The top 10 U.S. beaches to visit this year have been revealed by the world’s largest travel guidance platform, and there are some unexpected gems on the list.
The list, compiled using Tripadvisor reviews throughout a year-long period, marks the second Travelers’ Choice Award for the Best of the Best Beaches.
Spanning coast to coast, 2024’s selection features beaches from eight different states across the country.
Topping the list are two Hawaiian beaches and one Florida beach, with Ka’anapali Beach in Lahaina, Hawaii, securing the coveted number one spot.
Siesta Beach in Siesta Key, Florida, and Poipu Beach Park in Poipu, Hawaii, follow closely behind in second and third place, respectively.
Kaanapali Beach from Black Rock, Maui, Hawaii
Siesta Key Florida
Poipu beach park in Kauai, Hawaii.
Find the full list of America’s best beaches below:
1. Ka’anapali Beach — Lahaina, Hawaii
2. Siesta Beach — Siesta Key, Florida
3. Poipu Beach Park — Poipu, Hawaii
4. Hollywood Beach — Hollywood, Florida
5. La Jolla Cove — La Jolla, California
4. Hollywood Beach — Hollywood, Florida
5. La Jolla Cove — La Jolla, California
6. Santa Monica State Beach — Santa Monica, California
6. Santa Monica State Beach — Santa Monica, California
7. Cannon Beach — Cannon Beach, Oregon
8. Coligny Beach — Hilton Head, South Carolina
9. Driftwood Beach — Jekyll Island, Georgia
10. Ocean City Beach — Ocean City, Maryland
7. Cannon Beach — Cannon Beach, Oregon
9. Driftwood Beach — Jekyll Island, Georgia
10. Ocean City Beach — Ocean City, Maryland
Tripadvisor also ranked the top-ranked stretches of sand for 2024 across the globe.
The number one beach to add to your bucket and spade list is Praia da Falesia in Portugal’s Algarve, according to the travel site, which awarded it first place in its 2024 Travellers’ Choice Best of the Best Awards for Beaches.
It knocks six-time champion Baia do Sancho in Brazil off the top spot in the ranking, which is drawn from the quality and quantity of reviews and ratings from Tripadvisor travellers for beaches worldwide, gathered from October 2022 to September 2023.
Italy’s Spiaggia dei Conigli on Lampedusa island in Sicily wins the silver medal, the bronze goes to La Concha Beach in San Sebastian, Spain and Kaanapali Beach in Hawaii is the top-ranking beach in the U.S, landing fourth in the 25-strong global charts.
The number one beach to add to your bucket list is Praia da Falesia in Portugal’s Algarve
Italy’s Spiaggia dei Conigli on Lampedusa island in Sicily wins the silver medal in the global list
The bronze goes to La Concha Beach in San Sebastian, Spain
Weymouth Beach on Dorset’s Jurassic Coast wins the title as the UK’s top-ranking beach and comes 19th on the European list, which features 25 beaches.
Praia da Falesia, which came sixth last year, has racked up 5,900 reviews to date – 68 per cent of which award a coveted ‘five-bubble’ rating.
Tripadvisor said the world winning beach is ‘known for its dramatic red, sandy cliffs and can be reached by a wooden staircase’, adding: ‘It is beloved by Tripadvisor reviewers for its soft, powdery sand, perfect for sunbathing and strolls.’
Writing on the site, reviewer ‘tinkle_24’ described it as a ‘gorgeous stretch of uninterrupted fine sandy beach’ that’s ‘not to be missed’, while ‘K17elly’ said the cliffs ‘are stunning’ and ‘DrDance57’ noted it’s ‘the best beach I have been on’.
Spiaggia dei Conigli, meanwhile, was praised by ‘omar p’ for its ‘clean environment’ and unforgettable ‘great views’ and third-place La Concha Beach, in the Basque Country, was hailed by one visitor as ‘beautiful’ and ‘accessible’. Another visitor, ‘Antonia-Maria Stoian’, wrote: ‘The beach has a phenomenal promenade! At any hour of any day, it is gorgeous.’
Kaanapali Beach in Hawaii is the top-ranking beach in the U.S, landing fourth in the 25-strong global charts
Landing in fifth place in the worldwide ranking is Grace Bay Beach in Turks and Caicos
Manly Beach in Sydney is the top-ranking Australian strip of sand and No.7 worldwide
Fourth-place Kaanapali Beach is described by ‘bil2cg’ as ‘pure heaven’ with ‘fabulous views and delicious waters with unreal sunsets’.
Tripadvisor describes it as a ‘stunning three-mile stretch of sand… regarded as one of North America’s best beaches’ with ‘crystal-clear waters perfect for snorkeling and surfing, against a backdrop of lush mountains’.
The remainder of the worldwide top 10 list comprises Grace Bay Beach in Turks and Caicos (fifth); Anse Lazio in the Seychelles (sixth); Manly Beach, Sydney, Australia (seventh); Eagle Beach, Aruba (eighth); Siesta Beach in Florida, U.S (ninth) and Varadero Beach, Cuba (tenth).
Another U.S beach to make the worldwide ranking is Hawaii’s Poipu Beach Park, in 14th position (and second in America).
In the Europe ranking, first-place Praia da Falesia, second-place Spiaggia dei Conigli and third-place La Concha Beach are followed by the ‘stunning’ Reynisfjara Beach in Vik, Iceland, in fourth place.
It’s one of two Icelandic shorelines to make it into the European top 10 – Vik’s Black Sand Beach – a new entry for 2024 – ranks tenth.
The rest of the European top 10 comprises Playa de las Canteras in Gran Canaria, Spain (fifth); the ‘incredible’ Falassarna Beach in Crete, Greece (sixth); the ‘must-visit’ Nissi Beach in Ayia Napa, Cyprus (seventh); Myrtos Beach in Kefalonia, Greece (eighth); and Playa de Maspalomas in Gran Canaria (ninth).