Professional Camera View of America's 17 Best Beach Towns, Laid-back Vibes And Stunning Coastal Views

Solana Beach, California

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Yes, the best beach towns run up and down the California coastline, but Solana Beach stands out for its utter lack of pretension. Natural beauty is the name of the game in this laidback San Diego County town, where the best activities are simply sunning on the lovely beaches, exploring rugged hiking areas with ocean and lagoon views (Annie's Canyon Trail is a favorite), trying homemade tamales and chocolate halvah at the farmers market, and enjoying casual food and drinks at Solana's seafood restaurants, pancake houses, and wineries.

Provincetown, Massachusetts

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Perched on the tip of Cape Cod, this sleepy town with only about 3,500 year-round residents swells to six times that during the high season. Provincetown pulls in its bohemian-spirited summer crowd with a winning combo of stunning natural scenery, 19th-century houses, and an everyone-is-welcome cultural scene. Vacationers spend the days frolicking at commerce-free Race Point and Herring Cove beaches, biking through pine forests and dunes, or strolling downtown's Commercial Street to visit its funky shops, galleries, and eateries. P-town's vibrant LGBTQ+ scene shines with cabarets and drag shows (often with Broadway and RuPaul's Drag Race vets at the helm) and a whole lot of dancing.