Given that the USA has 95,471 miles (153,646km) of shoreline, it can be hard to know which of the country's gorgeous beaches to visit first. But some just happen to be as deadly as they are beautiful – that’s why the experts at Travel Lens recently created a ranking of the top 10 most dangerous beaches in the United States. The beaches have been scored out of 10, based on their histories of shark attacks, surf-zone fatalities and hurricanes. When visiting any beach, remember to heed the signage, always swim in a lifeguarded area and within your capabilities, and check any weather warnings before you go. Data is correct at the time of writing.
Spoiler alert: this isn’t Florida’s only appearance in this list. In fact, the Sunshine State's shores account for 70% of America's most dangerous beaches, due in part to their vulnerability to hurricanes. A total of 120 recorded hurricanes made landfall in Florida between 1851 and 2020, with 37 registering as Category 3 or above. Taking 10th place, Fort Lauderdale has battled the elements on each of these occasions, and has also seen three surf-zone deaths and two shark attacks since 2010. This picture was taken during Hurricane Irma on 9 September 2017. Danger score: 5.37 out of 10.
Characterised by sugar-white sands, Gulf Shores is a resort city and a long stretch of public beach in southern Alabama. Studded with volleyball nets, beach bars and quiet spots for sunbathing, Gulf Shores manages to cater to all kinds of visitor without ever feeling overcrowded. Nearby, the Gulf State Park boasts majestic natural beauty, with its Hugh S. Branyon Backcountry Trail recently recognised as the best recreational trail in the country by USA Today. But the beach might not be as wholly idyllic as it seems at first glance.
Although Gulf Shores has seen the fewest hurricanes of beaches in the top 10, with 23 between 1851 and 2020, it's still smarting from its last headline-making encounter. The Category 2 squall Hurricane Sally hit on 15 September 2020 – and that was exactly 16 years to the day, and in the same location, that Hurricane Ivan made landfall in 2004. Sally caused four deaths and £5.9 billion ($7.3bn) of damage. Here, you can see her whipping up angry waves at Gulf Shores. With five surf-zone fatalities and three shark attacks since 2010, this beach has a danger score of 5.38.
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The seaside town of Oak Island and its beaches sit at the southern tip of North Carolina on a namesake barrier island. Spanning almost 10 miles (16km), the beachfront is unique in its position – with south-facing shores providing front-row seats for both spectacular sunrises and sunsets. The coastal town is also home to the last lighthouse ever built in North Carolina. While not necessarily a looker itself, it offers amazing views over the coast. Most visitors come for the beach, but the strand has its dangers...
Located in northeast Florida, Jacksonville Beach is 17 miles (27km) from downtown Jacksonville and has been a beloved holiday destination since the 19th century. In its heyday, it was the boardwalk’s roller-coaster rides and dance pavilions that attracted visitors, but the resort keeps people coming today with a culture of fishing, surfing and family-friendly activities. The beach is deemed to have some of the best surf in the region, which must be why dolphins love it here too. But, for around half the year, hanging out in Jacksonville Beach poses a risk.
Unsurprisingly, hurricanes are the big blight of Jacksonville Beach, pinging its danger score up to 6.02. The Atlantic hurricane season typically runs from June to November, but most storms occur when the ocean’s at its warmest between August and October. In this image, Jacksonville's boardwalk lies damaged after Hurricane Matthew in October 2016. Matthew was blamed for the deaths of 12 Floridians, both directly and indirectly. Since 2010, Jacksonville Beach has seen equal numbers of surf-zone fatalities and shark attacks, documenting three of each.
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Melbourne Beach falls on the strip of shoreline known as Florida’s Space Coast, so-called because of its close proximity to the Kennedy Space Center. Tourists typically flock here for upscale escapes and outdoor adventure and kayaking, jet skiing, snorkelling and surfing on the Atlantic are popular pursuits. Away from the sand and sea, museums, theatres, shops and restaurants are dotted across town. But while Melbourne Beach has all the ingredients for a restorative break by the ocean, sometimes nature just doesn't cooperate...
Feeling the brunt of the 120 hurricanes that made landfall in Florida between 1851 and 2020, as well as three surf-zone deaths and six shark attacks, Melbourne Beach has a danger score of 6.35. In September 2004, Hurricane Frances cast a tidal surge onto the shores of Melbourne Beach, razing homes (pictured) and resulting in costly damage to the area's precious citrus groves. More recently, in 2022, Hurricane Nicole partially washed away the resort's pier and eroded the coastline.
More than 20 million people a year visit Myrtle Beach, a city and coastal resort with 60 miles (97km) of sandy shores. Though the beaches are firmly at the centre of the community here, the area also has an abundance of amusement parks, golf courses, aquariums, entertainment venues and historic Lowcountry sites. Generally deemed an ideal spot for novice surfers tackling their first swells, people come from near and far to ride the waves at Myrtle Beach. But is it really as safe as it seems?
Ranking second in the top 10 for both shark attacks (nine in the past 12 years) and lives lost in its surf zone (15 in the same window), Myrtle Beach enters the top five most dangerous US beaches. The most recent shark attacks occurred here on 15 August 2022, with two attacks on the same day. South Carolina has historically seen far fewer hurricanes than Florida (31 between 1851 and 2020), but it has not gone unscathed. This image shows a shrimp trawler run aground on Myrtle Beach in October 2022, following storm surges relating to Hurricane Ian. Danger score: 6.61.
Boasting 27 miles (43.5km) of cotton-white coastline, Panama City Beach is awash with waterfront attractions and seafood restaurants. Add to the roster two state parks, artificial offshore reefs and more than 320 days of sunshine a year, and it's no surprise that fisherfolk, beach bums and surfers are easily seduced by this location. But the thing about optimum surfing conditions in Florida is that they often coincide with the unpredictable hurricane season.
Ranking here as America’s deadliest surf zone, Panama City Beach has logged 24 life-ending incidents since 2010. The National Weather Service classifies a surf zone as the area of water between the high-tide level on the beach and the seaward side of the breaking waves. Fatalities result from rip currents, high surf and sneaker waves. Though low on shark attacks (two since 2010), the dangerous surf and Florida’s vulnerability to hurricanes propels Panama City Beach's danger score up to 7.16. In this photo, surfers brave the Gulf of Mexico in the middle of Hurricane Barry, 2019.
In the past 12 years, eight surf-zone fatalities and four shark attacks have happened at Ormond Beach. But, as with all Floridian entries in this list, it's the state's 120 hurricanes that significantly drive up the danger score of Ormond Beach; a result of 7.48 nudges it into America's top-three most treacherous shorelines. One of the worst events to impact the destination was Category 4 Hurricane Charley in August 2004, which killed eight people and cost the area $13 billion (over $20bn/£16bn today) in damages. Here, two men watch as 2019's Hurricane Dorian gathers.
Another Space Coast hotspot, Cocoa Beach has a lot going for it – from a nostalgic pier and nature reserves to restaurants and beach bars that get the locals' seal of approval. Perhaps the most iconic attraction of all is Ron Jon, which is billed as the world’s largest surf shop. Open 24 hours a day, complete with waterfalls, glass elevators and fish tanks, it’s a destination in itself. Outdoors, Cocoa Beach is renowned for its consistent and calm waves that lend themselves to surfers of all abilities. But the stats suggest there’s more to this beach than meets the eye…
Taking second place, Cocoa Beach has a danger score of 7.57 out of 10, with seven instances each of shark attacks and surf-zone tragedies since 2010. A shark attack occurred in 2022, when an 18-year-old surfer was targeted on 11 February, fortunately coming off with no more than an injured foot. Florida’s 120 hurricanes between 1851 and 2020 have blustered through Cocoa Beach with varying degrees of severity. In this photo, wind and waves provoked by Category 3 Hurricane Matthew in 2016 overwhelm the resort’s Sunset Bar and Grill.
This laidback town and its eponymous beach are prime real-estate for surf buffs and sun-worshippers, warmed by pleasant year-round rays and tempered by tropical breezes on Florida’s central Atlantic coast. With sand the colour of desiccated coconut, cutting-edge cuisine and a creative spirit, there’s plenty to do here both on land and sea. But it’s the surfing that really gets people going at New Smyrna Beach, which is host to surf schools and nationally important contests. However, you might still think twice about getting in the water…
If the 10 surf-zone fatalities and 120 hurricanes weren't bad enough (pictured is the fallout from 2004's Hurricane Jeanne), New Smyrna Beach is known as the shark-bite capital of the world and has been slapped with a danger score of 8.14 by Travel Lens. Since 2010, there have been 32 attacks here – averaging out at two to three per year, with the last fatal shark encounter dating back to 1981. While you should still be cautious if you decide to enter the water at New Smyrna Beach, it's worth remembering that unprovoked shark attacks are actually extremely rare.
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