Culture and Lifestyle Activities and Entertainment Outdoor Recreation The 15 Best Beaches In The South, According To Our Readers By Tara Massouleh McCay Tara Massouleh McCay Tara Massouleh McCay is the Senior Travel and Culture Editor for Southern Living. A writer and editor with nearly 10 years of experience in producing lifestyle content for local, regional, and national publications, she joined the Southern Living team in 2021. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Published on June 28, 2024 Close Photo: Taylor Glenn/Redux Southerners are opinionated about a lot of things. The proper way to make sweet tea, the importance of thank-you notes, and which college football teams are worth cheering on—just to name a few. In the summer, we mostly agree that the best place to vacation is at the beach. Sun, sand, and surf are universally loved, but that doesn’t mean we all agree on the best place to find the time-honored trifecta. We’ve certainly got our opinions on top Southern beaches, which means y’all undoubtedly do too. What are the best beaches in the South? Well, the jury’s still—and may always be—out. However, we were interested in what y’all had to say. So, we asked, and you answered. These are the 15 best beaches in the South, according to our readers (in no particular order). The 30 Best Beach Vacations To Add To Your Bucket List Now Gulf Shores/Orange Beach, Alabama George Dodd / Getty Images Lots of folks sang the praises of Alabama’s Gulf Coast and particularly its twin towns of Gulf Shores and Orange Beach. These 32 miles of sugary sand beaches and docile Gulf of Mexico waves captured our readers hearts. The beaches’ family friendly amenities were a big draw too. more on gulf shores/orange beach Outer Banks, North Carolina Peter Frank Edwards While this area technically encompasses more than 10 beaches—including popular spots like Hatteras, Nags Head, Kitty Hawk, and Duck—readers agreed that this stretch of barrier islands off the coast of North Carolina has that special something. Folly Beach, South Carolina Courtesy Explore Charleston We know our readers love Charleston (it’s been named the South’s Best City more times that we can count), so it’s only fitting that its salty next-door neighbor of Folly Beach is also a favorite haunt for our crowd. Just 12 miles from the Holy City, you get all the Lowcountry charm with none of the big-city fuss. more on folly beach Sanibel Island, Florida Nicknamed America’s Shelling Capital, it’s easy to see why folks fall in love with this Florida community so easily. Nearly 70% of the barrier island is protected, meaning visitors can still enjoy a secluded, natural escape without the overdevelopment so many other oceanfront communities face. more on sanibel Oak Island NC Brunswick Islands Snuggled between bigger coastal destinations like Wilmington and Myrtle Beach, Oak Island eight miles of beaches are a family friendly escape with the perfect balance of things to do and places to unplug. more on oak island Kiawah Island, South Carolina Christopher Shane Another barrier island beach town, Kiawah Island is bound by the Kiawah River on one side and the Atlantic Ocean on the other. Regular public roasts and 30 miles of paved bike trails give this Lowcountry gem that extra edge. more on kiawah island Pensacola, Florida Courtesy of Visit Pensacola The farthest west of Florida’s beloved panhandle beaches, Pensacola is known for its gorgeous, crystal-clear turquoise water and snow-white sand. That’s about all it needs to draw plenty of faithful visitors, but its excellent restaurants and bi-weekly Blue Angels air shows only add to its draw. North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina Check out America's best beaches to hit the surf and sand. Getty Thirty minutes up the coast from ever-popular Myrtle Beach is an entirely different beach destination with a style all its own. While we’re all familiar with the Grand Strand capital, it’s less-flashy neighbor to the north has lots of the same appeal with far fewer crowds. Isle of Palms, South Carolina Wild Dunes Resort People have been flocking to this seven-by-one-mile island on the South Carolina coast since the early ‘70s, and our impromptu reader poll proves the destination has staying power. Wild Dunes Resort and The Windjammer are a couple classic Isle of Palms spots that don’t seem to be going out of style any time soon. more on isle of palms Destin, Florida Courtesy of Destin-Fort Walton Beach, Florida It’d be hard to overstate the enthusiasm with which our readers recommended this Panhandle beach town on Florida’s Emerald Coast. Nicknamed the “World’s Luckiest Fishing Village,” the destination has grown far beyond village status now. But you can still find old-school charm and plenty of long-loved businesses and stays there today. more on destin Hilton Head Island, South Carolina Coligny Beach Sunset - Hilton Head Island. Photo Credit: Rachid Dahnoun / Getty Images Often topping our South’s Best polls for favorite beach towns and islands, our readers have yet to grow numb to Hilton Head’s charms. There’s excellent golf, beach paths galore, plus top-notch shopping and dining to be found here. The 12 miles of wide, public beaches are just the cherry on top. more on hilton head island Anna Maria Island, Florida Melanie Wynarski / EyeEm / Getty Images This surpassingly quaint island community successfully resisted the draw of high-rise condos. Its three towns of Anna Maria, Bradenton, and Holmes Beach provide all the excitement—by way of eclectic boutiques, local restaurants, and cozy cottage stays—one could need. more on anna maria island Tybee Island, Georgia Taylor Glenn/Redux The coastal kin to another of our readers’ favorite Southern cities, Tybee Island is sometimes simply referred to as Savannah’s Beach. But the barrier island is much more than that. Visitors get the full experience by climbing the Tybee Island Lighthouse, searching for dolphins, and taking a charter to wild and uninhabited Little Tybee Island. more on tybee island Edisto Island, South Carolina Getty Images South Carolina beaches may have won popularity vote. Edisto’s rich history, beautiful landscapes, and small-town sensibilities are right up our readers’ alleys. So it’s no wonder they recommended the sparsely populated barrier island with such gusto. more on edisto island St. George Island, Florida Visit Florida Located in an area that’s sometimes referred to as Florida’s Forgotten Coast, those who have visited may beg to differ about this place’s ability to be forgotten. Serenity, seclusion, and character-filled seafood shacks are the calling cards for this surprisingly vibrant beach destination. more on st. george island Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit