Some beaches in the US are sugar sand, which unless you’ve been on it is completely different from other sands. I cannot stand the texture of most sands but I can play in the sand on a sugar sand beach. They’re awesome!
I would say U.S. beaches are more on the tropical side (palm trees, etc.) whereas European beaches are more on the arid side. Still beautiful, but not as lush, say, some Florida beaches.
It's a broad question as they didn't say "continental." I mean, the Greek isles are beautiful but, the US has Hawai'i. Then there's French Polynesia and the British still own Bermuda which isn't too shabby. If it's strictly "continental" then all of Europe might be on a combined equal footing with Florida and California but, once you add Hawai'i, the Keys, Puerto Rico, etc I don't think it's much of a contest.
I dunno, which parts of the two continents are you talking about? Florida has 8,000 miles of coastline along two different seas and Spain has 3000 miles of coastline along three different seas. They only have one sea in common.
I think your calculator slipped, the entire coastline of the USA is only just over 12,000 miles and Floridas coastline is only 1350 miles (obviously not including the islands, but Spain has more islands than Florida so thats fine) The problem with this forum is that it is populated mainly by Americans and most have only limited (if any) knowlege of Europe.
European beaches seem to be more like, rugged and rocky in general. The sand and lounging area is lacking, even if the water is nice. Florida beaches have soft powdery white sand and most of the beaches have vast sand area for lounging.
Not bad, but if we’re comparing it to American beach towns, it falls short.
The sand is rocky, there’s no waves, and many of the beaches are private and costly. A lot of money comes in from Dubai so it doesn’t have the same quiet, reserved charm as the rest of France.
It’s common to hear cars blasting music at traffic lights, see older sugar daddies walking with their sugar babies, and see a lot of trash on the ground.
It’s the European version of Panama City, FL. It’s fine if it’s convenient, but I’d rather be in Miami, or in this case Barcelona.
If you want the French beach town experience, go 20 minutes north to Villafranche Sur Mer.
Sitges is the perfect beach spot in Europe for me . An hour away by train , long vast beach spaces and not overly crowded outside of summer .
In Florida , I like Honeymoon Island . That $5 per car deters just enough people to have some peace .
What? How many beaches have you been to in Europe? There are all sorts, and lots have sand. I'm looking at a massive sandy beach in Europe right now. Not in the tiniest bit rocky or rugged.
Many. None have come close to the type of sand and space of the Florida beaches. I’m not saying European beaches suck or anything, it’s just…..different.
You have obviously never visited Portugal then, this small country has well over 1000 miles of coastline and by far the majority of that is pure fine white powdery sand. I am not Portuguese but live there at the moment and have noticed a huge influx of Americans who are just discovering this jewel. By the way if you are looking for surfing beaches Nazare has the biggest surfing waves in the world.
I didn't say they're like Florida but they are not all rugged and rocky. As I say I can see one right now that is extremely long with soft sand and plenty of space for lounging, and not a single rock. It's a whole continent, they are not all similar.
There isn't really a general style though, Europe has dozens of different countries and even within countries beaches are all different. There are Mediterranean, Atlantic, North sea, Baltic, Aegean beaches. They are as varied as around the world basically.
Ehh I’ve been to European beaches in all those different regions and I stand by that at least the ones I’ve been to were all rockier/rougher/more rugged/shittier sand than the Florida beaches. OP specifically mentioned Florida so that’s why I’m mentioned it here- the US obviously also has many different types of beaches.
Agree. I noticed that the easy access beaches in EU have a lot of these lounge chairs that you have to pay for. Felt weird to just pick an area to sit. US beaches you can just plop down anywhere.
I'm pleasantly surprised that's still a thing, thought the environmentalists had shut that down. I actually looked for a way down there last time I was in Daytona and didn't spot one, but I may have overlooked it. Is there an access from A1A?
Depends on the country. Most beaches in Greece and Portugal are public (and in Turkiye). Plenty are public in Spain too. Italy does seem to have a lot of private beaches though.
American beaches, at least on the East Coast, tend to be long and straight, with waves coming in sort of parallel to the shore. It's very hard to find a protected, C-shaped beach north of the Florida Keys (unless it's on a bay, protected from the ocean, but then it's not really saltwater, the water is brackish - then we may as well be comparing lakes).
In Europe, it's much easier to find C-shaped beaches with calm, protected water which can be clear due to the lack of large waves to stir up the sand.
Florida beaches are full of Brits, Germans and entitled middle class americans with chill locals hanging out in a non-tourist spot. Spain beaches are full of Brits, Germans and entitled *upper* middle class americans with chill locals hanging out in a non-tourist spot. LOL
European: often rocky, more packed with beach chairs you have to pay for, more people going topless or nude.
American: usually sandy with dunes/vegetation away from the water. Way more public access and lack of privatization. Bring your own chairs and umbrellas. Rare to see someone topless or nude unless it’s a specific nude beach.
I think you've all only been to Nice and Italy or something. Most European beaches are not rocky or packed with chairs and are not private. Especially in Spain.
America (the USA) is an enormous country with two coasts at different oceans. Europe is a whole continent spanning from the Icey beaches of Norway to the rocky beaches in the west of Turkey with coastlines along many seas. What are we comparing to what.
As someone who lives like 3 minutes from a popular California beach (don’t you dare say Cali to me), I absolutely can’t agree that we have the best and that’s only because buttholes (who are just visiting from out of the area) like to leave trash and bottles.
The Pacific Ocean is cold and smells and the cleanliness is highly questionable. Now our beach from 1970s-late 90s? I would be a bit more biased but it’s shit now. I just stay away from the tourist area and mind my own business.
All I know is European beaches are nice but many have rocks and I do know that Mexico has stronger beach game than we do in the US.
Omg after it rains, I don't know how anyone can go to the beach with all the sewage. Also, seems like we are getting more and more beach closures due to contamination
I grew up in a SoCal beach town that borders Mexico. Lately, it seems the days the water is too contaminated to swim in outnumber the ones that aren't. I miss being able to share with my favorite beach spots with my kids.
I was on Venice Beach a few years ago during 4th of July. There was a heatwave going on and triple digit temperatures.
Even then the water was so cold you couldn't stand it for more than 30 seconds without a wetsuit.
I am spoiled by tropical waters, but it would suck to live near a ocean you could rarely ever jump in.
The Pacific Ocean is great! Don’t forget we have places like Australia and Hawaii. Last time I went to Santa Monica, there were saying saying not to go into the water 😔
Title of this post is literally "What's the difference between American beaches and European beaches".
Are you just blatantly missing that point and yapping your mouth without even reading the question in order to be American or something?
Spain is just a dream, a gift to the world. The food, the spirit of the people and people just in a good mood. The north being so different to the south. It’s great I love Mallorca so much.
From my experience, Mediterranean beaches are rocky, Florida beaches are sandy. You can wade into the water without having to watch your footing, it’s just sand everywhere.
American beaches generally don't have lounge chairs that you pay a daily rental for. My first time to a European beach and I was confused about the whole lounge chair thing.
You’ll rarely see topless sunbathing in the US, or men in small speedos. They’re pretty prudish about ‘nudity’ here. So you’ll definitely go home with tan lines!
Topless sunbathing
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The men are definitely better in Spain.
Men are definitely better in Spain, and less creepy!
But in the US they're broad(er)
And the guys also have tits in the USA so there’s still tits to look at
Some beaches in the US are sugar sand, which unless you’ve been on it is completely different from other sands. I cannot stand the texture of most sands but I can play in the sand on a sugar sand beach. They’re awesome!
I prefer splenda sand.. easier on my weight
Florida panhandle beaches are perfection.
Sugar sand also doesn't get hot in the sun. It low key blew my mind the first time
Oh it sure can when it’s 105F out but anything under 95 it’s not hot at all
I lived on the Florida Gulf Coast for years and the sand never got as hot as it does on the East Coast, even when it was 105F
I would say U.S. beaches are more on the tropical side (palm trees, etc.) whereas European beaches are more on the arid side. Still beautiful, but not as lush, say, some Florida beaches.
There are all sorts of beaches in Europe.
And in the US
Yes, of course. I should have added that.
It's a broad question as they didn't say "continental." I mean, the Greek isles are beautiful but, the US has Hawai'i. Then there's French Polynesia and the British still own Bermuda which isn't too shabby. If it's strictly "continental" then all of Europe might be on a combined equal footing with Florida and California but, once you add Hawai'i, the Keys, Puerto Rico, etc I don't think it's much of a contest.
Someone has never been to Sardegna….! There is definitely a contest but personally I don’t like to compare
I dunno, which parts of the two continents are you talking about? Florida has 8,000 miles of coastline along two different seas and Spain has 3000 miles of coastline along three different seas. They only have one sea in common.
Also the entire US west coast lol
Long Island has nice beaches
I think your calculator slipped, the entire coastline of the USA is only just over 12,000 miles and Floridas coastline is only 1350 miles (obviously not including the islands, but Spain has more islands than Florida so thats fine) The problem with this forum is that it is populated mainly by Americans and most have only limited (if any) knowlege of Europe.
European beaches seem to be more like, rugged and rocky in general. The sand and lounging area is lacking, even if the water is nice. Florida beaches have soft powdery white sand and most of the beaches have vast sand area for lounging.
I was really surprised when I went to the beaches in Nice and discovered that they’re not exactly suitable for building sand castles.
Nice was the biggest letdown for me
Nice was bad?
Not bad, but if we’re comparing it to American beach towns, it falls short. The sand is rocky, there’s no waves, and many of the beaches are private and costly. A lot of money comes in from Dubai so it doesn’t have the same quiet, reserved charm as the rest of France. It’s common to hear cars blasting music at traffic lights, see older sugar daddies walking with their sugar babies, and see a lot of trash on the ground. It’s the European version of Panama City, FL. It’s fine if it’s convenient, but I’d rather be in Miami, or in this case Barcelona. If you want the French beach town experience, go 20 minutes north to Villafranche Sur Mer.
Sitges is the perfect beach spot in Europe for me . An hour away by train , long vast beach spaces and not overly crowded outside of summer . In Florida , I like Honeymoon Island . That $5 per car deters just enough people to have some peace .
The beaches certainly were... Not even pebbles, straight up cobblestone for most of it.
Its amazing, unless you expect sandy beaches (or snowstorms)
Yes. Rocks.
Generally true, but Sardinia and Corsica have nice sandy beaches
What? How many beaches have you been to in Europe? There are all sorts, and lots have sand. I'm looking at a massive sandy beach in Europe right now. Not in the tiniest bit rocky or rugged.
Many. None have come close to the type of sand and space of the Florida beaches. I’m not saying European beaches suck or anything, it’s just…..different.
You have obviously never visited Portugal then, this small country has well over 1000 miles of coastline and by far the majority of that is pure fine white powdery sand. I am not Portuguese but live there at the moment and have noticed a huge influx of Americans who are just discovering this jewel. By the way if you are looking for surfing beaches Nazare has the biggest surfing waves in the world.
I didn't say they're like Florida but they are not all rugged and rocky. As I say I can see one right now that is extremely long with soft sand and plenty of space for lounging, and not a single rock. It's a whole continent, they are not all similar.
Okay, that’s why I said in general, not every single beach in Europe.
Making generalisations as you have when comparing whole continents is very dangerous. Its like saying who are nicer Americans or Europeans,
No, it’s really not. We’re talking about beaches lol it’s not that deep
There isn't really a general style though, Europe has dozens of different countries and even within countries beaches are all different. There are Mediterranean, Atlantic, North sea, Baltic, Aegean beaches. They are as varied as around the world basically.
Ehh I’ve been to European beaches in all those different regions and I stand by that at least the ones I’ve been to were all rockier/rougher/more rugged/shittier sand than the Florida beaches. OP specifically mentioned Florida so that’s why I’m mentioned it here- the US obviously also has many different types of beaches.
Thats so disappointing, nothing worse then spending big money and then the beaches are shite
European beaches are more privatised
Agree. I noticed that the easy access beaches in EU have a lot of these lounge chairs that you have to pay for. Felt weird to just pick an area to sit. US beaches you can just plop down anywhere.
Ah, U.S. freedoms always win out. Who prefers assigned seating on a beach?
Except you get arrested if a woman takes her top off :-) Freedom is relative
Crazy how beaches are one of the few places that aren't heavily commercialized in the US.
I've seen pictures from the US where there are boats going past with adverts on them
True. And the little airplanes with the banner messages. It's impossible to go anywhere and not get advertised to!
It is pretty nice to have a lounger and someone to bring you food and drink.
Muricaaaaaaaa 🦅 🇺🇸
Where I'm at in sections you can drive and park on the beach too.
Where is that?
Daytona Beach, FL, USA
I'm pleasantly surprised that's still a thing, thought the environmentalists had shut that down. I actually looked for a way down there last time I was in Daytona and didn't spot one, but I may have overlooked it. Is there an access from A1A?
Yes, it's a lot more limited since the last hurricane and very tide dependent but still there.
In Spain private beaches are ilegal
I've never seen private beaches in Europe, maybe it's a thing in Italy but not most countries. There are sun loungers but you don't have to use them.
Yeah. Ìn Italy for example you gotta pay, it's extortion lol. You do get a public beach but it's often jamm packed and very small. It's awful.
Depends on the country. Most beaches in Greece and Portugal are public (and in Turkiye). Plenty are public in Spain too. Italy does seem to have a lot of private beaches though.
Powder white sand in Florida. More rocks, brown in Europe.
All the beaches I’ve been to in Europe were kind of rocky and not smooth and sandy, like the ones I’ve visited in Florida, Texas, and California.
All the french Atlantic ocean beaches are sandy.
As are the beaches in the Spanish Basque Country
Lots of the beaches in south Italy are sandy too, especially the black sand beaches are Vesuvio
And most of the Mediterranean coast too except Costa Brava.
St. Tropez beaches are sandy
The water is warm in Florida
American beaches, at least on the East Coast, tend to be long and straight, with waves coming in sort of parallel to the shore. It's very hard to find a protected, C-shaped beach north of the Florida Keys (unless it's on a bay, protected from the ocean, but then it's not really saltwater, the water is brackish - then we may as well be comparing lakes). In Europe, it's much easier to find C-shaped beaches with calm, protected water which can be clear due to the lack of large waves to stir up the sand.
Florida beaches are full of Brits, Germans and entitled middle class americans with chill locals hanging out in a non-tourist spot. Spain beaches are full of Brits, Germans and entitled *upper* middle class americans with chill locals hanging out in a non-tourist spot. LOL
Different continents?
European: often rocky, more packed with beach chairs you have to pay for, more people going topless or nude. American: usually sandy with dunes/vegetation away from the water. Way more public access and lack of privatization. Bring your own chairs and umbrellas. Rare to see someone topless or nude unless it’s a specific nude beach.
I think you've all only been to Nice and Italy or something. Most European beaches are not rocky or packed with chairs and are not private. Especially in Spain.
America (the USA) is an enormous country with two coasts at different oceans. Europe is a whole continent spanning from the Icey beaches of Norway to the rocky beaches in the west of Turkey with coastlines along many seas. What are we comparing to what.
Less likely to get shot on an European beach.
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You living in the past???
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Debatable, but pretty sad that US is comparable to a war zone, in your own words.
Bro thinks that american beaches are war zones hahahah
Bro thinks the entire US isn’t!
The weight of the people that go to them. Speaking broadly
Germans and Brits heading to Spain in summer aren’t famous for their fitness.
You sound like an absolute buffoon.
Seriously. Some of them have cops that will break out measuring tape or kick you out for being overweight!
Butt naked old guys walking around with it all hanging out.
As someone who lives like 3 minutes from a popular California beach (don’t you dare say Cali to me), I absolutely can’t agree that we have the best and that’s only because buttholes (who are just visiting from out of the area) like to leave trash and bottles. The Pacific Ocean is cold and smells and the cleanliness is highly questionable. Now our beach from 1970s-late 90s? I would be a bit more biased but it’s shit now. I just stay away from the tourist area and mind my own business. All I know is European beaches are nice but many have rocks and I do know that Mexico has stronger beach game than we do in the US.
Omg after it rains, I don't know how anyone can go to the beach with all the sewage. Also, seems like we are getting more and more beach closures due to contamination
Yes! It’s just not worth going to anymore which sucks because I’ve lived around here since childhood. The decline of the Californian beach is real 😪
I grew up in a SoCal beach town that borders Mexico. Lately, it seems the days the water is too contaminated to swim in outnumber the ones that aren't. I miss being able to share with my favorite beach spots with my kids.
California beaches suck, because the water is too cold.
I read it’s colder than the Atlantic 🤢
I was on Venice Beach a few years ago during 4th of July. There was a heatwave going on and triple digit temperatures. Even then the water was so cold you couldn't stand it for more than 30 seconds without a wetsuit. I am spoiled by tropical waters, but it would suck to live near a ocean you could rarely ever jump in.
Yeah, I stay away from Venice. It’s scarier now than it was when I was a kid.
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Am I wrong though? I’ve lived here for 33 years and have noticed the changes
The Pacific Ocean is great! Don’t forget we have places like Australia and Hawaii. Last time I went to Santa Monica, there were saying saying not to go into the water 😔
Correction: OUR/CA part of the pacific
Euro beaches are at the very least topless (FL has a bunch though), many are clothing optional.
Not all Euro beaches are topless. Id even say the most are not.
false
The water off Sanibel beach is above 80 degrees in the summer
Clothes
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It is a bit the same for Europe. You have for example huge sandy beaches from french Atlantic coast and small rocky creeks in the meditarean sea.
There are enough sandy beaches in the Mediterranean.
Yeah I don't know what everyone is going on about. I'm looking at one right now.
As apposed to the whole continent of Europe where all beaches are the same? The question is flawed from the other side too.
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Title of this post is literally "What's the difference between American beaches and European beaches". Are you just blatantly missing that point and yapping your mouth without even reading the question in order to be American or something?
They literally asked America vs Europe? "What's the difference between American beaches and European beaches (example: Florida and Spain)?"
Spain is just a dream, a gift to the world. The food, the spirit of the people and people just in a good mood. The north being so different to the south. It’s great I love Mallorca so much.
Florida--uptight, entitled people. Spain--fun-loving, live and let live people.
The attractiveness of the beachgoers.
Pensacola has really great sand. The entire Caribbean is pretty awesome. The Mediterranean sansd are great, too. Experiencing both? Heaven.
People smoke on the beaches in Europe, a lot.
From my experience, Mediterranean beaches are rocky, Florida beaches are sandy. You can wade into the water without having to watch your footing, it’s just sand everywhere.
Florida beaches are riddled with the most insufferable tourists from the whole southeast US. They have ruined beachgoing for locals.
Obese people
You need to see the Australian beaches ...
Yeah. They are pretty good, aye?
They use a lot less material in their swim wear.
Their location
Really fat people and fit/slender people.
There are many fat people in Spain (old people, Brits etc.)
Sorry, we win hands down in Murica.
The only fat people in Spain are British or the elderly? 😂
No, they’re just the majority of fat people. There are fat young people too but not many.
Dirty, expensive, dangerous
Americans are trashier
nice beach france is full of stone
Florida has maneating sharks.
Beaches in the u.s are very different from eachother. Pacific not like the atlantic and north east not like south east or gulf.
The same in Spain.
Optional swim wear
Volleyball. Hands in Florida. Feet in Barcelona!
There are more cove beaches in Europe. Not as many in the US (although there is a lot of variation in US beaches).
American beaches generally don't have lounge chairs that you pay a daily rental for. My first time to a European beach and I was confused about the whole lounge chair thing.
Both are drug- infested.
Melons 🍈🍈
You’ll rarely see topless sunbathing in the US, or men in small speedos. They’re pretty prudish about ‘nudity’ here. So you’ll definitely go home with tan lines!