Top 3 Budget-Friendly Beach Cities

Pack your swimsuit and hit the road. There are deals to be found in these sunny cities on the shore:

Destin
Located on a peninsula along the Florida panhandle on the Gulf of Mexico, Destin is within easy reach of an international airport. If fishing is your thing, you’ll appreciate Destin’s moniker as “the luckiest fishing village on the coast.” And the shimmering white-sand beaches with the emerald water in the background is all the free fun you could want.

Myrtle Beach
Budget-friendly hotels and lots of local seafood and ethnic eateries make this popular tourist destination surprisingly easy on the wallet. Visit Huntington Beach State Park: between birding, beaching and hiking, it’s well worth the $5 admission.

Virginia Beach
There are plenty of free and cheap things to do in this resort city. Its 14 miles of public beaches are totally free. You can visit First Landing State Park and enjoy free programs like surf fishing and animal tracking. Take a walk past the area’s historic homes dating back to the 1600s, or visit the farmers' market.

-- Text by Meagan Francis

Photo credit: Boogie-boarders in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina (courtesy, Myrtle Beach CVB)