America's 11 Best White Sand Beaches (That Aren't In Florida)

Travelers have always swarmed to Florida for yellow skies, blue waters, and white sands. The Sunshine State cemented itself as a premier vacation destination in the 1800s and has continued to attract millions of visitors since then. Visitors enjoy the diverse wildlife, boating, hot springs, theme parks, and exciting restaurant scene. But it's the beach scene, tied only by Miami and Orlando's theme parks, that most visitors go to enjoy. From the glamorous shores of the celebrity-strewn South Beach in Miami to the family-friendly waters of Clearwater Beach, Florida has some of the best beaches for every type of beach bum.

But Florida isn't the only place with gorgeous beaches. You can easily find a powder sand beauty closer to home, whether that's the West Coast, the East Coast, or the Midwest. Many of these beaches will come with warm weather for at least part of the year. Some of them — like this Caribbean-blue beachy lagoon in Texas — also come with the clear, blue waters that make a beach trip truly heavenly.

We scoured the nation from coast to coast, using rankings of best regional beaches and official tourism board and city websites to identify the best white sand beaches outside Florida that also have interesting attractions in the surrounding area. With gorgeous sand, clear waters, and many nearby attractions to fill a whole vacation, these white sand beaches are just as fun as Florida's. But you'll have less crowds at many of them — and be closer to home.

Beach combers and lovers of sugary, white sands who want a beach down South, but don't want to go down to Florida, will find the 32 miles of public beach in this small city on Alabama's popular Gulf of Mexico coastline sublime. The waters are a brighter blue, and feature warmer and gentler waves thanks to being on the Gulf of Mexico rather than the Atlantic. For the same reason, the sands stay soft and white, instead of gritty and brown.

Early morning walks uncover tiny seashells, depending on when you visit. And evenings unveil gorgeous orange sunsets. Due to its expansive length, Gulf Shore Public Beaches never get as crowded as Florida's, even in winter when snowbirds flock there for pleasant weather and warm waters. If you visit, there are eight access points that lead to distinct spots on the beach. For the quietest experience, use the access points between 2nd and 13th Streets, and you may get lucky and snag a peaceful spot for yourself. The main access point at Gulf Place West is where you want to go for action like volleyball courts, beach bars, and more.

After your morning at the beach, nearby attractions include the Gulf Shore Museum, go-kart racing, mini-golf, and Jesse's On The Bay, a popular upscale seafood eatery with amazing views. In October, the city holds a popular shrimp festival that sees visitors from all over converging for shrimp and live music.

The Jersey Shore is the go-to beach spot for New Yorkers, as well as residents of New Jersey and Pennsylvania. From rugged golden sand beaches flagged by historic-looking Victorian houses to white sand shores lined with thrilling boardwalks, East Coast dwellers who visit the area all have a favorite beach. Among the many beaches along the Jersey Shore, accolade-heavy Wildwoods is one of the few with white sands.

During summer, crowds flock to Wildwoods to enjoy the award winning beach and its perfect charms. The powder sands are superbly suited to long walks, building sandcastles, or doing nothing. The ocean gets warm around late July, making it ideal for leisurely swims or snorkeling. And with its clear water, Wildwoods Beach is a gorgeous backdrop for selfies or family photos. Perhaps the only thing better than the beach is Wildwoods' exciting boardwalk.

When Reader's Digest named it one of the best boardwalks in America, they were most impressed with Morey Piers — an amusement park with rides everyone will enjoy, whether they be pint-sized riders to full-grown adrenaline junkies. While Morey Piers is impressive, the boardwalk is also filled with homey shops that are responsible for Wildwoods' all-American vibe. Old time carnival games at Retrocade and nostalgic foods like saltwater taffy, funnel cake, and hot dogs all are represented. Visitors also look forward to live summer concerts and July 4th fireworks if visiting during the warmer months.

Although known for its iconic beach scene, not all beaches in California are created equal. Some have large rough waves, making them better for surfing. Others stay cold year round. But if you venture down to the southern part of the state, you'll find San Diego's Coronado Beach with its fairly warm water, white sands, and a long list of awards (including a ranking as USA Today's second best beach in California in 2002). It's definitely worth a visit if you're on the West Coast.

The beach is expansive and wide with plenty of room to spread out, even when its crowded. From the shore, the views of the blue ocean are amazing. But if you look toward town, the hotels and other buildings lining the beach are also nice, given that the beach is part of the upscale Coronado a resort town in San Diego. Inside these buildings, you'll find homes, posh shops, and nice attractions. 

The most iconic building you can see from the beach is the famous Hotel del Coronado with its unmistakable red roof and palace-like turret. Its Victorian architecture and all wood construction is only partially responsible for Hotel Del Coronado's fame. When it opened in 1888, it was the largest resort in the world and has since hosted presidents, celebrities, and kings. If you visit the beach, you can experience the hotel for yourself in a guided tour or by dining in any of the eateries inside. Visitors can eat at Beach and Taco Shack, Sun Deck, and Eno Market & Pizzeria even if they aren't guests at the hotel. There are also restaurants by the ocean, at Ferry Landing, if you want to dine seaside.

For travelers down South — but not quite as far as Florida — Hilton Head Island in South Carolina is a good destination for white, sandy beaches and warm waters. Bordering Georgia and North Carolina, the town is a good vacation spot for those residents. But Hilton Head Island gets more visitors from the Midwestern state of Ohio and Eastern states like Philadelphia and New York.

Once you get there, the destination is a laid back, all season paradise. A popular seafood festival in February and March, the historic Gullah Celebration in February, Oyster Festival in November, and the RBC Heritage Golf Tournament in April keep visitors forever entertained. In winter, temperatures around 60 degrees Fahrenheit make it perfect for kayaking and biking — if not for swimming. These temperatures also make the season ideal for some of Hilton Head Island's other beloved activities like biking and golfing.

Come summer, the white sand beaches come alive. The town's 12 miles of powder sands is the main reason most people visit. Nature lovers can pitch a chair anywhere and watch as baby turtles make their way to the ocean between May and October. The popular Coligny Beach Park is an amenity filled spot with a tree lined boardwalk, swings, gorgeous sand, and a splash pad for the kids. And if the family wants some peace and quiet, head to Mitchelville or Fish Haul Beach. If you visit in summer, Hilton Head Island's beaches can get crowded. so it's best to go early if you want a good spot. Also of note, all the beaches in the town are public so you won't spend a dime to enjoy them. However, if you drive, you'll pay for parking at some.

Alaska may not be the obvious place to go hunting for white sand beaches. Its extreme landscapes summon images of snow capped peaks and polar bears instead of turquoise waters and tropical fish. But Alaskans would be the first to point out that they have numerous beaches. It's just that those beaches are mostly riverside and feature pebbles or black sand with ink-black waters. But, there is a white sand beach — almost a freak of nature as its white sands come from an unexpected source.

That beach is aptly named White Sands Beach, a destination on Kodiak Island that got its sand from the nearby volcano. The volcano erupted over three days in 1912, leaving mounds of white volcanic ash covering the island. Today, that ash is the white sand at the beach and a beloved feature for visitors to the beach. Alaska doesn't get warm enough to comfortably swim in the water, so visitors instead enjoy picnics on the beach, hikes along the coast, and fishing for salmon.

The landlocked Midwest region may not have a coastline along the ocean, but an abundance of lakes, like the popular Lake Michigan, provide plenty of opportunities for days spent on the water. And It just so happens that part of Lake Michigan's coastline is sandy and populated with beaches. One of the best is Empire Beach Village Park, a white sand beauty in the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore in the town of Empire.

While you won't get the sting of salt water, the beach has the most amazing views of the dunes inside Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. You'll also find picnic tables, a nice playground for kids, and a lighthouse. Nearby, there are many trails for hiking and the shops and restaurants of Empire.

This island on the southern tip of Texas actually has two completely different sections. The southern section of the island is home to South Padre Island, filled with miles of gorgeous, tropical charm, water activities, attractions, eateries and hotels. A visit to any of the beaches in South Padre Island puts you on soft white sands kissed by clear waters that stay warm year round. Andy Bowie County Park is good for swimming and will allow your furry friend to roam free on the beach. Meanwhile, Isla Blanca Beach is perfect for surfing and Thrive Beach attracts treasure hunters seeking seashells.

Visitors can book dolphin cruises, parasailing, fishing trips, and thrilling water sports. The area is also home to sea turtle hatching routes, so if you visit in the period from late spring to summer, you can watch while baby turtles make their way to the ocean. If you venture out to the north side, you'll find the Padre Island National Seashore area, where the beaches are in their most natural state and provide a habitat for the many species of birds.

Many other New Yorkers make their way to this fun beach every summer for its many kid-friendly attractions and its idyllic sands. Popular with visitors from New York City and Pennsylvania, and situated in a town voted the happiest in America, a trip to this beach is a whole day affair.

The day starts off with purchasing beach tags and grabbing your umbrella and chair. If it's summer, there will be crowds, especially whole families looking to spend a day out in the sun. Go earlier than July and the water may feel cold, but by midsummer, the temperatures get above 70 degrees Fahrenheit, making it perfect for a swim. As midday rolls around, lunch can be in any of the eateries inside the town or on the boardwalk. On the streets leading away from the beach and into the town, you'll find some of the nicer restaurants. Island Grill, with its colorful murals, has really good seafood, and Varsity Inn is the go to for a menu that serves breakfast all day, casual foods, and a Taylor Ham sandwich (a New Jersey favorite).

Biloxi Beach's shallow waters, almost non-existent waves, and white sands make it perfect for those in the Deep South who always wanted to enjoy a beach without rough waves tumbling around them. The man-made beach lies along the Mississippi Sound, a protected area off the Gulf of Mexico, so it doesn't have the rough currents you get from the ocean. Everything else perfectly mimics beaches along the sea. The sand is expansive and soft underfoot and the water stays warm for most of the year (with summer seeing temperatures above 80 degrees Fahrenheit). Not to mention, when the sun sets, it's magical.

The surrounding town of Biloxi is a resort area with amusement parks, museums, restaurants and casinos, including one from the renowned Hard Rock chain. If you visit, you may recognize the historic Biloxi Lighthouse from social media as it's one of the most popular Mississippi landmarks for taking photos. Visitors can book tours of the lighthouse and other historical landmarks like Beauvoir, home of President Jefferson Davis, the only president of the Confederate States after their secession throughout 1860 and 1861.

Coopers Beach used to be a little more rugged and off-the-beaten path — as well as a good spot to see dolphins swimming from the shore. Now Coopers Beach isn't rugged by any definition. On the contrary, it's as pristine of a beach as you can find up north, thanks to its well-manicured sand and grass. The good news is that it's still somewhat common to spot dolphin pods in the Hampton area where the beach is located.

The posh beach is nestled next to the mansions of Southampton, with sand dunes in between. It was named the best beach in the U.S. for 2025, largely thanks to its white quartz sand. But there is more to Coopers Beach than just the land. The water stays warm from June to September, making the beach a good spot for swimming throughout the summer. There are also picnic tables for visitors who want to pack a lunch as well as a picturesque eatery right on the beach with casual fare.

Visitors from New York City can drive into Long Island where Southampton is located. But parking fees are expensive ($50 at time of this writing) and the distance on the train is the same or even shorter as driving — so the train is also a good bet. Long Island Railroad goes to Southampton from New York's Penn Station and a few other stops in the city. Once you get to Southampton, there's a free ferry to the beach.

If you're anywhere near Maryland, you would have heard of the famous Ocean City, a famous resort area with a long white sand beach in Maryland. The 8 miles of white sands welcome 8 million visitors every year, with the majority coming from surrounding Mid-Atlantic cities like Baltimore, Washington D.C, and Philadelphia. If you live in or around those states, the popular beach is a good bet.

A visit delivers the quintessential beach experience complete with warm weather in summer and boating excursions. Running parallel to the beach is a popular boardwalk stretching 3 miles. Often named among various "best of the best" lists, Ocean City's boardwalk is a treasure trove field with amusements like Jolly Roger, an action-filled amusement park with mini-golf, water parks, rides, and numerous eateries. Due to its popularity, both the beach and boardwalk can get crowded so many visitors skip Ocean City's crowds for the more relaxing Northside Park.

We started by searching for the best beaches in the major regions across the U.S.: the Midwest, East Coast, West Coast and down South. Tripadvisor doesn't maintain lists of beaches ranked regionally so we used diverse resources like U.S. News Travel's ranking of the best East Coast beaches and Dr. Beaches' ranking of the best Great Lakes beaches for the Midwest. From U.S. News Travel's Best Beaches in the U.S., we were able to identify some of the best beaches down south and on the West Coast. Since Texas was large enough to be considered its own region, we consulted the Best Beaches in Texas list on Tripadvisor. Finally, we also identified beaches in Alaska which is large enough to be its own region.

Once we had our list, we used the official tourism board and city websites applicable to each beach to identify the ones with white sands and exciting or unique attractions in the surrounding area. Having traveled to some of the best beaches in the East Coast, personal experience was also drawn upon to help narrow the best beaches in that region. Since we were giving alternatives to beaches in Florida we wanted to include beaches with similar weather to Florida as much as possible. To achieve this, we turned to World Sea Temperatures, an organization that measures ocean temperatures across the globe daily, to narrow the list further to beaches with warm waters at least part of the year. The only exception to this was White Sands Beach in Alaska, which, for obvious reason, wouldn't have water that was warm enough for swimming.