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I'm gonna go with FL, NC, and SC based solely on the fact those and (VA) are the only beaches on the list I have been to, and the fact that due to weather the water is warmer and you can actually swim in them for longer periods of the year.
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and I feel there are so many public beaches that accessibility is also a factor
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I'll say FL, SC, and probably Jersey are better as far as partying, tho I do think most people from other states are mainly going to the outer banks when it comes to NC beaches, where as I feel as far as things to do, the wilmington area beaches are probably better since you can just go do something downtown.
I understand if you have an attachment to something there, but Georgia is basically a poor man’s SC. The Sea Islands function similarly in both states, but SC has better (and more) developed ones and has better access to the isolated ones that can only be reached by boat.
That’s before you add in the Grand Strand, which is almost a different type of beach experience. South Carolina might have the largest variety of beach experience on the East Coast, or tied with NC.
I dont think Georgia is a poor mans South Carolina… I really cant take that seriously especially if someone from Myrtle Beach was yelling that to someone from Tybee or St Simmons Island.
Georgia is just smaller. Not a poor mans whatever… thats a little pretentious
Obviously I was specifically discussing the Sea Islands. SC’s developed Sea Islands are on the whole better kept and more numerous. SC’s undeveloped Sea Islands are on the whole more accessible (while similarly wild). Someone can prefer Georgia to be sure, but on the whole and at minimum, SC basically offers more of what Georgia does (Kiawah alone has about as much beach as Tybee, Sea Island, and St. Simons combined) plus 70 miles of Grand Strand.
Obviously I was specifically discussing the Sea Islands. SC’s developed Sea Islands are on the whole better kept and more numerous. SC’s undeveloped Sea Islands are on the whole more accessible (while similarly wild). Someone can prefer Georgia to be sure, but on the whole and at minimum, SC basically offers more of what Georgia does (Kiawah alone has about as much beach as Tybee, Sea Island, and St. Simons combined) plus 70 miles of Grand Strand.
This is all basically true, but you are really selling Georgia short here. As far as the developed islands in SC being more 'well kept,' that's a strong no. St. Simons has hosted the G8, they don't meet in unkempt places.
The undeveloped Islands aren't accessible on purpose. They limit the number of visitors to protect the ecology.
The Grand Strand is cool in small pockets like Pawleys Island, but it mostly feels like an updated Daytona Beach to me. I'm definitely not their target market.
This is all basically true, but you are really selling Georgia short here. As far as the developed islands in SC being more 'well kept,' that's a strong no. St. Simons has hosted the G8, they don't meet in unkempt places.
The undeveloped Islands aren't accessible on purpose. They limit the number of visitors to protect the ecology.
The Grand Strand is cool in small pockets like Pawleys Island, but it mostly feels like an updated Daytona Beach to me. I'm definitely not their target market.
I voted FL, MA, NC.
Charleston has a couple islands only accessible by boat within minutes of downtown. You are driving/ferrying hours from Brunswick or Savannah to get to the main undeveloped islands in Georgia. As far as well-kept, I was specifically thinking Tybee, which I found underwhelming.
There are problems with having such a small coastline. If I don’t like Folly Beach, I can go to 7 other places quickly. If I don’t want to ferry to Ocracoke, it’s okay because that is only like 1% of NC’s coastline and I have choices. Georgia has three beaches accessible by car, and if you don’t like one, well it’s okay because you are only an hour away from another one!
If you find a Georgia beach you like, Georgia is great. I’ve never been to a non-Tybee beach there, and I’m sure Sea Island is as great as the pics online look. But it definitely requires the most work to get to these small amount of beaches for a tourist. When judging states on beach tourism, that feels like a big factor.
Should be noted, I’ve been to Myrtle Beach a handful of times in the last 20 years but I haven’t been to the beach there since I was a kid. It’s not my cup of tea on that front. Outlets, putt putt, and food in some order.
Wow, Virginia is cratering. I would have thought Virginia would easily beat Massachussets and New Jersey. Maine and New York right on the heels of Virginia?
Cape Cod gets like, 4 million visitors a year. Meanwhile, Virginia saw 20 million tourists in 2017. Sure, more than that visit Atlantic City each year, but how many actually go for the beach rather than the Casino's and night life?
Polls do tend to be popularity contests. Still telling. Nice to see Florida is #1. That makes some sense.
Wow, Virginia is cratering. I would have thought Virginia would easily beat Massachussets and New Jersey. Maine and New York right on the heels of Virginia?
Cape Cod gets like, 4 million visitors a year. Meanwhile, Virginia saw 20 million tourists in 2017. Sure, more than that visit Atlantic City each year, but how many actually go for the beach rather than the Casino's and night life?
Polls do tend to be popularity contests. Still telling. Nice to see Florida is #1. That makes some sense.
South Florida beaches is almost like Hawaii and Caribbean
Wow, Virginia is cratering. I would have thought Virginia would easily beat Massachussets and New Jersey. Maine and New York right on the heels of Virginia?
Cape Cod gets like, 4 million visitors a year. Meanwhile, Virginia saw 20 million tourists in 2017. Sure, more than that visit Atlantic City each year, but how many actually go for the beach rather than the Casino's and night life?
Polls do tend to be popularity contests. Still telling. Nice to see Florida is #1. That makes some sense.
Checking Virginia's coastline, it looks like most beaches in Virginia are between Norfolk and the VA/NC state line. The Norfolk beaches interestingly enough, are right on Chesapeake Bay instead of the Atlantic Ocean. Also, it looks like there's only one Virginia beach that gets a lot of visitors on the Delmarva Peninsula, which is Assateague Beach(and Island). I will say I wouldn't mind someday visiting Assateague, if just to see what the wild horse population is like there. And that, it probably would make for some good pictures. Side note from street viewing, the town of Chincoteague, VA(near Assateague Island, and beach) looks pretty nice, as well.
My theory, is that Virginia beaches probably aren't visited as much as Atlantic coast beaches in other states. Kinda like is also the case, with Georgia's Atlantic Ocean beaches too. And why I suspect VA doesn't have as many votes in this poll, and why the number of votes for Virginia in the poll is(as of the time I viewed this thread, maybe this will change later?) neck and neck with Massachusetts and New Jersey. And am I right in thinking the beach on Wallops Island(on Delmarva, just south of Assateague Island) isn't open to the public, due to it being part of a NASA testing site? At least I saw a few google reviews that hint this seems to be the case, along with none of VA Highway 803(east of its junction with VA Hwy 679 in Assawoman, VA) being viewable at all on street view.
ETA for Virginia: on the Delmarva Peninsula, looks like the town of Cape Charles, VA has a beach on the Chesapeake Bay. Though I suspect the town of Chincoteague(near Assateague Island, which has an Atlantic beach), is much more visited by tourists.
Last edited by SonySegaTendo617; 06-28-2021 at 11:57 PM..
The National Seashore (small, outer portion of Cape Cod) gets about 4 million visitors a year, alone. It's one of the the top 10 most visited National Park sites in the United States. Can't even imagine what the numbers are going to look like this year based on the weekend highway traffic throughout the State of Massachusetts, which I'm told is unbearable right now.
Then there is the rest of Cape Cod, and more notably, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket. I wouldn't expect MASSIVE tourism numbers on the islands, because they are quite small, quite expensive, and quite hard to get to. But they are certainly worth it once you're there.
The South Shore (between Boston and Cape Cod) is well known and well traveled, though it's not as popular as Cape Cod and the Islands or The North Shore (between Boston and NH).
Here in Chicago, going to Cape Cod or Martha's Vineyard or Nantucket is a "thing". Big time. I'd say equally as much of a "thing" is going to Montauk / The Hamptons.
Virginia's coastline isn't popular or well traveled for those in the Northeast or Midwest, at least not right now. Ditto Maryland's coastline.
In my experience, NC would be the most popular in the Southeast aside from FL, followed closely by SC.
Who voted Delaware? OCMD alone, is leaps and bounds over all of Delawares beaches.
Anyways,
Florida, Jersey, and NC get my vote.
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