one of many stops alongside Henry Flagler’s Florida East Coast Railway. Everybody from former President Herbert Hoover to American creator Zane Gray frequented this tranquil spot to fish. In the present day, the park’s major oceanfront campground is closed as a result of injury attributable to Hurricane Irma in 2017, however you may nonetheless camp by the shore year-round at the smaller primitive campground. Facilities in this campground, which is simply accessible on foot from the 1.5-mile-long Golden Orb Path, embody restrooms in the parking space and designated campsites with picnic tables, grills and flat sections for tents. Most primitive campsites provide area for as much as 4 individuals, although two websites can accommodate bigger teams with as much as 20 individuals. Reservation prices begin at $22.50 per evening and should be made in advance by cellphone or by means of the Reserve America web site.

In the event you occur to dwell in the Midwest removed from the nation’s West Coast and East Coast seashores, fret not: Northern Wisconsin’s stretch of Lake Superior shoreline options 21 islands and 12 miles of mainland full of small white sand seashores. A number of of the lakeshore’s islands provide campsites on or close to a seaside, together with Outer Island, York Island and Manitou Island. Irrespective of which location you select, you may anticipate finding facilities like fireplace rings and bear-proof meals storage lockers. Some websites additionally provide picnic tables, tent pads and vault bathrooms or stump privies. Hold in thoughts, virtually all of the lakeshore’s campsites are solely accessible by boat. You need to make advance reservations for tenting permits, that are legitimate for as much as 14 days. Anticipate paying $15 per evening for a person campsite that sleeps not more than seven individuals or $30 per evening for a gaggle campsite with area for as much as 21 individuals.

Enterprise 17 miles southeast of Beaufort to camp in South Carolina’s hottest state park. The world’s major draw is its 5 miles of pristine seashores, the place loggerhead sea turtles and varied shorebirds nest each summer time. Looking Island State Park can be residence to a beachfront campground designed for novice campers due to facilities like paved roads and restrooms with scorching showers. Plus, every campsite can accommodate leisure autos and options water and electrical hookups. A dump station can be discovered on-site. As much as six individuals can keep at every campsite, and pets are welcome in all tenting areas. Campsite charges vary from $40 to $65 per evening, relying on the day, season and web site chosen. Most campsites require making reservations for a minimal keep of two nights. You’ll be able to e-book a campsite by cellphone or by means of the South Carolina state parks web site.

Vacationers who desire a dose of journey whereas visiting Northern California ought to spend a number of days tenting at Sonoma Coast State Park. This 17-mile-long stretch of protected shoreline sits lower than 60 miles northwest of Sonoma and Napa, making it simple to tack a while at the seaside onto a wine trip. To get up to phenomenal ocean vistas, camp at considered one of the park’s 27 Wright’s Beach campsites. On-site facilities are restricted (suppose: picnic tables, fireplace rings and bogs with flush bathrooms), however registered campers even have entry to close by Bodega Dunes Campground, which options amenities like scorching showers and a potable water fill station. All Wright’s Beach campsites, which price $35 per evening, provide area for as much as eight individuals and two autos. Non-compulsory reservations could be made 48 hours to 6 months in advance by calling ReserveCalifornia. For guests who don’t make reservations, entry is out there on a first-come, first-served foundation.

Although chances are you’ll be tempted to spend most of your Gulf Coast seaside trip on higher identified South Padre Island, think about touring farther north to North Padre Island. Right here, you will uncover Padre Island Nationwide Seashore, which boasts greater than 130,000 acres of seashores, trails and campsites. A number of seaside tenting areas can be found, together with Chicken Island Basin Campground, the place you may get pleasure from Laguna Madre panoramas and actions like fishing, kayaking and windsurfing. The campground provides sections for each tents and RVs, however there aren’t any on-site facilities apart from coated picnic tables and chemical bathrooms, so plan on stocking up on provides at the Malaquite Customer Middle earlier than you arrive. Campsites are first come, first served and value $8 per day for many campers. You’ll be able to pay at the seashore’s entrance or considered one of the campground’s self-service kiosks. Do you have to want a extra primitive seaside tenting expertise, keep at North Beach or South Beach.

For straightforward entry to a seaside campground from New England cities like Boston and Windfall, Rhode Island, head to Horseneck Beach State Reservation. Located lower than 70 miles south of Boston and about 35 miles southeast of Windfall, this 2-mile-long stretch of sand boasts breathtaking Buzzards Bay vistas, plus wonderful windsurfing, fishing and bird-watching alternatives. Beach wheelchairs are additionally accessible, which means vacationers with mobility points will be capable of get pleasure from the seaside and its surroundings as nicely. At the seaside’s tent-, trailer- and RV-friendly campground, guests will discover 100 partially paved campsites and a wide range of facilities, together with basketball and volleyball courts, a playground, picnic tables, grills, a dump station and restrooms with flush bathrooms and scorching showers. Every campsite can accommodate as much as 4 adults, two tents and two autos. The seaside permits tenting yearly from the first week of Might till Columbus Day. All campsites price $22 per evening for Massachusetts residents and $70 per evening for out-of-state guests.

Get pleasure from each lush greenery and proximity to the seaside at Olympic Nationwide Park. On this nationwide park 75 miles northwest of Seattle, you’ll find trail-filled forests and 70-plus miles of shoreline, which you’ll be able to admire from considered one of two campgrounds with seaside entry: South Beach and Kalaloch. South Beach Campground, the smaller of the two, provides campsites for $15 per evening which might be accessible on a first-come, first-served foundation from Memorial Day to late September. In the meantime, Kalaloch Campground welcomes guests year-round for $22 per evening. Kalaloch’s bigger measurement, prime location and on-site facilities – comparable to flush bathrooms, potable water and fireplace rings – make it considered one of the park’s extra fashionable choices, so plan on arriving early in the day (throughout the offseason) or reserving an area on-line months in advance (for stays between mid-Might and mid-September). Pay additional consideration to which Kalaloch campsite you select, since some areas don’t overlook the Pacific Ocean.

Gulf Islands Nationwide Seashore, which stretches 160 miles from Florida to Mississippi, is residence to 12 areas that includes historic forts, mountaineering trails and white sand seashores. Though the shoreline’s major campgrounds don’t sit instantly on the sand, a number of sections enable backcountry tenting, or tenting in an undeveloped space with no amenities. In Florida, vacationers can seaside camp in the Perdido Key Space. On the Mississippi aspect, campers can select from 4 islands: Petit Bois, West Petit Bois, Horn and Cat. To seaside camp in any of those areas, guests should arrive by boat. None of those areas require buying tenting permits, however maintain in thoughts that campsites should be no less than 300 yards away from chook nests and may solely be established on flat sections away from dunes and vegetation. Since there aren’t any facilities accessible at these seashores, bear in mind to pack ample tenting gear and loads of meals and water.

Head to Kauai’s Napali Coast to camp in the shadow of multicolored sea cliffs. In Napali Coast State Wilderness Park on Kauai’s north shore, most guests select to camp at Hanakoa or Kalalau, which boast proximity to the difficult Kalalau Path. But when your major goal is to sink your toes in the sand whereas tenting, go for quieter Miloli’i. Solely accessible by boat or kayak, this seaside is a haven for monk seals and sea turtles. On-site facilities embody coated picnic tables, fireplace rings and an outhouse. You’ll be able to camp on any flat sections of the seaside; nonetheless, you may solely camp right here from Might 15 to Sept. 7. What’s extra, a tenting allow – which prices $15 per particular person, per evening for Hawaiians and $20 per particular person, per evening for out-of-state guests – is required. These permits are legitimate for not more than three consecutive nights and are offered on-line and at Hawaii’s Division of State Parks places of work.

Whether or not you are on the lookout for a change of surroundings from bustling Ocean Metropolis or a singular tenting expertise, Assateague Island Nationwide Seashore cannot be missed. Maryland’s part of the seashore provides numerous alternatives for leisure actions like kayaking, fishing and swimming. Plus, you will discover two herds of untamed horses right here, which you will spot roaming the seaside out of your oceanside campsite. People and smaller teams can decide from drive-in areas (which might accommodate trailers and RVs) and walk-in areas (which solely allow tents). Each choices price $30 per evening and include facilities like picnic tables and fireplace rings. The seashore’s campground additionally options shared amenities, comparable to dump stations and restrooms with chemical bathrooms and chilly showers. Campsites are open year-round, although reservations are required between March 15 and Nov. 15. Areas refill quick in summer time (particularly on weekends), so think about reserving your web site a number of months in advance.

A quieter seaside park than others discovered in and round close by Santa Barbara, California, Jalama Beach County Park appeals to everybody from surfers to anglers to wildlife fans. Inside this West Coast sanctuary, guests can catch a wave, solid a line or go whale watching and birding. The park additionally serves as an excellent choice for tenting by the Pacific Ocean. All of Jalama Beach’s 107 campsites provide seaside or ocean panoramas, in addition to facilities like picnic tables and barbecue pits. Moreover, the park has restrooms with scorching showers and a comfort retailer that sells grocery staples and fishing gear. Every campsite can accommodate as much as eight individuals and two autos. Camping charges fluctuate relying on the web site chosen and time of 12 months (for choose websites), however beachfront areas – that are thought-about premium websites – price $50 per evening year-round. Most areas must be booked on-line in advance, although 16 websites can be found on a first-come, first-served foundation.

Put a brand new twist on a traditional Cape Cod seaside trip by tenting at considered one of the peninsula’s extremely regarded seashores. At Sandy Neck Beach Park, which sits in the mid cape part of Cape Cod, you may prolong your day at the seaside by tenting in a single day in an off-road automobile or tent. Camping in an off-road automobile can get costly, so think about staying in the primitive tent space. This sandy part of the park is positioned greater than 3 miles away from the parking zone, so you will must hike together with your gear to your web site. Hold in thoughts, Sandy Neck requires beginning your hike earlier than 7 p.m. When you arrive, you will discover facilities like a conveyable bathroom and ingesting water. Each campsite provides area for 5 individuals and two tents. Campsite permits price $20 per evening and can be found on a first-come, first-served foundation at the park’s gatehouse. You’ll be able to keep not than two consecutive nights.

The Florida Keys are residence to a number of seashores that let tenting, but when having fun with phenomenal Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico vistas with out straying too removed from Key West is a precedence, try Bahia Honda State Park. Located 35 miles northeast of Key West on a distant island, Bahia Honda gives a quintessential Florida backdrop (suppose: swaying palm bushes, crystal-clear waters and gorgeous sunsets) for a seaside tenting trip. Inside the park, vacationers can hire snorkeling gear to discover offshore once they’re not bird-watching, fishing or biking onshore. Bahia Honda campgrounds that supply waterfront websites embody Buttonwood and Bayside. Buttonwood is right for vacationers with RVs, as its websites are gravel and include electrical energy hookups and entry to a bathhouse and a dump station. In the meantime, Bayside appeals to campers who wish to tough it, since its solely on-site facilities are picnic tables, grills and water. Most campsites can accommodate as much as eight individuals and value $36 per evening.

Situated inside 50 miles of high Oregon trip locations like Newport and Florence, Siuslaw Nationwide Forest provides the distinctive alternative to mix a visit to the seaside with an outing in the woods. Inside this dense forest’s 630,000-plus acres lies Tillicum Beach Campground, considered one of the space’s hottest spots to camp due to its location and array of actions, comparable to browsing, swimming and whale watching. Tillicum options 61 campsites, most of which overlook the seaside. Campsites can accommodate as much as eight individuals and provide primary facilities like picnic tables and fireplace rings, in addition to entry to flush bathrooms and ingesting water. However bear in mind, showers will not be accessible on-site. The campground is open year-round however fills up quick, particularly in summer time, so plan on reserving your campsite on-line or by cellphone forward of time. Waterfront campsites will set you again $26 per evening.

This assortment of North Carolina seashores beckons to vacationers desirous to chill and unwind. As a result of Cape Lookout Nationwide Seashore is simply accessible by passenger or vehicular ferry, it gives a quieter environment than different native seaside havens in the Outer Banks. After arriving to the seashore, vacationers can climb the Cape Lookout Lighthouse, go birding or get pleasure from water sports activities actions like kayaking and windsurfing. Most of the seashore’s 56 miles of seashores enable guests to camp instantly on the sand with out a allow, making this a wonderful choice for these sticking to a good finances. Nevertheless, all seaside tenting right here is primitive, so campers might want to come ready. It is best to journey with out an RV since there aren’t any roads or hookups. Moreover, amenities like camp shops will not be accessible, although vacationers can entry restrooms in some areas throughout the hotter months. Campsites should sit no less than 100 toes away from constructions and can’t be on high of dunes.

Plan a tenting journey to the barrier island city of Grand Isle – which is positioned about 110 miles south of New Orleans – in the event you’re craving campfire meals that includes recent seafood, unobstructed views of the stars and infinite hours observing the Gulf of Mexico. The 140-acre Grand Isle State Park, at the jap finish of the island, is thought for its sprawling seaside and plentiful wildlife. Whenever you’re not surf fishing, birding or crabbing, seize your tenting gear and head to the park’s major campground. Most of the 63 campsites are pull-through choices with water and electrical energy hookups for RVs, however the finest spots are people who sit instantly on the seaside. The 14 seaside websites strictly for tents are with out water or electrical energy, so plan accordingly. As much as six individuals can keep at a campsite for a most of 14 consecutive days. All seaside websites price $18 per evening and can be found year-round.

Few states can rival Alaska’s rugged magnificence, and considered one of its most awe-inspiring locations is the Kenai Peninsula. Located south of Anchorage, 90% of this outside oasis consists of wildlife-filled wilderness, so you may search for critters like black bears and moose whereas mountaineering, dogsledding or sightseeing by airplane. For a few of the peninsula’s most jaw-dropping views, keep at the Homer Spit Campground. Overlooking Kachemak Bay, glaciers and snow-capped mountains, this campground boasts a first-rate location on the Homer Spit – a slim strip of land with considered one of Alaska’s most extremely regarded seashores. At the campground, you will discover 115 campsites, in addition to facilities like restrooms with scorching showers, laundry amenities and a present store. All websites sit inside 300 toes of the bay, however you will wish to reserve a Beach Entrance area to be proper on the sand. These websites lack electrical, water and sewer hookups, however embody Wi-Fi entry and use of a dump station in the nightly $35 price.