These 5 beaches are my favorite locations in North and Central America, with a special should out to Brazil. They are in safe communities, with great accomodations, and cheap airfare! Not to mention, you can do a variety of fun and different activities on the breathtaking beaches, for breathtaking prices!
1)Tulum, Mexico
An hour drive south of Cancun, Playa del Carmen was a haven for the backpacking sect back in the '70s and '80s. Then large all-inclusive resorts started gobbling up all the real estate along the pearly white sands of Playacar and the budget traveler was pushed out. In actuality, they only headed south a wee bit to the town of Tulum. Best known for its Mayan ruins, Tulum has that same beachfront view at budget prices. For food, head to Charlie's, an affordable Mexican joint on Main Street. If all you want is a clean room with a shower on the beach, opt for Cabanas Tulum, which runs as low as $60 a night. Posada Dos Ceibas is more upscale, with its own restaurant and daily yoga on the beach, but prices remain as low as $70 a night.
2)Negril, Jamaica
In the height of the day, Negril's glorious seven-mile stretch of sand is strewn with bodies. Chill with a thick book as locals approach you selling their wares—pineapple sliced fresh, ganja, a massage. For happy hour, folks make the trek to Rick's to watch the sun set and the Acapulco-style divers jump off the cliffs. You can have those sunsets to yourself at the nearby Rockhouse, a stylish boutique hotel where bungalows are carved into the rock. Prices start at $125 a night. If you want to stay on the beach, it's hard to beat the price of White Sands, which will run you a low $74 a night, with kitchenette, in high season
3) Destin, Florida
The Florida Panhandle is a coveted place that Southerners would prefer to keep to themselves. With a 100-mile stretch of sugary sand that fronts the Gulf of Mexico, and a fair share of golf and tennis, who can blame them? In Destin, the heart of the Panhandle, wake up early in the morning and take a stroll with the pelicans and sandpipers on the beach just as the fishing boats head out to sea. Feel free to join them and drop your own line to catch snapper and grouper. Later, discuss your day's adventure at one of Destin's dockside cafés. The blues and country music is always live and the fish and oysters always fresh. Stay at the relatively new Wingate where room prices, with continental breakfast, are in the double digits.
4) Huntington Beach, California
Most folks equate Orange County, California, with chi-chi Laguna Beach and all the celebs and young retirees who reside here. Yet, just a wee bit north of Laguna is the far more affordable Huntington Beach, popular with the surfer crowd. Make the International Surfing Museum your first stop and then see if any hot doggers are doing their stuff over by the pier. It won't be hard to find your own slice of paradise since Huntington Beach boasts eight miles of uninterrupted waterfront. Stay across from the beach, on the Pacific Coast Highway, at the Sun n' Sands Motel where rooms start at $129 a night in summer and the restaurants in town are just a short walk away
5)Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica
Let the affluent spend gobs of money on the Pacific coast at familiar resorts like the Marriott and Four Seasons, while travelers in the know follow the surfers to the Caribbean coast of this Central American country. At Puerto Viejo, you can walk on deserted beaches all the way south to Panama. The town has a laid-back, international appeal, with top-notch South American, Costa Rican, and Italian food. South of town, there are a number of bungalow-laden lodgings within easy walking distance to the beach, where rooms rarely exceed $75 a night. Check out La Costa de Papito or Playa Chiquita Lodge.
How can anyone resist beaches that sounds like paradise for an affordable price!!
Makes me miss the beach already.......
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