You'll Feel Like You're In The Maldives At The Best Sandbars In America

Sandbars form through a variety of natural processes at work but the simple fact is that they are hypnotic formations in the water. A wispy curl of sand, some markedly larger than others, magically appears at certain times of the day, only to disappear a few hours later. Other sandbars remain submerged, but let visitors stand up in water far from the shore. And some sandbars are permanent, less ephemeral, established in the middle of the sea like a stray flock member. Even more exciting than seeing a sandbar is to visit one, to stand on its surface, sometimes just inches above or below sea level, with water all around. 

That sense of intimate connection to the sea while being on land — only just — is something that visitors to the Maldives know all too well. After all, the Indian Ocean island nation is low-lying, with the highest point in the country being about 8 feet above sea level, which allows it to have some sensational beach villas making Maldives even more magical. Sandbars and sandbanks are found all over its islands, like magical realms marooned in the sea. But you don't need to travel to the Indian Ocean to find dreamy sandbars that can make you feel like you are walking on water. In the U.S., there are a number of sandbars that are easy to visit, similar to the Maldives. Better yet, you won't have to deal with jet lag. Using blogs and official tourism websites, we've found the best of them.

Close to the best beaches in Florida's Panhandle, and close to Destin Bridge, this underwater sandbar pulls in many boaters. While the name suggests an island moored in the Gulf of Mexico, Crab Island actually refers to the sandbar that never quite breaks the surface of the sea. It was formerly an island, located in Choctawhatchee Bay, but has since transformed into a simple sandbar. Its selling points are the location — the clear water makes it a great place for just hanging out — and the size, with enough space for scores of water vehicles to comfortably anchor around it. 

That's why, on a warm weekend for instance, you might see tons of boats, kayaks, and jet-skis parked here, and the passengers standing on Crab Island, sipping a cold brew, or just soaking up the vibes. The destination is just as popular with out-of-state visitors as locals, though anyone without their own water transportation can hire a pontoon, or book transfers on a Crab Island Boat Shuttle. "Basically, it's a massive sand bar in the bay where hundreds of boaters, jet skiers and even paddlers come to hang out and party," explains a reviewer on Yelp. "The water here is a gorgeous turquoise and emerald blue color, it's pretty unreal."

This sandbar in the northern part of Biscayne Bay takes its name from the nearby Haulover Park. For visitors to Miami Beach, the best destination for a quick "workation," Haulover Sandbar is a little slice of serenity in a bustling area. This commenter on Google concurs. "Our day at the sandbar was nothing short of magical. From the moment we arrived, we were captivated by the pristine beauty of the crystal-clear waters and the soft, powdery sand beneath our feet." That said, even in a part of the country that doesn't lack places to unwind by the water, Haulover Sandbar is a well-established local haunt. 

Boaters will find lots of places around the sandbar to drop anchor, and on the sandbar, the water rarely gets deeper than waist-high. Once here, visitors can swim, hang out, and have fun. That's why it attracts large crowds of revelers on weekends and public holidays when the weather is warm. On those days, expect to encounter booming music, people guzzling down drinks, and a sense of carefree abandon in the air. For a quieter experience, go to the sandbar on a weekday that isn't a public holiday.

This is another Florida hotspot that varies wildly, in terms of ambience, depending on when you go. "On weekends, the Islamorada Sandbar transforms into a lively marine carnival," notes My Keys Tours of Islamorada. "Picture hundreds of boats, hundreds of people, and an electric atmosphere. It's a party on the water, a celebration of sun, sea, and socializing. If you're in the mood for a vibrant and bustling experience, the weekends at the Islamorada sandbar are a spectacle like no other." Drop by during the week, and the scene is likely to be less frenetic, sometimes with only a handful of boats in attendance. 

This sandbar is also known as Holiday Isle Sandbar, and Whale Harbor Sandbar, and isn't just popular with people, but also dogs that drop by with their owners. Travelers will find the sandbar near Mile Marker 84 on the Florida Keys Overseas Highway. Though it's close to the island of Islamorada — perfect for a restorative weekend in the Florida Keys — it's too far to swim out to. Out there, you might see people with barbecue grills plunked on the sand, cooking up a storm, or sitting on chairs with their feet swishing the shallows. Depending on the tide, the water tends to never get higher than waist-deep, and since the sandbar is long, there are often plenty of places to find a spot to unwind.

Sitting in Sarasota Bay, and close to the markedly larger Longboat Key, Jewfish Key is a mere slip of an island, Visitors won't find much there, except one straight road that dissects it, and a handful of houses along its coast. But Jewfish Key is a fine place for some relaxation, snorkeling in the calm water, and as an easy escape from Bradenton and Sarasota, as long as you have a boat. Just off the key is the sandbar, a slash of white sand that follows the same direction as Jewfish Key. When the boating season picks up, scores of vessels will pitch up by the sandbar, sometimes more than 100, and their passengers unload onto the shallow sand. Visitors will lounge about on inner tubes, or sit on chairs and enjoy a packed meal. 

Just be sure to keep away from the deeper sections where the currents can be unpredictable, and deceptively potent. "It's a perfect place for relaxing with family and exploring for sea creatures," notes the blog Lazy Locations. "The edges of the bar offer fantastic swimming holes and the water is super clear and very comfortable."

The Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse & Museum stands tall, a towering red beacon with a black top on the Loxahatchee River. Spend some time on the Jupiter Sandbar, and you will be able to see the lighthouse from it. The sandbar is located where a number of waters congregate — the Jupiter Inlet, the Loxahatchee River, and the Intracoastal Waterway. It appears at low tide, and when it does on weekends, swarms of boats descend to experience its liminal existence. 

When the tide reaches its lowest ebb, the sandbar is only a few inches below sea level. Composed of squishy sand and soft grass, it's a pleasant place to spend a few hours. Some parts of it attract families looking for some peaceful enjoyment, other sections are more aligned to the party crowd. Even if you don't have your own boat, you can book passage via a tour with operators like Flying Lady Boat Tours, passing celebrity homes en route.

On the east coast of Oahu, Kaneohe Bay is a realm of clear water and vibrant coral reefs. It's a protected bay, the largest of its type in Hawaii, and since the water is generally calm, the snorkeling is excellent. Visitors are likely to see lots of fish, and colonies of healthy coral, as well as manta rays and turtles. The bay is huge, extending for miles, and around it above the water travelers will see forested hills and mountains, their peaks sometimes cloaked in clouds, and fine sandy beaches. 

If you time your trip to the bay during low tide, you'll also enjoy another treat. The Kaneohe Bay Sandbar is in the middle of the bay, about a mile from shore. It's about waist-deep in water, though the water level can be lower, and is huge, about a mile in length. Standing on it is an unforgettable experience, as this contributor on Google notes. "We took a catamaran excursion that spent a couple hours at the sandbar and it was incredible. It felt surreal being able to walk around so far out into the ocean. The water was knee-deep for us."

A small body of water close to South Beach Park Boca Raton, this lake is so tiny, that you could easily miss it on a map. Yet, it's gained a big reputation for the Boca Bash, the annual spring event that takes place here on the last Sunday of every April. The setting for the boating fiesta is the sandbar on Lake Boca Raton, located in the center of the lake. 

Boats congregate around the sandbar, ringing it like a bulls-eye, and revelers take to the water, frolicking in the shallows, floating around on inflatable tubes, eating, drinking, and having fun. There's also music, plenty of spirited cheer, and lots of people standing in knee-deep water in the middle of the lake. Outside the yearly event, the sandbar is still an enjoyable place to visit, as this reviewer on Yelp attests. "The water is clear and Beautiful! There is a food & activities boat that anchors on the weekends near the sandbar! The sandbar is a great spot to enjoy the water, sip, and relish in the sun!"

This sandbar by Key Biscayne is named after the former president who lived nearby. Getting to the sandbar usually entails sailing past some pretty fancy mansions, homes to celebrities, and local movers and shakers. On a warm spring or summer weekend, the sandbar tends to fill with visitors ready to have a good time, which is why you'll see people snorkeling, swimming, sipping cold beers, and floating on tubes while music pumps out. "At low tide, the water is about waist deep and it's clear blue," writes a reviewer on Yelp. 

"You can snorkel and paddle board here and the waters are usually very calm. On the weekends if the weather is nice, it will be packed with day trip boaters, so get here early to secure a nice spot." The destination, also known as Nixon's Sandbar, or Mashta Flats, is located close to where Nixon's Miami home was, though the house was demolished earlier this century.

This sandbar close to the Blue Heron Bridge is also near the Phil Foster Memorial Park, one of the most stunning snorkeling destinations in the U.S. Peanut Island itself sits in the Intracoastal Waterway between North Palm Beach and West Palm Beach. The island was formed as a result of dredging in the area and slowly grew to become a park that is popular with day-trippers in search of a break from urban life. There aren't many facilities there, but there are some fine beaches and swimming, and camping is permitted. 

At the north of the island, at low tide, a sandbar reveals itself, one that has views of a port, the bridge, and marinas. For one visitor to Peanut Island, commenting on Tripadvisor, the sandbar was the standout. "The best part was there was a huge sandbar in the middle of the water next to the island." Travelers to the region can get to the sandbar on a boat trip with Sandhill Charters, and possibly see dolphins and stingrays on the short sail across.

This small sandbar is close to Sebastian Inlet State Park, in Melbourne Beach, a town south of Cape Canaveral. For anyone looking to let loose and have some fun, like this contributor on Tripadvisor, it's the perfect spot. "We take our boat to Sebastian Inlet sandbar, the atmosphere is awesome, all the boats dropping anchor and partying. The water on most days is clear and the temp is perfect. If you can rent a boat or have one, this is the place to be." 

While boats descend on the sandbar throughout the week, weekends are especially busy. Sandbar Sunday is a Floridian favorite, when locals sail to the sandbar, with barbecues, kayaks, floats, and drinks in tow, and get together to kick back, swim, and shoot the breeze in the shallows. The water is calm since the sandbar is sheltered in a lagoon.

This secluded spot near Key West receives simple, sublime praise from a contributor on Google. "Absolutely beautiful sand bar. A must see." Since many of the Florida Keys are composed of mangroves, finding long, sandy beaches on them isn't always easy. That's what makes Snipes Point all the more special. At low tide, a wash of sand appears, and with the clear turquoise water ebbing and flowing around it, it really does look like the Maldives. 

Add to this a swing that looks gloriously rustic, and the whole thing is like an aquatic fantasy come to life. Even at high tide, there is a sliver of a beach here, but when the tide drops, the sandbar expands to generous dimensions. The waters around it are equally attractive, home to sharks and rays. This might explain why the sandbar teems with boats on weekends and holidays, and the smell of grilled food fills the air.

Shaped a little like a guitar plectrum, and located north of Blankenship Bend on the Colorado River, this sandbar is a huge hit among the local yachting crowd. You'll definitely need a boat to get here since it's about 10 miles from London Bridge, and right in the center of the river. It's in the northern part of Lake Havasu, which is a three-hour drive from Las Vegas.

Despite the remoteness of the spot, it's a very popular destination, and several boats can be found on weekends for many months of the year. Passengers come for the scenic tableau and the broad shallows that ensure some easy, saline-free swimming, as well as fine beaches where they can while away the day. While the waters around the sandbar are fine for visitors to enjoy, the green, hilly interior of the island, known also as Sandbar, is barred from entry.

Shaped like a slender crescent moon, Three Rooker Island, sometimes also known as Three-Rooker Bar, didn't actually exist until a decade ago. It's the by-product of tidal and wave interaction, with sand from eroded beaches and parts of the coast finding their way here, slowly building until an island formed. In time, the island came to support plant life and now has slashes of greenery on it. 

It also has sandbars just offshore, which appeal to visitors like this commenter on Google. "Beautiful clear water one side has deep water for large vessels the other side has huge sandbars with 3 ft deep nice relaxing cool waters." The destination is off Florida's west coast near the city of Tarpon Springs. Since access is only by boat, expect to find locals who come to swim, snorkel, and go kiteboarding.

In Michigan's Lower Peninsula, Torch Lake appears like a fine slash between areas of greenery. Visitors will need to stop by the southern end of the lake to find this mammoth sandbar that stretches for almost 2 miles. "Most beautiful lake in the world!" beams a commenter on Google. "Sandbar is huge, no shells or seaweed, perfect for the family! Rent a pontoon, boat or Sea-Doo to get to the sandbar, you must experience this." 

In the summer, the sandbar certainly welcomes tons of boats, But around the Fourth of July, the action really heats up, with revelers descending to eat, dance, party, drink, and enjoy the shallows while seated on a deck chair. In the past, floating restaurants have even made an appearance, catering to the hungry throngs. For a more placid experience on the sandbar, plan to visit when it's not a public holiday, or a weekend.

Sandbars come and go all over the United States, so to narrow down the best of them, we consulted travel blogs with a focus on water and boating — sites like The Barnacle King, Sea Dragon Swings, and Boatzon Dock. To understand what made these sandbars special, we researched each one further on tourism pages, and independent blogs, and added reviews from real travelers, pulling on the pages on Tripadvisor, Yelp, and Google.