Best beaches & resorts on USA Atlantic coast??

ugly_bassplayer · #1 07-12-2011, 06:16 PM

I'm looking for the best places to go on Honeymoon on the Atlantic coast of the USA.

Mainly looking for beaches & cool towns to see & visit.

I'm sure some of you guys can help me out?

Arranger · #2 07-12-2011, 06:55 PM

Myrtle Beach consistently receives honors as one of the 10 best beaches in the USA. It has nice wide beaches, soft sand, gentle waves and it's relatively protected from severe tropical storms. Southern hospitality is the rule there and there are many attractions for folks of all ages. Myrtle is easy to reach, clean and tidy for a busy shore destination. Many of the areas have recently been rebuilt and you can travel many dozens of miles up and down the strip to find just the type of entertainment you crave.

I've only been there once and I give it a big thumbs up. That, in light of the fact that I don't consider myself a beach-goer. I prefer the mountains, by far.

MJ5150 · #3 07-12-2011, 07:44 PM

My wife and I really like the coast of Maine, especially the York area. However, it is not the white sand surfing beaches you may be after. Hampton Beach in New Hampshire is a little more touristy and has some sandy beaches for volleyball, sunbathing, etc. Rye Beach in NH is nice too.

-Mike

ugly_bassplayer · #4 07-12-2011, 07:47 PM

I'm also looking for nice towns to visit.

Keep all the good suggestions coming

ugly_bassplayer · #5 07-12-2011, 07:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MJ5150

My wife and I really like the coast of Maine, especially the York area. However, it is not the white sand surfing beaches you may be after. Hampton Beach in New Hampshire is a little more touristy and has some sandy beaches for volleyball, sunbathing, etc. Rye Beach in NH is nice too.

-Mike

Sounds cool, any cool places to stay??

**nutdog** · #6 07-12-2011, 10:07 PM

I just spent a few days in New Bern, NC. Cool little historic town on the Neuse river. Great food. The whole Carolina outer bank area is nice, including Myrtle. Charleston and Savannah are great towns.

IMO, none of the Atlantic beaches match the gulf coast. From Gulf Shores, AL to Mexico Beach, FL. Navarre if you want nothing but beach. Panama City or Pensacola if you want a little more activity. Beautiful white sand. I like September and October because the crowd thins out and the rates go down but still warm enough to hit the water without being brutally hot.

JimB52 · #7 07-12-2011, 10:09 PM

Cape Cod. Nice beaches, dunes, some cool towns. Woods Hole, Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket. Cape May, NJ. Some nice Victorian architecture. Ride the ferry to Lewes, Delaware. Ocean City Maryland has lots to do, great crab, reasonably priced beachfront hotels, nice beaches.

**JdoubleH** · #8 07-12-2011, 10:22 PM

Narragansett, RI is a fantastic beach town with surprisingly gorgeous beaches. Just across the bay is Newport and the surrounding area is hard to beat for New England sight seeing. I spent many a summer up that way (mom grew up in Kingston). Down here in the South, I'd second the outer banks, but not without first suggesting Tybee island, GA. I'll definitely second Nutdog's suggestion of the gulf coast, though. Destin, FL is a magical place, any time if year.

Tupac · #9 07-12-2011, 10:51 PM

inb4jerseyshore

richnota · #10 07-13-2011, 06:05 AM

The town of Montauk on the very end of Long Island (NY) is quite nice. Not as "posh" as the nearby Hamptons but great, laidback vibe.

LAPetrarca · #11 07-13-2011, 06:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JdoubleH

Narragansett, RI is a fantastic beach town with surprisingly gorgeous beaches. Just across the bay is Newport and the surrounding area is hard to beat for New England sight seeing.

Being from RI, I can vouch for this....depending on the time of year and what you want to do.

Contrary to popular belief, we REALLY only have three seasons.......winter, summer and fall. What used to be our spring (from around mid-March to mid-June) is now, for the most part, a more temperate version of winter with rain in place of snow and cold/cool, cloudy, damp, gray days.

Fall is popular for watching the leaves turn color and is a beautiful time of year. Short though......two to four weeks, depending on the type of summer.

Winters in RI are pretty boring. not much going on.

Summertime......well, it's pretty much non-stop. Beaches, Newport, all kinds of music and cultural festivals......and Boston is only an hour away.

MJ5150 · #12 07-13-2011, 09:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ugly_bassplayer

Sounds cool, any cool places to stay??

I am more of a corporate traveler, preferring national chains, while my wife likes to venture out and try bed & breakfast type joints and smaller hotels/motels. So we did a little of both when we went.

The Hilton Garden Inn in Portsmouth, New Hampshire is very nice. The York Harbor Hotel is also really nice, but isn't luxury. It felt more like home than a hotel. Everything was clean and worked, the staff were all real friendly.

We also stayed at the Hampton Inn in Wells, Maine. That was great too, and real close to several beaches. You get the nice amenities you expect from the Hampton chain. It is a little touristy, but still has that hometown feel to it.

-Mike

ugly_bassplayer · #13 07-13-2011, 03:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MJ5150

I am more of a corporate traveler, preferring national chains, while my wife likes to venture out and try bed & breakfast type joints and smaller hotels/motels. So we did a little of both when we went.

The Hilton Garden Inn in Portsmouth, New Hampshire is very nice. The York Harbor Hotel is also really nice, but isn't luxury. It felt more like home than a hotel. Everything was clean and worked, the staff were all real friendly.

We also stayed at the Hampton Inn in Wells, Maine. That was great too, and real close to several beaches. You get the nice amenities you expect from the Hampton chain. It is a little touristy, but still has that hometown feel to it.

-Mike

Thank you for the info buddy.

IOU a beer.

Relic · #14 07-13-2011, 04:42 PM

Cape May here is Jersey is pretty nice. very historical, lots of Victorian era houses, historical events + you're close to Wildwood which has some of the safest (if not biggest) beaches on the East Coast. Ignore that Jersey Shore/snooki crap, you wont find that annoying stuff there.

warwick.hoy · #15 07-13-2011, 04:57 PM

I grew up in Virginia Beach VA. It's touristy but there are tons of Amenities and the adjacent cities are big so there is a lot to do and see.

To get away Virginia Beach locals typically go to to the Outer Banks; North Carolina. The OBX is way more laid back and there is lot less rat race not to mention people.

TheSuzie · #16 07-13-2011, 05:03 PM

I used to like

Horseneck Beach State Reservation - Horseneck Beach State Reservation

Water is usually quite a bit warmer than the New Hampshire and Maine beaches. Not sure if there is much to do in the area since I didn't actually live around there. I would just go to the beach for the day.

Not been to Hampton Beach NH in years but the town used to be a bit of a dump. There is a nice view of the Seabrook nuke plant from the beach there. Maybe the water is warmer near the plant. 8)