Move over L.A., Miami and Honolulu! Our 10 winners for Best Coastal Small Town – each with a population of fewer than 25,000 people as of the last census – offer uncrowded, unpretentious and affordable seaside fun in small packages.
The top 10 winners in the category Best Coastal Small Town are as follows:
- Sandusky, Ohio
- Rockport, Texas
- Chincoteague, Virginia
- Georgetown, South Carolina
- Bay St. Louis, Mississippi
- Gulf Shores, Alabama
- Southport, North Carolina
- St. Simons Island, Georgia
- Saugatuck, Michigan
- Bayfield, Wisconsin
A panel of experts (listed below) partnered with 10Best editors to pick the initial 20 nominees, and the top 10 winners were determined by popular vote.
Congratulations to all these winning small towns!
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The Experts
Marla Cimini
Marla is an award-winning writer with a passion... Read More
Marla is an award-winning writer with a passion for travel, music, surfing and culinary adventures! An avid globetrotter and professional storyteller, she has covered topics that include wild Tahitian getaways; Sicilian wine trails, delectable Hawaiian food trends and luxury beachfront resorts. Her articles have appeared in numerous publications worldwide, including USA Today. Marla lives in New Jersey (Philadelphia area) and is a frequent visitor to Hawaii and Southern California, and often covers those destinations. Her travel website is: www.marlacimini.com
Marla Cimini

Marla is an award-winning writer with a passion for travel, music, surfing and culinary adventures! An avid globetrotter and professional storyteller, she has covered topics that include wild Tahitian getaways; Sicilian wine trails, delectable Hawaiian food trends and luxury beachfront resorts. Her articles have appeared in numerous publications worldwide, including USA Today. Marla lives in New Jersey (Philadelphia area) and is a frequent visitor to Hawaii and Southern California, and often covers those destinations. Her travel website is: www.marlacimini.com
Deborah Fallows
Deborah Fallows is a writer and a linguist. She... Read More
Deborah Fallows is a writer and a linguist. She and her husband, the writer James Fallows, continue crisscrossing the country in their small plane, reporting on the reinvention of small towns. Their national best-selling book on the project, Our Towns: A 100,000-Mile Journey into the Heart of America, was published in May, 2018. They are currently in production with HBO on a documentary based on the book. Deb has written extensively on language, culture, travel and China for The Atlantic, National Geographic, Slate, The New York Times and The Washington Monthly. Her 2010 book, Dreaming in Chinese: Mandarin Lessons in Life, Love, and Language, is based on her 3-year experience living and working in China.
Deborah Fallows

Deborah Fallows is a writer and a linguist. She and her husband, the writer James Fallows, continue crisscrossing the country in their small plane, reporting on the reinvention of small towns. Their national best-selling book on the project, Our Towns: A 100,000-Mile Journey into the Heart of America, was published in May, 2018. They are currently in production with HBO on a documentary based on the book. Deb has written extensively on language, culture, travel and China for The Atlantic, National Geographic, Slate, The New York Times and The Washington Monthly. Her 2010 book, Dreaming in Chinese: Mandarin Lessons in Life, Love, and Language, is based on her 3-year experience living and working in China.
Eric Grossman
Eric Grossman is a travel and food writer who has... Read More
Eric Grossman is a travel and food writer who has visited more than 50 countries. Always up for an adventure, Eric is constantly searching for new and inspiring experiences, with a keen interest in luxury travel and urban exploration. Memorable experiences have run the gamut from discussing the future of food with Ferran Adrià to sharing a stage with Coldplay.
Eric Grossman

Eric Grossman is a travel and food writer who has visited more than 50 countries. Always up for an adventure, Eric is constantly searching for new and inspiring experiences, with a keen interest in luxury travel and urban exploration. Memorable experiences have run the gamut from discussing the future of food with Ferran Adrià to sharing a stage with Coldplay.
Anna Hider
Anna is a writer and social media manager for
Anna is a writer and social media manager for Roadtrippers, the coolest trip-planning site and app on the planet, where she's spent two years digging up the coolest off-the-beaten-path things for travelers to see and do. She loves hiking, exploring, and sometimes even getting lost in a good state park, and is definitely a sucker for any place with a waterfall, a ghost town or a beach.
Anna Hider

Anna is a writer and social media manager for Roadtrippers, the coolest trip-planning site and app on the planet, where she's spent two years digging up the coolest off-the-beaten-path things for travelers to see and do. She loves hiking, exploring, and sometimes even getting lost in a good state park, and is definitely a sucker for any place with a waterfall, a ghost town or a beach.
Gerrish Lopez
Gerrish Lopez is a food and travel... Read More
Gerrish Lopez is a food and travel writer/photographer whose adventures have taken her from tiny islands (Isle of Man, Lanai) to mega-cities like Mexico City and Hong Kong. A former vegetarian, Gerrish has grown to appreciate carnivorous fare through sampling the best meats in the world, including smoked pork jowl in Thailand and whole hog barbecue in South Carolina. Gerrish is always looking for products and services to make her travels easier and more efficient.
Gerrish Lopez

Gerrish Lopez is a food and travel writer/photographer whose adventures have taken her from tiny islands (Isle of Man, Lanai) to mega-cities like Mexico City and Hong Kong. A former vegetarian, Gerrish has grown to appreciate carnivorous fare through sampling the best meats in the world, including smoked pork jowl in Thailand and whole hog barbecue in South Carolina. Gerrish is always looking for products and services to make her travels easier and more efficient.