Pompano Beach
Pompano Beach, FL
Pompano Beach centers on its fishing pier, a long concrete stretch jutting into the Atlantic that doubles as a scenic walk even for anyone who isn't casting a line. The beach itself runs wide and sandy on either side, with a parking garage right at the pier rather than the scattered street lots found in some neighboring towns.
The pier gives it a genuine landmark most nearby beaches lack, though it's otherwise a fairly standard stretch of Broward County sand without much else to set it apart.
How we score beachesWalk out to the end of the pier even without a fishing rod, the view back at the beach and the skyline is worth the short stroll. Overnight parking passes in the pier garage run steep, so day visitors are usually better off with hourly rates instead.
The Pier Parking Garage charges by the hour, with rates varying by day of the week. Monthly overnight permits run 100 to 150 dollars depending on the floor, mostly relevant for longer stays rather than a day trip.
Paved paths and the pier itself are flat and easy walking, with beach access points leading onto sand nearby. The garage sits close enough to the beach that the walk from parking to sand is short.
Dogs aren't allowed on the beach or the pier, service animals excepted.
Winter and spring bring South Florida's driest, mildest weather and the biggest crowds. Summer's heat and hurricane season, June through November, thin things out on weekdays despite the warmest water of the year.
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.