Atlantic vs. Pacific

[20_MuleTeam_Borax]

I have been to both the Atlantic (Long Beach Island, NJ) and Pacific (a few different ones near Malibu) Oceans this summer. All the Pacific beaches were MUCH nicer than those on Long Beach Island. Not only were they far less crowded, but the surf was MUCH better. I only boogie board, but the waves on LBI were pretty crappy for even that.

Are there any nice beaches in the northeastern section of the country?

 

[chipbgt]

.....not really. not from my experience.

The typical "beaches" that you see on tv will be found either in florida or out west. For some reason the beaches on the east coast arent that "clean" looking, and the waves arent nearly as good. I live in Georgia and they are pretty gross. I am sure someone will disagree though.

 

[apoppin]

The West coast generally gets bigger and better waves. The Winter storm systems move from Japan/Siberia and track across the Pacific generating swell. Actually, Hawaii gets the best of it (awesome beaches, warm water, huge waves). In summer, the Antartic storms and New Zealand storms track toward Hawaii and California. Also, Hurricanes forming off the Coast of Baja California send swell to the West Coast (and Hawaii).

The East Coast gets the back end of the Winter storms as they track across the country and away into the Atlantic so the surf is generally smaller and less organized. The exception is Hurricane season when the waves can get quite good.

The Pacific is so much bigger than the Atlantic and the storms can generally get bigger and travel further so the long period super-clean swells tend to produce better-quality surf more often. The East coast tends to get more stormy short-period swells.

 

[CyberSax]

Are there any nice beaches in the northeastern section of the country?

You're making the mistake of comparing temeperate climate beaches in the Northeast to tropical beaches in the Southwest. It's like comparing apples and oranges. A more appropriate comparision would be between beaches in Long Island and beaches in Washington state, or beaches in Texas and beaches in San Diego.

I would say that many of the South-East beaches (Carolinas, Georgia, Florida, and the Gulf of Mexico, which is part of the Atlantic) compare favorably with beaches in California. There's also more miles of Atlantic coast, and hence more beaches, and also a greater variety of them, than there are of Pacific coast, which is all pretty much the same.

 

[ltk007]

I like the casinos in atlantic city. Plus my friend has a shore house on ventnor ave. Nice place.

 

[NOSOUP4U]

atlantic all the way baby

 

[GoldenBear]

If only it weren't 65 degrees on a nice beach day out in SF...

 

[AMDJunkie]

The beaches under Daytona have just as good surf and are desolate. They rock!

 

[20_MuleTeam_Borax]

So do I have to travel far south to find good surf in the Atlantic? I'm ready for another trip, where should I go?

 

[apoppin]

Brazil. Excellent surf (except for their summer Dec-Jan). Is that too far south?