John D. MacArthur Beach State Park
North Palm Beach, FL
John D. MacArthur Beach State Park protects one of the last natural barrier islands in Palm Beach County, reached from the mainland parking lot by a free tram that crosses a boardwalk over the Lake Worth Cove estuary. The beach itself sits past mangroves and sea grape, a genuinely different arrival than driving straight up to the sand.
The tram and boardwalk arrival make it a genuinely different experience from a typical drive up beach, and the estuary crossing itself is worth the trip, though the beach beyond it is solid rather than spectacular.
How we score beachesTake the tram rather than walking the boardwalk in the heat, it runs continuously from 10am to 4pm and covers the same ground in a fraction of the time. Ask about the free beach wheelchairs at the nature center if mobility is a concern, they're first come first served.
The entrance fee is 5 dollars per vehicle for 2 to 8 people, 4 dollars for a single occupant, 2 dollars for pedestrians or cyclists. Parking is ample at the main lot near the nature center.
The boardwalk across the estuary is flat and easy, and the free tram covers it for anyone who'd rather ride. Free beach wheelchairs and a manual wheelchair are available at the nature center.
Leashed dogs are welcome nearly everywhere in the park, but not on the beach, boardwalks, or inside the nature center.
Winter and spring bring the mildest weather for the boardwalk crossing and the estuary views. Summer's heat and hurricane season, June through November, are more bearable here thanks to the tram, though the water stays warm and swimmable regardless.
More Atlantic Coast beaches
Coast Guard Beach
Eastham, MA · Atlantic Coast
A National Seashore beach backed by grassy dunes and a tidal marsh, with clean Atlantic surf and one of the Cape's most scenic approaches on foot from the parking area.
Surfside Beach
Nantucket, MA · Atlantic Coast
Open Atlantic swell and a wide sandy shoreline about three miles from Nantucket town, popular with locals for its bodysurfing waves and quieter, less commercial feel.
Jones Beach State Park
Wantagh, NY · Atlantic Coast
A classic Long Island beach with six and a half miles of shoreline, a landmark water tower, boardwalk, and a large outdoor amphitheater that hosts concerts through the summer.