A seaside resort is a city,
town
A town is a type of a human settlement, generally larger than a village but smaller than a city.
The criteria for distinguishing a town vary globally, often depending on factors such as population size, economic character, administrative stat ...
, village, or hotel that serves as a
vacation resort and is located on a
coast
A coast (coastline, shoreline, seashore) is the land next to the sea or the line that forms the boundary between the land and the ocean or a lake. Coasts are influenced by the topography of the surrounding landscape and by aquatic erosion, su ...
. Sometimes the concept includes an aspect of an official accreditation based on the satisfaction of certain requirements such as in the German ''Seebad''. Where a
beach is the primary focus for
tourists, it may be called a beach resort.
History
Seaside resorts have existed since antiquity. In
Roman times, the town of
Baiae by the
Tyrrhenian Sea in
Italy
Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...
was a resort for those who were sufficiently prosperous.
Barcola by the
Adriatic Sea
The Adriatic Sea () is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkans, Balkan Peninsula. The Adriatic is the northernmost arm of the Mediterranean Sea, extending from the Strait of Otranto (where it connects to the Ionian Se ...
in northern Italy with its Roman luxury villas is considered a special example of ancient leisure culture by the sea.
Mersea Island in
Essex
Essex ( ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the East of England, and one of the home counties. It is bordered by Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, the North Sea to the east, Kent across the Thames Estuary to the ...
,
England
England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...
was a seaside holiday destination for wealthy ancient Romans living in
Colchester
Colchester ( ) is a city in northeastern Essex, England. It is the second-largest settlement in the county, with a population of 130,245 at the 2021 United Kingdom census, 2021 Census. The demonym is ''Colcestrian''.
Colchester occupies the ...
.
The development of the beach as a popular leisure resort from the mid-19th century was the first manifestation of what is now the global tourist industry. The first seaside resorts were opened in the 18th century for the aristocracy, who began to frequent the seaside as well as the then fashionable spa towns, for recreation and health.
One of the earliest such seaside resorts was
Scarborough in
Yorkshire
Yorkshire ( ) is an area of Northern England which was History of Yorkshire, historically a county. Despite no longer being used for administration, Yorkshire retains a strong regional identity. The county was named after its county town, the ...
during the 1720s; it had been a popular spa town since a stream of acidic water was discovered running from one of the cliffs to the south of the town in the 17th century.
The first rolling
bathing machines were introduced by 1735.
In 1793,
Heiligendamm in
Mecklenburg,
Germany
Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...
was founded as the first seaside resort of the European continent, which successfully attracted Europe's aristocracy to the
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that is enclosed by the countries of Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Sweden, and the North European Plain, North and Central European Plain regions. It is the ...
.
[Bradley, Kimberly]
"A Spa Town Reclaims Its Glory,"
''New York Times.'' 3 June 2007.
The opening of the resort in
Brighton
Brighton ( ) is a seaside resort in the city status in the United Kingdom, city of Brighton and Hove, East Sussex, England, south of London.
Archaeological evidence of settlement in the area dates back to the Bronze Age Britain, Bronze Age, R ...
and its reception of
royal patronage from King
George IV extended the seaside as a resort for health and pleasure to the much larger
London
London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
market, and the beach became a centre for upper-class pleasure and frivolity. This trend was praised and artistically elevated by the new
romantic ideal of the picturesque landscape;
Jane Austen
Jane Austen ( ; 16 December 1775 – 18 July 1817) was an English novelist known primarily for #List of works, her six novels, which implicitly interpret, critique, and comment on the English landed gentry at the end of the 18th century ...
's unfinished novel ''
Sanditon'' is an example of that. Later,
Queen Victoria
Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until Death and state funeral of Queen Victoria, her death in January 1901. Her reign of 63 year ...
's long-standing patronage of the
Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight (Help:IPA/English, /waɪt/ Help:Pronunciation respelling key, ''WYTE'') is an island off the south coast of England which, together with its surrounding uninhabited islets and Skerry, skerries, is also a ceremonial county. T ...
and
Ramsgate
Ramsgate is a seaside resort, seaside town and civil parish in the district of Thanet District, Thanet in eastern Kent, England. It was one of the great English seaside towns of the 19th century. In 2021 it had a population of 42,027. Ramsgate' ...
in
Kent
Kent is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Essex across the Thames Estuary to the north, the Strait of Dover to the south-east, East Sussex to the south-west, Surrey to the west, and Gr ...
ensured that a seaside residence was considered a highly fashionable possession for those wealthy enough to afford more than one home.
Seaside resorts for the middle and working classes
The extension of this form of leisure to the middle and working classes began with the development of the railways in the 1840s; they offered cheap travel to fast-growing resort towns. In particular, the branch line to the small seaside town of
Blackpool
Blackpool is a seaside town in Lancashire, England. It is located on the Irish Sea coast of the Fylde peninsula, approximately north of Liverpool and west of Preston, Lancashire, Preston. It is the main settlement in the Borough of Blackpool ...
from
Poulton-le-Fylde led to a sustained economic and demographic boom. A sudden influx of visitors arriving by rail motivated entrepreneurs to build accommodation and create new attractions, leading to more visitors and rapid growth throughout the 1850s and 1860s.
The growth was intensified by the practice among the Lancashire
cotton mill owners of closing the factories for a week every year to service and repair machinery. These became known as
wakes weeks. Each town's mills would close for a different week, allowing Blackpool to manage a steady and reliable stream of visitors over a prolonged period in the summer. A prominent feature of the resort was the
promenade
An esplanade or promenade is a long, open, level area, usually next to a river or large body of water, where people may walk. The historical definition of ''esplanade'' was a large, open, level area outside fortification, fortress or city walls ...
and the
pleasure piers, where an eclectic variety of performances vied for the people's attention. In 1863, the
North Pier in Blackpool was completed, rapidly becoming a centre of attraction for elite visitors.
Central Pier was completed in 1868, with a theatre and a large open-air dance floor.
Many popular beach resorts were equipped with
bathing machines, because even the all-covering
beachwear of the period was considered immodest.
By the end of the century the English coastline had over 100 large resort towns, some with populations exceeding 50,000.
Expansion around the world

The development of the seaside resort abroad was stimulated by the well-developed
English love of the beach. The
French Riviera on the
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea ( ) is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the east by the Levant in West Asia, on the north by Anatolia in West Asia and Southern Eur ...
had already become a destination for the British upper class by the end of the 18th century. In 1864, the first railway to
Nice was completed, making the Riviera accessible to visitors from all over Europe. By 1874, foreign residents in Nice, mostly British, numbered 25,000. The coastline became renowned for attracting the royalty of Europe, including
Queen Victoria
Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until Death and state funeral of Queen Victoria, her death in January 1901. Her reign of 63 year ...
and King
Edward VII
Edward VII (Albert Edward; 9 November 1841 – 6 May 1910) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 22 January 1901 until Death and state funeral of Edward VII, his death in 1910.
The second child ...
.
In the
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
, early seaside resorts in the late 1800s catered to the wealthy, including city businessmen.
Cape May, New Jersey became one of the first coastal resorts in the United States, when regular steamboat traffic on the
Delaware River began after the War of 1812. Early visitors to Cape May included
Henry Clay in 1847, and
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was the 16th president of the United States, serving from 1861 until Assassination of Abraham Lincoln, his assassination in 1865. He led the United States through the American Civil War ...
in 1849. By 1880,
Henry Flagler had extended several rail lines southward down the US Atlantic coastline, enticing northern upper-class families south to subtropical Florida. The
Florida East Coast Railway brought northern tourists to
St. Augustine in greater numbers, and by 1887 Flagler began to build two large ornate hotels in St. Augustine, the 540-room
Ponce de Leon Hotel and the
Hotel Alcazar, and bought the
Casa Monica Hotel the next year.
Continental European attitudes towards gambling and nudity tended to be more lax than in Britain, and British and French entrepreneurs were quick to exploit the possibilities. In 1863, the Prince of
Monaco,
Charles III
Charles III (Charles Philip Arthur George; born 14 November 1948) is King of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms.
Charles was born at Buckingham Palace during the reign of his maternal grandfather, King George VI, and ...
and
François Blanc
François Blanc (; 12 December 1806 – 27 July 1877), nicknamed "The Magician of Homburg" and "The Magician of Monte Carlo", was a French entrepreneur and operator of casinos, including the Monte Carlo Casino in Monaco. His daughter, Marie-F� ...
, a French businessman, arranged for
steamships and carriages to take visitors from Nice to Monaco, where large luxury hotels, gardens and casinos were built. The place was renamed
Monte Carlo
Monte Carlo ( ; ; or colloquially ; , ; ) is an official administrative area of Monaco, specifically the Ward (country subdivision), ward of Monte Carlo/Spélugues, where the Monte Carlo Casino is located. Informally, the name also refers to ...
. Commercial seabathing also spread to other areas of the
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
and parts of the
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, Crown colony, colonies, protectorates, League of Nations mandate, mandates, and other Dependent territory, territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. It bega ...
such as
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...
, where
surfing became popular in the early 20th century. By the 1970s cheap and affordable air travel was the catalyst for the growth of a global tourism market.
Since the late 20th century,
recreational fishing
Recreational fishing, also called sport fishing or game fishing, is fishing for leisure, exercise or competition. It can be contrasted with commercial fishing, which is occupational fishing activities done for profit; or subsistence fishing, ...
and leisure boat pursuits have become very lucrative, and traditional
fishing villages are often well positioned to take advantage of this.
Destin, Florida, for instance, has evolved from an
artisanal fishing village into a seaside resort dedicated to tourism with a large fishing fleet of recreational charter boats.
Around the world
Albania
*
Durrës
*
Sarande
Australia
Belgium
Seaside resorts on the Flemish coast of
West-Vlaanderen exist at the famous
Knokke,
Ostend
Ostend ( ; ; ; ) is a coastal city and municipality in the province of West Flanders in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It comprises the boroughs of Mariakerke, Raversijde, Stene and Zandvoorde, and the city of Ostend proper – the la ...
and also
De Panne and coastal towns along the
North Sea
The North Sea lies between Great Britain, Denmark, Norway, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, and France. A sea on the European continental shelf, it connects to the Atlantic Ocean through the English Channel in the south and the Norwegian Se ...
served by the coastal tramway
Kusttram run by
De Lijn.
Bulgaria
in Bulgaria">Nesebar in Bulgaria ">Bulgaria.html" ;"title="Nesebar in Bulgaria">Nesebar in Bulgaria
Croatia

There are many seaside resorts on the jagged coastline of Croatia and its several islands, including:
*Biograd na Moru
*Cres (town), Cres
*Jablanac
*Krk (town), Krk
*Lopar, Croatia, Lopar
*Omiš
*Omišalj
*Opatija
*Poreč
*Šibenik
*Trogir
Cyprus
*Ayia Napa
*
Coral Bay, Cyprus, Coral Bay
*
Larnaca
*
Latchi
*
Limassol
*
Paphos
*
Pissouri
*
Polis
*
Protaras
Denmark
*Blåvand
*
Hornbæk
*
Marielyst
*
Skagen
*
Tisvildeleje
Estonia
*
Haapsalu
*
Kuressaare
*
Narva-Jõesuu
*
Pärnu
Finland
*
Hailuoto
*
Hanko
*
Kalajoki
*
Mariehamn
*
Naantali
*
Oulu
*
Yyteri
France
With three long coastlines,
France
France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
has many seaside resorts on its various coasts; for specific towns in each region, see the following articles:
*
Côte Bleue on the
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea ( ) is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the east by the Levant in West Asia, on the north by Anatolia in West Asia and Southern Eur ...
*
Côte d'Argent on the
Bay of Biscay
*
Côte de Lumière on the Bay of Biscay
*
Côte des Landes, a section of the Côte d'Argent
*
Côte d'Opale on the
English Channel
The English Channel, also known as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates Southern England from northern France. It links to the southern part of the North Sea by the Strait of Dover at its northeastern end. It is the busi ...
*
Côte Fleurie on the English Channel
*
French Riviera (Côte d'Azur) on the Mediterranean Sea
Georgia
*
Batumi
Batumi (; ka, ბათუმი ), historically Batum or Batoum, is the List of cities and towns in Georgia (country), second-largest city of Georgia (country), Georgia and the capital of the Autonomous Republic of Adjara, located on the coast ...
*
Gagra
*
Kobuleti
*
Kvariati
*
New Athos
*
Pitsunda
*
Sukhumi
Germany
Germany
Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...
is known for its traditional seaside resorts on the
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that is enclosed by the countries of Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Sweden, and the North European Plain, North and Central European Plain regions. It is the ...
and the
North Sea
The North Sea lies between Great Britain, Denmark, Norway, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, and France. A sea on the European continental shelf, it connects to the Atlantic Ocean through the English Channel in the south and the Norwegian Se ...
coasts, mainly established in the 19th century. In
German they are called ''Seebad'' ("Sea Spa") or ''Seeheilbad'', sometimes with ''Ostsee-'' or ''Nordsee-'' as prefixes for the respective coastline.
The most prestigious resorts can be found along the Baltic coastline, including the islands of
Rugia and
Usedom. They often feature a unique architectural style called
resort architecture. The coast of
Mecklenburg and Western Pomerania alone has an overall length of 2000 km and is nicknamed ''German
Riviera''.
Heiligendamm in
Mecklenburg, established in 1793, is the oldest seaside resort in Germany and
continental Europe
Continental Europe or mainland Europe is the contiguous mainland of Europe, excluding its surrounding islands. It can also be referred to ambiguously as the European continent, – which can conversely mean the whole of Europe – and, by som ...
.
Most important coastal areas with seaside resorts in Germany:
*
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that is enclosed by the countries of Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Sweden, and the North European Plain, North and Central European Plain regions. It is the ...
: islands of
Fehmarn,
Hiddensee,
Rügen,
Usedom;
Mecklenburg coast,
Rostock
Rostock (; Polabian language, Polabian: ''Roztoc''), officially the Hanseatic and University City of Rostock (), is the largest city in the German States of Germany, state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and lies in the Mecklenburgian part of the sta ...
, peninsula of
Fischland,
Darss and
Zingst
*
North Sea
The North Sea lies between Great Britain, Denmark, Norway, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, and France. A sea on the European continental shelf, it connects to the Atlantic Ocean through the English Channel in the south and the Norwegian Se ...
:
East Frisian Islands and
North Frisian Islands
The North Frisian Islands (, ; ''Öömrang'' and ''Fering'' ; ''Söl'ring'' ; ) are the Frisian Islands off the coast of North Frisia.
The term covers both the North Frisian Islands in the narrow sense (in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany) and the Dan ...
Selection of German seaside resorts along the
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that is enclosed by the countries of Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Sweden, and the North European Plain, North and Central European Plain regions. It is the ...
coastline:
At the
North Sea
The North Sea lies between Great Britain, Denmark, Norway, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, and France. A sea on the European continental shelf, it connects to the Atlantic Ocean through the English Channel in the south and the Norwegian Se ...
coastline:
Greece

Greece, renowned as a summer destination, features a large amount of seaside resorts. Some of them include:
India
India
India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
has a long coastline and hence has numerous beaches and resort towns. Beaches were already a popular tourist destination for the kings and the masses alike especially in South India where the Dravidian Empires built large temples near the seashore. Beaches are also associated with Hindu rituals where pilgrims from different parts of India go for worshipping rituals. The sun rise and Sunset are also associated with Hindu traditions which are considered sacred my many Hindu communities and there are festivals to celebrate the sunset and sunrise. A major example of such festivals is
Chhath Puja. The British Raj also contributed in the development of Beach Resorts where Europeans used to visit during the harsh and cold winter of Europe.
The archipelago of Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep are also famous for beach resorts. Other beach resorts in India includes:
*
Digha
*
Bakkhali
*
Sagar Island
*
Kovalam
*
Kollam
*
Calangute
*
Canacona
*
Juhu
*
Puri
Puri, also known as Jagannath Puri, () is a coastal city and a Nagar Palika, municipality in the state of Odisha in eastern India. It is the district headquarters of Puri district and is situated on the Bay of Bengal, south of the state ca ...
*
Visakhapatnam
Visakhapatnam (; List of renamed places in India, formerly known as Vizagapatam, and also referred to as Vizag, Visakha, and Waltair) is the largest and most populous metropolitan city in the States and union territories of India, Indian stat ...
*
Karaikal
*
Chirala
Iceland
*
Nauthólsvík
Indonesia
*
Nusa Dua
*
Nusa Penida
*
Nusa Ceningan
*
Nusa Lembongan
*
Kuta, Bali
*
Legian
*
Seminyak
*
Belitung
*
Canggu
*
Lombok
*
Labuan Bajo
*
Manado
Manado (, ) is the capital City status in Indonesia, city of the Indonesian Provinces of Indonesia, province of North Sulawesi. It is the second largest city in Sulawesi after Makassar, with the 2020 census giving a population of 451,916,Badan ...
*
Sabang
*
Mentawai
*
Serang
*
Parangtritis
*
Bulukumba
*
Gunungkidul
*
Sumba
*
Wakatobi
Ireland

The 'Irish Riviera' on the South Coast of Ireland features the seaside resorts of
Youghal,
Ardmore,
Dungarvan,
Cóbh and
Ballycotton, all set close to the south coast of
Ireland
Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...
. Youghal has been a favoured holiday destination for over 100 years, situated on the banks of the
River Blackwater as it reaches the sea. Dungarvan is a seaside market town beneath the mountains in the centre of the Irish south coast.
Kinsale is often described as a food lover's and yachting town, with a diverse range of restaurants, as well as a large and active creative community with numerous art galleries and record and book shops.
Seaside resorts in the East of Ireland developed after the introduction of rail travel. The
Dublin and Kingstown Railway introduced
day-trippers from
Dublin
Dublin is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Situated on Dublin Bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, and is bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, pa ...
to Kingstown (now
Dún Laoghaire
Dún Laoghaire ( , ) is a suburban coastal town in County Dublin in Ireland. It is the administrative centre of the county of Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown. The town was built up alongside a small existing settlement following 1816 legislation th ...
) in
South Dublin, and the coastal town became Ireland's first seaside resort. Other South Dublin towns and villages such as
Sandycove,
Dalkey and
Killiney grew as seaside resorts when the rail network was expanded. Since the opening of
Bray Daly Station in 1852, the
County Wicklow
County Wicklow ( ; ) is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. The last of the traditional 32 counties, having been formed as late as 1606 in Ireland, 1606, it is part of the Eastern and Midland Region and the Provinces ...
coastal town of
Bray has become the largest seaside resort on the East Coast of Ireland. The town of
Greystones, five miles south of Bray, also grew as a seaside resort when the railway line was extended in 1855. Other seaside resorts include
Courtown and
Rosslare Strand in
County Wexford
County Wexford () is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster and is part of the Southern Region, Ireland, Southern Region. Named after the town of Wexford, it was ba ...
.
Ulster
Ulster (; or ; or ''Ulster'') is one of the four traditional or historic provinces of Ireland, Irish provinces. It is made up of nine Counties of Ireland, counties: six of these constitute Northern Ireland (a part of the United Kingdom); t ...
has a number of seaside resorts, such as
Portrush, situated on the north coast, with its two beaches and a world-famous golf course,
Royal Portrush Golf Club. Other Ulster seaside resorts are
Newcastle, located on the east coast at the foot of the Mourne Mountains;
Ballycastle;
Portstewart
Portstewart () is a small seaside town in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It had a population of 7,854 people in the 2021 United Kingdom census. It is a seaside resort, neighbouring both Coleraine in County Londonderry and Portrush in Cou ...
;
Rathmullan;
Bundoran and
Bangor.
Bangor Marina is one of the largest in Ireland and the marina has on occasion been awarded the
Blue Flag for attention to environmental issues.
The main seaside towns in the west of Ireland are in
County Clare
County Clare () is a Counties of Ireland, county in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster in the Southern Region, Ireland, Southern part of Republic of Ireland, Ireland, bordered on the west by the Atlantic Ocean. Clare County Council ...
; the largest are
Lahinch and
Kilkee. Lahinch is a popular
surfing location.
Like British resorts, many seaside towns in Ireland have turned to other entertainment industries. Larger resorts such as Bray or
Portrush host
air show
An air show (or airshow, air fair, air tattoo) is a public event where aircraft are trade fair, exhibited. They often include aerobatics demonstrations, without which they are called "static air shows" with aircraft parked on the ground.
The ...
s, while most resorts host summer festivals.
Israel

Israel is a major tourist area. Tourism in Israel is one of the major sources of income, with beautiful beaches, such as those found on the
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea ( ) is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the east by the Levant in West Asia, on the north by Anatolia in West Asia and Southern Eur ...
and the
Red Sea
The Red Sea is a sea inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. Its connection to the ocean is in the south, through the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait and the Gulf of Aden. To its north lie the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and th ...
. Most tourists come from the United States and European countries. Other resorts include:
*
Ashdod
*
Ashkelon
*
Eilat
*
Ein Bokek
*
Herzliya
Herzliya ( ; , / ) is an affluent List of Israeli cities, city in the Israeli coastal plain, central coast of Israel, at the northern part of the Tel Aviv District, known for its robust start-up and entrepreneurial culture. In it had a populatio ...
*
Netanya
*
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv-Yafo ( or , ; ), sometimes rendered as Tel Aviv-Jaffa, and usually referred to as just Tel Aviv, is the most populous city in the Gush Dan metropolitan area of Israel. Located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline and with a popula ...
Italy

Italy is known for its seaside resorts, which are visited by both Italian and foreign tourists. Many of these resorts have a history of tourism that dates back to the 19th century.
Resorts include (among many others):
Japan
There are seaside resorts in
Honshu
, historically known as , is the largest of the four main islands of Japan. It lies between the Pacific Ocean (east) and the Sea of Japan (west). It is the list of islands by area, seventh-largest island in the world, and the list of islands by ...
,
Shikoku
is the smallest of the List of islands of Japan#Main islands, four main islands of Japan. It is long and between at its widest. It has a population of 3.8 million, the least populated of Japan's four main islands. It is south of Honshu ...
, and
Kyushu, but
Okinawa is particularly known for its beaches.
Jordan
All seaside resorts in
Jordan
Jordan, officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, is a country in the Southern Levant region of West Asia. Jordan is bordered by Syria to the north, Iraq to the east, Saudi Arabia to the south, and Israel and the occupied Palestinian ter ...
are located in
Aqaba
Aqaba ( , ; , ) is the only coastal city in Jordan and the largest and most populous city on the Gulf of Aqaba. Situated in southernmost Jordan, Aqaba is the administrative center of the Aqaba Governorate. The city had a population of 148, ...
, the only seaport in Jordan. Seaside resorts of Aqaba include
Ayla Oasis and
Marsa Zayed in the Tala Bay region.
Kenya
*
Malindi
Malindi is a town on Malindi Bay at the mouth of the Sabaki River, lying on the Indian Ocean coast of Kenya. It is 120 kilometres northeast of Mombasa. The population of Malindi was 119,859 as of the 2019 census. It is the largest urban centr ...
*
Mombasa
South Korea
Many seaside resorts are located in
Gyeongsang,
Jeolla,
Chungcheong,
Gangwon,
Gyeonggi,
Incheon
Incheon is a city located in northwestern South Korea, bordering Seoul and Gyeonggi Province to the east. Inhabited since the Neolithic, Incheon was home to just 4,700 people when it became an international port in 1883. As of February 2020, ...
,
Ulsan and
Busan
Busan (), officially Busan Metropolitan City, is South Korea's second list of cities in South Korea by population, most populous city after Seoul, with a population of over 3.3 million as of 2024. Formerly romanized as Pusan, it is the economi ...
.
Latvia
*
Jūrmala
*
Liepāja
Liepāja () (formerly: Libau) is a Administrative divisions of Latvia, state city in western Latvia, located on the Baltic Sea. It is the largest city in the Courland region and the third-largest in the country after Riga and Daugavpils. It is an ...
*
Ventspils
Lithuania

*
Juodkrantė
*
Nida
*
Palanga
*
Pervalka
*
Preila
*
Šventoji
Malaysia
*
Langkawi
*
Batu Ferringhi
*
Pangkor
*
Port Dickson
*
Desaru
*
Cherating
*
Kuala Terengganu
*
Kapas
*
Perhentian Islands
*
Redang
*
Tioman
*
Tanjung Aru
*
Gaya
*
Mabul
*
Manukan
*
Sipadan
Malta

The following are the main resort towns in
Malta
Malta, officially the Republic of Malta, is an island country in Southern Europe located in the Mediterranean Sea, between Sicily and North Africa. It consists of an archipelago south of Italy, east of Tunisia, and north of Libya. The two ...
:
* Northern towns of
Mellieħa,
St. Paul's Bay,
Buġibba and
Qawra
* Central towns of
Sliema,
St. Julian's and
Paceville
* Southern towns of
Birżebbuġa and
Marsascala
* Village of
Marsalforn in
Gozo
Gozo ( ), known in classical antiquity, antiquity as Gaulos, is an island in the Malta#The Maltese archipelago, Maltese archipelago in the Mediterranean Sea. The island is part of the Republic of Malta. After the Malta Island, island of Malta ...
* Parts of the island of
Comino
Mexico

Mexican resorts are popular with many North American residents, with Mexico being the second most visited country in the Americas. Notable resorts on the mainland and the Baja Gold Coast and
Peninsula
A peninsula is a landform that extends from a mainland and is only connected to land on one side. Peninsulas exist on each continent. The largest peninsula in the world is the Arabian Peninsula.
Etymology
The word ''peninsula'' derives , . T ...
include:
*
Acapulco
Acapulco de Juárez (), commonly called Acapulco ( , ; ), is a city and Port of Acapulco, major seaport in the Political divisions of Mexico, state of Guerrero on the Pacific Coast of Mexico, south of Mexico City. Located on a deep, semicirc ...
*
Baja Mar
Baja Mar (or Bajamar) is a seaside resort community twenty minutes north of Ensenada, Baja California, Ensenada and forty minutes south of Greater San Diego–Tijuana in Ensenada Municipality, Baja California, Mexico. The resort community is locate ...
*
Cabo San Lucas
*
Cancún
*
Ensenada
*
Guaymas
*
Ixtapa
*
Manzanillo
*
Mazatlán
Mazatlán () is a city in the Mexican list of states of Mexico, state of Sinaloa. The city serves as the municipal seat for the surrounding , known as the Mazatlán Municipality. It is located on the Pacific Ocean, Pacific coast across from th ...
*
Playa del Carmen
*
Puerto Peñasco
*
Puerto Vallarta
Puerto Vallarta ( or simply Vallarta) is a Mexican resort city near the Bahía de Banderas on the Pacific coast of the Mexico, Mexican state of Jalisco. Puerto Vallarta is the second largest urban agglomeration in the state after the Guadalajara ...
*
Rosarito Beach
*
Tijuana
Tijuana is the most populous city of the Mexican state of Baja California, located on the northwestern Pacific Coast of Mexico. Tijuana is the municipal seat of the Tijuana Municipality, the hub of the Tijuana metropolitan area and the most popu ...
(
Playas de Tijuana)
*
Tulum
*
Veracruz
Veracruz, formally Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave, is one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the 32 Political divisions of Mexico, Federal Entit ...
Netherlands

There are many seaside resorts on the Dutch coast, chiefly in the provinces of
North Holland,
South Holland and
Zeeland
Zeeland (; ), historically known in English by the Endonym and exonym, exonym Zealand, is the westernmost and least populous province of the Netherlands. The province, located in the southwest of the country, borders North Brabant to the east ...
, as well as on the
West Frisian Islands.
A selection includes:
*
Bergen, North Holland
*
Domburg
*
Katwijk
*
Monster, South Holland
*
Noordwijk
*
Scheveningen
*
Zandvoort
New Zealand
*
Kaiteriteri
*
Mapua
*
Marahau
*
Tahunanui
*
Mount Maunganui
Norway
*
Kristiansand
Kristiansand is a city and Municipalities of Norway, municipality in Agder county, Norway. The city is the fifth-largest and the municipality is the sixth-largest in Norway, with a population of around 116,000 as of January 2020, following th ...
*
Bystranda
*
Sola
*
Fevik
*
Risør
Poland

Poland's coast on the
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that is enclosed by the countries of Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Sweden, and the North European Plain, North and Central European Plain regions. It is the ...
includes many traditional seaside resorts established throughout the 18th-20th centuries. In the past the resorts have received mostly domestic tourism, however, since the 1990s, following the opening of Polish borders, the international tourism has grown considerably.
Notable resorts include:
*
Świnoujście
*
Międzyzdroje
*
Dziwnów
*
Kołobrzeg
Kołobrzeg (; ; ) is a port and spa city in the West Pomeranian Voivodeship in north-western Poland with about 47,000 inhabitants (). Kołobrzeg is located on the Parsęta River on the south coast of the Baltic Sea (in the middle of the section ...
*
Mielno
Mielno ( ; or ) is a resort town in Koszalin County, West Pomeranian Voivodeship, in north-western Poland. It is the seat of the gmina (administrative district) called Gmina Mielno. It lies approximately north-west of Koszalin and north-east ...
*
Darłowo
Darłowo (; ; ) is a seaside town on the Slovincian Coast of north-western Poland, south of the Baltic Sea, with 13,324 inhabitants as of December 2021. Administratively, it is located in Sławno County in West Pomeranian Voivodeship.
The earlie ...
*
Ustka
*
Władysławowo
*
Chłapowo
*
Jastarnia
*
Hel
*
Sopot
Portugal

Many European and world tourists visit Portuguese resorts, particularly those on the
Algarve
The Algarve (, , ) is the southernmost NUTS statistical regions of Portugal, NUTS II region of continental Portugal. It has an area of with 467,495 permanent inhabitants and incorporates 16 municipalities (concelho, ''concelhos'' or ''município ...
and
Madeira
Madeira ( ; ), officially the Autonomous Region of Madeira (), is an autonomous Regions of Portugal, autonomous region of Portugal. It is an archipelago situated in the North Atlantic Ocean, in the region of Macaronesia, just under north of ...
. Notable resorts include:
*
Albufeira
*
Cascais
*
Estoril
*
Faro
*
Figueira da Foz
*
Funchal
*
Lagos
Lagos ( ; ), or Lagos City, is a large metropolitan city in southwestern Nigeria. With an upper population estimated above 21 million dwellers, it is the largest city in Nigeria, the most populous urban area on the African continent, and on ...
*
Póvoa de Varzim
*
Praia da Luz
*
Quarteira
Quarteira (, ) is a Portuguese Freguesia (Portugal), civil parish, in the municipality (''concelho'') of Loulé in the Algarve.Detail Regional Map, Algarve-Southern Portugal, The population in 2011 was 21,798, in an area of 38.16 km².
Histo ...
Romania
The Romanian Black Sea resorts stretch from the Danube Delta in the north down to the Romanian-Bulgarian border in the south, along 275 kilometers of coastline.

*
2 Mai
*
Constanța
Constanța (, , ) is a city in the Dobruja Historical regions of Romania, historical region of Romania. A port city, it is the capital of Constanța County and the country's Cities in Romania, fourth largest city and principal port on the Black ...
*
Costinești
*
Mamaia
*
Mangalia
*
Năvodari
*
Neptun, Romania
*
Vama Veche
*
Venus, Romania
*
Sulina
Russia

*
Anapa
*
Gelendzhik
*
Lazurnaya Bay
*
Sestroretsk
*
Sochi, including previously separate settlements
Adler,
Lazarevskoye, and
Dagomys
Dagomys (); is a microdistrict of Sochi, Russia (12 km from the city centre), known for its resorts, vacation spots and tea plantations. It was developed as a resort since before the Russian Revolution (1917), Russian Revolution, when a ...
*
Svetlogorsk
*
Yantarny
*
Zelenogradsk
South Africa
South America
Notable seaside resorts in South America include
Búzios,
Camboriú,
Florianópolis,
Fortaleza,
Recife
Recife ( , ) is the Federative units of Brazil, state capital of Pernambuco, Brazil, on the northeastern Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic coast of South America. It is the largest urban area within both the North Region, Brazil, North and the Northeast R ...
and
Salvador in
Brazil
Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...
;
Mar del Plata in
Argentina
Argentina, officially the Argentine Republic, is a country in the southern half of South America. It covers an area of , making it the List of South American countries by area, second-largest country in South America after Brazil, the fourt ...
;
Piriapolis and
Punta del Este in
Uruguay
Uruguay, officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay, is a country in South America. It shares borders with Argentina to its west and southwest and Brazil to its north and northeast, while bordering the Río de la Plata to the south and the A ...
;
Easter Island and
Viña del Mar in
Chile
Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in western South America. It is the southernmost country in the world and the closest to Antarctica, stretching along a narrow strip of land between the Andes, Andes Mountains and the Paci ...
;
Barranquilla
Barranquilla () is the capital district of the Atlántico department in Colombia. It is located near the Caribbean Sea and is the largest city and third port in the Caribbean region of Colombia, Caribbean coast region; as of 2018, it had a popul ...
and
Cartagena in
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country primarily located in South America with Insular region of Colombia, insular regions in North America. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the north, Venezuel ...
; and
Guayaquil,
Salinas and the
Galapagos Islands in
Ecuador
Ecuador, officially the Republic of Ecuador, is a country in northwestern South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and the Pacific Ocean on the west. It also includes the Galápagos Province which contain ...
.
Spain

Spanish resorts are popular with many European and world residents. Notable resorts on the mainland and islands include:
Sweden
*
Helsingborg
*
Kullaberg
*
Falsterbo
*
Malmö
Malmö is the List of urban areas in Sweden by population, third-largest city in Sweden, after Stockholm and Gothenburg, and the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, sixth-largest city in Nordic countries, the Nordic region. Located on ...
Tanzania
*
Zanzibar
Turkey
*
Şarköy
Ukraine
Some examples of
Ukrainian seaside resort towns are:
*
Crimea
Crimea ( ) is a peninsula in Eastern Europe, on the northern coast of the Black Sea, almost entirely surrounded by the Black Sea and the smaller Sea of Azov. The Isthmus of Perekop connects the peninsula to Kherson Oblast in mainland Ukrain ...
:
Alupka,
Alushta,
Yevpatoria,
Feodosiya,
Foros,
Gurzuf,
Koktebel,
Saky,
Sudak,
Yalta
*
Kherson Oblast:
Skadovsk
*
Mykolaiv Oblast:
Ochakov
*
Odesa Oblast
Odesa Oblast (), also referred to as Odeshchyna (Одещина), is an administrative divisions of Ukraine, oblast (province) of southwestern Ukraine, located along the northern coast of the Black Sea. Its administrative centre is the city of Ode ...
:
Odesa
Odesa, also spelled Odessa, is the third most populous List of cities in Ukraine, city and List of hromadas of Ukraine, municipality in Ukraine and a major seaport and transport hub located in the south-west of the country, on the northwestern ...
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom saw the popularisation of
seaside resorts, and nowhere was this more seen than in
Blackpool
Blackpool is a seaside town in Lancashire, England. It is located on the Irish Sea coast of the Fylde peninsula, approximately north of Liverpool and west of Preston, Lancashire, Preston. It is the main settlement in the Borough of Blackpool ...
. Blackpool catered for workers from across industrial
Northern England, who packed its beaches and
promenade
An esplanade or promenade is a long, open, level area, usually next to a river or large body of water, where people may walk. The historical definition of ''esplanade'' was a large, open, level area outside fortification, fortress or city walls ...
. Other northern seaside towns (for example
Bridlington
Bridlington (previously known as Burlington) is a seaside town and civil parish in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It is on the Holderness part (Flamborough Head to the Humber estuary) of the Yorkshire Coast by the North Sea. The town is ...
,
Cleethorpes,
Morecambe,
Scarborough,
Skegness, and
Southport
Southport is a seaside resort, seaside town in the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton in Merseyside, England. It lies on the West Lancashire Coastal Plain, West Lancashire coastal plain and the east coast of the Irish Sea, approximately north of ...
) shared in the success of this new concept, especially from trade during
wakes weeks. The concept spread rapidly to other British coastal towns, including several on the coast of
North Wales
North Wales ( ) is a Regions of Wales, region of Wales, encompassing its northernmost areas. It borders mid Wales to the south, England to the east, and the Irish Sea to the north and west. The area is highly mountainous and rural, with Snowdon ...
, notably
Rhyl, and
Llandudno
Llandudno (, ) is a seaside resort, town and community (Wales), community in Conwy County Borough, Wales, located on the Creuddyn peninsula, which protrudes into the Irish Sea. In the 2021 United Kingdom census, 2021 UK census, the community � ...
, the largest resort in
Wales
Wales ( ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by the Irish Sea to the north and west, England to the England–Wales border, east, the Bristol Channel to the south, and the Celtic ...
and known as "The Queen of the Welsh Resorts", from as early as 1864. As the 19th century progressed, British
working class day-trippers travelled on organised trips such as
railway excursions, or by
steamer, for which long
piers were erected so that the ships bringing the trade could berth.
Another area notable for its seaside resorts was (and is) the
Firth of Clyde
The Firth of Clyde, is the estuary of the River Clyde, on the west coast of Scotland. The Firth has some of the deepest coastal waters of the British Isles. The Firth is sheltered from the Atlantic Ocean by the Kintyre, Kintyre Peninsula. The ...
, outside Glasgow. Glaswegians would take a ferry "doon the watter" from the city, down the
River Clyde
The River Clyde (, ) is a river that flows into the Firth of Clyde, in the west of Scotland. It is the eighth-longest river in the United Kingdom, and the second longest in Scotland after the River Tay. It runs through the city of Glasgow. Th ...
, to the Firth's islands and peninsulas and beyond, such as
Cowal,
Bute,
Arran, and
Kintyre. Resorts include
Rothesay,
Lamlash,
Whiting Bay,
Dunoon,
Tighnabruaich,
Carrick Castle,
Helensburgh
Helensburgh ( ; ) is a town on the north side of the Firth of Clyde in Scotland, situated at the mouth of the Gareloch. Historically in Dunbartonshire, it became part of Argyll and Bute following local government reorganisation in 1996.
Histo ...
,
Largs,
Millport and
Campbeltown. In contrast to many resorts, some on the Firth of Clyde have continued to prosper as middle-class
commuter town
A commuter town is a populated area that is primarily residential rather than commercial or industrial. Routine travel from home to work and back is called commuting, which is where the term comes from. A commuter town may be called by many o ...
s.
Some resorts, especially those more southerly such as
Hastings
Hastings ( ) is a seaside town and Borough status in the United Kingdom, borough in East Sussex on the south coast of England,
east of Lewes and south east of London. The town gives its name to the Battle of Hastings, which took place to th ...
,
Worthing,
Eastbourne,
Bournemouth, and
Brighton
Brighton ( ) is a seaside resort in the city status in the United Kingdom, city of Brighton and Hove, East Sussex, England, south of London.
Archaeological evidence of settlement in the area dates back to the Bronze Age Britain, Bronze Age, R ...
were built as new towns or extended by local landowners to appeal to wealthier holidaymakers. Others came about due to their proximity to large urban areas of population, such as
Southend-on-Sea
Southend-on-Sea (), commonly referred to as Southend (), is a coastal city and unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area with Borough status in the United Kingdom, borough status in south-eastern Essex, England. It lies on the nor ...
, which became increasingly popular with residents of London once rail links were established to it allowing day trips from London. The sunshine and sea air were seen by Victorians as beneficial for health, and resorts such as
Ventnor owed their growth to a visit being considered as treatment for chest complaints. Owing to its generally better climate, the south coast has many seaside towns, the most being in
Sussex
Sussex (Help:IPA/English, /ˈsʌsɪks/; from the Old English ''Sūþseaxe''; lit. 'South Saxons'; 'Sussex') is an area within South East England that was historically a kingdom of Sussex, kingdom and, later, a Historic counties of England, ...
.
In the later 20th century, the popularity of the British seaside resort declined for the same reason that it first flourished: advances in transport. The greater accessibility of foreign holiday destinations, through
package holidays and, more recently, European
low-cost airlines, makes it easier to holiday abroad. Despite the loyalty of returning holidaymakers, resorts such as Blackpool have struggled to compete against the hotter weather of
Southern Europe and the
sunbelt in the
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
. Now, many symbols of the traditional British resort (
holiday camps,
end-of-the-pier shows and saucy
postcards) are regarded by some as drab and outdated; the skies are imagined to be overcast and the beach windswept. This is not always true; for example
Broadstairs in
Kent
Kent is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Essex across the Thames Estuary to the north, the Strait of Dover to the south-east, East Sussex to the south-west, Surrey to the west, and Gr ...
has retained much of its old world charm with
Punch and Judy
Punch and Judy is a traditional puppet show featuring Mr Punch and his wife Judy. The performance consists of a sequence of short scenes, each depicting an interaction between two characters, most typically the anarchic Mr Punch and one other ...
and
donkey rides and still remains popular, being only one hour from the
M25. Brighton has also seen a fall in visitor numbers in recent years. The city has also experienced a rise in homelessness, especially noticeable on the city streets and in green spaces where tents have been erected.
Many people can now afford "second holidays" and short breaks, resulting in increased tourism in British seaside towns. Many seaside towns have large shopping centres which also attract people from a wide area. Day trippers still come to the coastal towns, but on a more local scale than during the 19th century.
Many coastal towns are also popular retirement hotspots where older people reside permanently or take short breaks in the autumn months. Other English coastal towns have successfully sought to project a sense of their unique character. In particular,
Southwold on the
Suffolk
Suffolk ( ) is a ceremonial county in the East of England and East Anglia. It is bordered by Norfolk to the north, the North Sea to the east, Essex to the south, and Cambridgeshire to the west. Ipswich is the largest settlement and the county ...
coast is an active yet peaceful retirement haven with an emphasis on calmness, quiet countryside and jazz.
Weymouth, Dorset offers itself as "the gateway to the Jurassic Coast", Britain's only natural World Heritage Site.
Newquay in
Cornwall
Cornwall (; or ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is also one of the Celtic nations and the homeland of the Cornish people. The county is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, ...
offers itself as the 'surfing capital of Britain', hosting international surfing events on its shores.
Torbay in South
Devon
Devon ( ; historically also known as Devonshire , ) is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by the Bristol Channel to the north, Somerset and Dorset to the east, the English Channel to the south, and Cornwall to the west ...
is known is also known as the
English Riviera. Consisting of the towns of
Torquay,
Paignton with its pier and
Brixham, the bay has 20 beaches and coves along its coastline, ranging from small secluded coves to the larger promenade-style seafronts of Torquay's Torre Abbey Sands and Paignton Sands.
However, British seaside resorts have faced increasingly stiff competition from sunnier resorts overseas since the 1970s. Largely due to the falling price of air travel under the
Conservative
Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civiliza ...
government of
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher (; 13 October 19258 April 2013), was a British stateswoman who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990 and Leader of the Conservative Party (UK), Leader of th ...
(
elected in 1979), the number of British families who took holidays abroad rose significantly in the 1980s.
The decline of British seaside resorts was discussed in the
Morrissey
Steven Patrick Morrissey ( ; born 22 May 1959), known :wikt:mononym, mononymously as Morrissey, is an English singer and songwriter. He came to prominence as the frontman and lyricist of rock band the Smiths, who were active from 1982 to 198 ...
song "
Everyday Is Like Sunday" where daily life in the resort is likened to the emptiness of streets once associated with the shop closures on Sunday.
United States
With 3,800 miles (6100 km) of coastline, the US mainland has hundreds of seaside resorts on three coasts,
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's five borders of the oceans, oceanic divisions, with an area of about . It covers approximately 17% of Earth#Surface, Earth's surface and about 24% of its water surface area. During the ...
,
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico () is an oceanic basin and a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean, mostly surrounded by the North American continent. It is bounded on the northeast, north, and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States; on the southw ...
, and
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five Borders of the oceans, oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean, or, depending on the definition, to Antarctica in the south, and is ...
. Unlike in many smaller countries, the seaside resorts in the US are located in various climate zones, with great differences in topography and environment. Many American seaside resorts are popular destination across the world, known for their climates, culture, and entertainment opportunities.
Seaside resorts in the United States first developed near the nation's largest industrial cities on the upper
East Coast, including
New York City
New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
,
Philadelphia
Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...
, and
Boston
Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...
.
Cape May, New Jersey, part of the
Philadelphia metropolitan area, and
Provincetown, Massachusetts
Provincetown () is a New England town located at the extreme tip of Cape Cod in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, in the United States. A small coastal resort town with a year-round population of 3,664 as of the 2020 United States census, Provi ...
, part of the
Boston metropolitan area were two of the nation's first seaside resorts, developed in the 19th century and catering to city workers. Cape May is often called Americas "first seaside resort". The early emergence of Cape May as a summer resort was due to easy transport by water from Philadelphia to the Atlantic Ocean. Early Cape May vacationers were carried to the town on sloops from Philadelphia, and water transport was also easy from New York, Baltimore, Washington, D.C., and points south. The resort business in Cape May began to thrive when regular steamboat traffic on the
Delaware River began after the
War of 1812. Early visitors to Cape May included
Henry Clay in 1847, and
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was the 16th president of the United States, serving from 1861 until Assassination of Abraham Lincoln, his assassination in 1865. He led the United States through the American Civil War ...
in 1849. Today, the
Cape May Historic District is one of the largest and well preserved examples of Victorian architecture in the United States.
On the southern Atlantic coast,
Henry Flagler had the idea to make
St. Augustine, Florida a winter resort. He built several rail lines south, and combined them with existing lines to create the
Florida East Coast Railway in 1885. He built a railroad bridge over the
St. Johns River in 1888, opening up the Atlantic coast of Florida to development. In 1887 Flagler began construction of two large ornate hotels in St. Augustine, the 540-room
Ponce de Leon Hotel and the
Hotel Alcazar, and bought the
Casa Monica Hotel the next year.
In
Miami, Florida, the community of
Cocoanut (now Coconut) Grove began development as a resort town in the 1880s with the building of the Bayview House (aka Peacock Inn) which closed in 1902. Visitors to the greater Miami area then flocked to Camp Biscayne (in Coconut Grove), the
Royal Palm Hotel in
Downtown Miami, and other resort hotels in Miami, as well as in smaller numbers to the
Florida Keys
The Florida Keys are a coral island, coral cay archipelago off the southern coast of Florida, forming the southernmost part of the continental United States. They begin at the southeastern coast of the Florida peninsula, about south of Miami a ...
. In 1894, the lavish
Royal Poinciana Hotel opened in Palm Beach, Florida, with rave reviews from wealthy New York tourists who picked oranges in January to their delight. On the Gulf of Mexico, the City of Galveston was emerging as a booming city, and in 1882, architect
Nicholas J. Clayton designed the
Beach Hotel. By 1888, Galveston, TX was a wealthy city and booming seaside playground for wealthy
New Orleans
New Orleans (commonly known as NOLA or The Big Easy among other nicknames) is a Consolidated city-county, consolidated city-parish located along the Mississippi River in the U.S. state of Louisiana. With a population of 383,997 at the 2020 ...
businessmen.
On the Pacific coast in California, in April 1886, Babcock and Story created the Coronado Beach Company, which sought to develop Coronado as a seaside resort. In the mid-1880s, the San Diego region was in the midst of one of its first real estate booms. The
Hotel del Coronado was built in March 1887, with Babcock's visions for the hotel built around a courtyard of tropical trees, shrubs and flowers, with a dining wing to give full value to the view of the ocean, bay and city. By 1915, more hotels were built along the Los Angeles coastline to serve the wealthy tourists and Hollywood film makers. In May 1926, brothers E.A. "Jack" Harter and T.D. "Til" Harter built the
Hotel Casa del Mar in Santa Monica, at a cost of $2 million, creating one of the most successful beach clubs in Southern California, popular with socialites and Hollywood celebrities.
In the 1920s, Carl Fisher was the main promoter of
Miami Beach, and helped to develop the city as a seaside resort. To accommodate the wealthy tourists, several grand hotels were built, among them the
Flamingo Hotel. In 1926, the massive
The Breakers hotel in Palm Beach had been rebuilt, and there was a large northern tourist industry in coastal southern Florida. By the 1950s with increasing auto travel, more seaside resorts grew along the Atlantic and Pacific coasts, while small, declining industrial ports were being rebuilt. In 1954, the
Fontainebleau Miami Beach, and was considered, (at that time) the most lavish seaside hotel in the world.
In the modern era, hundreds of seaside resorts now string the Gulf, Atlantic, and Pacific coasts of the United States. Many Americans move with the seasons when they visit seaside resorts, vacationing in northern seaside areas in the warm season (April through October), and then moving to southern areas in the cold season (November through March). Many seaside resorts in Florida and California however, see travelers all year.
Some examples of well-known and sought-after American coastal resort towns are:
See also
*
List of beaches
*
Ski resort
*
Tourism
Tourism is travel for pleasure, and the Commerce, commercial activity of providing and supporting such travel. World Tourism Organization, UN Tourism defines tourism more generally, in terms which go "beyond the common perception of tourism as ...
Notes
References
Further reading
* – Geoghegan looks at the economy of British seaside resorts and considers a possible resurgence in their popularity.
* – Walton looks at the Victorian traditions that underpin British seaside holidays.
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Seaside Resort
Resorts by type