There might be no better way to explore New Zealand than by car or camper van.
Since public transport is limited outside of cities, and since so much of what you’ll want to see and do lies off the beaten track, a road trip here lets you take in the stunning natural scenery at your own pace, as well as the chance to stop for stunning walks, cycle rides, wild swimming or wildlife spotting.
Here are six road trips that let you experience some of what this wonderful country has to offer.
Be sure to stop to savor the mild climate north of Auckland, known as the “Winterless North.” Justin Foulkes for Lonely Planet
1. Northland loop
Best road trip in the “Winterless North” Auckland–Auckland (round trip); 650 miles (1050km); a week or more
Kiwis call the regions north of Auckland (Northland and the Bay of Islands) the “Winterless North” because of its year-round subtropical climate. You’ll begin this trip by setting off toward the Bay of Islands, via the surf beaches of Mangawhai and the artsy city of Whangārei, which merits a good day or two of exploring.
Next, drive north and ferry over to the former whaling port of Russell, which matches heritage charm with on-water adventures like sailing, diving, fishing and kayaking. All of these are also accessed from the thriving mainland town of Paihia. Be sure to spend a day at the Waitangi Treaty Grounds learning about the colonial history of New Zealand.
Further north, the attractions are more remote and even more spectacular, leading all the way to the very top of the North Island at Cape Reinga, where the Tasman Sea and the Pacific Ocean meet. On your way, stop for fresh local produce at Kerikeri; chill out in – and feast on seafood at – laid-back Mangōnui; and spend another day at Ahipara, with its surf breaks and nearby sand dunes.
Heading south again, you’ll drive through the incredible Waipoua Forest, where the last giants of the once extensive kauri forests here will take your breath away, and stop at quiet coastal towns with hidden stories of colonization, migration and hard labor.
Take a driving break to enjoy the gorgeous beaches of the Coromandel Peninsula. Walter Bibikow/Getty Images
2. Coromandel Peninsula
Best beach-coming road trip Thames–Waihi Beach; 190 miles (305km); 1–3 days
Coastal roads weave a magical path on this journey around the compact but colorful Coromandel Peninsula, a favorite holiday spot for residents of nearby Auckland and Hamilton. As well as a gorgeous beach-fringed coastline, the Coromandel also holds the legacy of its gold-mining past in the heritage streets of Thames, Coromandel Town and Waihi.
Start in Thames, then head north to the thriving community of Coromandel Town via the beautiful 64-acre Rapaura Water Gardens estate. Next, detour from Colvile to the rugged northernmost tip of the Coromandel Peninsula – ideally in summer (December to February) when roads are dry and the pōhutukawa trees are in their crimson glory.
Heading down the other side of the peninsula, you’ll visit Whitianga and the nearby beaches of Mercury Bay. Diving, boating, game fishing and kayaking are the big draws at Te Whanganui-A-Hei Marine Reserve. Further south are natural attractions like the stone arch at Cathedral Cove near Hahei and Hot Water Beach. The latter lives up to its name: dig a pool in the sand and relax in the hot waters that rise up from beneath the surface.
3. Wellington to Rotorua
Best road trip for vineyards and art deco architecture Wellington–Rotorua; 520 miles (840km); 4–7 days
After a few days exploring the excellent museums, galleries and bars of New Zealand’s compact, boho capital, Wellington, it’s time to hit the road. First, you’ll head north along the Hutt River Valley, detouring into the Martinborough wine region to taste its world-famous pinot noirs. Next, continue on to the Pacific coast, a languid arc combining sandy beaches and spectacular scenery with Māori cultural experiences.
The stretch from Havelock North to Hastings is surrounded by bountiful orchards and much-loved wineries, which can be explored on an organized cycling tour as well as by car. At the southern tip of Hawke’s Bay, Cape Kidnappers (Te Kauwae-a-Māui) lures both golfers (it has a spectacular course) and bird-watchers (there’s a 3000-strong gannet colony on the headland here).
Next, head to the gorgeous seaside city of Napier, which has impressive art deco architecture and foodie-drawing restaurants. The remote East Cape is next. Stop at sun-soaked Whakatāne and the beaches of Ōhope before turning inland to round off this epic circuit at the geothermal hotspot of Rotorua, with its incredible Māori cultural-immersion experiences and host of outdoor activities like mountain biking and luging.
Lake Wānaka offers plenty of opportunities for outdoor enthusiasts. Matthew Micah Wright/Getty Images
4. Southern Alps loop
Best alpine road trip Christchurch–Christchurch (round trip); 850 miles (1380km); a week or more
Cruise through varied landscapes including scenic mountains, wild coasts, lush lakelands, and rural highways dotted with tiny hamlets on this grand South Island tour. Starting from Christchurch – with its mix of old England and future-facing Kiwi ingenuity – head to the alpine reaches of Arthur’s Pass National Park, which rises to 2408m (7900ft) at Mt Murchison.
Next, you’ll be meandering along the west coast through historic towns and such artistic communities as Hokitika and Ross. The route rises again at Franz Josef and Fox Glacier townships, where you have multiple options for glacier viewing (helicopter ride or sky diving, anyone?).
Heading south, the Haast region in Te Wāhipounamu–South West New Zealand World Heritage Area is the place for seabird spotting and perhaps some tree-hugging in the ancient kahikatea swamp forest at Ship Creek. Finally, wend your way to Queenstown via the incredible Lake Wānaka, where paddling, hiking, skiing and climbing are among the outdoor pursuits that have made this region famous.
5. Otago Heritage Trail
Best road trip for goldbugs Dunedin–Dunedin (round trip); 280 miles (450km); 2–3 days
The discovery of gold in the 1860s led Europeans to migrate to the South Island region now known as Otago, and much of that heritage remains today. Old miners’ trails and abandoned railway lines have been repurposed as leisurely cycle rides and long strolls. Agricultural towns still house historic stone buildings and Gold Rush stories, while colorful deciduous trees, winding roads and romantic old railway bridges all but demand to be photographed.
This driving tour starts in the vibrant city of Dunedin, where warehouses have been converted into hotels and art galleries, and university students pack international restaurants and pubs all week. After exploring for a few days, head south towards Lawrence – the scene of NZ’s first Gold Rush in 1861 – to the historically significant Horseshoe Bend Bridge over Clutha River/ Mata-au, NZ’s second-longest river. Next, you’ll visit the sweet-smelling fruit orchards and vineyards of Central Otago before arriving in Alexander, Clyde or Middlemarch to tackle the Otago Central Rail Trail by bicycle or foot.
For more heritage streetscapes, schedule a stop in Naseby, staying overnight to enjoy a night tour under its brilliant starry skies. Detours from this route will take you into snow-capped mountains, across to the dramatic fjords in the west or to the rugged beauty of the southern coast.
If you have time, plan for some hiking to spend some time in nature on your New Zealand road trip. Matteo Colombo/Getty Images
6. Queenstown to Milford Sound
Best road trip for dramatic views Queenstown–Milford Sound/Piopiotahi; 180 miles (290km); 2 days
Fiordland is arguably New Zealand’s finest outdoor treasure. A landscape hewn in rock and ice, its grandeur can make you feel like a tiny speck in the face of nature – in the best possible way.
Panoramic alpine views characterize this drive as you make your way from Queenstown past Kelvin Peninsula at the foot of The Remarkables, along the eastern shore of Lake Wakatipu and past the Devil’s Staircase and onto Te Anau. Stay overnight and take a tour of the 200m(656ft)-long glowworm caves – filled with strange rock forms, whirlpools and waterfalls – before cruising north past Lake Mistletoe, Mackay Creek, Mirror Lakes and Lake Gunn–Cascade Creek, all stunning spots for stretching your legs and admiring the wilderness.
The final stretch to the majestic Fiordland National Park takes you through Homer Tunnel, a road laboriously cut through the mountains during the Great Depression.
With the close of the Paris Olympics, a running joke on social media is that many viewers have been at a loss of how to fill their days.
After all, for two weeks, the French capital became the center of the world, hosting what has been lauded as one of the most successful and innovative games over the last few decades. Between superhuman feats of athleticism, there were tears of joy and tears of disappointment, all against the stunning background of the Eiffel Tower, the Grand Palais and the Seine river. It made for some dramatic and captivating television.
But the excitement isn’t over — these next few weeks are a short intermission until the Paralympics, which run from August 28 to September 8. The opening ceremony will take place outdoors at Place de la Concorde. Events will be held across some of the same venues that made the Olympics so mesmerizing, including Pont Alexandre III and the Eiffel Tower.
Demand for tickets has also taken off following the close of the Olympics, with locals looking for a way to prolong the collective euphoria experienced throughout the Games. After a slow start, organizers say that sales for the Paralympics average about 1000 tickets an hour, and that events in the most iconic venues — Versailles and Grand Palais — are sold out.
The iconic Château de Versailles was a host venue during the Olympic Games. Magali Cohen/Hans Lucas via AFP
While Paris has hosted three Olympics, this year marks the first time the city is hosting a Paralympic Games. Along with innovative solutions for travelers with disabilities, perhaps the biggest legacy of the Paralympics will be how it’s served as an accelerator to make the cityscape – often described as an obstacle course for travelers with disabilities – more accessible and inclusive through improvements to city infrastructure and transportation.
Innovative ways travelers with disabilities will experience the Games
To enhance the spectator experience among the estimated 280,000 visitors with disabilities, organizers are introducing a few innovative services that will also mark a few firsts for the Paralympics.
Attendees of events – like blind soccer, wheelchair rugby and wheelchair basketball – who are blind or visually impaired will be able to follow the action with a tactile tablet Touch2See that offers a live-action, immersive experience. A moving magnet replicates the position of the ball in real time and the tablet vibrates to convey the intensity of the game. Likewise, audio descriptions fed through headsets provide precise information about the plays. Spectators with visual impairments can also use low-vision headsets that look like VR headsets and act like high-powered binoculars, to zoom in on the action for athletic competitions and for the opening and closing ceremonies.
In an Olympic first, the audio description service will also be available via the Olympics app, allowing attendees to listen through their personal smartphones and headsets, with live commentary in both French and English.
And visitors with reduced mobility can motorize their wheelchairs with an innovative solution provided by myomniTrott that involves hooking their wheelchair to a scooter. Users can then travel through the city, moving from one venue to the next, using the biking lanes.
How the Paralympics are accelerating a more accessible Paris
In the years leading up to the Paralympics, the city of Paris pledged €125 million to improve its accessibility in a frantic bid to make good on its promise of hosting a “Games Wide Open” and to leave no one behind.
And while it’s made strides in some areas, some say it still falls short in others.
One of the legacies of the Paralympics for Paris is the creation of 17 “augmented accessibility zones” in neighborhoods across the city, where priority routes have been rethought in order to provide a seamlessly accessible, obstacle-free journey from one municipal facility – like a library, museum or sports center – to another. Among other things, that means repairing cracked pavements, widening sidewalks, repainting pedestrian crossings, clearing paths and removing unnecessary obstacles, installing audible pedestrian signals, and improving warning and guide strips.
Similarly, municipal buildings are undergoing a series of improvements that may include lowering the height of reception desks or the installation of hearing loops in large spaces, and an assisted listening technology that transmits audio directly to hearing aids or cochlear implants without the background noise.
The Paris metro is not always accessible. Shutterstock
Accessible transportation in Paris
One of the biggest pain points for the city of Paris and Olympic organizers has been the city’s transportation offerings.
In 2021, only one in two bus stops were able to accommodate accessibility ramps. Three years, €22 million, and 380 urban restructuring projects later, all but two of the city’s 61 bus lines (line 40 and the Roissybus), and 1750 bus stops are accessible to wheelchair users and those with reduced mobility, while the tram is also fully accessible. The city says the Games accelerated the changes, and that they achieved in three years what would otherwise have taken up to 20 years.
“The significant investment will also be a legacy of the Paris 2024 Games,” the city says on its website.
But for all the progress made on the bus network, the metro system, which is more than a hundred years old, presents significant challenges and obstacles. Currently, only 29 stations, or 9% of the Paris metro system is fully or partially accessible to wheelchair users.
By comparison, London, which has an older and deeper network than Paris, was able to make 18% or double the number of stations accessible by the time of the 2012 London Olympics, as Nicolas Mérille, national accessibility advisor for the APF France Handicap association, pointed out to French news site Franceinfo.
“We hope that the event will create awareness and an electroshock on the fact that the daily life of people with disabilities, particularly in transport, is not at all the same as that of able-bodied people,” Mérille said.
How to find accessible accommodation, restaurants and attractions
Over the years, the city has also been conducting an accessibility audit campaign for hotels and accommodations, shops, restaurants and tourist attractions. So far, more than 450 establishments have been added to the city’s web app MyParisjetaime Handicap.
Visitors can use filters to find facilities that are adapted to different disabilities, such as hotels and restaurants with access ramps and accessible toilets; museums that are adapted to the visually impaired; and theaters that are adapted to those with hearing impairments.
It’s also worth looking out for the Tourisme & Handicap label when booking stays or restaurants. Managed by the country’s tourism office Atout France, the label is awarded to tourist establishments that meet specific needs of people with various disabilities. Pictograms indicate the accessibility conditions they can accommodate: hearing, mental, motor or visual.
Will Paris continue to drive accessibility improvements after the Games?
One of the small, but hugely impactful changes during the Paris Olympics was the careful choice of wording before the singing of anthems. Instead of simply instructing spectators to “please stand for the national anthem”, announcers added an important disclaimer at the end: “please stand, if you can.”
It’s a detail that didn’t go unnoticed by the disability community and which received wide praise for its inclusivity. And while disability rights advocates say that while huge strides have been made to make the city more accessible thanks to the arrival of the Paralympics, momentum must continue with the support of local Parisians and political will.
Adds Mérille: “The Games must not be seen as an enchanted interlude, because there is still a lot to do.”
As two Central American titans of tourism, how do you choose between Costa Rica and Panama? Both have incredible landscapes teeming with wildlife, beautiful beaches dotted along both the Pacific and Caribbean coastlines and a vibrant local culture.
They’re even tricky to separate when it comes to costs given they’re two of the priciest countries in Central America – but then, they have the infrastructure to match.
The similar characteristics of these neighboring gems have led to a good-natured rivalry, from the soccer field to a coffee cup. So, in that friendly spirit of competition, let’s see how these two countries stack up.
Best country for beaches
Whether you want to snorkel with rainbow-colored fish, ride the waves or just lounge on powder-soft sand, you’ll find breathtaking beaches stretching along two coastlines in both Panama and Costa Rica.
Costa Rica
The country is blessed with some spectacular strips of sand, a staggering 136 of which have Blue Flag status (an internationally recognized sustainability certification).
The picture-perfect beaches of the Península de Nicoya include the hip surfing hangout of Santa Teresa, famed for its powerful beach break; Sámara, popular with locals and visitors for its calm, safe waters; and the blissfully secluded (and just a few minutes from Samara) Playa Barrigona.
In Guanacaste, Playa Hermosa was named Central America’s first World Surfing Reserve in 2022 for its biodiversity and conservation ethos – it also offers some world-class waves.
Panama
Panama has a beach to suit every mood. To catch a wave, head to laid-back Santa Catalina on the Pacific Coast or check out the volcanic-sand beach of Playa Venao on the bucolic Península de Azuero. For a taste of tropical island life, head to the Pacific’s paradisical Pearl Islands or the Caribbean’s Bocas del Toro, to snorkel in the gin-clear waters around Isla Bastimentos before chilling over a piña colada or two.
But for a real castaway feel, you can’t beat the San Blas (Comarca de Guna Yala) archipelago, home to the indigenous Guna people, where there’s a palm-fringed, pocket-sized island for every day of the year.
The winner: Panama, thanks to its idyllic islands, but those in search of a beach break will be spoilt for choice in either country.
Both countries teem with endemic species and protected spaces, from mist-wreathed cloud forests to steamy rainforests and fish-filled marine parks.
Costa Rica
Costa Rica is a wildlife wonderland with 30 national parks (and counting), not to mention dozens of wildlife refuges and reserves, with protected areas covering more than 30% of its landmass.
The lofty cloud forest reserves of Monteverde are a hotbed of biodiversity, buzzing with birds, amphibians and reptiles, and the “mini-Amazon” of Parque Nacional Tortuguero on the Caribbean coast is a protected breeding ground for green sea turtles. The wild and wonderful Parque Nacional Corcovado on the Osa Peninsula is home to tapirs, scarlet macaws and elusive pumas, while the Golfo Dulce is the place for whale and dolphin spotting.
Dive with schools of hammerhead sharks and those gentle giants, whale sharks, at Isla del Coco located in the southern part of the country, near Península de Osa.
Panama
This skinny isthmus linking Central and South America is a nature lover’s paradise. Between June and December, thousands of olive ridley sea turtles lay their eggs on the beaches of Isla Cañas. Between July and October, humpback whales visit the Golfo de Chiriquí to give birth around the underwater utopia of Isla de Coiba off the Pacific coast.
On dry land, bird watchers flock to the cloud forest trails around Boquete to search for the elusive resplendent quetzal. More than 400 bird species have been spotted along Pipeline Road in Soberanía National Park, located in the Canal Zone.
And you don’t have to leave Panama City to spot sloths and other wild things along the rainforest trails of the Parque Natural Metropolitano.
The winner: Costa Rica – it’s a world leader in conservation. No wonder the Ticos’ motto is pura vida (pure life).
Thrill-seekers and outdoor enthusiasts will find everything from soft adventure to extreme sports in both Costa Rica and Panama.
Costa Rica
If you want to try white water rafting, canyoneering, diving with whale sharks, or take on serious surf breaks, then Costa Rica’s the place.
The country’s home to the original canopy tour and there are plenty of zip lines that’ll give you a monkey’s eye view, sending you speeding – and screaming – over the forest or around Arenal Volcano. The Pacuare River, located nearly 124km (77 miles) from the capital of San José, is a renowned white water rafting spot, with rapids ranging from Class II to Class V.
Back on dry land, take a three-day round-trip hike up the country’s highest peak, Cerro Chirripó. If you get to the summit before the mist falls, you’ll have views over the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea at the same time.
Panama
Boquete in the Chiriquí Highlands is the hub for hiking, white water rafting, kayaking, rappelling and rock climbing. You can slog to the summit of Volcan Barú for a spectacular sunrise or take an adrenalin-fueled canopy tour, zipping at breakneck speed over its forested slopes.
Hardcore hikers can strap on their boots and trek coast-to-coast from Panamá Viejo to Portobelo or through the primordial forest of Darién with Jungle Treks. Experienced divers can scuba in shark-infested waters off the former penal colony of Isla Coiba. Look out for curious capuchin monkeys as you kayak around Gatún Lake or watch behemoth ships crossing the Panama Canal.
The winner: Costa Rica for the sheer variety of outdoor adventures on offer.
There’s plenty for coffee aficionados to celebrate with both countries producing first-class beans.
Costa Rica
Thanks to its multitude of microclimates, Costa Rica has not one but eight high-altitude regions, particularly in the Central Valley and Guanacaste, that produce coffee, each with its own distinct flavor.
Beans are hand-picked, and it’s the only country in the world where it’s illegal to produce anything other than top-notch 100% Arabica beans.
To follow the bean-to-cup coffee process first-hand, check-in at the lovely Finca Rosa Blanca in Barva, a carbon-neutral, organic coffee farm and art-filled boutique hotel. Non-guests can join the twice-daily coffee tours.
Panama
Panama’s coffee estates are set around its three volcanoes – Volcán Baru, El Valle and La Yeguada – with soil enriched by volcanic ash and cooled by breezes that blow in from both the Caribbean and the Pacific coasts.
The best beans are grown around Boquete, including Geisha, one of the world’s finest coffees thanks to its singular taste. The Lamastus Family Estates produces the top-rated Elida Geisha Green Tip, which broke the world record for the most expensive publicly auctioned coffee at USD$1029 per pound. If you can’t tour the estate, sample a cup at the Sisu Coffee Studio, the family’s industrial-chic cafe in Panama City, for around $9.
The winner: Panama narrowly takes it, thanks to the legendary Geisha.
YouTube video player
Best country for lovers of culture
Both countries have a rich cultural history, expressed through arts and crafts, music, and cuisine.
Costa Rica
Whilst it’s tempting to bypass the urban jungle and head straight for Costa Rica’s wildlife-rich forests, if you have time in San José, spend it exploring a few of its stunning neighborhoods.
Start off by enjoying the architectural splendor of historic Barrio Amón or head to Barrio Escalante, the city’s gastro hub with its Saturday morning farmers market and an outdoor food court created from repurposed shipping containers. The state-of-the-art Jade Museum, with five floors filled with age-old jade artifacts and more, is worth a look, as is the glittering collection at the Pre-Columbian Gold Museum.
Panama
Panama City is Central America’s most cosmopolitan capital with no shortage of things to do, from the landmark BioMuseo showcasing the country’s biodiversity to the compact Museo de la Mola exploring the indigenous Guna’s one-of-a-kind textile art.
Getting up close to the engineering marvel of the Panama Canal is on many visitor’s bucket lists and you can check out its turbulent history at the interactive Miraflores Visitors Center. The Panama Canal Museum sits in a preserved colonial mansion in Casco Viejo. Just a 10-minute drive north is the Afro-Antillean Museum, which celebrates the scores of West Indian laborers who worked on the canal.
The winner: Panama for its buzzy capital and world-famous waterway.
Jackson Hole can be pricey, it is known as a celebrity hangout after all. But, you don’t need to have a Hollywood bank account to have a memorable visit. This Wyoming mountain town has a surprising number of budget-friendly lodging options and cheap things to do—especially if you enjoy outdoor adventures. It’s also a highly seasonal destination, meaning the cost of a vacation will be wildly different depending on which time of year you visit.
If you’re trying to do Jackson Hole on a budget, here’s what to know to save some cash.
Daily costs
Hostel room: $50-$120
Basic room for two: $150-$250
Self-catering apartment (including Airbnb): $300 per night
One-way ticket on public transportation: $1-$3
Single day lift ticket at a ski resort: $129-$269
Coffee: $3
Sandwich: $12
Dinner for two: $75
Beer/pint at the bar: $8
Average daily cost: $500 to $700
A moose drinks from a river at sunrise in the Tetons. Diana Robinson/500px
Visit during spring or fall
Jackson Hole has two main seasons for tourism: winter (for skiing and snowboarding) and summer (for hiking, mountain biking and other warm-weather adventures).
The obvious tip here is to visit in a shoulder season to save money and avoid crowds. In early spring, the mountains are still covered in snow and you may even be able to get in a few laps of spring skiing or enjoy snowshoeing in solitude. While there’s merit to that idea, the best part of this timing is wildlife-viewing. It’s a great season to catch baby animals as they are just starting to explore their new surroundings in Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks. Spring is also when birds are migrating and nesting, and as temperatures start to heat up in May, colorful wildflowers begin to emerge.
Autumn brings a kaleidoscope of color to Jackson Hole. Aspen leaves turn gold or, in some cases, red and orange. Animals are also active, either preparing for hibernation or searching for mates. (Elk rutting, or the sound bull elks make when calling for mates, is often loudest at sunrise and sunset, so grab a coffee, bundle up and head for an early morning hike catch this seasonal.)
One caveat: In both spring and fall, the weather can be unpredictable. But with the right layers, you can have plenty of outdoor fun—and save some money, too. On a chilly day, make the beautiful drive up to nearby Granite Hot Springs after a day of hiking. Buy a day pass ($12 for adults, $7 for children) and treat your legs to some hard-earned rest and recovery after a long day on the trail.
Taking a dip at Granite Creek Hot Springs in Jackson.
Invest in a national park pass
A day pass to Grand Teton National Park costs $20 to $35 (the price varies depending on your mode of transportation). If you’re planning to explore the park over several days or visit other national parks in the future—including nearby Yellowstone National Park—it probably makes more sense to buy an annual pass instead. You’ll pay $70 for an annual pass to Grand Teton National Park only, or $80 for an annual pass that gets you admission into all national parks, plus lots of other federally managed public lands.
Mark your calendar for free days
On specific days throughout the year, the National Park Service waives the admission fee at all national parks, including Grand Teton. (In 2024, there were six days like this.) The parks tend to be very busy on these free days, but if you don’t mind an early wake up you can likely catch a few quiet hours before the crowds build.
Shop for souvenirs at consignment and thrift shops
Jackson Hole is known for its many upscale shops and boutiques. Thrift and consignment shops offer a unique and off-beat opportunity to uncover some on-of-a-kind keepsakes. Pop into shops like Browse ‘n Buy, Headwall Sports, Eclectic Consignment and Home Again to browse some eclectic finds.
Bunk with friends
Jackson Hole has several hostels, including Cache House, The Hostel, and Teton Hostel Hideaway, which offer a fresh take on what a budget stay looks like. Find amenities like communal eating and sitting areas, ski tuning, coffee counters and game rooms.
A handful of Jackson Hole hotels also have handy room configurations—bunk beds or family suites—that make it easy for groups to split costs while staying together in a private space. Check out Anvil Hotel, Mountain Modern, and The Virginian Lodge if you’re traveling with friends.
Sleep under the stars
If you’re well-versed in tent camping, Jackson Hole has no shortage of campgrounds, with nightly rates that are typically a lot lower than what you’d pay at a hotel.
A campsite in Yellowstone National Park at sunset. Getty Images/iStockphoto
If you don’t need services (and you’ve got a sturdy vehicle), you can also camp for free on public lands outside of developed campgrounds. Called “dispersed camping,” this option requires more flexibility and research, but you can’t beat the price. Platforms like iOverlander and Freecampsites.net can help you get started.
Skip the car rental
The costs of renting a car and parking can add up fast, especially if you’re staying for an extended period of time. Parking at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, for example, can be as high as $45 per day during peak ski season.
If you’re flying to Jackson Hole, consider bypassing the rental car counter to save some cash. Not only do many Jackson Hole hotels offer free airport shuttles, but they also offer free ski shuttles (an especially nice perk if you’re not used to driving in the snow and ice). On top of that, downtown Jackson Hole is small and easy to navigate on foot or bicycle. The region also has a robust public transit network called Southern Teton Area Rapid Transit, or the START Bus for short. Rides are cheap, typically between $1-$3 each way.
Ski at Jackon Hole’s other, smaller resort
Jackson Hole Mountain Resort is the most famous and largest ski resort in the region. But there’s also a lesser-known, more affordable option right downtown: Snow King Mountain. It’s smaller but no less fun, especially if you’re a beginner or traveling as a family. Kids 5 and under ski free, while daily lift tickets and lessons can be less than half the cost of those at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort.
Or, if you really want to save money, skip the ski resorts altogether. Winter activities that don’t require a lift ticket—like cross-country skiing, sledding, snowshoeing, and hiking—tend to be much easier on the wallet. Bradley and Taggart Lakes are wonderful options to check out on days you’re skipping the lift line.
Three men spend some time skiing in the snow around Jackson Hole. Rob Hammer/Getty Images
Take advantage of season passes, discounts and deals
If you’re dead set on skiing at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, there are some ways you can save a bit of cash. If you have a government-issued military ID, you can save up to 40% off lift tickets. If you have a current season pass to any other ski resort around the world, you can save up to 50% off your lift ticket on certain dates with the resort’s Golden Ticket offer. If someone you know has an Ikon Pass, they can also get you a friends and family voucher for up to 25% off.
If you plan on skiing a lot throughout the season, a multi-mountain pass like Ikon or Mountain Collective can also help you save money, especially for children 12 and under. Both of those options offer access to Jackson Hole Mountain Resort while Indy Pass holders can ski Snow King. These passes are more expensive upfront, but the broken down cost per day is often a better value than buying one-off lift tickets for the time you’re in town. The more you ski, the more value you get out of your pass.
Check out nearby public lands and wilderness areas
You have to pay to visit Jackson Hole’s nearby national parks, but there are also lots of other public lands and wilderness areas that don’t cost a dime, including the National Elk Refuge, Bridger-Teton National Forest, and Rendezvous Park. Jackson Hole also has lots of other free activities and attractions, including the Jackson National Fish Hatchery, the nightly Town Square shootout (summers only), public art and more.
You probably already know that Bora Bora’s lagoon is outrageously picturesque, revealing shades of blue you didn’t even know existed. And you’ll be pleased to learn that this stunning island in French Polynesia has beautiful beaches to match, fringed by a curtain of swishing palms.
You’ll find little slices of sandy heaven – almost always attached to a stylishly luxurious resort – scattered all around the main island and on the motu (islets) dotted around the lagoon, so you’ll have sun, sea and sand on tap wherever you choose to stay.
While most beaches are reserved for guests at Bora Bora’s luxe resorts, Bora Bora’s main official public beach, Matira Beach, is one of the best on the island. Starting at Matira and working clockwise around the lagoon, here are eight of the best beaches in Bora Bora to kickstart your island dream.
A laid-back mood pervades at Matira Beach, Bora Bora’s main public beach. Niklas Flindt/Getty Images
1. Matira Beach
Best beach for families
If Derek Zoolander were to describe Matira Beach, he would probably opt for “really, really, ridiculously good-looking.” It’s hard to imagine the need for a resort beach once you’ve spent time soaking up the sun on this gorgeous public beach, regarded by many as the best on the island.
The white sand and clear waters stretch from Hotel Matira on the southern tip of Bora Bora’s mainland up to the former Hotel Bora Bora (whose redevelopment has been stalled since 2008). As Matira Beach is a public beach, you’ll find both locals and tourists enjoying a swim, relaxing on the sand or wading out for a spot of snorkeling.
Pair this with beautiful sunsets and calm water for swimming and you’ve got a beach that’s a top spot for families by day, and a great romantic spot for couples at sunset.
Planning Tip: If you feel peckish, enticing eateries are scattered along Matira Beach, ranging from informal snack stands and casual cafes to fine dining restaurants.
Snorkeling is the easiest way to immerse yourself in Bora Bora’s underwater world. Patrick Ward/Getty Images
2. Conrad Bora Bora Nui Resort
Best beach for beginner snorkelers
Moving offshore from the main island, the private islet of Motu To’opua is home to the luxurious, Hilton-owned Conrad Bora Bora Nui Resort, a great choice for snorkeling and sand-worshipping. The beach at the Conrad is a pretty decent size at around 500m (1640ft) in length, with the entrance jetty located right in the center of the sand.
In contrast to many other resort beaches, the sand faces the lagoon and not the main island, providing views of infinite shades of blue. Although it’s stunning, the vista is dominated by the resort’s overwater bungalows, so this isn’t quite the castaway experience.
Planning Tip: The best thing about this beach is the fact that you can snorkel directly from the sand, finding coral and bright fish just meters from the shoreline. This makes it an ideal beach for beginner snorkelers or those who aren’t strong swimmers. If you’ve bagged yourself an overwater bungalow then you’re in snorkeling heaven; you can jump in right from your porch!
Many beaches on Bora Bora offer sublime views of Mt Otemanu. Getty Images
3. Motu Tapu
Best beach for making a romantic proposal
The tiny lagoon island of Motu Tapu is owned by the Conrad Bora Bora Nui Resort, and what it lacks in size, it makes up for in romantic possibilities, particularly if you head over with a personal chef and butler from the Conrad for a private meal for two (which is how most people come here).
Surrounded by a clear lagoon that turns a vivid blue as the water gets deeper, Motu Tapu was once the private beach of Queen Pomare IV, the queen of Tahiti from 1827 to 1877. With views of Bora Bora’s mountainous main island on one side, it’s the vision of a tropical island escape – if you were queen of Tahiti, you’d probably choose it for your private beach as well.
Planning Tip: Although you’ll probably feel the urge to take hundreds of photographs, a trip to this beach-ringed motu is all about romance. Private and almost deserted, it’s best enjoyed by putting your phone down and committing the scenery to your mental memory bank.
Luxe resorts spill onto some of the finest stretches of sand on Bora Bora. Shutterstock
4. Le Bora Bora by Pearl Resort
Best beach for hammock lounging
Continuing clockwise around the lagoon, the island of Tevairoa is home to the lavish Le Bora Bora by Pearl Resort and its gorgeous 300m (984ft) stretch of sand. This coral islet is nestled between the ocean and the lagoon, with the Pearl Beach resort facing the mainland and the iconic profile of 727m (3285ft) Mt Otemanu.
There’s something about the misty line of mountains in the background, the Polynesian-style architecture of the resort, and the sublime lagoon vistas that compels you to sink into a hammock or collapse onto a beach lounger under a sun umbrella. Incidentally, you can do both here, while you bask in front of dreamy sea and island views.
Planning Tip: This is a great choice if you want to minimize the time between landing in Bora Bora and hitting the sand; you’re just a 10-minute boat ride from the airport and 15 minutes across the lagoon from Bora Bora’s largest village, Vaitape.
5. Blue Heaven Island Resort
Best for informal island charm
Just before you reach the airport on Mute Island, you’ll pass the private island of Motu Paahi and the agreeably informal Blue Heaven Island resort. A quaint, family-run five-bungalow pension with a natural, narrow beach, the resort describes itself as rustic, which means ceiling fans rather than air conditioning, a lagoon instead of a pool, solar electricity and wi-fi that is dependent on the weather. It was temporarily closed at the time of writing so check locally for the latest information.
The shoreline is rockier here but that doesn’t detract from the view, which features the same interplay of mountains and blue as at other more upmarket resorts. The best part about this beach is the epic snorkeling and lagoon kayaking possible right offshore. Some of the pricier resorts bring in their guests by boat to snorkel in the channel right next to this motu, but if you stay here, you’ll already be in prime position.
6. Motu Tane
Best for those with (very) deep pockets
Motu Tane is a small island located right next door to Motu Paahi but only an exclusive few get the chance to enjoy its beautiful beaches, said to be among the best in Bora Bora. The reason? The islet is privately owned by cosmetics mogul Francois Nars, but it was recently listed for sale for a cool US$37.5 million.
If you can’t stretch that far, you can still look across to the island from Motu Paahi and imagine owning your own private paradise island surrounded by white sand and dotted with Polynesian huts and coconut groves. Due to its proximity to Blue Heaven Island resort, you can assume the snorkeling is pretty epic here too.
Bora Bora’s beaches are almost as beautiful by night as by day. Kinho Pizzato/500px
7. Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora
Best for all-round wow factor
Continuing clockwise to the northeastern side of Bora Bora’s lagoon, beyond the airport on Mute Island, the celebrated beach at the Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora offers amazing views of Mt Otemanu from its sparkling stretch of sand.
Surprisingly, the beach isn’t the best thing about this swish private island. Visitors are also wowed by the collection of “mini beaches” lining the turquoise channels leading to the internal lagoon on this narrow island. Once you see them, you’ll want to sell everything you own and move here.
The main beach and the sandy strips surrounding the inner lagoon just ooze luxury. Combine this with four onsite restaurants and superb accommodation and you’ve found yourself the best beach resort on Bora Bora.
Planning Tip: While the Four Seasons charges five-star prices, look out for promotions such as discounts for advance booking and free nights if you stay longer than three days.
8. Sofitel Bora Bora Private Island
Best beach for privacy
Circling back towards the southern end of Bora Bora, you’ll find Motu Piti Uu Uta, home to the Bora Bora Private Island resort – owned by the Accor group but temporarily closed at the time of writing (check online for the latest information).
Although the beach here is small and shrinks considerably with the tide, its beauty lies in its privacy and the color of the surrounding lagoon. For the best views, take a quick stroll up the hill behind the resort, where you’ll find a few deck chairs where you can flop down and admire the sunset over the lagoon.
Planning Tip: Although the snorkeling is pretty decent directly out from the beach, if you swim or wade around the shallows to the deeper channel on the southern side of the island, you will find yourself in a prime spot often visited by snorkeling tours. Fish life is abundant here, but stop before you get too tired or bring something to float on.
Few are not awed by Santorini’s breathtaking beauty, its ring of dramatically colored cliffs around the vast, ancient caldera. But looks aside, it’s the beaches that fill your days, and rightfully so. Whether you want to party, relax, sunbathe, swim, enjoy a seaside meal, escape into solitude or simply shed your clothes, the island has a beach for you.
All are volcanic mixes of coarse sand and pebbles, ranging from burnt brown to deep charcoal. The east and south coasts have the sandiest beaches, along with sheltered waters good for swimming. Here are the very best beaches in Santorini.
1. Red Beach
Otherwise known as Kokkini Beach, popular Red Beach stars in countless Instagram posts thanks to its eponymous red cliffs that loom over the brownish sand. Sheltered from the winds, it’s an easy (albeit crowded) place to while away an entire day. A couple of beachside tavernas rent loungers. The beach is particularly worth visiting in the late afternoon when the sun casts a warm glow over the sand.
How to get there: There is a small parking area with a bus stop above Red Beach but be prepared for a slightly perilous walk down. A better bet is a quick boat trip from nearby Akrotiri Beach, which is known for its ruins.
Santorini’s main resort town of Kamari has a long stretch of brown sand and clear, calm water that says “jump in!” Food, drink and music are never far as the sands are lined with cafes, bars and clubs. It gets busy in summer but renting a lounger for the day is easy if you arrive early and you can try a variety of water sports, many of which are geared to families. If you want to enjoy some diving excursions, try Navy’s Waterworld Dive Centre, a PADI-certified operator offering a range of underwater adventures exploring lava caves and beyond.
How to get there: Kamari is easily reached by frequent buses or by car from Fira and it’s a hub for small boats (caïques) offering quick and cheap trips to more isolated beaches.
An ideal escape from popular Red Beach, White (Aspri) Beach is a sheltered cove a few hundred meters further west along the south coast. Lest you start entertaining fantasies of a cliched white-sand idyl, the name here doesn’t describe the sand, which is volcanic and dark, but rather the gleaming cliffs backing the cove. Only a vendor or two offer refreshments (and loungers), so bring what you’ll need for one of the better escapes in the dog days of August.
How to get there: It’s best reached by small boat from Red or Akrotiri Beaches.
Located close to the White and Red beaches, Mesa Pigadia is sometimes referred to as Black Beach. It’s less crowded than the other two and is well-serviced, with sun loungers and parasols for hire. There are also a smattering of taverns and photo-worthy villas built into the rock formations. The clear water here, teeming with marine life and sheltered from the northern winds, is perfect for snorkeling and diving.
How to get there: It can be reached by a small boat from Akrotiri beach or via bus on the Fira to Akrotiri bus route.
Often overlooked, this small beach is right below the village of Oia at the north end of the island. It has some of the best views from a beach across Santorini’s caldera. The “sand” is rocky and pebbly so footwear is necessary, but you’ll likely find the mellow vibe as well as the refreshments from the waterfront tavernas to be intoxicating. The water here is about the clearest on the island – the rocks along the at-times treacherous shoreline (especially to the west at Ammoudi) are perfect for taking a plunge into the sea.
How to get there: You can navigate the 980ft (300m) walk down to the shore from the Oia bus stop or drive the small dirt track.
Facing the open water on the north end of Santorini, Baxedes Beach is another quiet option for the busy summer months. Backed by steep cliffs which provide some afternoon shade in spots, it’s a mix of dark rocks, pebbles and coarse sand, which are often pounded by sizable waves. It’s not a place for a family outing, rather it’s a place to shed crowds and clothes. To the east is Baxedes’s near-twin, Paradisos Beach. Services at both are few beyond a couple simple tavernas, so bring what you need.
How to get there: Baxedes is a stop on the Oia to Fia bus route.
An ideal choice for groups with varying interests, Vlihada (Vlychada) Beach gets more popular each year. It’s a long stretch of south-facing coarse dark sand intermixed with small rocks. Tavernas and bars abound and you have you pick of loungers to rent for the day. The site is sheltered so swimming is usually easy.
Besides typical watery activities like snorkeling and diving, you can go for hikes along the beach, which pass weird sandstone rock formations pock-marked with myriad holes in sinuous shapes. Or you can learn about the era when Santorini’s main harvest wasn’t tourists but rather tomatoes. An old cannery right on the beach has been transformed into the Tomato Industrial Museum.
How to get there: Road access to Vlihada Beach is easy. You can get there by car or by bus from Fira.
This long, grey-sand beach on the southeast coast changes its name as you head south, starting as Perissa Beach, becoming Perivolos Beach and then Agios Georgios Beach. The sand gets a bit finer as you move south, while the many accommodation choices become more upscale. This long strand is the best option if you want a hotel right on the beach rather than amidst the dynamic vibe of hilltop Fira. It’s also a good beach if you want to party, as Perissa has a beach bar that hosts live music sessions and DJ sets during summer nights.
That said, the choice of beach clubs, tavernas, hotels and apartments here is varied, with something for every taste and budget. A long tree-shaded promenade makes for wonderful strolling along the over 2 miles (3km) of shoreline.
How to get there: All three beaches have excellent access from parking areas; regular buses pass by from Fira.
Beating out even famously scenic destinations like Alaska and Utah, California is home to more national parks than any other state. The Golden State’s 10 national parks showcase the best of the West Coast’s diverse range of landscapes, from the towering redwoods of NorCal, the arid deserts of SoCal, the iconic flora of Joshua Tree and the surreal geologic results of past volcanic eruptions and glacier paths.
From crown jewels of the whole system like Yosemite to remote marine ecosystems like Channel Islands National Park, California’s national parks certainly pack a punch. In addition to these officially designated jewels, the National Park Service runs a bevy of other protected places, including wilderness areas, seashores, preserves and such national monuments as Cabrillo and Muir Woods.
If you want to get outside and let nature awe you, the Golden State has what you’re looking for. Here are the best national parks in California.
1. Yosemite National Park
Best for sheer grandeur
The centerpiece of the national park system and California’s most popular national park, Yosemite attracted 3.9 million visitors in 2023. Its grandeur is so evocative that it inspires awe even for those who’ve never been. A UNESCO World Heritage site for its exceptional natural beauty, including five of the world’s highest waterfalls, it’s also often considered the most beautiful national park in the state.
The park’s busiest and most developed part, Yosemite Valley, includes hits like the granite monster El Capitan, the precipitous drop of Bridalveil Fall, the green, often wildflower-strewn valley floor, and, front and center, glorious Half Dome. Other sections of the park burst with giant sequoia groves and an endless array of wilderness trails, and they are no less sublime.
In for the long haul? Load up that pack and connect the dots from the heart of Yosemite to the pinnacle of Mt Whitney, the highest peak in the contiguous USA. A true adventure, the physically demanding 211-mile John Muir Trail goes step by step up and over six Sierra passes topping 11,000ft. Join other blister-footed obsessives crossing chilly rivers and streams as you traverse Yosemite Valley, the roadless backcountry of Kings Canyon and Sequoia and the oxygen-scarce Whitney summit.
Pay homage to the oldest living things on earth. With some trees estimated to be about 4,000 years old, the gnarled and wind-battered stalwarts of the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest have certainly stood the test of time. From Independence, wind your way up the high-altitude road to the White Mountains, stopping midway to admire the distant spiked ridge of the Sierra Nevada and the valley below. At the solar-powered Schulman Grove Visitor Center, get your bearings and catch your breath before admiring these wizened survivors.
But there’s more than natural beauty here. Located in Yosemite Valley and built in the 1920s, The Ahwahnee Hotel is a stunning architectural jewel. Its public spaces, including the dining room with its soaring 34ft high ceilings, are a step back in time.
Planning tip: A free shuttle service helps visitors get around the park.
Joined by a high-altitude roadway bisecting a national forest and contiguous with several wilderness areas, these two parks offer vast stretches of alpine bliss. Groves of giant sequoias, wildflower-strewn meadows, gushing waterfalls, dramatic gorges and spectacular vistas reveal themselves at nearly every turn.
With a dramatic cleft deeper than the Grand Canyon, rugged Kings Canyon offers true adventure to those who crave seemingly endless verdant trails, rushing streams and gargantuan rock formations. The camping, backcountry exploring and climbing here are all superb. Neighboring Sequoia National Park gets all the glory, but Kings Canyon also has groves of enormous sequoias and far less trafficked trails. The canyon’s General Grant Grove is home to a sequoia nicknamed General Grant, the second-largest tree in the world.
Peaks more than 14,000ft high make up other parts of the park, most designated wilderness. Still, Kings Canyon Scenic Byway (Hwy 180; only open end of April to October) twists and bends through some of the most dramatic scenery in California, making the natural bounty accessible to all (all who drive with confidence, that is). The Big Stump Entrance, near Grant Grove Village, is the park’s only entrance station.
As if all that weren’t enough, picture unzipping your tent flap and crawling out into a “front yard” of trees as high as a 20-story building and as old as the Bible: Welcome to Sequoia National Park. Brew some coffee as you plan your day of adventures in this extraordinary place, with its soul-sustaining forests and gigantic peaks soaring above 12,000ft.
Choose to gaze at dagger-sized stalactites in a 100,000-year-old cave, view the largest living tree on earth, climb 350 steps to a granite dome with soaring views of the snow-capped Great Western Divide or drive through a hole in a 2,000-year-old log. All that before you’ve even walked a trail – where the wild scenes (and brief encounters with black bears) will give you goosebumps, charging waterfalls will leave you awestruck and epic overnight backpacking trips will lead you to deserted lakes and idyllic backcountry camps.
The very name evokes all that is harsh, hot and hellish –a punishing, barren and lifeless place of Old Testament severity. This is a land of superlatives – hottest, driest and lowest – windswept sand dunes, water-sculpted canyons, extinct volcanic craters, palm-shaded oases and plenty of endemic wildlife. Nature truly puts on a lively show in Death Valley.
Furnace Creek is Death Valley’s commercial hub, home to the national park visitor center, a gas station, ATM, post office and lodging. There’s also a mission-style “town square” with a general store, restaurant, saloon and ice cream and coffee parlor. There’s lodging, gas, a general store, dining, RV and camping options at both Stovepipe Wells Village and Panamint Springs. Places to see around Panamint Springs include the ten beehive-shaped Wildrose Charcoal Kilns built in 1876 for processing silver and lead and Darwin Falls, a spring-fed waterfall. At Stovepipe, cool off in the lodge’s swimming pool.
Planning tip: Park entry permits ($35 per vehicle) are valid for seven days and available from self-service pay stations along the park’s access roads and at the visitor center.
In the summer, the dry, smoldering, treeless terrain within this 106,000-acre national park stands in stunning contrast to the surrounding cool, green conifer forests. In winter, tons of snow limits how far you can travel inside its borders. Still, entering the park from the southwest entrance is like stepping into another world. The lavascape offers a fascinating glimpse into the earth’s fiery core. In a fuming display, the terrain is marked by roiling hot springs, steamy mud pots, noxious sulfur vents, fumaroles, lava flows, cinder cones, craters and crater lakes. At 10,463ft, Lassen Peak is the world’s largest plug-dome volcano.
Centuries ago, this was a summer encampment and meeting point for Indigenous tribes such as the Atsugewi, Yana, Yahi and Maidu, who hunted deer and gathered plants for basket making. Now their descendants work with the park to educate visitors about their ancient history, traditions and contemporary culture.
Lassen has 150 miles of hiking trails, including a 17-mile section of the Pacific Crest Trail. Experienced hikers can attack the Lassen Peak Trail, whose 5-mile round trip takes at least four-and-a-half hours; the first 1.3-mile stretch, up to the Grandview viewpoint, is suitable for families. The 360-degree view from the top is stunning, even if the weather is a bit hazy.
Near the Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center, a gentler 2.3-mile trail leads through meadows and forest to Mill Creek Falls. Further north on Hwy 89, note the roadside sulfur works with its bubbling mud pots, hissing steam vent, fountains and fumaroles. The moderate 1.5-mile Bumpass Hell trail and boardwalk lead to an active geothermal area with bizarrely colored pools and billowing clouds of steam.
A study in geological drama, this park’s craggy monoliths, sheer-walled canyons and rambling caves are the result of millions of years of erosion. In addition to hiking and rock climbing, the park’s biggest attractions are its two talus caves. Balconies Cave is always open for exploration, while Bear Gulch Cove is generally closed from mid–May to mid–July, when the resident colony of Townsend’s big-eared bats raises their offspring.
The park’s namesake spires form a natural barrier bisecting the park. For the west entrance, exit Hwy 101 at Soledad and follow Hwy 146 northeast for 14 miles; the east entrance is accessed via Hwy 25 from Hollister and Hwy 146. There are visitor centers on both sides. No road connects the two sides of the park, though you can hike across in about an hour. While in the park, watch for endangered California condors circling above.
Planning tip: Pinnacles are best visited during spring or fall since the summer heat can get extreme.
As if from the pages of a Dr Seuss book, whimsical-looking Joshua trees welcome visitors to this 794,000-acre park at the convergence of the Colorado and Mojave Deserts. Rock climbers know “JT” as the best place to climb in California; scrambling up, down and around the giant boulders can be fun for all. Hikers seek out hidden, shady, desert-fan-palm oases fed by natural springs, while mountain bikers are entranced by the desert views. It’s also a great place to camp.
Originally named the humwichawa by the Cahuilla Nation, these unusual trees, a type of yucca, were often used to make rope, baskets and other clothing. When the Mormon settlers came along, they dubbed it the Joshua tree because the branches stretching toward heaven reminded them of the biblical prophet Joshua pointing the way to the promised land. In spring, the trees send up a huge, single, cream-colored flower, while the octopus-like tentacles of the ocotillo cactus shoot out crimson flowers. The mystical quality of this stark, boulder-strewn landscape has inspired many artists, including U2, who spent time here while recording their 1987 album The Joshua Tree. Unless you’re day-tripping from Palm Springs, base yourself in the desert communities linked by 29 Palms Hwy/Hwy 62 along the park’s northern perimeter.
Joshua Tree, a small community of just over 6,000, serves as a national park hub and has a visitor’s center for the area. If you love old Westerns from the 1940s and 50s, Pioneertown is worth a stop. Designed to look like the 1880s, it’s actually a much newer creation that was developed as a film and TV set.
This park is the southernmost of a patchwork of state and federally administered lands under the umbrella of Redwood National and State Parks. Pick up a map at the visitor center and check out the many hiking options. A few miles north along Hwy 101, a trip inland on Bald Hills Rd leads to Lady Bird Johnson Grove, with its 1.5-mile, kid-friendly loop trail. Or enjoy the secluded serenity of Tall Trees Grove where, as the name implies, you’ll find the park’s tallest trees.
To protect Tall Trees Grove, the number of vehicles allowed per day is limited. Pick up the free permits at the visitor center in Orick, then choose your hiking options. There’s the challenging half-day trip that’s a 6-mile rumble on an old logging road followed by a moderately strenuous 4.5-mile round-trip hike. Or try either the 1-mile there-and-back or a 2.5-mile loop, accessed from Davidson Rd at Elk Meadow, to Trillium Falls.
Planning tip: Winter brings high waters prompting the removal of footbridges crossing Redwood Creek. Check with park rangers before hitting the trails.
The four northern islands of the eight Channel Islands – San Miguel, Santa Rosa, Santa Cruz, Anacapa and tiny Santa Barbara to the south – make up the stunning Channel Islands National Park. It brims with tide pools, kelp forests and a multitude of sea caves, including the largest in North America. It’s also home to almost 150 plant and a few animal species all unique to the island. The chain is accessible by boat from Ventura or Oxnard.
Snorkel, dive, swim and kayak among the kelp beds and along the sandy beaches on Anacapa, Santa Cruz and Santa Rosa islands. San Miguel and Santa Barbara abound with colonies of northern elephant seals.
Planning tip: Beautiful any time of year, the islands receive most visitors between June and September. The best times to visit are during the spring wildflower season (April and May) and in September and October when the fog clears. Winters are often stormy but are ideal for whale-watching.
Other National Park Service-designated sites in California
Perched on a shield volcano, Lava Beds National Monument is a truly remarkable 47,000-acre landscape of geological features – lava flows, craters, cinder cones, spatter cones and amazing lava tubes. More than 800 caves have been found in the monument, all averaging a comfortable 55°F (13°C) no matter the temperature outside. You can spy Indigenous pictographs and petroglyphs in certain corners of the park, too.
A rough-hewn beauty, Point Reyes National Seashore boasts marine mammals and birds, along with scores of shipwrecks. Follow Sir Francis Drake Blvd 20 miles west to the point’s edge-of-the-world lighthouse, the perfect spot for observing migrating whales in winter.
The experience of walking amongst the world’s tallest trees can only happen in Northern California and part of southern Oregon. The old-growth redwoods at Muir Woods, just 12 miles north of the Golden Gate Bridge, are the closest redwood stand to San Francisco. For more grandiose redwood forests, travel further north to Mendocino and Humboldt Counties.
Once destined to be felled for a dam, the trees were saved when congressman and naturalist William Kent bought a section of what was then called Redwood Creek. In 1907, he donated 295 acres to the federal government, and a year later, President Theodore Roosevelt made the site a national monument.
The most fascinating attraction in Reds Meadow is the surreal volcanic formation of Devils Postpile National Monument. The 60ft curtains of near-vertical, six-sided basalt columns formed when rivers of molten lava slowed, cooled and cracked with perplexing symmetry. This honeycomb design is best appreciated from atop the columns, reached by a short trail, just an easy half-mile hike from the Devils Postpile Ranger Station.
From the monument, a 2.5-mile hike passing through fire-scarred forest leads to the spectacular Rainbow Falls, where the San Joaquin River gushes over a 101ft basalt cliff.
Planning tip: The chances of actually seeing a rainbow forming in the billowing mist are greatest at midday. The falls can also be reached via an easy 1.5-mile walk from the Reds Meadow area, which has a cafe, a store, the Reds Meadow campground and a pack station. Shuttle services run to the Reds Meadow area in season.
Suppose you’re on a quest to reach the middle of nowhere. In that case, there’s no better place than the 1.6-million-acre Mojave National Preserve, a jumble of dunes, Joshua trees, volcanic cinder cones and habitats for bighorn sheep, desert tortoises, jackrabbits and coyotes. Whether you spend an entire day or just a few hours exploring the free preserve, enjoy sights like the giant “humming” dunes, an extinct volcano, a huge Joshua-tree forest and sculptured rock walls. The main visitor center, located in an old railroad depot in Kelso, has information and maps.
Planning tip: Daytime temperatures hover above 100°F (37°C) during summer, and plummet to around 50°F (10°C) in winter, when snowstorms can occur. Spring and fall bring strong winds. Gas isn’t available within the preserve.
Abutting Yosemite National Park, Mammoth Lakes, June Lake and Inyo National Forest, the lakes, peaks, gorges and glaciers in the Ansel Adams Wilderness Area make Sierra Nevada’s most dramatic alpine destinations.
An enormous region of nearly two million acres of dense forests, high peaks and lakes and nine wilderness areas, Inyo covers a good chunk of California’s Eastern Sierra and White Mountains. Encompassing a vast network of trails and campgrounds, there are ranger stations in Lone Pine, Bishop, Mammoth Lakes and Mono Basin. The Inyo National Forest’s 128,000-acre Hoover Wilderness Area is a backcountry paradise dotted with such stunning sights as Virginia Lakes, Lundy Lake and the high peaks bordering Yosemite to the west.
Keep planning your trip to California
Find the best time to visit California’s national parks. Visit nine of California’s national parks in one epic journey. Traveling on a budget? Here are tips on how to save money.
What couple can resist the Caribbean, with its promise of screensaver-worthy beaches and romantic resorts that go above and beyond to make every holiday feel like a honeymoon?
Whether you want to lounge in a private cabana, swing in a hammock, dine at a moonlit table for two, hike through lush rainforest or snorkel among primary-colored fish, you can do what pleases both of you on any of the islands that make up this coveted destination. All of which makes it even harder to narrow down the best places for couples in the Caribbean.
And that’s why we want to inspire you with these eight particularly romantic Caribbean destinations.
1. Little Cayman, Cayman Islands
Best for getting off the grid
Little Cayman is the smallest of the Cayman Islands and home to more iguanas than people – making it ideal for couples looking to spend quality time together. This dazzling island is just one mile wide and 10 miles long, its desert-island vibe offering up quiet beaches, crystal-clear waters, a tropical nature reserve and world-class diving sites. When you tire of swinging in a beachfront hammock, you can cycle to Booby Pond Nature Reserve to observe the resident colony of 4000 red-footed boobies (their name notwithstanding, you can identify them by their blue beaks).
Alternatively, take a dip in the multi-hued blue waters of South Hole Sound Lagoon (you may well be the only couple there). For a more strenuous workout, kayak over to Owen Island, where you’ll feel like the only people on the planet, or dive Bloody Bay Wall – a dramatic 6000ft drop-off that’s part of an underwater mountain range. You’ll have a handful of small hotels to choose from, including the colorful beach cottages at the Southern Cross Club and the all-inclusive Pirates Point Resort.
Planning tip: On Little Cayman, bikes are the transportation of choice. But since the island is too small to support a bike shop, most hotels and guesthouses will lend you a bike to get around or rent you one for a small fee.
2. Grenada
Best for underwater explorations
Grenada is home to the world’s first underwater sculpture park and the largest shipwreck in the Caribbean, making it a good choice for couples looking for once-in-a-lifetime dive experiences. The underwater gallery of sculptures can be found in the Molinère Beauséjour Marine Protected Area, with the artworks acting as artificial reefs attracting a wide variety of tropical fish.
The 18,000-ton, 65ft-long Italian cruise liner, Bianca C – known as the Titanic of the Caribbean – sits upright on the seabed at a depth of 165ft, just a mile off Grand Anse beach, and is a memorable dive for those with experience. If swimming’s your thing, check into Silversands, which boasts the Caribbean’s longest swimming pool, at nearly 330ft long.
If you were to see no other part of St Lucia on your romantic vacation, the district of Soufrière on the west coast would provide you with memories aplenty. Think hiking the imposing Gros Piton, mountain biking through overgrown former plantations, slathering each other in mud in the name of beauty at Sulfur Springs or taking a bracing freshwater shower at Diamond Falls. Most of these activities are an added bonus for couples drawn primarily to the romantic hotels that have made the area famous. Jade Mountain and Ladera are both in this area, both luxury properties that have done away with the fourth wall to allow its rooms to frame equally dramatic yet differing views of the Pitons.
Planning tip: Visit between February and May for the lowest chance of rain. High season ends after the Easter holiday, so May can also be a very affordable time to book your romantic break.
4. Antigua
Best for all-inclusive resorts
If you’re looking for the best all-inclusive resorts for couples in the Caribbean, you’ll find a glut of them on West Indian island Antigua. For suites with private plunge pools, try Hammock Cove, Galley Bay or Hermitage Bay. Older couples favor the quiet sophistication of Curtain Bluff, where they can mingle at the manager’s cocktail party hosted in the owner’s living room, while younger couples enjoy the activity program at Pineapple Beach Club. If you fancy romance, Maldives-style, try one of the overwater bungalows at the Royalton. Feeling flush? Then head to one of the most exclusive private islands in the Caribbean and book a stay at Jumby Bay, where Oprah Winfrey, Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana own villas.
With pristine rainforest, a river for every day of the year, waterfalls, national parks, volcanoes, white and black sand beaches, one of only two boiling lakes in the world (the other is in New Zealand), and a vast array of soul-restoring excursions and authentic experiences, Dominica helps couples reconnect and create enduring memories.
On this nature-heavy island, you can river-canyon, hike volcanoes, swim in rainforest waterfalls, soak in natural hot springs or get close to the resident pod of sperm whales. Dominica is less touristy than other Caribbean islands and will appeal to couples who enjoy getting off the beaten track. For a private rainforest retreat, try six-star Secret Bay, 10 villas on a verdant hillside in the northwest.
Planning tip: Dominica is in the hurricane belt, so avoid hurricane season, which lasts from June 1 to November 30.
6. CocoCay, Bahamas
Best romantic cruise stop
When searching for the most romantic Caribbean cruise, it’s worth checking itineraries to see if they stop at CocoCay, Royal Caribbean International’s private island in the Bahamas. Whether your idea of romance is daring each other to go down Daredevil’s Tower, the tallest waterslide in the world, or paddling your partner out in a kayak made for two before sipping refreshing Coco Locos from the privacy of a daybed or cabana in Breezy Bay, you’ll find a way to relish romance at CocoCay. When Royal Caribbean’s new ship Icon of the Seas launches in 2024, the cruise line will debut the island’s adults-only oasis, Hideaway Beach, with an expansive pool, private cabanas with pools and the ultimate ocean views.
Jamaica is known as the birthplace of reggae music, but did you know it was also the birthplace of couples-only all-inclusive luxury Sandals Resorts? This Jamaican company has cornered the honeymoon market in the Caribbean, and now operates nearly 20 resorts in beachfront properties in Antigua, Barbados, Grenada, St Lucia, the Bahamas and Curaçao (open since June 2022). Seven of them are in Jamaica, including the brand-new Sandals Dunn’s River (opened in May 2023).
Each Sandals offers two people in love a romantic, all-inclusive Caribbean experience that includes dining at up to 16 specialty restaurants, unlimited premium drinks, complimentary land and water sports (including up to two scuba dives per day for certified divers) and top-notch amenities. Romantic things to do in Jamaica include bamboo river-rafting on the Martha Brae, daring jumps into the Ocho Rios Blue Hole and horseback rides in the waves.
8. Andros, Bahamas
Best for eco-conscious couples
With a marine territory of 100,000 square miles, 700 islands and 2400 cays, the Bahamas is one of the most eco-friendly destinations in the Caribbean. The sea around the islands absorbs carbon (the islands now sell blue carbon credits), and the air contains less pollution than almost any other place in the world. Eco-conscious travelers will be enamored not only with the islands’ green credentials, but its focus on nurturing nature, wildlife and community.
Couples looking to keep busy should look to the island of Andros, the largest island in the archipelago. Andros has the highest concentration of blue holes, or pools opening to underground cave systems, in the world (180). In an effort to protect these natural wonders, a 40,000-acre national park has been formed, creating a safe haven for 22 blue holes and the surrounding pine forests. Captain Bill’s Blue Hole is the most accessible, with a platform to leap into the water. Opt for an eco villa at Tiamo, a luxury resort only accessible by boat after flying into South Andros on Mangrove Cay.
Picture-perfect Los Cabos offers a desert-meets-sea aesthetic, with gorgeous golden rock formations that tumble down to the wide-open Pacific Ocean.
Not to be confused with the West African island nation of Cabo Verde, Los Cabos is on Mexico’s Pacific Coast. Its anchor cities of Cabo San Lucas and San José del Cabo are jam-packed with many of Mexico’s top five-star hotels, and they’re loaded with a wide array of all-inclusive resorts. With so many beautiful beaches and flashy resorts, it’s no wonder why it’s quickly become one of Mexico’s top tourist destinations.
With that said, there is much more to this town at the tip of the Baja California peninsula than sprawling beach resorts. Cabo is also known for its world-class water sports, diving, yachting, culture, and events. Still, you have certain factors to consider when deciding your best time to visit Cabo. The winter and spring high season typically provides the mildest and driest weather, but it’s also the most expensive time to visit. On the flip side, summer’s low season often sports the lowest prices for flights and hotels, but it’s also the time when you need to be the most mindful of the potential for extreme weather.
While Cabo manages to keep things fun and enjoyable year-round, we want to help you figure out when is your best time to plan your Los Cabos trip. Here’s our season-by-season, month-by-month guide to the best time to visit Cabo.
December to April: Pick the high season for perfect weather
With average temperatures that range between a delicious 77 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit, most tourists consider high season their best time to visit Cabo. Thanks to cool breezes that ride in from the Pacific, visitors to Los Cabos can expect sunny and warm days with cooler desert nights. And since Cabo averages less than 1.5 inches (or under 3.5cm) of rain during these five months, you face the least risk of rain on your parade.
As Cabo is where the desert meets the sea, the cooler and drier winter weather makes this the best time for sightseeing around the region. From outdoor adventures like ATV riding and hiking, to visiting the nearby Pueblo Mágico (or Magical Town) of Todos Santos, winter is the prime time to experience the best that Cabo has to offer. If you’re into whale watching, winter is also the best time to spot pods of gray and humpback whales (and whale sharks) enjoying the warm and nutrient-rich ocean water.
But, of course, there’s a catch: The high season brings big crowds. If you come during the winter holiday season (Christmas and New Year’s) or spring break (March and April), you should expect top-shelf prices at Cabo’s resorts and restaurants. (Check our guide on where to eat in Los Cabos for some great restaurant recommendations!)
May to June: Pick the spring shoulder season for a quieter atmosphere
Cabo’s late spring shoulder season might be the destination’s best-kept secret. Not only are temperatures still perfectly pleasant (warm in the day, cool at night), but the majority of crowds have gone home. As a result, you’ll notice lower prices, and you’ll see that the frenzied, vivacious spring break scene gives way to much calmer vibes. Though the whales have left for cooler waters, the warmer sea water makes it more amenable for swimming. (Expect water temperatures in the mid-70s Fahrenheit during May and June.)
For Los Cabos’ most swimmable beaches, head to Medano Beach near the Cabo San Lucas Marina, Lovers Beach by the Arch at Land’s End, and the Santa Maria and Chileno Bay Beaches at the Tourist Corridor between Cabo San Lucas and San José del Cabo. These beaches have the safest and calmest sea water for swimming, making them some of the best free things to do in Los Cabos.
Come May and June, temperatures start to rise with daytime highs usually reaching the upper 80s. Also during this time, Cabo hardly gets any rain. With all that sunshine, the right amount of heat, and fewer crowds, you’ll see that the spring shoulder season makes for quite a lovely season in Los Cabos.
July to September: Rainy season brings the lowest prices
Late summer into early fall is when temperatures rise well into the 90s (Fahrenheit) during the day, bringing a thick blanket of humidity and plenty of rain. While the rain makes it a bit more difficult to catch those southern Baja rays, the weather brings with it a green, lush landscape that contrasts beautifully against the otherwise rocky desert environment.
Because this is the Pacific hurricane season, you may need to keep a close eye on the weather forecast in case a major storm makes its way to Los Cabos. Though direct hurricane hits are rare, summer thunderstorms are to be expected.
For this very reason, the tourist crowds thin out making way for the cheapest hotel rates and airfares. As long as you don’t mind damper weather and reduced operating hours at some restaurants and nightclubs, the summer season is ideal for bargain hunters.
October to November: Pick the fall shoulder season for great weather and great deals
October typically marks the tail end of the Pacific hurricane season. There’s still some risk of tropical storms reaching shore, but Cabo almost always gets more rain and storms during August and September. By November, Cabo turns bone-dry all over again. Temperatures usually only reach into the mid-80s (Fahrenheit) during the day and drop to the 60s at night.
While you’ll notice prices rising in time for the Thanksgiving U.S. holiday at the end of November, you’ll find a number of great deals earlier in fall. If you don’t mind hotter temperatures and some risk of rain, book an October trip to enjoy some of the lowest prices and smallest crowds outside the summer low season. For nicer weather and more activities in and around town, go in November.
Now that we’ve given you an overview of Los Cabos’ high, shoulder, and low seasons, here’s a more detailed month-by-month guide. Keep in mind that events and details are subject to change.
January
January is the coolest month in Los Cabos, but even the coldest day here is still pretty warm. Daytime highs almost always surpass 70 degrees Fahrenheit, and nighttime lows rarely fall below 50. Expect large crowds and high hotel prices through the first week of the month, due to New Year’s celebrations.
Key events: El Día de los Reyes Magos, Todos Santos Tropic of Cancer Music & Arts Festival
February
You’ll still be enjoying plenty of sunny days in Cabo, only this time with much more space to yourself. February offers a “sweet spot” of thinner crowds and pleasant weather, as it’s after the winter holidays and before the spring break rush.
Key events: Todos Santos Art Festival, Los Cabos Half Marathon
March
Daytime temperatures begin to inch their way into the 80s during the month of March, and with the start of spring break in schools, you’ll notice an uptick in both families and younger travelers looking to party poolside by day and bar-hop by night.
Key events: Cheese & Wine Festival
April
By April, US colleges’ spring break season is winding down, and Semana Santa (Holy Week) celebrations are kicking up in Los Cabos. Expect high room rates and lots of people out on the beaches, in the streets, and at the bars. Since Cabo San Lucas (at the southwestern tip of Los Cabos) has more of the luxury hotels and all-inclusive resorts catering to U.S. and Canadian travelers, expect a more exciting environment here. Meanwhile to the east of Cabo San Lucas and the Tourist Corridor of major name-brand resorts, San José del Cabo tends to be much more laid back. By the end of the month, the entire region begins to calm down as temperatures rise.
May languidly rolls in on a heat wave. Yet it’s also one of the best times to visit Los Cabos because the vibe still hums with energy, especially if you’re a boater or a surfer. Surf season in Los Cabos runs from May through October, and you can expect good swells at various beaches from Todos Santos to San José del Cabo. May also brings thousands of aquatic enthusiasts to the marina to enjoy the Cabo Marine Show.
Key events: Cabo Marine Show
June
The southern tip of the Baja Peninsula is a tropical desert, and June weather will certainly remind you of that. The days stay hot, and precipitation is virtually nonexistent. But, that does not stop Los Cabos from hosting various events. From surf competitions to golf and music, Los Cabos has plenty to entertain.
Key events: Los Cabos Open of Surf, Stars & Stripes Fishing & Golf Tournament, Fiesta de la Música, Gala de Danza
July
Scorching temperatures peak in Los Cabos in July. You may see a rainstorm here and there, but precipitation is still pretty rare at the peak of summer. July begins turtle-nesting-season in Los Cabos. It’s also the peak time of year for summer vacations, which means beaches can be crowded and hotel occupancy high.
Key events: East Cape Dorado Shootout
August
Blazing temperatures and thick humidity continue. Thunderstorms start to become a more normal occurrence towards the end of the month. Still, fishing is in full swing in the Sea of Cortez.
Key events: East Cape Bisbee Tournament, Festival del Mango Todos Santos
September
Los Cabos crashes into September with a roll of thunder and heavy rain. While hurricane season is said to start in June, the roughest storms actually tend to hit in September. If you’re coming during this month, prepare for the possibility of multiple rainy days.
Key events: Mexican Independence Day
October
Storms continue into October, though they tend to taper off considerably when compared to September. October is also when Los Cabos begins to prepare for the rush of the holiday high season. Hotel rates start to climb, and the events calendar starts to pick up again, especially when it comes to fishing tournaments.
Key events: Los Cabos Billfish Tournament, Bisbee’s Los Cabos Offshore Tournament, Bisbee’s International Black & Blue Tournament, Fiestas Tradicionales Cabo San Lucas, Los Cabos Gran Fondo
November
After months of heat and humidity, the temperatures start to feel considerably cooler in November and the rain starts to fade away. Peak season is just around the corner, so it’s best to book November travel a few months in advance to secure lower prices, especially if you’re planning for a tropical (and popular) Thanksgiving getaway.
You’ll also notice a busier event calendar in November, which includes events like the San José del Cabo Art Walks and the organic market.
Key events: Day of the Dead, Los Cabos International Film Festival, Todos Santos Film Festival, VIP Summit
Peak season officially kicks off when the calendar flips to December. This month kicks off whale watching season and crowds start to arrive in droves. Hotel rates reach all-time highs, especially around Christmas and New Year’s Eve. Still, this is one of the most energetic times to be in Los Cabos, with holiday celebrations, foodie events, and many parties to enjoy.
Key events: Gastrovino Baja Food & Wine Festival, Sabor a Cabo Festival, Las Posadas Christmas celebrations, New Year’s Eve Fireworks
You might also like:
Where and what to eat in Los Cabos right now
Why Los Cabos needs to be next on your travel list
Top 10 things to do in Cabo San Lucas
With 300 miles of barrier-island beaches and innumerable coastal towns waiting to be explored, North Carolina’s shoreline attracts millions of visitors each year – and it’s not hard to see why.
From romantic escapes to kid-friendly family vacations, and action-packed adventures to lazy days in the sun, the region offers something for everyone. Here are a dozen of the best beaches in North Carolina.
Outer Banks
Corolla Beach
Best beach for families with young kids
Just below the Virginia border on the Outer Banks, Corolla (pronounced “kuh-RAH-luh”) is a go-to choice for families with young kids, thanks to its gentle waves and 24 miles of wide, white sand.
Corolla is the only place in the region that allows four-wheel-drives directly onto the beach year round, fee-free (though you’ll need a permit if you want to park).
Interestingly enough, the 4×4 beaches are also where you’ll find Corolla’s best-known attraction: wild horses. Descended from Spanish Mustangs, these horses have had the run of the place for hundreds of years. It’s illegal to come within 50ft of the horses, but a handful of tour operators can get you close enough for a photo opp.
Duck
Best beach for families with teens
Barely 15 miles south of Corolla, the resort town of Duck has just 500 permanent residents, but its numbers swell during the summer season. It’s a hugely popular destination for families, especially those with teens.
On the eastern ocean-facing side of town, shops and restaurants are clustered around a six-mile-long trail with sidewalks and bike lanes.
On the western side, Duck Town Park covers 11 acres of greenspace, with a playground, a public canoe and kayak launch and a mile-long boardwalk that winds along the Currituck Sound. The town plays host to an annual jazz festival – typically the second weekend in October – and its beaches are private and well-kept.
Nags Head
Best beach for hang-gliding
One of the best-known towns in the Outer Banks, Nags Head is a destination for spring-breakers and multi-generational families. Its location on Bodie Island, a few miles south of Kitty Hawk and the Wright Brothers National Memorial, makes it a draw for aviation buffs.
It can get very crowded in the summer, so it’s almost better to visit during the off-season. Less crowds mean more space to yourself for fishing off the pier, hang-gliding at Jockey’s Ridge – a state park with the tallest natural sand dune system in the eastern US.
Average temperatures don’t usually dip below 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 Celsius), so a wintry stroll on a beach wouldn’t be too uncomfortable.
Ocracoke Island
Best beach for shelling
Once a hideout for the infamous pirate Blackbeard and the site of his death in 1718, Ocracoke Island is known today for its natural beauty and low-key vibe.
Located on the southern end of the Outer Banks, most of the island is part of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore – protected land administered by the National Park Service. Its beaches are stellar spots for shelling, with beachcombers turning up conchs, sand dollars and Scotch bonnets on a regular basis.
The waves can be turbulent this close to Cape Hatteras, but the water is warmer here than it is further north, thanks to the Gulf Stream off the coast.
Cape Lookout National Seashore
Best remote beach
With 56 miles of beach to explore along a series of undeveloped barrier islands, Cape Lookout National Seashore is the perfect place to enjoy the natural beauty of the Carolina coast.
A short ferry ride brings guests to the park where there’s something for everyone from swimming and shelling to touring the iconic lighthouse and observing local wildlife. Shackleford Banks offers ideal conditions for swimming, sunbathing and watching wild horses that live on the island.
Adventurous visitors may opt to tour the coastline via ATV or kayak. Designated as an International Dark Sky Park, guests can experience spectacular stargazing during an overnight stay at the year-round primitive camp sites or seasonal rustic cabins.
There are limited facilities at the ferry landings and cabin areas. The park requests leave no trace practices for both daytime and overnight beachgoers.
Crystal Coast
Atlantic Beach
Best beach for a day trip from Raleigh
Just 150 miles southeast of Raleigh on North Carolina’s Crystal Coast, Atlantic Beach is an easy drive from the state capital, and it can draw a crowd in the peak summer months.
Located on Bogue Banks, a small barrier island tucked between Bogue Sound and the ocean, it’s the first stop off the causeway from Highway 70, making it an easy option for a weekend getaway or a longer escape.
With a boardwalk, a fishing pier, wide sandy beaches and offshore activities like parasailing, kiteboarding, jet-skiing and kayaking, it’s no wonder the place garners so much attention. And let’s not forget the kitschy souvenir shops and restaurants galore,
At the island’s eastern point is Fort Macon State Park, and the eponymous fort saw action in the Civil War. Tour the premises, then settle on the beach, a beautiful stretch of sand with a bathhouse, concessions, wheelchair-accessible areas and lifeguards on duty from Memorial Day to Labor Day.
Emerald Isle
Best beach for upscale crowds
Not 15 miles west of Atlantic Beach is Emerald Isle, a bit sleepier than its neighbor, with fewer hotels and more condos, cottages and houses. The town is a bit more upscale, with art galleries, boutiques and fine-casual dining.
Emerald Isle may be on the quiet side, but there’s plenty to do on and off the 12 miles of beach, especially for families – everything from putt-putt and disc golf to paddleboarding, surf lessons and fishing off the pier. It’s also easy to reach from Raleigh, with its own causeway to help drivers beat the cross-island traffic.
Bear Island
Best beach for beachcombing and bird watching
Accessible by ferry and private boat only, with primitive camping and virgin beach, Bear Island is at the heart of Hammocks Beach State Park – a peaceful and secluded respite from the modern-day beachgoing throngs.
Home to shore birds and tidal pools teeming with life, the four-mile barrier island is heaven for beachcombers and birdwatchers. There’s marshland to explore via paddling trails for kayaks, canoes and paddleboards (available to rent in season).
The oceanfront campsites are open year-round, so you can sleep beside the dunes and under the stars practically any time you choose.
Topsail
Topsail Island
Best beach to observe sea turtles
North of Wrightsville in Onslow County, the 26-mile-long Topsail (pronounced TOP-sul) was once another rumored hideaway for the pirate Blackbeard. Today, its beaches are laidback and family-friendly, with waters conducive to fishing any time of the year.
Surf City is the island’s commercial hub, with well-kept beaches and a year-round population of nearly 3500. To the north is North Topsail Beach and Ocean City, a quiet community established in 1949 as the first beach destination on the Atlantic where Black people could own property, and to the south is Topsail Beach, a town with 400-some year-round residents and zero high-rise development allowed.
The island is fertile ground for nesting sea turtles, and the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue & Rehabilitation Center offers educational programs and public releases of the loggerheads its staff has nursed back to health.
Wilmington
Wrightsville Beach
Best beach to visit all year round
Across the Cape Fear River from the port city of Wilmington, Wrightsville Beach is a solid option throughout the year, thanks to a winning combination of urban attractions and outdoor adventures.
The mild weather and sprawling sands attract families, retirees and college crowds, while activities like surf camp, sailing school and diving classes keep them busy both on and off the water.
Get up early to catch the sunrise over the Atlantic, hit the Oceanic Pier for a magic-hour stroll, and in the summertime, catch an outdoor concert at the park. Head over the causeway for dinner at one of the city’s top-rated restaurants, followed by a show or movie at the historic Thalian Hall – a 19th-century theater on the National Register for Historic Places.
Carolina Beach
Best beach for boardwalk fun
Carolina Beach is an epicenter of family fun, nestled on the aptly named Pleasure Island between Wrightsville Beach and Bald Head Island on the Atlantic coast.
Its boardwalk is often called one of the best in the US. It lives up to the buzz with rides and arcade games, bike rentals, restaurants and concessions, and weekly fireworks during the summer.
On the Cape Fear side of the island, Carolina Beach State Park boasts 761 acres of nature trails, campsites and beach. It’s also a native habitat for the Venus flytrap. The wheelchair-accessible half-mile Flytrap loop provides a look at the carnivorous plants in the wild.
Kure Beach
Best crowd-pleasing beach
From history lovers to nature enthusiasts, Kure Beach offers a wide range of activities to delight every visitor.
This popular beach is brimming with things to do such as exploring exhibits at Fort Fisher, marveling at marine life in the aquarium and fishing along the pier. Kure Beach is a favorite destination for scuba divers with the remains of over 200 shipwrecks to discover including the well-preserved Civil War-era blockade runner, the Condor.
The Ocean Front Park & Pavilion and Hi-Tech Arcade entertain families with kid-friendly activities and events throughout the year.
Brunswick
Bald Head Island
Best beach to escape the crowds
A secluded, car-free retreat between the Cape Fear River and the Atlantic Ocean, Bald Head Island can only be reached by ferry or private yacht. Once you’re onsite, bikes and golf carts are the only means of transportation.
As a result, the vast majority of the island’s 12,000 acres – including salt marshes, maritime forests, and 14 miles of beaches – remain pristine and untouched. For a solitary escape à deux, it’s tough to get better than this.
The Bald Head Woods Coastal Reserve is a prime spot for birdwatching and the Kent Mitchell Nature Trail has paths suitable for a range of abilities. The Bald Head Island Conservancy offers guided kayak tours, tidal-pool explorations and birding tours. Sea turtles – mostly loggerheads – nest here from June to August. The beaches are great for shelling, especially around low tide.
Best places to visit in North Carolina
Sunset Beach
Best winter beach
While Sunset Beach is great to visit any time of year, this coastal gem near the southern edge of the state is extra special from late fall through early spring. During this time, visitors can experience a rare phenomenon, observing both the sunrise and sunset over the water.
About 1.5 miles from the Sunset Beach Pier, visitors can add their hopes, memories and well-wishes to a journal in the Kindred Spirits Mailbox. The small mailbox sits next to a bench on Bird Island where visitors can read entries left behind by those who have stopped by over the years and add their own thoughts to the empty pages.
This quiet beach is a relaxing destination for vacationers in search of a tranquil getaway.
Oak Island
Best nostalgic beach
From the ice cream parlor and mini-golf to fishing piers and wide sandy shores, Oak Island embodies the timeless charm of a classic beach vacation.
Ten miles of shoreline become a water enthusiast’s playground for kayaking and boating as well as swimming and fishing. With bike trails for all levels, cycling is a popular way to explore the area by land. The Oak Island Lighthouse offers stunning views of the Brunswick Islands.
With plenty of pet-friendly places and activities along Oak Island, this is also one of the best beaches to bring the entire family, including furry friends.
Inland
Lake Lure
Best beach for Dirty Dancing recreations
The North Carolina coast is a beachy bonanza, but those who prefer freshwater excursions have options too. Chief among them is Lake Lure, located less than 30 miles from Asheville in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
The manmade lake and the surrounding area served as a backdrop for Dirty Dancing, that ‘80s classic starring Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey. Recreate your favorite moments from the film with a stay in a themed cabin or a photoshoot at one of the movie’s exterior locations. (Superfans should visit in September for the Dirty Dancing Festival).
If that’s not your idea of fun, you can still have the time of your life fishing, boating and swimming at Lake Lure or hiking and rock climbing at nearby Chimney Rock State Park.
Discover exciting things to do in North Carolina from the mountains to the coast with adventures awaiting around every corner in the Tarheel state.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the nicest beach in North Carolina?
Well-kept beaches, lack of high-rises and plentiful activities on land and sea make Topsail Island a favorite choice for nicest beach in North Carolina. From sea turtles and Surf City to pirates and promenades, this beach has all the makings for an unforgettable beach getaway.
What beach has the clearest water in North Carolina?
As evidenced by its name and location along the Crystal Coast, Emerald Isle is known for its clear water and vibrant blue-green hues. Few storms and light off-shore winds create the right conditions for sediment to settle to the ocean floor, resulting in the clearest water in the state.
What is the least crowded beach in North Carolina?
The remote location of Bald Head Island accessible only by ferry or private boat makes it one of the state’s least crowded beaches. With 12,000 acres to explore, the untouched preserve and quaint neighborhoods offer a serene, spacious getaway.
What is the most affordable beach in North Carolina?
With cost-effective accommodations and plenty of cheap or free things to do in this North Carolina destination, Sunset Beach is ideal for an affordable beach vacation. Enjoy long walks along the shore, swim in the surf, browse local markets, fish from the pier or join a free event.
What are the top family-friendly beaches in North Carolina?
Outer Banks favorites Corolla and Duck feature gentle waves and spacious shores as well as natural and manmade attractions, watersports and land activities to entertain all ages, making them great places for visiting families. Wrightsville area’s Carolina and Kure beaches are some of the most family-friendly in the state with charming boardwalks and arcades in addition to beautiful coastline and peaceful natural settings.
When is the best time to visit North Carolina Beaches?
Although many of the best beaches in North Carolina are great destinations year-round, visiting from March to October is considered the most favorable for enjoying the coast. Early spring and late fall are best for avoiding crowds. Swimmers and sunbathers can enjoy warm water and pleasant temperatures from late spring until the middle of fall.
You may also like:
Best time to visit Charlotte
How to road trip the Southeastern US on a budget
Fall road trip through the Blue Ridge Mountains
