Best Beach Towns In Every State (West Of The Mississippi)

America’s coastal areas don’t have a monopoly on great beaches . . . or groovy beach towns.

There are plenty of towns far away from the Atlantic or Pacific where you can soak up the sun and sand beside a lake or river and dive into amusements and amenities that complement your aquatic adventures.

Here’s a rundown of great beach towns in states west of the Mississippi River:

Hawaii: Honolulu

The Aloha State offers dozens of groovy beach towns. But only Honolulu boasts Waikiki, one of the world’s most renowned beaches, as well as even more photogenic strands like Waialae Beach and Hanauma Bay.

Alaska: Homer

Located around a four-hour drive from Anchorage near the top of the Kenai Peninsula, this historic burg offers beachcombing and bald eagle watching along sandy Homer Spit and rocky Bishops Beach, plus waterfront dives like the Salty Dog Saloon.

Washington State: Long Beach

A popular seaside destination since the 1890s — when a boardwalk called “Rubberneck Row” was the main attraction — Long Beach complements its sandy strand with the World Kite Museum, the oddball Marsh’s Free Museum, and the Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center at Cape Disappointment.

Oregon: Cannon Beach

The Oregon Coast doesn’t lack worthy waterfront towns. But nothing tops the dramatic, romantic view of Haystack Rock from anywhere along the shore in the town of Cannon Beach.

California: Encinitas

The Beach Boys’ immortal “Surfin’ USA” offers a litany of cool California beach towns, One that doesn’t make their list is Encinitas, a San Diego County town with primo breaks, surf camps, rental shops and places where surfers hang post-waves.

Nevada: Incline Village

Maybe it’s best known for winter sports at Diamond Peak and Mt. Rose, but this super laidback town on Lake Tahoe’s north shore offers Shakespeare and live music on the beach at Sand Harbor.

Arizona: Lake Havasu City

What more can be said about a place that offers the equivalent of Spring Break fever on every weekend and holiday. The water teems with jet skis and power boats, but families find calm swimming at several buoyed beaches.

Utah: Garden City

Perched along the western shore of Bear Lake, Garden City boasts beachfront campgrounds, cabins, RV parks and small resorts, as well as rental jet skis, kayaks, paddleboards and powerboats.

Idaho: Sandpoint

Take a dip in Lake Pend Oreille at the beach that wraps almost all the way around aptly named Sandpoint, take your mutt for a walk at Dog Beach or catch a headliner band at the annual Festival at Sandpoint in Lakeview Park.

Montana: Whitefish

The western gateway to Glacier National Park also offers the best beaches under the Big Sky, sandy patches at City Beach, Dog Bay and Les Mason State Park where you can plant your towel or beach chair.

Wyoming: Colter Bay Village

Which American beach offers the most incredible view? It could very well be the rocky strand on Jackson Lake at the end of Bathing Beach Road in this Grand Teton National Park town. Or hire a canoe or kayak at Colter Bay Marina and scout for secluded beaches around the lakeshore.

Colorado: Boulder

College students and families sun, swim and build sandcastles at the Boulder Reservoir beach. Waterfront outfitters expedite water skiing, wakeboarding and paddle sports on the northside lake.

New Mexico: Truth or Consequences

You can drive your vehicle across the beach to the very edge of the water at Elephant Butte Lake State Park on the northern outskirts of a town that famously renamed itself after a 1950’s TV game show. Or luxuriate in a riverside jacuzzi at one of the Rio Grande hot springs resorts in town.

Texas: Corpus Christi

Galveston is the Lone Star State’s premier seaside retreat. But with Padre Island National Seashore just beyond the city limits — and other great Gulf beaches at Port Aransas and Mustang Island — Corpus Christi conquers all pretenders to the crown.

Oklahoma: Sulphur

Beaches along the north shore of Lake of the Arbuckles, swimming holes on Rock Creek and the cool pools at the bottom of nearby Turner Falls make this longtime hot springs resort the best beach town in Oklahoma.

Kansas: Shawnee Mission

This big Kansas City suburb offers human and dog beaches on Shawnee Mission Lake, as well as canoe, kayak, paddleboard and pedal boat rental at Shawnee Mission Marina.

Nebraska: Fremont

A remote outpost on the Mormon Trail and Lincoln Highway is now the Cornhusker State’s sun and sand haven thanks to the 20 Fremont Lakes along the Platte River on the town’s western edge. The state recreation area harbors more than a dozen small beaches.

South Dakota: Custer

This historic gold-mining town in the Black Hills is the gateway to Sylvan Lake and a small but spectacular beach framed by giant boulders. No diving off the rocks!

North Dakota: Pick City/Riverdale

These twin towns on the south shore of Lake Sakakawea (the nation’s third largest reservoir) offer two distinct waterfront vibes: a swimming beach and sand volleyball at the state park in Pick City and beachcombing on the rocky shore beneath the Riverdale cliffs.

Iowa: Arnolds Park

Hub of the Iowa Lakes resort region, Arnolds Park boasts a vintage shorefront amusement park, legendary waterfront hotdog stand, several shoreline resorts and a couple of cute little pocket beaches on West Okoboji Lake.

Missouri: Rolla

It may not overlook Lake of the Ozarks, but this central Missouri town has Fugitive Beach, a former rock quarry transformed into a summer fun destination with a sandy beach, giant waterslide and cliff jumping.

Arkansas: Hot Springs

While the mountain town is long renowned for its mineral baths, it’s also close to sandy strands at Lake Ouachita and Lake Catherine state parks and the artificial beach at Magic Springs water park.

Louisiana: Grand Isle

A seven-mile-long beach makes this remote coastal town the best place in the Pelican State to take a dip in the Gulf of Mexico. The beach is also one of the main venues for the Grand Isle Migratory Bird Festival in April.