Little Talbot Island Beach
Jacksonville, FL
A state park beach just north of Jacksonville that somehow still feels wild, with maritime forest crowding right up to the dune line and driftwood scattered across the sand like it was staged. Locals come for the kayaking through the marsh as much as the beach itself.
Bring bug spray if you're heading inland toward the marsh trails, especially in warmer months.
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.