Sand And Stars: Top 10 Beachside Campsites

Watching the sunrise or the sunset from a pristine beach is a quintessential vacation must-do. While there are countless beachfront hotels in the United States, nothing beats sleeping on the beach with sand between your toes.

Cheapflights.com has found a handful of beaches in the United States where you can camp on, or almost on, the beach. Eliminate the need for a pre-dawn trek to catch the sunrise or or for the fun to end when the sun goes down. Plus, you’re already assured a prime spot on the beach before daytime beach-goers arrive.

Bahia Honda State Park, Bahia Honda Key, Florida

Located at mile marker 37 in the Florida Keys, Bahia Honda State Park offers three camping areas within the 500-acre park. Up to 80 campsites for tents and RV campers are available. Two of the camping areas, Buttonwood and Sandspur, offer waterfront camping.

Buttonwood accommodates small tents and large RVs on a gravel site, and the waterfront campsites here, which don’t have much shade, are #12-25. Amenities include electricity, water, a picnic table and a grill, plus there are restrooms and hot showers.

Sandspur is located in a hardwood hammock that has low clearance, so only tents and small campers are allowed. The waterfront campsites here are #64-72, and amenities include a picnic table, grill and water. Pets are welcome, but they must be leashed. Some 19 boat slips are available for overnight rental/camping and amenities include water, electricity and full use of park facilities (bathhouse, showers, trash disposal and pump-out).

The park offers campfire circles, lectures on local plants, animals or history conducted by park rangers. During the day, campers can enjoy kayaking on rentable open kayaks, tarpon fishing with guides via charter boats and swimming in the Atlantic Ocean and Florida Bay. Campsites can be reserved up to 11 months in advance by calling 1-800-326-3521 or via Reserve America.

Homer Spit Campground, Homer, Alaska

At the end of Homer Spit, Alaska, campers are afforded picture postcard views of the mountains and the ocean. The Homer Spit Campground on the shores of Kachemak Bay can accommodate 122 RVs and 25 tents. Amenities include free Wi-Fi, dump station, fresh water, laundry, restrooms, showers and a gift shop. Firewood and ice are available for purchase.

The campsite is within walking distance to shops, restaurants and bars, like the Salty Dawg Saloon, a dive bar where visitors must try the Duck Fart, a shot purportedly originating in Kodiak and composed of Kahlúa, Bailey’s Irish Cream and Crown Royal. Open May 1 to Sept. 15, visitors can reserve campsites by calling 907-235-8206 or emailing homerspitcampground@gci.net.

Cape Lookout National Seashore, North Carolina

The pristine beaches of the Cape Lookout National Seashore offer ocean camping at its purest: a chance to sleep under the stars at the edge of the Atlantic Ocean, far from the distractions of the mainland. Ferries depart from the historic town of Beaufort, North Carolina and the old-fashioned maritime village of Harkers Island for the Cape Lookout Lighthouse area and Shackleford Banks, where descendants of Spanish mustangs have roamed wild for five centuries.

This is primitive camping, with no fixed sites or camp stores and few amenities. Restrooms are open seasonally at the lighthouse area and Wade’s Shore on Shackleford Banks, but campers must carry in all supplies, including water, provisions and firewood if they want to build a campfire, which is allowed below the high-tide line. Campers must also be prepared to carry all trash back to the mainland.

Permits are generally not required except for groups of 25 or more. Park rangers recommend tents with insect netting and a tarp or a rain fly capable of withstanding strong winds. Longer tent stakes are also advised to anchor tents in the soft sand.

Malaquite Campground, Padre Island National Seashore, Texas

Campers have the option to camp on the beach or at an inland campsite at Malaquite Campground. Tucked in the dunes, the campground offers a view of the Gulf of Mexico. There are 48 semi-primitive campsites available on a first-come, first-served basis. Amenities include restrooms, cold-water rinse showers and picnic tables. Campsites on the Gulf side have grills and shade structures.

Oceanside Campground, Assateague Island National Seashore, Maryland

Camping on the Maryland district portion of Assateague Island is a treat for experienced campers. Beach camping is not permitted in either the state park or the National Seashore; camping in either place is only allowed on designated pads that are located behind the dune line. The campground loops offer access points to the beach, but there is no water view from the campsites. Campsites accommodate tents and trailers and even horse camping (horse camping is available Oct. 16 to Apr. 14). Campsite amenities include toilets, cold water showers and drinking water. Reservations can be made by calling 1-877-444-6777 or via www.recreation.gov; campsites are first-come, first-served Nov. 16 to Mar. 14.

Waiʻānapanapa State Park, Hana, Hawaii

The remote campsites in Waiʻānapanapa State Park offer the chance to camp along the volcanic coastline. The campsites are set in the jungle near an ancient Hawaiian coastal trail, which leads to Hana, Hawaii. Campers get an up-close-and-personal interaction with nature here. The park is home to a seabird colony, native hala forest, anchialine pools (landlocked bodies of water with subterranean connections to the ocean), heiau (religious temple) and a beautiful black sand beach.

To discover more beachside campsites across the U.S., go here.