The Best Waterfront Town In Every Southern State 2024
Ali Majdfar / Getty Images
When the time comes to plan a vacation, the water always beckons. Whether you’re looking for a beach town with broad sandy beaches and excellent places to watch the sunset, a riverside community with mountain views and the thrill of whitewater rafting, or a lakeside retreat with all-inclusive resorts offering opportunities for boating, fishing, and relaxing, the South has a
waterfront town for you.
Spanning every landscape in the region, these waterfront towns not only have great recreation and scenic waterside spots, they’re also welcoming communities with excellent local restaurants (for filling up on local catch), boutiques (for souvenirs from your trip), and inns (for turning in after a day spent enjoying the water). Some of these spots are bustling cities, some are tiny towns with big personalities. Each has its own charms, history, and outdoor adventures.
Ready to plan your next vacation? Set your sights on the South's Best waterfront towns, as voted on by our readers, for fun in the sun, plenty of fresh seafood, and a trip you'll remember for years to come.
South's Best Voting Process
An online survey was conducted by third-party agency Proof Insights among Southern Living consumers, asking them to rate their favorite places across the South for the South's Best Awards 2024. The survey was fielded from July 12 to August 23, 2023, and had over 20,000 respondents.
Alabama: Orange Beach/Gulf Shores
When you ask an Alabamian where they like to spend their beach vacations, 9 times out of 10 they’re going to point you towards Orange Beach and Gulf Shores. These next-door beach towns are a quintessential summer destination, with all the Gulf-caught seafood you can eat served alongside ice-cold bushwhackers, the legendary beach beverage made famous by the Flora-Bama.
Explore Orange Beach/Gulf Shores
Arkansas: Hot Springs
Robbie Caponetto
A water town in more ways than one, Hot Springs is famous for the national park of the same name, which contains springs bubbling with steaming water that has moved through the earth for thousands of years. The bathhouses that once offered access to that water lie along a historic row that always thrumming with visitors. The area is also home to Lake Ouachita, Lake Hamilton, Lake Catherine, and the Ouachita River, all of which are popular for recreation and weekends on the water.
Florida: St. Augustine
ROBBIE CAPONETTO
Florida has a bevy of great beach towns, and St. Augustine has been voted the best of them all. That’s because of the sheer variety of attractions to be found in this historic town. Cultural sites and natural wonders abound alongside stretches of sand and plenty of nearby Atlantic beachfront as well as access to the Tolomato River, Matanzas River, and Salt Run.
Georgia: St. Simons Island
The barrier islands found along the Georgia coast are known as the Golden Isles because of the sunlight-hued marshes that greet visitors when they approach the coast. You’ll find a great many interesting spots here, including the St. Simons Island Lighthouse Museum and Christ Church Episcopal Church, as well as beaches, a fishing pier, and several shopping hubs.
Kentucky: Newport
Visit Cincy
Located along the Ohio River at the border of Kentucky and Ohio, Newport is a small town with a lot to recommend it. Local restaurants, art galleries, and hotels are all within a stone’s throw of the river, and both the Newport Aquarium and the Licking River (which intersects the Ohio) offer more ways to enjoy the waterside life.
Louisiana: New Orleans
Camille Barnett
North of New Orleans is the massive sprawl of Lake Pontchartrain, east of New Orleans is Lake Borgne, and the Mississippi River curves through the south side of the city. Waterways crisscross this section of Louisiana and bring with them rich fishing and boating culture as well as daily opportunities to hop a jazz cruise, airboat, or steamboat to see the sights. (Though if you’d like to stay on land, you can always grab a bench by the water and watch the boats pass by.)
Maryland: St. Michaels
The Eastern Shore of Maryland has a deep history powered by the water that surrounds it. Its fishing villages, like St Michaels, have thrived thanks to the resources of the Chesapeake Bay and are now destinations filled with natural beauty as well as opportunities for sailing and enjoying freshly caught seafood, including the crabs for which the area is famous.
Mississippi: Biloxi
Biloxi, a town situated along Mississippi’s Gulf Coast, has a few claims to fame, including its pockets of sand, like Biloxi Beach, and historic landmarks, like Biloxi Lighthouse, which looks out on the Mississippi Sound. Don’t miss a visit to the Maritime and Seafood Industry Museum to learn more about the waters in this corner of Mississippi.
North Carolina: Wrightsville Beach
North Carolina has no shortage of great beach towns, and this one has some of the most excellent stretches of coastline in the state. Wide shores and multiple long piers welcome beachgoers and those hoping to cast a line for plenty of fun in the sun. It’s also a great spot for surfing and taking to the water by booking a fishing charter or sunset sail.
Oklahoma: Broken Bow
Courtesy of McCurtain County Tourism Authority
Located along the lake of the same name, Broken Bow has a bevy of opportunities to enjoy the water. Islands and beaches perfect for exploring and lounging beckon visitors, and the boat access points invite sailing and fishing for resident species like largemouth bass, spotted bass, walleye, and white bass. Next door, Beavers Bend State Park and Nature Center surrounds a meander of Mountain Fork River as it curves through the forest.
South Carolina: Hilton Head Island
Kayak the waterways, book a fishing excursion, or take a serene walk on the beach as the sun goes down—there’s no shortage of ways to enjoy the water in Hilton Head Island. According to their travel bureau, “Hilton Head Island is a wonderland of white-sand beaches, tidal creeks, towering live oaks, and winding pathways.” One visit, and you’ll feel the magic too.
Tennessee: Gatlinburg
Tennessee’s favorite resort town is also its favorite waterfront town. Located along the Pigeon River, Gatlinburg has plenty of attractions for families to enjoy. Several whitewater rafting companies take trips along the river, and the indoor Wild
Bear Falls Water Park also invites families to have fun in the splash zone.
Texas: Galveston
Wynn Meyers
The Lone Star State’s favorite coastal town is none other than Galveston, an island spot with 32 miles of Gulf shoreline and beautiful beaches like Stewart Beach and East Beach. Galveston Beach features one of the area’s fishing piers as well as a string of great seafood restaurants, while farther afield, Galveston Island State Park has plenty of room to roam, swim, camp, and hike.
Virginia: Virginia Beach
Virginia Tourism Corporation
This city lies where the Chesapeake Bay meets the Atlantic Ocean, and much of its appeal can be traced to its waters, which offer opportunities to fish, sail, and explore the beachfront—a sandy expanse with a popular 3-mile boardwalk. There, you’ll find bike rentals, ice cream shops, and cafes ideal for people watching and taking in beach breezes.
West Virginia: Harpers Ferry
Ali Majdfar / Getty Images
Two rivers border Harpers Ferry, a charming small town located between the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers. Trails and scenic drives offer panoramic views of the waters, and historic sites throughout town also offer insight into the town’s rich history. According to the National Park Service, “When visiting Harpers Ferry today, one can see how the Shenandoah and Potomac gracefully come together, flowing eastward to the Chesapeake Bay.”
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