Some travel is life-changing. Some is recharging. And if you’re feeling as burned out as we are these days, you’re probably more keen on booking the latter.
You wouldn’t be alone.
José Antonio Cruz, owner of Snow & Sand Vacations, said that lately his clients “are looking to relax,” and just hit the beach.
Royal Ahmadi, senior vice president and general manager of the Vacation Group, is also seeing an uptick in traveler requests for destinations that feel “more relaxed and less commercial.” It’s been a “real shift,” he said.
“People aren’t just asking for the usual hot spots anymore,” Ahmadi continued. “They want somewhere a little quieter, a little more tucked away … places where they can actually enjoy the water and scenery without feeling like they’re in the middle of a crowd.”
If it’s water and scenery — sans masses — you seek, here are some quieter beaches that deliver.
Grand Anse Beach, Grenada
Ask Cruz to describe his perfect beach, and he’ll paint you a beautiful picture: warm water, white sand, plus easy access to creature comforts — like getting a cocktail or running back to your hotel for an afternoon massage. Then he’ll tell you his perfect beach exists. It’s in Grenada.
Grand Anse Beach runs along tip of the Caribbean island’s southwest coast. You’ll find hotels nearby that fit different price points, from the five-star Silversands Beach House, the midrange Radisson Grenada Beach Resort (where Cruz likes to stay) and the all-inclusive Sandals.
Even though there are plenty of accommodations available, Cruz said Grand Anse doesn’t feel packed like some crammed Italian beach clubs in Amalfi. “You have all the space in the world,” he said.
Isla Culebrita, Puerto Rico
You know a place is promising when a travel adviser picks it for his own vacation. Cruz was recently wowed by a day trip to Puerto Rico’s tiny Isla Culebrita — which is technically a cay off the larger island of Culebra, which sits off the even larger main island.
“It’s the closest you can get to a private island,” Cruz said.
How private? There are no hotels, no businesses, no homes — no facilities of any kind (save the ruins of an abandoned lighthouse). What you do get at this uninhabited nature reserve are gleaming beaches, tidepools for snorkeling and a calm day away from crowds.
Cruz recommends booking a Culebrita excursion with H2O Water Taxi, a local outfit that arranges transportation, beach chairs and umbrellas, snorkel gear and paddle boards for customers. To fully re-create his vacation, start your morning on Culebra at Blac Flamingo Coffee, a short walk from the H2O office, for breakfast before embarking on your 20-minute boat ride.
Treasure Island Beach, California
California has about 840 miles of coastline, but many of the beaches are too rough for swimming, one of the main factors that Bobby Heard and Tine Holst, founders of the World’s 50 Best Beaches, consider when compiling their annual list. One SoCal destination — Treasure Island Beach — could have been in the running for the North America division if, well, Hawaii wasn’t our 50th state.
“It’s extremely beautiful, and there are parts of the beach you can swim in because it’s sheltered,” Heard said.
About two miles from downtown, the pocket beach is nestled among bluffs and garnished with cape honeysuckle, bougainvillea and palms. Choose your entry point: a ramp from Treasure Island Park or a wood staircase descending from Montage Laguna Beach, the luxury resort that manages the beach within the city. When not sunning or swimming, poke around tidepools teeming with sea stars, purple urchins and wavy turban snails. Keep your eyes peeled for larger wildlife as well, such as dolphins, seals and celebrities — recently spotted: Justin Bieber.
Long Beach Island, New Jersey
With 18 miles of beach stretched over six towns, Long Beach Island seems like one really long beach. However, each beach community is unique.
At the northern tip, Barnegat Light is vintage summer, with Viking Village fish markets selling the morning’s catch, an ice cream parlor that scoops such flavors as Jersey Shore and Blueberry Pie, and Old Barney, the 19th-century beacon set in Barnegat Lighthouse State Park. According to LBI’s chamber of commerce, the beaches are also the widest.
Less than five miles south is the more residential Harvey Cedars, one of the quieter beach spots. Set on a narrow section of the island, it boasts some of the best water views, of the ocean and the bay. Visitors can a smattering of shops and restaurants, such as Neptune Market and Birdy’s Cafe. For surf gear, head to the original Ron Jon Surf Shop, which opened in Ship Bottom in 1961.
Gleneden Beach, Oregon
Situated between the “popular and saturated” Lincoln City to the north and Depoe Bay to the south, Gleneden Beach is a locals’ getaway on the central coast of Oregon, said travel adviser Sonia Bhagwan, owner of the Dreaming of Sun travel agency.
“Families walking with their little babies entering the beach, that’s Gleneden,” said Bhagwan, a former Portland resident. She called the spot an “ideal coastal vacation beach” with a prime season stretching from mid-July to the beginning of September. Don’t expect warm water even during summer, a drawback of the location.
Visitors generally find vacation rentals or stay at the 250-acre Salishan Coastal Lodge, tucked between forests and Siletz Bay. Gleneden offers a small number of places to eat and shop; it’s a short drive to explore Lincoln City’s festivals, restaurants and shops, or Depoe Bay’s famous whale watching.
Hawaii’s smaller islands
For clients who want to experience Hawaii without the bustle of Honolulu, Cruz advises skipping the state’s easier-to-get-to islands for Lanai or Moloka‘i. Reaching either requires a short flight or ferry, which at least partially explains why “they get a fraction of the visitors” as their larger neighbors, Cruz says. Both also only have a handful of hotels, so plan your visit well in advance. With less development and fewer tourists comes more preserved nature and quieter beaches.
This March, Moloka‘i suffered from severe storms and flooding, but the Hawaiʻi Visitors and Convention Bureau has said“there is no reason to cancel or postpone upcoming travel to Hawaiʻi” and volunteers have spent months helping with recovery efforts. As always, guests should keep in mind the state’s “Malama Hawaii” campaign (“Malama” means to care for, protect and preserve) and be respectful.
St. George Island, Florida
Ahmadi, of the Vacation Group, said this 22-mile Florida Panhandle island on the state’s “Forgotten Coast” comes up frequently as travelers seek quieter beaches.
“It really leans into that ‘Old Florida’ feel, with hardly any development and no high-rise hotels, so it stays naturally low-key from the big name beaches in Florida,” he said in an email.
At Dr. Julian G. Bruce St. George Island State Park, visitors can bike, camp, bird-watch, stargaze, search for shells or just sprawl out and enjoy the sunset. Sample seafood on the island or hop over to the nearby fishing town of Apalachicola for its famous oysters.
Pets are welcome on the island’s beaches, as well as at many shops and restaurants. Remember to heed all local rules to protect sea turtles, which come ashore to nest in the summer.
Playa Balandra, Mexico
Playa Balandra, on the Sea of Cortez side of the Baja California peninsula, frequently places high on beach lists. This year, it came in eighth in the World’s 50 Best Beaches, beating out Thailand and Cambodia. Despite its shelf of trophies, Balandra, a designated Flora and Fauna Protection Area, isn’t packed like those other Mexican hot spots. “It’s nothing like Tulum, Playa del Carmen and Cancún,” Heard said. “If you time it right, you can have a huge piece of Balandra to yourself.”
To preserve the natural environment, which includes an estuary with a large mangrove forest and an enoki-shaped rock formation called “El Hongo,” the federal government caps the number of visitors in the morning and afternoon. “Once capacity is full,” Heard said, “nobody else is allowed to come in.” When it’s time to take a dip, Heard said you can walk hundreds of feet out in the placid water. You can also swim or kayak to one of the other six beaches in the bay, which, with the exception of the laughing gulls, are often even quieter.
Cape Lookout National Seashore, North Carolina
The National Park Service seashore comes with a built-in crowd filter: It is accessible only by boat. Visitors can catch a ferry — 20 minutes to an hour one way, depending on the route — or pilot their own watercraft to the barrier islands on North Carolina’s Crystal Coast. Though beach driving is allowed in certain areas with a permit, the 56-mile coastland does not have any roads or buildings besides a small visitor center that sells snacks and souvenirs. There are, however, several historical structures you can explore, such as Portsmouth Village, a deserted fishing community, and the harlequin-patterned Cape Lookout Lighthouse and its Keeper’s House, which contains a museum.
To find a sandy patch of your own, Karen Gould, executive director of the Crystal Coast Tourism Authority, said to follow the boardwalk from the sound side, where the ferries operate, to the Atlantic. For even more seclusion, hike to the hooked spit of land that resembles a crab claw. At Shackleford Banks, you may have to share the beach — and ocean — with some island residents, a herd of wild horses called the Banker ponies.
Oscoda Beach Park, Michigan
Not all beaches are on oceans. Jill Halpin, founder and “chief beach officer” of My Michigan Beach and Travel, loves Oscoda Beach Park on the Lake Huron coast for being family-friendly and accessible.
“The water is clear, it’s just beautiful and it turns that pretty turquoise shade of blue,” said Halpin, a regular visitor whose family has a place north of the beach. She said the area includes an accessible playground, pier and beach mat that allows for wheelchair access.
Located downtown, the beach also offers access to restaurants and shops in town. Halpin said you’ll find beachgoers, but there’s plenty of shore to go around.
“It’s never crowded; there’s enough space there,” she said. “It’s a wide, beautiful beach.” For a more remote option, she recommends Three Mile Beach Park north of town off U.S. Route 23.
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