What Makes For The Perfect Beach Run and Where Are the Best Beach Runs?

Last year, I had the privilege of experiencing what I’d call the Perfect Beach Run. Just one of those places and evenings where it all added up. I was at Tybee Beach on Tybee Island, Georgia. Absolutely delightful temperature. Little wind. It was about mid-tide. The beach is wide and flat. The sand was perfectly firm, compact, and smooth as silk. You coulda played tennis on it. And it was the perfect light. Golden hour on one of Georgia’s Golden Isles.

So I took off my shoes, and ran a barefoot five miles out and back. It was early in the season, so not crowded at all. I think my eyes were closed for at least 1/4 of the run, as I loved the firm footing under my bare feet, the skim of the water, and the sound of the breaking waves. I had several other fantastic beach runs during a two-week April tour of the southern coast stretching from Wilmington, NC to Cumberland Island, GA. But if I had to rank them, this one was the best. The type of beach run where all the stars align. For those who love running on the beach, you’ll know exactly what I mean.

What Makes for a Perfect Beach Run?

The perfect beach run is to a runner what a powder day is to a skier. Close your eyes and imagine an early morning or sunset barefoot run on a long, uncrowded beach featuring just the right texture of firm, packed sand. It can be magical — scenic, open, freeing, and cooling. But anyone who loves to run on the beach knows that there are some beaches that are great for running, and others where it’s more challenging.

At Great Runs, we’ve created a special category called Great Beach Runs (more than 150 worldwide!), which singles out a beach that we think is particularly good for running. Note that this category pertains to being able to run on the beach, rather than along a beachfront path or promenade.

So, what qualifies as a great beach for running? Here’s what meets our criteria:

• Has to be at least 1-mile long, or 2 miles out and back
• Features packed, firm sand – ideally all the time, or at least near the shoreline at low tide
• Wide enough to be able to avoid crowds and flat enough so as not to strain the knees

An idyllic beach for running will be long, flat, and feature sand that’s firm enough you could almost ride a (fat-tired) bike or bounce a ball on.

What’s the absolute opposite of a perfect beach run? A beach that’s really hot, super-crowded, sloped, and with sand so soft that every step pounds your calves.

Now, beach running can also be sort of like skiing, in that there can be ‘variable’ conditions. At some beaches, the packed sand perfection is only right near the water and/or near low tide. So, it’s always good to consult a tide chart, such as Tide-Forecast (most of our beach runs have a link). Also, conditions can change if the water brings in debris, or windy conditions can create ridges which makes it difficult on bare feet.

Where Are the Best Beach Runs?

Since our list of Great Beach runs comprises more than 250 ‘runnable’ beaches worldwide, coming up with a ‘best of’ list is a bit challenging. See this list, which is focused on beaches that are ‘runnable’, sorted by geographical area.

We’ve also compiled several lists of the best beaches for running:

Best Urban Beach Runs in the World. The Great Runs list of the best urban beach runs in the world. To qualify, the route has to be in or near a major city (i.e. Miami, San Diego), and not a beach town/destination (i.e. Virginia Beach, Cape Cod). The beach must be at least two miles long and feature a beachside boardwalk/promenade and/or a ‘runnable’ beach (wide, with dependably firm sand).

Best City Beach Runs: North America. We choose about 20 of the best beach or promenade runs in east and west coast U.S. cities…plus a couple of Great Lakes cities where the lake is ‘ocean-like’.

Best Beach Runs: New England. Fantastic beaches for running in Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut.

Best Beach Runs: New York to Alabama.  Either a runnable beach (wide, with firm sand), boardwalk, or good adjacent running road. This includes the New York boroughs, the Hamptons, Jersey Shore, Ocean City/Rehoboth Beach, Virginia Beach, the Outer Banks, Charleston/Kiawah Island, Hilton Head, Savannah, Golden Isles, and the Gulf Shores area of Alabama. 

Best Beach Runs: Florida. These beaches are all pretty, are at least 3 miles long and feature firm, compact sand.

Best Beach Runs: California. Fewer parts of the world have better beach running than California. From its 840 miles of coastline, there are 420 public beaches. Nearly 70% of California’s population resides in counties bordering the Pacific Ocean. And, since California beaches are on the west coast, they feature that great big beach bonus: SUNSETS!