When visions of ocean waves and sandy shores come to mind, most Americans dream of pristine coastlines and charming beach towns. The reality, though, can be starkly different from Instagram-perfect expectations. The survey delves into the conditions of several beaches across the United States, revealing some alarming findings that have earned these locations spots on the list of worst beaches in America in 2023.
Recent data shows a troubling pattern emerging across popular coastal destinations. From water quality disasters to safety concerns and infrastructure decay, these once-beloved beach towns are struggling to maintain their appeal. Let’s explore seven destinations that consistently leave visitors reaching for their phones to book the next flight home.
Daytona Beach, Florida – The Shark Attack Capital
With 23 miles of sandy coastline, Daytona Beach offers sun and surf, but it’s also considered one of the worst beaches in 2023. What should be a relaxing day at the beach becomes an exercise in paranoia when sharks love this place. Or it might be more accurate to say that sharks love the people at this place, since they regularly attempt to eat humans.
Daytona Beach is crowded, with up to nine million visitors a year, which only adds to the chaos. Spring break is an especially popular time of year, so if you’d rather avoid crowds of drunken barely-adults, you might want to find another beach, especially during April.
Beyond the shark encounters, the beach faces serious safety challenges, with rip currents posing a danger to swimmers, and frequent shark sightings add to the risks. The combination creates an environment where visitors spend more time watching for danger than enjoying the ocean.
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina – Fecal Matter Paradise
If you don’t swim, you might find Myrtle Beach okay, as long as you don’t mind crowds. According to Visit Myrtle Beach, the city attracts more than 19 million visitors every year. The problem lies beneath the surface, where Environment America’s 2022 beach assessment found this waterfront had the highest counts of fecal bacteria statewide.
In 2020, Environment America reviewed 3,166 American beaches and discovered that 328 of them commonly had unacceptable levels of – wait for it – human feces. The group noted that America’s aging sewage infrastructure is mostly to blame. This isn’t just a minor inconvenience; it’s a legitimate health hazard.
The safety concerns extend beyond water quality. In 201,9, Charlotte Stories analyzed FBI crime data and concluded that Myrtle Beach was the third most dangerous city in the world, making visitors question whether the beach experience is worth the risk.
Not all of them go to the beach itself, but a lot of them do – and that means crowds and noise in addition to all the floating fecal matter.
Santa Monica Pier, California – Bird Droppings Galore
The iconic Santa Monica Pier might look picture-perfect from a distance, but closer inspection reveals a disturbing reality. The Santa Monica Pier is an iconic landmark in Southern California, attracting millions of visitors each year with its amusement park, restaurants, and stunning views of the Pacific Ocean. However, one issue that has plagued the pier in recent years is the large number of seabirds that call the area home.
The large number of birds on the pier has led to significant issues with fecal matter, with bird droppings covering much of the area and posing a health risk. The Santa Monica Pier, built in 1909, has long dealt with water quality issues in the surrounding area.
Heal the Bay gave this stretch of sand failing marks on its 2023-2024 Beach Report Card, as it did the year before. The environmental organization cites urban runoff and excrement from the pier’s roosting birds as primary causes for bacterial contamination here.
Atlantic City, New Jersey – The Fallen Icon
We went in the off-season, but man was it rough. The boardwalk itself was dirty, buildings falling apart, people selling/panhandling, and just overall not good. This once-glamorous destination has become a cautionary tale of urban decay mixed with desperate tourism attempts.
Recent visitor reviews paint a grim picture. The boardwalk was shambolic, full of struggling lunatics, shouting druggies, aggressive panhandlers, street people, swaggering right-wing types from New Jersey and New York, all covered by a thick cloud of smoke. The infrastructure issues are equally concerning, with a part of the boardwalk itself broken.
Some simply dismiss the current downturn as a result of having no Atlantic City airshow or, summer beach concerts this year, but the problems run much deeper. The problem today is a City Hall problem, whereby the Mayor faces serious criminal charges and is the most incompetent Mayor in at least modern Atlantic City history.
One telling review summed up the experience: It’s like the worst parts of Las Vegas and the worst parts of a beach town mixed.
Coney Island, New York – Infrastructure Nightmare
One of the main concerns facing Coney Island is the aging infrastructure. The beach’s boardwalk and facilities need repair and renovation. What was once America’s playground has deteriorated into a concerning mix of safety hazards and water quality issues.
According to The City, the boardwalk is deteriorating and often causes injury to visitors, who trip over holes, uneven planks, and protruding wood screws. Officials think repairs might cost several hundred million dollars, and the city has yet to allocate enough funds to properly fix it up.
Additionally, water quality has been a long-standing issue at Coney Island. The beach has been closed due to high levels of bacteria in the water on multiple occasions. The crowding issue compounds all other problems, with massive crowds during peak times like the Fourth of July.
Venice Beach, California – Crime and Chaos
Despite its fame, Venice Beach has a high crime rate, with gang violence and drug activity. Caution is advised while visiting, and the beach can be crowded. The contrast between Venice Beach’s reputation and reality has left countless visitors feeling unsafe and disappointed.
However, this iconic area also has a reputation for high crime rates, including theft, assault, and drug-related offenses. The presence of large crowds and a mix of locals and tourists can create a volatile atmosphere. Despite increased police presence, many visitors report feeling uncomfortable during their stay.
The combination of safety concerns and overcrowding has transformed what should be a relaxing beach experience into a stressful urban adventure. Many families find themselves cutting their visits short and seeking alternative destinations.
New Smyrna Beach, Florida – Shark Bite Central
Dubbed the shark attack capital of the world, New Smyrna Beach sees more reported shark attacks than any other. Visitors are advised to exercise caution and be aware of fishing activity. This designation alone is enough to make most beachgoers reconsider their vacation plans.
The beach is found in Volusia County, and in 2023, the area recorded eight shark bites, which represented 50% of the state’s total. The presence of baitfish and murky waters adds to the increased likelihood of shark encounters here.
Although attacks are typically minor, visitors still run the risk of horrific injuries or even death at this beach. The constant awareness required for safety transforms what should be a relaxing beach day into an exercise in hypervigilance.
Conclusion
These seven destinations serve as stark reminders that not all beaches are created equal. From infrastructure failures to environmental disasters and safety concerns, these once-promising coastal towns have lost their luster through a combination of poor management, environmental challenges, and changing tourism patterns.
While some issues like shark populations are natural phenomena, many of the problems plaguing these beaches stem from human factors: aging infrastructure, inadequate waste management, and insufficient municipal oversight. The good news is that many of these issues are solvable with proper investment and management.
What surprised you most about these disappointing beach destinations? Have you experienced any of these issues firsthand during your travels?