America's Most Crowded Beaches

We’ve drawn a line in the sand: these are the most crowded beaches in the U.S.A.

Independence Day brings to mind fireworks, barbecue, and, if you live in Ocean City, crowds. More than 300,000 sun-seekers flood this small Maryland town each July 4th, packing restaurants, boardwalk attractions, and, of course, the beach.

When the summer holiday strikes, fleeing to the beach seems like a no-brainer. After all, what could be better than a sea breeze to cool you off? You and those hundreds of thousands of fellow beachgoers, that is. That’s the kind of maritime mosh pit you’re likely to encounter at America’s popular beaches. And Ocean City, with 4.5 million annual visitors, is hardly the worst offender.

The state of Florida has the greatest number of congested beaches on our list; its two coastlines offer seemingly endless stretches of sand, from Miami’s party scene to secluded Caladesi Island. But it’s California, famous for surfing culture, that claims the questionable honor of America’s No. 1 most crowded beach: Venice Beach, to be precise, which swarms with 16 million sunbathers, fortune-tellers, street performers, and people-watchers.

Arriving at that estimate isn’t an exact science as beach crowds are fluid and dynamic. To crunch the numbers, we relied on the United States Lifesaving Association, which keeps attendance stats for more than 200 beaches. When unavailable, we turned to government organizations like the New York City Parks Department. Not only did Coney Island make our list with 11 million annual visitors, but so did Rockaway Beach, a longtime destination for city-dwelling surfers that’s recently become a hipster favorite. It’s worth braving the crowds both on the sand and in line at the Rockaway Taco food truck.

Though not everyone may be convinced. Once New York and other local authorities have the stats, they might like to boast about how many visitors their beaches receive. But if they proclaim those numbers too loudly, they might scare people away. As the great Yogi Berra put it, “Nobody goes there anymore, it’s too crowded.”

If you do follow the wisdom of crowds, try to time it right by skipping the weekends or going early in the morning—so that you can appreciate the combination of natural beauty and boardwalk amusements that made these beaches popular in the first place. And if you just can’t take the crowds, seek out one of the world’s secret beaches instead.

Annual Visitors: 16,000,000

It can be hard to tell the sunbathers from the fortune-tellers, artists, vendors, and assorted street life that populates America’s most crowded beach. Whether you’ve come to surf the Venice Breakwater, play a little basketball, or people-watch while strolling the boardwalk, it helps if you’re not claustrophobic.

Source: L.A. Beaches & Harbors

Annual Visitors: 13,268,841

If you hope to make the scene this summer in Miami, get in line because so do millions of other visitors. The preening and posing might be most competitive at South Beach, but there are 15 other beaches, such as Bal Harbour and Sunny Isles, where visitors and residents of South Florida negotiate for a little R&R space.

Source: U.S. Lifesaving Association

Annual Visitors: 11,164,975

Coney Island began attracting the masses in the 1830s and shows no sign of losing its singular appeal nearly two centuries later. Amusement rides both new (Luna Park’s Scream Zone) and old (Cyclone roller coaster), Nathan’s Hot Dogs, and Cyclones baseball games are persuasive reasons to brave those crowds.

Source: U.S. Lifesaving Association

Annual Visitors: 9,446,850

Back in 1905, the Pacific Electric Railway started bringing beachgoers to this stretch of Orange County. Now they arrive by different means, but in far greater numbers, crowding the strands of Corona del Mar State Beach and Crystal Cove State Park, while surfers stake out the area between Newport Pier and the Santa Ana River. But whether you’re trying to jog on the boardwalk or jockey for space at The Wedge for a little bodysurfing, show up early to avoid the masses.

Source: U.S. Lifesaving Association

Annual Visitors: 8,000,000

Not everyone is a NASCAR fan in Daytona, the headquarters for the sport. It just seems that way on this famed beach with hard-packed sand that permits cars and has been the epicenter of motor sports for decades. Keep your eyes peeled for cars as well as 8 million fellow humans, especially during events like the NASCAR Coke Zero 400 race each July.

Source: Daytona Beach Area Convention & Visitors Bureau

Annual Visitors: 7,936,526

Strap the longboard to the roof, you’re in Surf City USA. HB, as it’s also known, has 8.5 miles of sandy beach and is the heart and soul of America’s surfing culture, with some of the best surf breaks in California. On the flip side, that means this is one of the state’s most consistently packed beaches.

Source: U.S. Lifesaving Association

Annual Visitors: 7,727,987

The 2.5-mile-long terracotta-colored path skirting this white-sand beach qualifies as one of America’s best beach boardwalks. But expect to find tons of joggers, skaters, and cyclists, not tranquility. The Jet Ski rental shops and restaurants like Le Tub do big business, and even the coral reef off Greene Street can seem crowded at the worst of times.

Source: U.S. Lifesaving Association

Annual Visitors: 7,535,000

Framed by Diamond Head, one of the world’s most climbed (extinct) volcanoes, and with nearly two miles of continuous white sand and palm trees, this iconic Hawaiian beach fills up with tourists and surfers. It is deepest, about 100 feet, in front of the bright pink Royal Hawaiian Hotel. The bathtub-temp turquoise water is ideal for swimming, and waves are usually gentle.

Source: City and County of Honolulu, Emergency Services Department, Ocean Safety & Lifeguard

Annual Visitors: 5,100,000

Hugging the southern shoreline of Long Island, this 10-mile beach resembles Grand Central Station at rush hour on a hot Saturday in August. On those dog days of summer, you need to search hard for a place to spread out a towel that doesn’t infringe upon someone else’s turf.

Source: NY State Parks Department

Annual Visitors: 4,776,993

Sun-seekers in the Brevard area flock to the North Reach in Cape Canaveral, Cocoa Beach, and Melbourne Beach. Surfing is one popular draw, and an afternoon dip in the ocean pairs nicely with a morning devoted to another element—air—at the nearby NASA Kennedy Space Center.

Source: U.S. Lifesaving Association

Annual Visitors: 4,500,000

Visitors began arriving here after the Civil War by stagecoach and ferry. They wouldn’t recognize the beach town now, when more than 300,000 visitors come for the July 4th weekend alone, crowding restaurants, shops, Trimper’s boardwalk carousel, and, of course, the sand.

Source: U.S. Lifesaving Association

Annual Visitors: 4,315,450

This artsy Orange County beach town has only about 22,000 residents but an outsize reputation for beautiful coastal views, waves as high as 15 feet, and plenty of sunshine—an image tarnished only by heavy traffic and too many fellow beachgoers. Try not to let them distract you from the surroundings; dolphins have even been spotted here.

Source: U.S. Lifesaving Association

Annual Visitors: 4,200,000

The good news is that Jax Beach is a great place for sun bathing, swimming, and an energetic volleyball game. The bad news is that this is all-too public information, as more than four million beachgoers descending upon the area every year. The lively bars and clubs are another big draw and make finding a parking spot a challenge.

Source: U.S. Lifesaving Association

Annual Visitors: 4,012,800

One of the world’s biggest beach soccer cultures thrives at Oceanside, north of San Diego. Then there are the buff bodyboarders who compete at Pier View South, often the most crowded local beach. If you think that strolling the 1,942-foot pier, the longest in the West, may give you a break from the hordes, think again.

Source: U.S. Lifesaving Association

Annual Visitors: 4,000,000

Navarre Beach and Pensacola Beach, part of the Gulf Islands National Seashore, provide relief from those steamy southern summers. You’ll breathe a sigh of relief—and that ocean air—but it’s not an entirely zen experience as you’ve got to share those white-sand beaches with hordes of others.

Source: U.S. Lifesaving Association

Annual Visitors: 3,697,500

This is one of America’s beachiest places, where the three-mile-long boardwalk offers amusement rides, a historic Coast Guard station, and a statue of Neptune, god of the sea. Both beach and boardwalk get kudos for being well maintained despite the crowds. Watch out for everyone from sand soccer players to friends piled into four-seat surrey bikes.

Source: U.S. Lifesaving Association

Annual Visitors: 3,656,000

The Ramones got into rock at Rockaway Beach, but you’re more likely to get into dense crowds at this 170-acre urban beach. While serious surfers have been coming for years—it’s the only surfing option in New York City—hipsters have recently caught word, and the area is riding a wave of gentrification. Share the beach with fishermen, handball players, food-truck vendors like Rockaway Taco, skateboarders, and anyone else who can afford the subway fare.

Source: NYC Parks Department

Annual Visitors: 3,550,000

Remarkably soft sand, an easy vibe, thrilling volleyball games, sunsets, and fire pits add up to one of America’s most appealing beaches. It’s even got a 120-year-old icon in the Hotel del Coronado, which starred alongside Marilyn Monroe in Some Like It Hot. Word is definitely out, so you won’t be alone in paradise.

Source: U.S. Lifesaving Association

Annual Visitors: 3,510,299

Florida is known as the Sunshine State, and within this western coastal county, St. Petersburg claims to be the sunniest area in America. It’s certainly popular with beachgoers. Those in-the-know head to North Beach within seven-mile Fort De Soto Park or to Caladesi Island—both previously named America’s best beach by Dr. Beach himself.

Source: U.S. Lifesaving Association

Annual Visitors: 3,500,000

White sand, blue-green water, and killer traffic: these seem to be constants at Clearwater within Pinellas County. On really busy weekends in summer, finding towel space can be a challenge—and the Sunsets at Pier 60 free daily festival means you’re guaranteed to be sharing that romantic mood lighting with plenty of others.

Source: U.S. Lifesaving Association

Annual Visitors: 3,500,000

The 1.2-mile wooden boardwalk opened in May 2010 and, with shops and diversions like mini-golf, has helped revitalize downtown Myrtle Beach. Throngs make their way along the path, and navigating the crowds is the price to pay for this beach’s white sand and clean water.

Source: U.S. Lifesaving Association

Annual Visitors: 3,417,301

The resort town of Palm Beach has an old-school glamorous vibe, but residents do more than count their money. Many head to the beach, to such sandy stretches as Singer Island, Delray, and Boca Raton, with their calm waters. On the plus side, most of these beaches are separated from commercial areas, so they may be crowded at times but they feel pristine.

Source: U.S. Lifesaving Association

Annual Visitors: 2,992,694

You’ll find Belmar south of Springsteen’s haunts in Asbury Park and north of Snooki and her Jersey Shore pals in Seaside Heights. Belmar outdraws them both when it comes to fans. Teens come to party, others come to surf, and tons of families are spread out on some of the finest sand along the Atlantic Coast.

Source: U.S. Lifesaving Association

Annual Visitors: 2,637,353

Ala Moana is the second busiest beach in Honolulu, after Waikiki, and it’s not hard to see why. Great sunsets? Check. Palm trees? Ditto. Protected beach? That’s right, mild waves. Crowds? Umm, well, yes, it can be busy. Finding a place for your towel can be tough and lots of people barbecue here on weekends. Come during the week if you want to soak up the beauty with fewer folks.

Source: City and County of Honolulu, Emergency Services Department, Ocean Safety & Lifeguard

Annual Visitors: 2,232,600

San Clemente State Beach is in surfer-dude territory, but it draws an awful lot of regular Joes, who love the pier, the restaurants, and the fact that it hasn’t been overly commercialized. There are bonfire pits for a classic sunset gathering and old-fashioned swing sets for the kids. Not even the adjacent train tracks or the rocks protruding from the sand deter those who love one of Southern California’s most beautiful beaches.

Source: U.S. Lifesaving Association

Annual Visitors: 2,216,929

Del Mar gets teased for its resident “Del Martians,” but the well-heeled inhabitants of this quaint town, with its gorgeous ocean view homes, are clearly on to something: a couple of million visitors want to emulate them. And why not? Few beaches can boast a grassy picnicking area and a great sandy beach.

Source: U.S. Lifesaving Association

Annual Visitors: 2,200,000

What do you get when you have one of the most beautiful beaches in the world on an island with lots of visitors? Crowds, of course. But you can’t blame them. The hard-packed sand is ideal for joggers and great for beach volleyball and even bike riding. Edged with dunes, live oaks and Carolina pines, it’s a beach lover’s paradise. But it’s no secret.

Source: U.S. Lifesaving Association

Annual Visitors: 2,100,000

Join the folks strolling on the old wooden pier—the second longest in California after the one in Oceanside—and get something to eat at popular Ruby’s Diner, at the pier’s end. There are lovely views of Long Beach Harbor, and waves good enough to draw the longboard crowd. While it’s quiet compared to nearby Huntington Beach, be prepared, that selling point was enough to attract more than two million to Seal Beach last year.

Source: U.S. Lifesaving Association