Whether you're a sun seeker, surfer or you simply want to watch the waves roll in, North America has a beach for you. Bright white stretches of sand dot the coastlines of Mexico in the southern half of this continent, while pine-backed beaches and vast pleasure strands can be found across Canada and the United States. There's some spectacular wildlife to be seen from North America's best beaches too, from whale sharks to seals and sea lions. Here are the top sandy spots for your next holiday.

Just south of Cancun but a little more low-key, Playa Maroma has two miles (3km) of white sands, clear, calm water and a handful of excellent resorts to while away a few days by the sea. Watersports is the highlight here, with catamaran hire, snorkelling, scuba diving and parasailing available, plus there's a kiteboarding school where you can learn fly on the water. 

30 unmissable things to do in Mexico

San Diego's most sought-after coastal spot, La Jolla is truly beautiful. Surrounded by sandstone bluffs that create the ideal shelter for a day on the sand, there's excellent swimming in the aquamarine waters with plenty of rocky outcrops to sit on in the ocean for views of the sandy cove. You might also find you're sharing the coastline with the resident population of sea lions and seals, which are often found lolling around on the rocks or sand. 

As pleasure beaches go, New York's Coney Island has to be one of the best. Home to one of America's largest amusement parks, it's a must-see for anyone spending extended time in New York City. There are three miles (2km) of sand to sit on here, plus an historic boardwalk and, of course, plenty of amusements. Explore the aquarium, have a go in the Abe Stark Ice Skating Rink or catch a Brooklyn Cyclones game at the baseball stadium.

While there are no points awarded for the rather uncreative naming of this beach, it's still a fascinating place to visit. Sitting on the shores of Mount Desert Island in Acadia National Park, it's just 870 feet (265m) of sand and shell fragments, which have been ground down by the ocean waves washing in and out. The sand has an unusual pink hue thanks to the shells and the ocean is a bright turquoise, add to that the surrounding pine trees and a bit of blue sky and you've got yourself a blissful corner of Maine.

29 things you didn't know you could do in America's national parks

Three-and-a-half miles (5.5km) long and accessible via a network of stairs and bridges from the Downtown area, this brilliant swathe of yellow sand is prime example of California's exceptional coastal offering. The main highlight here is the pier, where you can ride on a giant wheel, enjoy the arcades or drink margaritas in the sun at the Mexican restaurant on its tip. 

Part of the Grand Strand – a 60-mile (97km) arc of sand on the South Carolina coastline – Myrtle Beach is by far one of the USA's most popular beach break spots. This is a proper seaside resort with a big wheel, sky-scraper hotels and apartment blocks and an award-winning boardwalk. Come here in June for the Carolina Country Music Festival or just enjoy evening entertainment on the boardwalk most nights in summer. Autumn sees the annual seafood festival take over the town – don't miss the steamed oysters.

Looking out to an endless ocean is one thing, but looking out over the ocean to a spectacular mountain range really elevates the natural wonder at Bonanza Beach on the Haida Gwaii archipelago in Canada. Once you've tackled the 15-minute walk to get here from the nearest road, you're rewarded with views of the Queen Charlotte Mountains in the distance as the surf rolls in from the North Pacific. Try your hand at a little beachcombing here, as sea glass, Japanese fishing nets and whale bones regularly wash up on the shore.

50 photos that will make you fall in love with Canada

Accessible only via a narrow, twisting road off the Pacific Coast Highway, this is an iconic Californian beach thanks to its dramatic and rugged rock formations. The beach is backed by the tall, forested hills of Los Padres National Forest where you can follow walking trails into nature and by the coast you'll spot streaks of purple sand reaching down to the ocean. These are made by the manganese garnet that's eroding from the surrounding landscape and being washed along the creek towards the beach. 

No best beaches list for North America can exclude South Beach, Miami. This world-famous swathe of sand, known as SoBe to the locals, is a destination for sun worshippers and swimmers and the quirky Art Deco buildings in its surrounding neighbourhood host an eclectic mix of independent restaurants, boutiques and artist galleries for a little seaside retail therapy. 

Love this? Follow our Facebook page for more travel inspiration

Impossibly aquamarine waters and bright white sand make this Yucatán beach one of the region's finest and it's one of the most laidback. But it hasn't always been this relaxed, as Sisal was once the centre of the henequen boom, when the spiky henequen plant was exported to create twine and textiles. Today, though, you'll see little evidence of that as you wander its quiet streets, stroll out to ocean along the pier or explore the 19th-century Santiago Fort and lighthouse.

One of the longest beaches in Oahu, this string of white sand on the island's southeast coast is backed by ironwood trees – creating the perfect shady spot for a day's lounging around. It's all low rise beach cottages behind the beach here, so it all feels rather low-key and relaxed, so bring your towel, something to float on and flit between the azure ocean and the soft sand. 

30 reasons you should visit Hawaii

Sitting on the shores of Bennett Lake, this sandy beach has perfect paddling water (which is safe for swimming if you've got a wetsuit for warmth), grassy dunes and brilliant views of the surrounding pine-clad mountains. The town of Carcross is famous for its winds so visitors make the most of it by bringing a kite to fly along the shore. In the town itself, you can find quirky one-offs, like the region's oldest hotel The Caribou and an artisans' hub where you can buy local crafts.

Wildlife lovers should book a trip to Isla Espíritu Santo, a tiny island just off the coast of La Paz on the Baja California peninsula. The uninhabited isle is fringed by white-sand beaches and azure ocean, which teems with exciting animal life. You might swim with sea lions, snorkel to see sea turtles or even spot blue-footed boobies.

Sitting right at the top of Pope Avenue, Coligny Beach is a skinny but spectacular line of bright-white sand lapped by the waves of the North Atlantic. There's lots to do here beyond the gorgeous beach too, with a thriving town with coffee shops and barbecue restaurants, plus the Sea Pines Forest Preserve nearby for walks and gator-spotting.

Marvel at America's beautiful beaches photographed from above

Are you a good swimmer? You'll need to be to get to Honopu Beach in Kauai, Hawaii. This small, stupendously yellow cove of soft sand is so incredibly remote, no road or hiking trail leads here. Instead, you'll need to swim in some of the most treacherous rip currents and waves on the Nā Pali coast. Your reward, though, is two little coves backed by dramatic reddish cliffs, likely to be completely empty thanks to their tricky location.

Just 20 minutes by boat from Cancun, Playa Norte is a pristine half-mile (1km) stretch of white sand lapped by the Caribbean Sea. Bristling palms offer shade and street food vendors and beach bars serve up tacos and seafood salads. Plenty of hotels back the beach and there are ample loungers for lazing around in the sun. Don't miss sipping sundowners on this beach, as the sky turns all shades of pink and red as the sun sets over mainland Mexico.

Set within in ocean inlet on the Baja California peninsula, this quiet, undeveloped beach is truly one of Mexico's best. A 30-minute drive from La Paz, it's part of a designated protected area where no constructions is allowed to ruin the natural, rugged landscape. Come here to dip your toes into the crystalline waters, see sting rays in the shallows or paddleboard out on the calm, sheltered waters.

The white sands of Wrightsville Beach are a big draw, but the main event here is water sports. Come to learn how to stand-up paddleboard and even take some surfing lessons, as this has been named one of the best destinations for it in the world by National Geographic. You can try your hand at sailing on the Intercoastal Waterway or go further afield on a fishing charter or scenic cruise. The town itself is equally entertaining, with beachy boutiques and an historic square with 120-year-old homes.

The clue is in the name here: Crystal Crescent Beach is indeed a perfectly rounded crescent of bright white sand with – you guessed it – crystal-clear waters. This beach wouldn't be out of place on a Caribbean island, but instead you'll find it in Halifax on the east coast of Canada. From here, you can paddle in the chilly North Atlantic with views out to Sambro Island Lighthouse, the oldest surviving lighthouse on the continent. 

Take a look at the world's most beautiful lighthouses

Plenty of remote beaches make a spectacular day on the sand, but there's something special about a stretch that's just a short hop from a city centre. In metropolitan Toronto, you're just a 10-minute ferry ride from Centre Island, which has two excellent beaches to lay your towel on – the south-facing stretch being its finest. There's a pier for excellent Lake Ontario views, a leafy park just behind for finding shade and plenty of places to fill up on Greek or Italian food. 

Astonishingly flat and incredibly long – six whole miles (10km) in fact – Virginia Beach is a favourite seaside getaway for locals in the Chesapeake Bay area. Come early in the morning (or stay at one of the beachfront hotels and set your alarm) and you'll get to watch pods of dolphins swimming along the shoreline at sunrise. By day, you might see sand sculptors working away on their creations or enjoy some live entertainment thanks to the Boardwalk's roster of events. Don't miss an Orange Crush for your sundowner, a vodka and orange liqueur cocktail with plenty of ice.

Bring your snorkel to Ka'anapali Beach on Maui, as this curve of soft yellow sand has some of the best waters for watching fish and other marine life. Backed by luxury hotels and restaurants, the beach was Hawaii's first purpose-built resort and its retained its air of glamour. Don't miss the cliff diving ceremony that takes place each evening from the rugged, volcanic Black Rock cliffs.

Little visited but much loved by those who do, Troncones is a somewhat under-the-radar destination for beach lovers in Mexico. This small seaside spot, with around just 500 permanent residents and no high-rise hotels or apartments, has a gloriously low-key vibe. Expect to languish on its soft yellow sand, surf on its excellent waves or head into the mountains on horseback.

Away from the main Oaxaca crowds, this remote little beach is a brilliant spot with boho spirit and good beer shacks. Come for the laidback vibes, bring a surfboard to ride the waves and indulge in a little local seafood at the many tiny restaurants serving the day's catch. Don't miss the Centro Mexicano de la Tortuga, a local turtle sanctuary where you can get up close with these majestic reptiles.

Home to one of the most extreme tides in the world, Hopewell Rocks beach in the Bay of Fundy can only be seen when the water's out. You'll get around six hours to wander around this enchanting landscape, where unusual rock formations created by the moving tides stand tall on the sand, topped with green foliage. Come back on a kayak once the tide is in and you'll be able to paddle around the rocks too, which look as if they're floating on the Bay of Fundy. Always check tidal times before heading out.

Few beaches can boast the backdrop of a world-famous skyline, but Oak Street Beach has just that. The architectural wonder that is the Chicago skyline towers over this sandy stretch on the shores of Lake Michigan, where people have flocked to centuries for summertime swims. Come here to relax on the sand or get some wheels – a bike or even rollerblades will do – and hit the beach trails which hugs the coast. 

Not to be confused with Sandbanks Provincial Park in Ontario, this Newfoundland and Labrador park has some striking stretches of south-facing, white-sand beach. Take off your shoes and wander barefoot along the soft expanses here, looking out to the North Atlantic and the Ramea Islands. Make a weekend of it and pitch your tent in one of the campgrounds and make use of the public firepits where you can barbecue a feast for the evening.

The dramatic red cliffs that back the soft-sand beach at Dune de Sud are one of the most striking sights in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence. Come here, on the coastline of the Magdalen Islands, to explore the deep, dark caves or swim in the delightfully calm waters. Camping along the shore is allowed and nearby a row of multicoloured houses and Lighthouse Cape Alright provide an excellent backdrop for a leisurely waterfront stroll.

While Saskatchewan doesn't have an ocean coastline, it does have around 100,000 lakes offering sandy shores aplenty. On Waskesiu Lake you'll find gorgeous sandy beaches backed by towering pine trees where you can hire equipment for messing about on the water – try a little kayaking, canoeing or even take a boat out for some fishing – and head into the nearby village for hearty lunches. Set within Prince Albert National Park, this delightful beach is a great place to stop on a bike ride or hike along the park's trails.

It might be busy and occasionally bustling with Instagrammers posing on the shoreline, but Tulum is a favourite Mexican beach for a reason: white sand, warm water and a verdant national park inland make this an idyllic escape. There's an exceptional food scene here too, plus a smattering of brilliant, design-led hotels that make it a seriously chic getaway for anyone in need of a little luxury.

This stone-and-sand beach sits at the eastern end of the 30-mile (47km) Juan de Fuca Trail, a truly bewitching hike that winds along the wild, rugged shoreline of the eponymous provincial park. Its remoteness is appealing, but most enchanting is the waterfall that cascades over a cliff and onto the beach. See it from below, then climb up to the top and dangle over the cliff edge from the rope swing nearby.

Around 50 miles (85km) from Québec City, Baie St-Paul is a postcard-perfect place. All historic buildings and handsome, towering churches, its urban centre is charming place to spend a day. But on the shores of the St Lawrence River, the Baie St-Paul beach is an equally attractive spot. Bring your deck chair and a book and settle in on the sand to watch the passing boats on the river. You might spot windsurfers doing their thing out in the water and restless legs can enjoy walks along the riverside.

Have you ever been to a beach inside a cave? On the Marieta Islands, you can do exactly that. Thanks to an enormous, gaping hole in the rocky surface of an otherwise lush, green island, this beach is now one of the most popular sights for visitors in Puerto Vallarta. Standing inside it on the sugary-soft white sand, you can look up to a blue sky surrounded by cliffs on all sides. It's thought this near perfectly round hole was created by bombs during Mexican military testing, but that doesn't take away from the unique beauty of it.

Isla Holbox, just north of Cancun, is essentially one long beach, with the majority of its facilities concentrated at its western end. The laidback, low-key beach town is a dreamy place to while away a week by the sand and at the very western tip of the island you might even be lucky enough to experience the bioluminescent plankton. Come at nighttime for the most spellbinding experience. 

These are the world's empty and beautiful beaches photographed from above

With waters warmed up by the Gulf of Mexico, Alabama's Gulf Coast is an ideal spot for swimming and watersports. On Orange Beach, a long straight stretch on the border with Florida, you can try parasailing, surfing and fishing or you can simply sunbathe on the white sand. In town, there are seafood restaurants aplenty and along the coast you can hike in Gulf State Park.

Hugged by rocky outcrops on either side of its bay and backed by lush green hills, this yellow-sand beach offers a quiet corner of Jalisco for relaxing and communing with nature. Come autumn, you can join the volunteers at the local turtle camp – one of the region's largest – to protect the Oliver Ridley turtle eggs that are laid here each year or you could hire out kayaks to explore this pristine stretch of coastline.

This vast swathe of soft sand on Florida's Tampa Bay draws large crowds, but it never feels too busy thanks to its size. Clearwater Beach is three miles long (5km) and around three blocks wide, offering ample space to set up your sunbathing spot for the day. Don't miss a visit to Pier 60, where street performers and food vendors celebrate the sunset in style every evening. 

This golden-sand beach backed by verdant hills is a dreamy destination for a beach break. Thatched beach huts and single-storey villas make up the accommodation here and there is little to do beyond swimming in the surf or lazing on the sand. A small museum on the local culture and history is an intriguing diversion for an afternoon and you mustn't miss a taste of Yelapa pie, sold in various flavours from chocolate to banana on the beach by the town's 'pie ladies'.

Set within Sandbanks Provincial Park, Dunes Beach is part of the world’s largest bay mouth barrier dune formation. The sands here are divine underfoot, so soft they feel like you're sinking your feet into silk with each step. Climb the tallest dunes before dipping your toes in the waters of Lake Ontario – just beware the drop off, it gets very deep, very fast, so stay within the swimming cordons if you're going in. 

Now take a look at the world's most dangerous beaches

You're going to need the bravery of a matador to reach this dramatic beach, as there's a steep staircase to tackle before you hit the sand. Once you're over that hurdle, though, the scenery here is a fantastic reward: expect sea arches, dark, mysterious caves and tidal pools brimming with exciting sea life. Take a dip in the Pacific Ocean or simply sit on the sand and watch the sunset turn the sky all manner of colours before it settles to a pinky dusk. 

Now discover America's best beach hotels and resorts