Travel

The 8 best beach towns for singles

Almost everyone loves a good beach no matter what their relationship status is, but there are certain oceanside destinations where the raucous singles’ scene, legendary nightlife, and plethora of attractive members of the opposite sex may well be more popular than their beach itself.

So if you’ve got no plus one, that’s definitely no problem at these sandy spots.

Here, we’ve got the best places to party this summer if you’re single.

Happy hunting!

 

Montauk, New York

Montauk hotspot, the Surf Lodge.The Surf Lodge/Instagram

What was once a sleepy fisherman’s town located on the very tip of Long Island is now a certifiable hotspot for hotties willing to make the three-hour trek from Manhattan to “The End.” While the neighboring Hamptons have always had their share of well-dressed people, the vibe in Montauk is decidedly more bohemian and less buttoned up.

Start off your night sipping a Dark and Stormy while catching a sunset concert at The Surf Lodge, a hotel, restaurant, and waterfront bar packed with eye candy. Once the stars come out and you’re ready to let your hair down for a serious dance party, hit The Harbor Lounge.

If dive bars and cover bands are your scene, stop late night at Memory Motel, which was immortalized by the Rolling Stones’ song. Cap off your night with a slice from Pizza Village.

Dewey Beach, Delaware

Create your own Bloody Mary at the StarboardThe Starboard/Facebook

This coastal town, only one mile long and three blocks wide, is totally walkable, which may explain why aggressive day drinking en masse is so wildly popular here. The unofficial drink of this party town filled with frisky fun lovers is the Orange Crush: vodka, triple sec, Sprite and half a freshly juiced orange.

Offer to buy your own crush one of them at any of the many bars dotting Dewey. It’s OK to bring sand to the beach at North Beach, a bar right on the bay with tables by the water and live music. Sample the Dewey Devil, their signature frozen concoction that’s surprisingly strong.

On Sundays, revelers flock to Suicide Sundays at The Starboard, featuring a massive make your own Bloody Mary station. No charge for the Monday (or moral) hangover.

Miami, Florida

Singles, get ready to have some fun in the sun at the Fontainebleau in Miami.Fontainebleau/Instagram

South Beach is the quintessential playground for adults. It’s got beautiful beaches and people from all over the world along with some seriously upscale nightlife. If you like one-stop shopping, check into the Fontainebleau, a massive hotel resort with huge pools full of hard bodies and an ultra club on the premises: Liv.

Just remember to leave your flip flops home and dress your best after dark. Unlike some beachy towns, casual attire won’t cut it here at night. Think heels for girls and collared shirts for guys, plus your best flirting game, natch.

During the day, stroll Lincoln Road for serious shopping and people watching before hitting the beach wearing your skimpiest swimsuit: skin is in here in South Beach. Miami nights start later and go longer than most places so feel free to take a midday siesta and save your stamina for the dance floor.

Venice Beach and Santa Monica, California

Venice Beach offers a laid-back vibe.Courtesy of Calvin Fleming/Flickr

If a laidback vibe and surfer bros are your thing, visiting Venice should be on your summer bucket list.

Explore eclectic Abbot Kinney Boulevard’s countless bars and restaurants by foot, then grab a bike (or rollerblades if you’re really SoCal) and hit The Strand, a paved path right along the ocean with lots of pretty people, and head north to Santa Monica.

Stop into Bungalow Lounge, a beachfront bar with a house party vibe, and grab a glass of sangria. Challenge a cute stranger to a game of pool or ping-pong before heading outside to hang by the fire pits…or just ask your new friend to help keep you warm.

Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

Ocean Annie’s Beach Bar is always packed with beachgoers.Ocean Annie/Facebook

This destination is popular for native Southerners and rowdy tourists alike. Sure, there’s some great golfing, but most people here are more interested in actual clubs than the kind you golf with.

Relive your college spring break and toss back tequila shots in Celebrity Square, the nightlife area of mega outdoor complex Broadway at the Beach.They have 16 bars and four different clubs all in one place, including Senor Frogs, Revolutions and Froggy Bottoms.

Hey, no one said it’s fancy, but it’s definitely fun. If you want a scene that combines cocktails and swimming simultaneously, go to Ocean Annie’s Beach Bar. It has its own pool right on the premises and is just steps from the waves, so you’ve got plenty of places to cool off if you get too hot and bothered.

Avalon, New Jersey

Avalon is one of the Jersey Shore’s real gems.Courtesy of Bob Reid/Flickr

Tri-state area residents head “down the shore” on weekends to this casual seaside town, but it’s nothing like the MTV show featuring Snooki and Co … leave your hair gel and heels at home. Grab hoagies from Wawa, a popular convenience store chain with made to order sandwiches, and picnic on the beach with your friends.

Just don’t bring your six packs of beer, as alcohol is technically prohibited on the beach here. But no worries: everyone heads straight from the sand to Whitebrier for their famed no-shower happy hour, where everyone’s quick to make up for lost libation time with cheap drink specials from 4-7.

Once happy hour’s over, head home to shower and freshen up before hitting the Princeton for dinner al fresco, or Jack’s Place, which has live music and solid deejays. They call themselves the “ultimate shore bar,” we call it a good time.

South Padre Island, Texas

South Padre Island isn’t just a favorite spot for spring breakers, but for singles as well.Courtesy of Jason Buford/Flickr

You know that saying “Everything’s bigger in Texas”? It’s totally true at South Padre, with 34 miles of shoreline and more than 50 bars, restaurants and nightclubs for you to choose from.

While most people know it as a spring break hotspot for college kids looking to let loose, there’s plenty of Southern belles and gents who vacation there in the summer.

Walk off the beach to Wanna-Wanna Bar, where no shoes or shirt are required to get served one of their signature drinks, which has vodka, rum, gin, triple sec, amaretto, pineapple and cranberry juice.

South Padre is the self-proclaimed “Fireworks Capital of Texas” and there’s weekly fireworks every Thursday and Friday all summer long, so book a sunset cruise with that someone special to catch the show and let the sparks fly.