Find the closest ocean beach to any point in the United States, with distance, direction, and a map.
How this tool works
Enter your city, ZIP code, or coordinates, or use your GPS position with one click (processed in your browser, never stored). The tool measures the straight-line distance from your point to every entry in a bundled dataset of 1,046 locations across the United States, then shows the closest with its distance and compass direction, the five next-closest, and everything plotted on the map. Each result links to its spot on Google Maps for directions. Distances are as the crow flies, so travel distance will be longer.
What you can do with it
- Find the closest ocean beach to any location, not just your own
- Compare the five next-closest options before choosing where to go
- See the whole dataset plotted on the map for a sense of coverage
- Jump to any result on Google Maps for driving directions
Why use it
Lake and river beaches are fine, but sometimes only the ocean will do. This filters the beach list down to genuine coastal beaches.
Data sources and methods
- Wikidata (community-maintained, CC0 licensed location data)
- Natural Earth (public domain map data)
Coverage note: Ocean beaches are identified by coastal state plus an open-water proximity test, so a handful of bay and sound beaches count as ocean.