8 Blissful Beach Destinations to Escape the Summer Crowds
8 Blissful Beach Destinations to Escape the Summer Crowds - Coco Plum Beach, Belize - Caribbean Serenity Off the Beaten Path
Coco Plum Beach, Belize offers a serene Caribbean escape, with its 16-acre private island hosting an adults-only, all-inclusive resort.
Accessible only by boat, the resort provides a truly secluded and peaceful getaway, featuring 18 private cabanas, beachfront amenities, and a range of activities like snorkeling and kayaking.
While Belize may not be as well-known as some other Caribbean destinations, Coco Plum Island Resort stands out as a hidden gem, offering travelers a chance to leave their worries behind and indulge in a blissful island retreat.
The sand at Coco Plum Beach is composed of nearly 50% crushed coral, giving it a unique, fine-grained texture not found at many other Caribbean beaches.
Belize is home to the second-largest barrier reef in the world, which runs along much of the country's coastline, including the waters surrounding Coco Plum Island, providing exceptional snorkeling opportunities.
The Coco Plum Island Resort utilizes a reverse osmosis system to desalinate and purify seawater, allowing them to provide guests with high-quality drinking water without relying on limited freshwater resources.
The resort's beachfront cabanas are designed to be hurricane-resistant, with reinforced roofs and impact-resistant windows, ensuring guests can enjoy their stays even during the peak of the Caribbean storm season.
Coco Plum Island is home to a thriving population of the critically endangered hawksbill sea turtle, which can often be spotted nesting on the island's beaches during the summer months.
What else is in this post?
- 8 Blissful Beach Destinations to Escape the Summer Crowds - Coco Plum Beach, Belize - Caribbean Serenity Off the Beaten Path
- 8 Blissful Beach Destinations to Escape the Summer Crowds - Nonantum Road Beach, Nantucket - A Local's Reprieve from New England Crowds
- 8 Blissful Beach Destinations to Escape the Summer Crowds - Matagorda Bay Nature Park, Texas - Two Miles of Uncrowded Gulf Coastline
- 8 Blissful Beach Destinations to Escape the Summer Crowds - Seabrook, Washington - Laid-Back Pacific Northwest Beach Charm
- 8 Blissful Beach Destinations to Escape the Summer Crowds - Melides, Portugal - An Algarve Alternative Sans the Tourist Swarms
- 8 Blissful Beach Destinations to Escape the Summer Crowds - Anna Maria Island, Florida - Tropical Paradise Without the Spring Break Frenzy
- 8 Blissful Beach Destinations to Escape the Summer Crowds - La Paz, Mexico - Tranquil Baja Escape on the Sea of Cortez
- 8 Blissful Beach Destinations to Escape the Summer Crowds - Chiloe Island, Chile - Uncrowded Shores in the Lakes Region
8 Blissful Beach Destinations to Escape the Summer Crowds - Nonantum Road Beach, Nantucket - A Local's Reprieve from New England Crowds
This secluded stretch of sand, accessible only via a private road, offers a serene escape from the island's summer crowds.
The northern beaches of Nantucket, including the popular 40th Pole Beach, are known for their warmer waters and calmer waves, catering to a range of beachgoers, from swimmers to surfers and stand-up paddleboarders.
Other notable destinations on the island include the charming Sconset Beach and the surfing-friendly Miacomet Beach, each with its unique character and appeal.
Nonantum Road Beach is an unnamed beach, known only to local residents, located near the more famous Surfside Beach on Nantucket island.
Access to this secluded beach is via a private road, and it lacks any public facilities like lifeguards or snack bars, providing a truly off-the-beaten-path experience.
While Nantucket is known for its strong winds, Nonantum Road Beach benefits from its sheltered location, often offering calmer waters and gentler waves, making it a prime spot for swimming and other water activities.
Unlike the more crowded beaches on Nantucket, Nonantum Road Beach maintains a serene and tranquil atmosphere, allowing visitors to truly escape the summer crowds and enjoy a peaceful respite.
8 Blissful Beach Destinations to Escape the Summer Crowds - Matagorda Bay Nature Park, Texas - Two Miles of Uncrowded Gulf Coastline
Matagorda Bay Nature Park offers a unique and uncrowded Gulf Coast experience, providing visitors with over two miles of pristine beachfront along the Texas coastline.
The 1,600-acre park is a hidden gem, featuring wetlands, nature preserves, and a variety of recreational activities such as birdwatching, horseback riding, and kayaking.
Matagorda Bay Nature Park is a 1,600-acre park and preserve located at the mouth of the Colorado River on the Matagorda Peninsula, offering visitors a unique coastal experience.
The park features over two miles of pristine Gulf of Mexico coastline, as well as two miles of river frontage, providing diverse habitats for a variety of wildlife.
Geologically, the park's coastline is composed of fine-grained sand, a result of the Colorado River's sediment deposition process over centuries.
The park's wetlands and marshes are home to a diverse array of bird species, including the endangered Whooping Crane, which can be observed during their winter migration.
The park's RV camping facilities offer visitors a unique opportunity to experience the tranquility of the Texas Gulf Coast, with sites located just steps away from the beach.
The park's coastal landscape is shaped by the dynamic interplay between the Colorado River and the Gulf of Mexico, with the ebb and flow of tides constantly reshaping the shoreline over time.
8 Blissful Beach Destinations to Escape the Summer Crowds - Seabrook, Washington - Laid-Back Pacific Northwest Beach Charm
Visitors can enjoy direct beach access, hiking trails, and a quaint city center, with over 250 vacation rentals available year-round.
Seabrook was designed and built from the ground up starting in 2004, making it one of the newest master-planned communities in the Pacific Northwest region.
The town's architecture and design was inspired by the classic beach towns of the East Coast, with a focus on creating a walkable, pedestrian-friendly environment.
The town's vacation rentals are all equipped with high-speed internet, catering to the needs of remote workers and digital nomads who can enjoy the laid-back beach setting while staying connected.
Seabrook's developers have embraced the region's natural beauty, preserving over 1,000 acres of undeveloped land surrounding the town, including hiking trails and secluded beaches.
The town's main street, Seabrook Avenue, features a unique blend of locally-owned boutiques, cafes, and restaurants, creating an authentic small-town ambiance.
Seabrook's local climate is moderated by the nearby Pacific Ocean, resulting in milder temperatures and less extreme weather compared to other parts of the Pacific Northwest.
The town's beach access points are designed to minimize environmental impact, with wooden boardwalks and dune-friendly landscaping to protect the delicate coastal ecosystem.
8 Blissful Beach Destinations to Escape the Summer Crowds - Melides, Portugal - An Algarve Alternative Sans the Tourist Swarms
Melides, a hidden gem in Portugal's Alentejo region, is slowly gaining popularity as an alternative to the crowded beaches of the Algarve.
The area offers scenic beaches, rustic charm, and serene landscapes, attracting a community of sculptors, architects, and musicians, giving it a unique and bohemian vibe.
Recently, the area has seen an increase in high-profile transplants and new accommodations, making Melides the next big beach town in Portugal.
Melides is located in the Alentejo region, which is known for its unique microclimate, featuring a Mediterranean-like climate with mild winters and long, hot summers, making it an ideal year-round destination.
The village of Melides is built on a series of sand dunes, which have been stabilized over time through the planting of pine trees, creating a unique and picturesque landscape.
Geologically, the beaches of Melides are composed of a mix of fine-grained sand and crushed seashells, giving the sand a distinctive texture and appearance.
Melides is home to the Lagoa de Melides, a coastal lagoon that serves as an important wetland habitat for a variety of migratory bird species, including the endangered Eurasian Spoonbill.
Melides has a long history of salt production, with evidence of salt pans dating back to Roman times, and the local salt industry continues to be an important part of the local economy.
The town's architectural style is a unique blend of traditional Alentejo and contemporary design, with many of the buildings featuring whitewashed walls, tiled roofs, and modern amenities.
Melides is home to a thriving community of artisans and craftspeople, who produce a wide range of handmade goods, from ceramics and textiles to jewelry and wood carvings, which can be purchased at local markets and galleries.
The local cuisine in Melides is heavily influenced by the region's abundant seafood, with dishes featuring fresh-caught fish, shellfish, and octopus, often prepared in traditional Alentejo styles.
8 Blissful Beach Destinations to Escape the Summer Crowds - Anna Maria Island, Florida - Tropical Paradise Without the Spring Break Frenzy
Anna Maria Island in Florida offers a serene and peaceful tropical paradise, far removed from the spring break frenzy that often plagues other beach destinations.
Anna Maria Island is known for its unique geological makeup, with the beaches composed of a high percentage of crushed coral, giving the sand a fine, soft texture.
The island's coastal landscape is constantly evolving due to the dynamic interplay between the tides, currents, and sediment deposition from the nearby Manatee River.
Anna Maria Island is a haven for birdwatchers, with the nearby wetlands and mangrove forests providing a habitat for a diverse array of avian species, including the endangered roseate spoonbill.
The island's vacation rentals often feature state-of-the-art reverse osmosis systems, allowing them to provide guests with high-quality drinking water without depleting local freshwater resources.
Many of the island's rental properties are designed to be hurricane-resistant, with reinforced structures and impact-resistant windows to ensure guest safety during severe weather events.
Anna Maria Island is home to a thriving population of the critically endangered hawksbill sea turtle, which can be observed nesting on the beaches during the summer months.
The island's northern beaches, such as Bean Point, are known for their calmer waters and gentler waves, making them ideal for swimming and other water activities.
The island's southern beaches, like Bradenton Beach, are popular destinations for beachcombers, with the high tides and wave action regularly depositing a wide variety of seashells and other marine treasures.
The island's local guest services and concierge teams can arrange a variety of excursions and activities, from boating and kayaking to dolphin watching and sunset cruises.
8 Blissful Beach Destinations to Escape the Summer Crowds - La Paz, Mexico - Tranquil Baja Escape on the Sea of Cortez
La Paz, Mexico is a charming coastal city located on the Sea of Cortez, offering travelers a tranquil escape with a range of stunning beaches to explore.
The city provides a variety of beach options, including Playa Saltito, Playa Balandra, and Playa Pichilingue, each with its own unique charm and attractions, allowing visitors to enjoy activities like snorkeling, swimming, and relaxing on the pristine shores.
La Paz is home to the world's largest known population of the critically endangered vaquita, a small porpoise species found only in the northern Gulf of California.
The waters around La Paz are a migratory hotspot for the elusive giant manta ray, which can grow up to 7 meters in wingspan.
Playa Balandra, one of La Paz's most famous beaches, is known for its unique "mushroom-shaped" rock formations, formed over thousands of years by wind and water erosion.
The city's coastal location on the Sea of Cortez, also known as the "Aquarium of the World," allows visitors to spot a diverse array of marine life, including whale sharks, sea turtles, and a variety of colorful tropical fish.
La Paz is home to the world's largest population of East Pacific green sea turtles, which can often be seen foraging in the city's shallow bays and coves.
The local cuisine in La Paz is heavily influenced by the region's rich seafood, with dishes featuring fresh-caught tuna, dorado (mahi-mahi), and clams harvested from the nearby waters.
The Great Escape Puerta Cortés resort in La Paz utilizes a state-of-the-art desalination plant to provide guests with high-quality drinking water, reducing the strain on the area's limited freshwater resources.
La Paz's Malecon, a scenic oceanfront promenade, is a popular spot for birdwatchers, who can spot a variety of migratory species, including the endangered reddish egret.
The nearby Isla Espíritu Santo, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is home to a large colony of California sea lions, which can often be seen frolicking in the waters around the island.
La Paz is situated on the Baja California Peninsula, which is one of the most seismically active regions in Mexico, with frequent small earthquakes and tremors.
The city's unique microclimate, characterized by warm, dry conditions and low annual rainfall, is ideal for the cultivation of a variety of cacti and other drought-resistant plants.
La Paz is a hub for the production of artisanal salt, with several local companies operating salt evaporation ponds along the Sea of Cortez shoreline, a practice that has been in place since pre-Hispanic times.
8 Blissful Beach Destinations to Escape the Summer Crowds - Chiloe Island, Chile - Uncrowded Shores in the Lakes Region
The island's remote beaches and coves provide a serene and tranquil escape, making it an ideal choice for those looking to experience the natural beauty of Chile's Lakes Region.
Chiloe Island is the largest island entirely within Chile and is known for its unique wooden architecture, including the famous palafitos - brightly colored stilt houses that line the shores of its coastal towns.
The island's iconic wooden churches, constructed using techniques passed down through generations, are recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, showcasing the island's rich cultural heritage.
Chiloe Island is home to the Pudú, the smallest deer species in the world, which can only be found in southern Chile and Argentina.
The island's coastline is dotted with sunken forests, the result of rising sea levels over centuries, which have now become a popular destination for kayaking and exploring the island's unique aquatic landscapes.
Chiloe Island is famous for its Curanto, a traditional Chilote dish that involves cooking a variety of seafood, meat, and vegetables in a hole in the ground, covered with hot stones and natural materials.
The island is said to be the home of the Caleuche, a mythical ship that is believed to travel underwater, adding to the island's mystical and folkloric allure.
Chiloe Island is a prime destination for birdwatching, with the Islets of Puñihuil being a popular spot to observe the Magellanic and Humboldt penguins in their natural habitat.
The island's unique geological features, including its rocky coastlines and volcanic landscapes, have been shaped by the dynamic interplay between the Pacific Ocean and the Andes Mountains over thousands of years.
Chiloe Island is connected to the Chilean mainland by a series of bridges and ferry crossings, making it easily accessible to visitors, but still retaining its distinct and isolated character.
The island's rural communities have a strong tradition of handicraft production, with local artisans creating a range of handmade textiles, ceramics, and woodcarvings that are highly sought after by visitors.
Chiloe Island is known for its tempestuous weather, with frequent strong winds and rain, which have contributed to the island's rugged and dramatic natural beauty.
The island's coastline is composed of a mix of fine sand and crushed seashells, giving the beaches a unique texture and appearance that sets them apart from other destinations in Chile.
Chiloe Island is home to a thriving population of the endangered Huillín, a small, semi-aquatic otter species that is a key indicator of the island's healthy aquatic ecosystems.