Summer vacation is mostly over across the U.S., with kids already headed back to school. So now is the perfect time to start planning next year’s beach vacation.
Travelers were busy during summer 2023. On Memorial Day weekend, largely considered the unofficial start of summer, the Transportation Security Administration screened 9.8 million people, surpassing pre-pandemic levels. Trips abroad spiked in popularity as people made up for time lost during pandemic-era travel restrictions.
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However, as inflation made travel more expensive, budget-conscious travelers cut costs by driving to their destinations and staying stateside. During the July 4th holiday, AAA projected 43.2 million people would travel by car, a new record.
Beach destinations were popular this year, according to a survey from vacation-rental platform Vacasa, and outdoor recreation remains a top priority. Not only are beaches a great place to unwind and create family bonding moments, but they also boost people’s mental health.
You can listen to every episode of Florida’s Fourth Estate in the media player below:
So what makes a good beach town? Access to a beach, of course, but also plenty of indoor and outdoor activities to keep kids entertained, warm weather, and a long beach season — the average number of days beaches are open for swimming.
Stacker determined rankings by several factors, giving the most weight to the number of beaches within a quarter mile of a city or town and the total shoreline of those beaches. Weather patterns and the duration of each beach’s swim season affect town scores. The ranking also takes into account the prevalence of beach-related businesses, unemployment rates, and median home prices.
#25. New Smyrna Beach, Florida
- Number of beaches: 3
- Beach length: 21.05 miles
- Average swim season length: 243 days
- Average county summer temperature: 82.6 degrees
- Median home price: $299,900
#24. Riviera Beach, Florida
- Number of beaches: 5
- Beach length: 3.82 miles
- Average swim season length: 122 days
- Average county summer temperature: 83.1 degrees
- Median home price: $240,300
#23. Deerfield Beach, Florida
- Number of beaches: 3
- Beach length: 4.74 miles
- Average swim season length: 243 days
- Average county summer temperature: 83.5 degrees
- Median home price: $245,500
#22. St. Augustine Beach, Florida
- Number of beaches: 2
- Beach length: 15.29 miles
- Average swim season length: 244 days
- Average county summer temperature: 82.7 degrees
- Median home price: $464,100
#21. Marco Island, Florida
- Number of beaches: 6
- Beach length: 11.11 miles
- Average swim season length: 182 days
- Average county summer temperature: 83.0 degrees
- Median home price: $676,000
#20. St. Augustine, Florida
- Number of beaches: 3
- Beach length: 17.87 miles
- Average swim season length: 244 days
- Average county summer temperature: 82.7 degrees
- Median home price: $314,000
#19. Manasota Key, Florida
- Number of beaches: 5
- Beach length: 7.24 miles
- Average swim season length: 364 days
- Average county summer temperature: 82.5 degrees
- Median home price: $746,200
#18. Fort Walton Beach, Florida
- Number of beaches: 3
- Beach length: 6.65 miles
- Average swim season length: 244 days
- Average county summer temperature: 82.2 degrees
- Median home price: $236,500
#17. Pompano Beach, Florida
- Number of beaches: 3
- Beach length: 5.31 miles
- Average swim season length: 243 days
- Average county summer temperature: 83.5 degrees
- Median home price: $259,900
#16. Venice, Florida
- Number of beaches: 7
- Beach length: 6.48 miles
- Average swim season length: 312 days
- Average county summer temperature: 82.4 degrees
- Median home price: $307,600
#15. Laurel, Florida
- Number of beaches: 5
- Beach length: 7.37 miles
- Average swim season length: 218 days
- Average county summer temperature: 82.4 degrees
- Median home price: $389,600
#14. Tampa, Florida
- Number of beaches: 7
- Beach length: 8.14 miles
- Average swim season length: 208 days
- Average county summer temperature: 83.8 degrees
- Median home price: $292,900
#13. Sarasota, Florida
- Number of beaches: 8
- Beach length: 10.8 miles
- Average swim season length: 182 days
- Average county summer temperature: 82.4 degrees
- Median home price: $272,200
#12. Jupiter Island, Florida
- Number of beaches: 3
- Beach length: 7.75 miles
- Average swim season length: 243 days
- Average county summer temperature: 83.5 degrees
- Median home price: $2,000,001
#11. Hallandale Beach, Florida
- Number of beaches: 3
- Beach length: 2.81 miles
- Average swim season length: 364 days
- Average county summer temperature: 83.5 degrees
- Median home price: $248,700
#10. Miramar Beach, Florida
- Number of beaches: 2
- Beach length: 10.15 miles
- Average swim season length: 244 days
- Average county summer temperature: 82.0 degrees
- Median home price: $436,600
#9. Jacksonville, Florida
- Number of beaches: 4
- Beach length: 10.89 miles
- Average swim season length: 244 days
- Average county summer temperature: 82.3 degrees
- Median home price: $215,700
#8. Ormond-By-The-Sea, Florida
- Number of beaches: 2
- Beach length: 13.22 miles
- Average swim season length: 364 days
- Average county summer temperature: 82.6 degrees
- Median home price: $261,400
#7. Lower Grand Lagoon, Florida
- Number of beaches: 2
- Beach length: 11.62 miles
- Average swim season length: 244 days
- Average county summer temperature: 82.3 degrees
- Median home price: $272,600
#6. Miami Beach, Florida
- Number of beaches: 5
- Beach length: 9.46 miles
- Average swim season length: 364 days
- Average county summer temperature: 83.6 degrees
- Median home price: $449,200
#5. St. George Island, Florida
- Number of beaches: 3
- Beach length: 19.16 miles
- Average swim season length: 244 days
- Average county summer temperature: 81.6 degrees
- Median home price: $541,200
#4. Clearwater, Florida
- Number of beaches: 6
- Beach length: 6.83 miles
- Average swim season length: 182 days
- Average county summer temperature: 84.7 degrees
- Median home price: $248,100
#3. Fort Lauderdale, Florida
- Number of beaches: 7
- Beach length: 7.75 miles
- Average swim season length: 260 days
- Average county summer temperature: 83.5 degrees
- Median home price: $380,300
#2. Hollywood, Florida
- Number of beaches: 8
- Beach length: 8.17 miles
- Average swim season length: 258 days
- Average county summer temperature: 83.5 degrees
- Median home price: $306,500
#1. Daytona Beach, Florida
- Number of beaches: 6
- Beach length: 15.75 miles
- Average swim season length: 364 days
- Average county summer temperature: 82.6 degrees
- Median home price: $194,200