The US coastline is home to many great beach communities, but selecting one that is easy on the budget as well as the eye may be tough. Fortunately, we’ve managed to select out some of the best cheap resorts that guarantee beach-based pleasure on America’s coastlines.
With its year-round warmth and multitude of amusement parks, Florida is strongly represented here, however you’ll find affordable beach holidays on both sides of the US. If you’re searching for a west coast getaway, don’t worry, we’ve picked together some of our favorite Californian coastal sites to select from too.
8 Best Cheap Beach Vacations
Daytona Beach, Florida
Daytona Beach, 2 hours north of Orlando, is a solid favorite for a family-friendly budget holiday. You’ll find amusement parks, crazy golf, and a popular boardwalk here, all stretched out along kilometers of golden beach. In the summer months, there’s a carefree, carnival-like mood in Daytona – especially when there’s a race at the famed Daytona International Speedway racetrack!
After a day of lounging at the beach, come to the Daytona Beach Bandshell. It features free live music from June to September, including a fireworks spectacular on weekends. Here, you may discover a number of motels within close distance of the beach for under $100.
Ocean City, Maryland
Walking the planks of Ocean City’s boardwalk, you start to grasp the lure of this renowned coastal resort. Not much has changed here in the previous 50 years or so. The tantalizing fragrance of Thrasher’s Fries still competes with the caramel popcorn from Fisher’s and the funnel cakes from the Alaska Stand.
There's a great nostalgic thrill to playing old-timey games in Marty’s Playland arcade, and the carousel at Trimper’s Rides is one of the oldest still operational in the US. Northside Park is a fantastic (and free) area to enjoy sea breezes with the family while flying kites or playing catch. If seaside rooms are too dear, consider one of the hotels in West Ocean City a few kilometers inland.
Virginia Beach, Virginia
Virginia Beach is a popular summer vacation area because to its huge variety of restaurants, amusement parks, and steady surf. The quality of the seafood in Virginia Beach is a significant lure. Chesapeake Bay blue crabs, oysters, scallops, and a plethora of seafood are all on the menu at the many beachside eateries. Dine outside on benches with little formality and excellent views.
Hotel rooms may be picked up at low rates in Virginia Beach, making it a favorite budget getaway. First Landing State Park — where the first English colonists came in 1607 – is an ideal site for camping. The park offers around 200 campers and 20 cottages to select from.
Cape May, New Jersey
Cape May is a genteel coastal town famed for its stately Victorian buildings, many of which have been turned into hotels, shops, or restaurants. Cheap hotels are definitely hard to locate in this New Jersey town, but if you have a place to stay, much of the pleasure of Cape May resides in the plethora of free things to enjoy.
Head to the shore to seek for crabs and seashells, or explore the paths interior that lead through woodland and wetlands. Cape May is home to an astonishing amount of migrating birds, and you’ll witness vast groups flashing across the air. Between March and November, you could even sight some humpback whales surfacing off the coast. The inhabitants of Cape May have an active amateur dramatics society too, so you’ll find live theater produced throughout the year.
Read Also: Best Cheap Beach Vacations
Carlsbad, California
Carlsbad embraces the SoCal attitude with its miles of coastline and easy-going charm. This quiet beach hamlet is roughly 30 miles north of San Diego, yet feels much further from the hustle of a large metropolis. The bi-annual Carlsbad hamlet Faire – held every May and November – sees the town overwhelmed with visitors, but the rest of the year is significantly more casual, giving Carlsbad the title “the village by the sea”.
Parts of the beach are backed by steep cliffs, giving the area a wild and rustic air. You may even camp overlooking the beach at various places close to the town center. Volleyball is a popular beach sport here, as well as fishing on Oceanside Pier. On Fridays during the summer, there are free concerts hosted in parks and open places around town.
St Augustine, Florida
St Augustine blends colonial-era elegance with a wonderful stretch of coastline. You will unearth elements of the England and Spain of yesteryear while visiting the town. It may feel, at times, like a tour through the history of America. Several ancient churches in the old town are free to tour, and the Castillo de San Marcos is well worth the small admission price to see the excellently kept 17th-century fortification.
You may walk the few kilometers between the town and the beach to take in the unique vibe of St Augustine, but there are also affordable shuttle carts if you’d prefer not break a sweat. Come dinner times, go for delicious yet economical Cuban food to keep prices down.
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Myrtle Beach is a desirable holiday destination on the Atlantic coast, but clever visitors may still experience the finest of this tourist beach town on the cheap. That said, on a budget you would most likely want to avoid the high season months of June to September. During peak season hotel costs might inflate much over affordable level. To make your pennies stretch farther, travel to Myrtle Beach in spring or late fall. The beach in this region of South Carolina runs over 100 kilometers, and you may enjoy huge portions of it to yourself. For high season stays on the cheap, you may also try camping.
Myrtle Beach boasts an excellent choice of amusement parks, gaming arcades, retail malls, and markets - so you surely won’t be bored. Head to the enormous Sky Wheel to establish your bearings. This fully-fledged beach resort is tailor-made for guests.
Gulf Shores, Alabama
Gulf Shores is a tranquil beach town on a stretch of coast known as the Florida Panhandle. This town has fewer manufactured attractions than adjacent Destin or Pensacola, which means it has a more natural beauty. Gulf Shores is a terrific destination if you’re searching for the simple joys of sun, sea, and beach - but avoid Spring Break since then the town fills with people.
This little town in Alabama even has its own domestic airport, Jack Edwards National Airport, but most travelers fly into Pensacola International farther down the coast and drive the 30 miles to Gulf Shores.
Paula Parente
The US coastline is home to many great beach communities, but selecting one that is easy on the budget as well as the eye may be tough. Fortunately, we’ve managed to select out some of the best cheap resorts that guarantee beach-based pleasure on America’s coastlines.
With its year-round warmth and multitude of amusement parks, Florida is strongly represented here, however you’ll find affordable beach holidays on both sides of the US. If you’re searching for a west coast getaway, don’t worry, we’ve picked together some of our favorite Californian coastal sites to select from too.
8 Best Cheap Beach Vacations
Daytona Beach, Florida
Daytona Beach, 2 hours north of Orlando, is a solid favorite for a family-friendly budget holiday. You’ll find amusement parks, crazy golf, and a popular boardwalk here, all stretched out along kilometers of golden beach. In the summer months, there’s a carefree, carnival-like mood in Daytona – especially when there’s a race at the famed Daytona International Speedway racetrack!
After a day of lounging at the beach, come to the Daytona Beach Bandshell. It features free live music from June to September, including a fireworks spectacular on weekends. Here, you may discover a number of motels within close distance of the beach for under $100.
Ocean City, Maryland
Walking the planks of Ocean City’s boardwalk, you start to grasp the lure of this renowned coastal resort. Not much has changed here in the previous 50 years or so. The tantalizing fragrance of Thrasher’s Fries still competes with the caramel popcorn from Fisher’s and the funnel cakes from the Alaska Stand.
There's a great nostalgic thrill to playing old-timey games in Marty’s Playland arcade, and the carousel at Trimper’s Rides is one of the oldest still operational in the US. Northside Park is a fantastic (and free) area to enjoy sea breezes with the family while flying kites or playing catch. If seaside rooms are too dear, consider one of the hotels in West Ocean City a few kilometers inland.
Virginia Beach, Virginia
Virginia Beach is a popular summer vacation area because to its huge variety of restaurants, amusement parks, and steady surf. The quality of the seafood in Virginia Beach is a significant lure. Chesapeake Bay blue crabs, oysters, scallops, and a plethora of seafood are all on the menu at the many beachside eateries. Dine outside on benches with little formality and excellent views.
Hotel rooms may be picked up at low rates in Virginia Beach, making it a favorite budget getaway. First Landing State Park — where the first English colonists came in 1607 – is an ideal site for camping. The park offers around 200 campers and 20 cottages to select from.
Cape May, New Jersey
Cape May is a genteel coastal town famed for its stately Victorian buildings, many of which have been turned into hotels, shops, or restaurants. Cheap hotels are definitely hard to locate in this New Jersey town, but if you have a place to stay, much of the pleasure of Cape May resides in the plethora of free things to enjoy.
Head to the shore to seek for crabs and seashells, or explore the paths interior that lead through woodland and wetlands. Cape May is home to an astonishing amount of migrating birds, and you’ll witness vast groups flashing across the air. Between March and November, you could even sight some humpback whales surfacing off the coast. The inhabitants of Cape May have an active amateur dramatics society too, so you’ll find live theater produced throughout the year.
Read Also: Best Cheap Beach Vacations
Carlsbad, California
Carlsbad embraces the SoCal attitude with its miles of coastline and easy-going charm. This quiet beach hamlet is roughly 30 miles north of San Diego, yet feels much further from the hustle of a large metropolis. The bi-annual Carlsbad hamlet Faire – held every May and November – sees the town overwhelmed with visitors, but the rest of the year is significantly more casual, giving Carlsbad the title “the village by the sea”.
Parts of the beach are backed by steep cliffs, giving the area a wild and rustic air. You may even camp overlooking the beach at various places close to the town center. Volleyball is a popular beach sport here, as well as fishing on Oceanside Pier. On Fridays during the summer, there are free concerts hosted in parks and open places around town.
St Augustine, Florida
St Augustine blends colonial-era elegance with a wonderful stretch of coastline. You will unearth elements of the England and Spain of yesteryear while visiting the town. It may feel, at times, like a tour through the history of America. Several ancient churches in the old town are free to tour, and the Castillo de San Marcos is well worth the small admission price to see the excellently kept 17th-century fortification.
You may walk the few kilometers between the town and the beach to take in the unique vibe of St Augustine, but there are also affordable shuttle carts if you’d prefer not break a sweat. Come dinner times, go for delicious yet economical Cuban food to keep prices down.
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Myrtle Beach is a desirable holiday destination on the Atlantic coast, but clever visitors may still experience the finest of this tourist beach town on the cheap. That said, on a budget you would most likely want to avoid the high season months of June to September. During peak season hotel costs might inflate much over affordable level. To make your pennies stretch farther, travel to Myrtle Beach in spring or late fall. The beach in this region of South Carolina runs over 100 kilometers, and you may enjoy huge portions of it to yourself. For high season stays on the cheap, you may also try camping.
Myrtle Beach boasts an excellent choice of amusement parks, gaming arcades, retail malls, and markets - so you surely won’t be bored. Head to the enormous Sky Wheel to establish your bearings. This fully-fledged beach resort is tailor-made for guests.
Gulf Shores, Alabama
Gulf Shores is a tranquil beach town on a stretch of coast known as the Florida Panhandle. This town has fewer manufactured attractions than adjacent Destin or Pensacola, which means it has a more natural beauty. Gulf Shores is a terrific destination if you’re searching for the simple joys of sun, sea, and beach - but avoid Spring Break since then the town fills with people.
This little town in Alabama even has its own domestic airport, Jack Edwards National Airport, but most travelers fly into Pensacola International farther down the coast and drive the 30 miles to Gulf Shores.