Bay & Coastal swimming holes in the U.S.

Bay & Coastal swimming holes: Bay and coastal swimming spots cover ocean, bay, and beach access along salt water. Check tides, currents, and water-quality advisories before you swim. We currently list 21 bay & coastal destinations nationwide. Inventory counts by type are on the U.S. swimming holes dataset.

Bay and coastal swimming spots cover ocean, bay, and beach access along salt water. Check tides, currents, and water-quality advisories before you swim.

21 destinations nationwide.

Bay & Coastal swimming holes by state

State-specific lists with bay & coastal destinations only.

Colt State Park — bay (salt water) swimming hole near Providence, RI

Bay (salt water)RI

Colt State Park

The park carries the quiet dignity of its storied past. Once the grand seaside estate of the Colt family.

Fee requiredProvidence

Falls Lake S. R. A. — lake beaches swimming hole near Raleigh, NC

Lake BeachesNC

Falls Lake S. R. A.

Falls Lake State Recreation Area near Raleigh / Durham, North Carolina has multiple lake swim beaches and day-use areas. North Carolina State Parks fees apply — confirm ncparks.gov for beach status.

Fee requiredRaleigh

Fort Wetherill State Park — bay swimming hole near Jamestown, RI

BayRI

Fort Wetherill State Park

Perched on the rocky southeastern tip of Conanicut Island, Fort Wetherill State Park is one of Rhode Island's most dramatic and memorable . The park overlooks Rhode Island Sound, where the water runs clear and cold, carved into coves and channels by centuries of Atlantic tides.

Fee requiredJamestown

Punderson State Park — glacial lake beach swimming hole near Newbury, OH

Glacial lake beachOH

Punderson State Park

Punderson State Park near Newbury / Cleveland, OH — free public beach on a 150-acre glacial kettle lake. Pets banned on the beach; lodge pools are a separate paid option.

Fee requiredNewbury

Ramrod Key Park — bay swimming hole near Marathon, FL

BayFL

Ramrod Key Park

Ramrod Park is a free Monroe County bayfront park on Ramrod Key in the Florida Keys (between Marathon and Key West). Secluded bayside beach for swimming, snorkeling, and kayak launches — open 7:30 a.m. to sunset.

FreeMarathon

Yorktown Beach — river beach swimming hole near Williamsburg, VA

River beachVA

Yorktown Beach

Yorktown Beach is a free sandy public beach on the York River in Yorktown, VA — calm river swimming near Riverwalk Landing, Colonial Williamsburg, and Newport News.

Fee requiredWilliamsburg

Blow Hole — cave in rocks near beach where ocean waves fill and empty. swimming hole near Santa Anna, CA

Cave in rocks near beach where ocean waves fill and empty.CA

Blow Hole

Blow Hole is a cave in rocks near beach where ocean waves fill and empty. swimming spot on Pacific Ocean near Santa Anna, California. What people come for: Rugged coastal scenery; Dynamic wave action. Best visited in Spring. Strong rip currents are common, especially near the northern lifeguard tower.

Fee variesSanta Anna

Cape Canaveral National Seashore Swimming Spots — clothing optional beaches swimming hole near Daytona Beach, FL

Clothing optional beachesFL

Cape Canaveral National Seashore Swimming Spots

Cape Canaveral National Seashore Swimming Spots is a clothing optional beaches swimming spot on Atlantic Ocean near Daytona Beach, Florida. What people come for: Unspoiled Atlantic beaches; Clothing-optional areas. There is a fee or park admission, and you will find restrooms and parking. Best visited in Spring. There are no lifeguards.

Fee requiredDaytona Beach

Elk Neck State Park — bay swimming hole near Wilmington (de), MD

BayMD

Elk Neck State Park

Near Wilmington (De) in Maryland, Elk Neck S.P. Perched at the southern tip of a wooded peninsula where the Elk River meets the upper Chesapeake Bay, Elk Neck State Park is one of Maryland's most quietly rewarding waterfront destinations.

Fee requiredWilmington (de)

Ferry Park — bay swimming hole near Chestertown, MD

BayMD

Ferry Park

Ferry Park near Chestertown, Maryland is a bay swimming spot on Chesapeake Bay. What people come for: Chesapeake Bay swimming; Stunning sunsets. Access is free, and you will find restrooms and picnic areas. Best visited in Late spring through early fall. Supervise children closely near the water at all times.

FreeChestertown

Goose Creek State Park — river beach swimming hole near Rocky Mount, NC

River BeachNC

Goose Creek State Park

Goose Creek S. P. is a river beach swimming spot on Pamlico River near Rocky Mount, North Carolina. What people come for: Refreshing swimming in the Pamlico River; Diverse ecosystems with rich wildlife. Access is free, and you will find restrooms, picnic areas and camping. Best visited in Summer. No lifeguard is mentioned as being on duty.

FreeRocky Mount

Gunnison Beach — ocean beach swimming hole near Long Branch, NJ

Ocean beachNJ

Gunnison Beach

Here, the Atlantic Ocean stretches endlessly before you, salt wind threading through the dune grass while shore birds wheel overhead. The atmosphere is relaxed and welcoming.

Fee variesLong Branch

Lakeview Wildlife Management Area — lake beach swimming hole near Syracuse, NY

Lake BeachNY

Lakeview Wildlife Management Area

Lakeview Wma near Syracuse, New York is a lake beach swimming spot on Lake Ontario. What people come for: Lake Ontario's clear waters; Wide sandy beaches. There is a fee or park admission, and you will find restrooms, picnic areas, camping and parking. Best visited in June-August. There are no lifeguards.

Fee requiredSyracuse

Neuse River — river beach swimming hole near Kinston, NC

River BeachNC

Neuse River

Neuse River lies in North Carolina. Forest Service as an official .

Fee variesKinston

Pebble Beach — bay swimming hole near Green Bay, WI

BayWI

Pebble Beach

Pebble Beach near Green Bay, Wisconsin is a bay swimming spot on Lake Michigan. What people come for: Crystal-clear waters of Lake Michigan; Picturesque pebble-strewn shoreline. Best visited in May to September. No lifeguard services are indicated.

Fee variesGreen Bay

Point Judith — bay (salt water) swimming hole near Providence, RI

Bay (salt water)RI

Point Judith

Perched at the southern tip of Rhode Island where Narragansett Bay meets the open Atlantic, Point Judith is one of New England's most storied coastal destinations.

Fee requiredProvidence

Potomac Wayside — river beach swimming hole near Frederick (md), VA

River beachVA

Potomac Wayside

The result is a scene of genuine, unspoiled beauty: cascading water, moss-edged rocks, and the steady murmur of a river that has been shaping this landscape for millennia.

FreeFrederick (md)

Red Reef Park — artificial reef swimming hole near Boca Raton, FL

Artificial ReefFL

Red Reef Park

Red Reef Park is a artificial reef swimming spot on Atlantic Ocean near Boca Raton, Florida. What people come for: Man-made reef for snorkeling; Accessible from Route A1A. There is a fee or park admission, and you will find parking. Best visited in March-May. Check local weather and surf conditions before entering the water.

Fee requiredBoca Raton

St Anthony Sand Bar — river beach swimming hole near Idaho Falls, ID

River beachID

St Anthony Sand Bar

Anthony Sand Bar is one of those rare finds that locals have quietly cherished for generations. It's the kind of place where a summer afternoon stretches out lazily.

FreeIdaho Falls

Swinging Bridge Beach — river beach swimming hole near Boise, ID

River beachID

Swinging Bridge Beach

Swinging Bridge Beach is a river beach swimming spot on Payette River near Boise, Idaho. What people come for: Historic swinging footbridge; Sandy beach with flat rocks. Access is free, and there are no facilities on site. Best visited in May to September. The Payette River has strong currents.

FreeBoise

Twelve O'clock High — bay swimming hole near Newport, RI

BayRI

Twelve O'clock High

Twelve O'Clock High lies in Rhode Island, where Rhode Island Sound moves through a wooded corridor. Perched along the windswept edge of Rhode Island Sound near Newport and Brenton Point, Twelve O'Clock High is one of those rare coastal spots that feels genuinely discovered rather than packaged.

FreeNewport