The 10 Most Affordable Beach Towns in the US, According to Big Data

The top spot for the most affordable beach town getaway for two went to Pasadena, Texas, sitting southeast of Houston near Galveston Bay. The city “doesn’t score high for walkability or everyday expenses,” writes the report, but makes up for it by having the most affordable flights, hotel, and vacation rental costs of the 100 cities analyzed in the report.

Here are the other beaches that took the top spots, based on the total costs of a weekend for two people, including round-trip flights, lodging, dining, and activities, accounting for seasonality. Also taken into consideration is the walkability score of a destination, because what good is being near the beach if you can’t go for a walk in the sand?

The most affordable small town beach destinations

For a classic beach weekend, you’ll probably want to head to a small town where you can stroll along a boardwalk, grab ice cream from a decades-old ice cream shop, and rent vacation rentals stocked with beach chairs and pickleball sets. If that’s your vibe, these are the most affordable beach towns to visit this year, according to data.

5. Elizabeth, New Jersey

• Affordability score: 87 of 100
• Total weekend cost (hotel): $2,057
• Total weekend cost (vacation rental): $2,159

Elizabeth is close to the Jersey Shore, and visitors can take advantage of Elizabeth’s lively downtown area while still being close to boardwalks, beach towns, and Atlantic surf, all just a short drive away.

4. Providence, Rhode Island

• Affordability score: 88 of 100
• Total weekend cost (hotel): $1,784
• Total weekend cost (vacation rental): $1,977

Barrington Beach is a popular place to spend a day just 20 minutes or so from Providence, but you’ll have access to lots of beaches on Narragansett Beach. Just note that the beach season is shorter than it is in, say, Florida, so you’ll want to plan your trip between June and September, but ideally in July or August.

3. Berkeley, California

• Affordability score: 89 of 100
• Total weekend cost (hotel): $1,895
• Total weekend cost (vacation rental): $1,800

Berkeley, California, may not be known for traditional beach lounging, but waterfront parks along the bay, like the Berkeley Marina and César Chávez Park, are a perfect place for scenic walks and breezy picnics — plus views of the Golden Gate Bridge.

2. Hialeah, Florida

• Affordability score: 92 of 100
• Total weekend cost (hotel): $1,905
• Total weekend cost (vacation rental): $1,883

While Hialeah itself isn’t on the water, sitting just inland from Miami, it’s offers a quick drive to world-class beaches like Miami Beach and Haulover Park at a fraction of the cost of staying in Miami.

1. Pasadena, Texas

• Affordability score: 95 of 100
• Total weekend cost (hotel): $1,549
• Total weekend cost (vacation rental): $1,680

Pasedena isn’t on the Gulf of Mexico, but it’s just a short drive from coastal spots like Sylvan Beach Park in La Porte and Galveston Island. Plus, the proximity to Houston — a major hub for United Airlines — helps keep airfare prices low year-round. Just check the weather forecast if you visit during hurricane season.

The most affordable big city beach destinations

Want a mix of easy beach access without sacrificing culture, restaurants, and chic hotels? A bigger city beach getaway may be a better pick, especially if you’re visiting outside of the traditional beach season.

5. Newark, New Jersey

• Affordability score: 78 of 100
• Total weekend cost (hotel): $2,141
• Total weekend cost (vacation rental): $1,839

Newark is usually thought of as a slightly more affordable place to stay near New York City, but like Elizabeth, it’s fairly close to the Jersey Shore. The closet beach is about 45 minutes away, and you can spend the day at the beach, then have dinner at one of the best restaurants in all of New York City.

4. Long Beach, California

• Affordability score: 78 of 100
• Total weekend cost (hotel): $1,920
• Total weekend cost (vacation rental): $1,839

If you’re looking to soak up LA vibes but don’t want to pay LA prices, Long Beach could be the place to go. You’ll have access to sand and sun at Alamitos Beach, plus walkable bike paths leading to the area’s laid-back, surf-inspired downtown.

3. Oakland, California

• Affordability score: 79 of 100
• Total weekend cost (hotel): $1,863
• Total weekend cost (vacation rental): $1,894

If you love the idea of spending a beach weekend near San Francisco but don’t want to be in the artsy enclave of Berkeley, you can stay in Oakland without breaking the bank.

2. Houston, Texas

• Affordability score: 83 of 100
• Total weekend cost (hotel): $1,749
• Total weekend cost (vacation rental): $1,734

For convenience to the Gulf of Mexico’s beaches but a little more in terms of nightlife and culture, Houston may be the best beach destination for you. The closest beach is Sylvan Beach, known for more than 30 acres and regularly small waves ideal for swimming.

1. Baltimore, Maryland

• Affordability score: 86 of 100
• Total weekend cost (hotel): $1,817
• Total weekend cost (vacation rental): $1,890

Baltimore is on the Chesapeake Bay, so expect waterfront parks and harbor views. That said, sandy shores like Sandy Point State Park and Ocean City are within day-trip distance. Baltimore is a great choice for beachgoers who want to combine a day in the city with a day at the beach, especially as Washington, DC, is just a quick drive away, too. Note that swimming in the Inner Harbor isn’t recommended.

The Beach.com methodology checks out

Often, websites will hired third-party companies to run “surveys.” But they’re often not very scientifically accurate, and done just to drive website clicks, not to actually provide useful information. But the recent Beach.com analysis of affordable beach towns is different, as it shared extensive information about its methodology and data collection.

It was more thorough than most, analyzing various factors for the 100 largest US cities within 25 miles of a coastal or lakeside beach. It then adjusted for factors like size and availability of hotels to create an “affordability index,” taking into account peak seasonal pricing. It looked at factors like dining costs, everyday expenses (like groceries, car rentals, and public transit), average round-trip airfare for two, hotel rates for a weekend, vacation rental rates for a weekend, and how easy it is to walk to the beach. Factors were assigned a weight out of 100, with airfare — the most expensive category — counting for a quarter of the final affordability index score.

Dining and the cost of everyday expenses were pulled from fact-checked sources at the US Bureau of Transportation Statistics, the US Bureau of Economic Analysis, and the US Travel Association. Flight costs were pulled from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics’ Airline Origin and Destination Survey for the last three quarters of 2024, then aggregated from all connecting cities to account for wherever someone might be flying from.

For hotels, the Beach.com team gathered average price estimates for two-, three-, and four-star hotels from every city using Google, checking rates from different seasons. They then took the “midpoint of the cheapest and most expensive nightly rate across all hotel star ratings for each city per quarter” to use in the analysis. Data was analyzed similarly for vacation rentals, with 900 rentals per city surveyed and averaged to find a weekend rate. Only complete rentals (a.k.a. private homes, not room shares) were analyzed.