Eastern Shore - why so ugly?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think the OP is disappointed that the women at US beaches don't go topless as the do in France.

In April?

[Anonymous]

I'm from the south and I agree that Midatlantic beaches suck. Like NJ-NC are awful. Maine and some of the carolinas have charming beaches. Maine's are very cute but it's too cold even in August for me.

Take Ocean City. A big road with strip malls on one side and massive dated condos on the other side. It's just not attractive. Most of the NJ/Delaware/MD beaches are like that. I don't see the appeal.

[Anonymous]

I grew up in Maryland (MoCo) and live in Northern Virginia now. I spent many summer vacations in Bethany, OBX etc. Fewer in Florida admittedly. I married someone whose family lives in sourthern CA roughly 18 years ago. There are 4 beach resort towns (and amazig resorts) from San Diego north to Pismo Beach that we visit regularly - and have returned to many times over the years before and after having kids. Sadly, I have never found their equal on the east coast, despite REALLY wanting to. Yes, east coast beach towns have some charm, but you just don't get the level of well kept 4-5 star luxury resorts with amazing pools, beaches, golf and amenities (like being a short drive from wine regions). I get the coastlines are just different, but wish we had similar resorts (especially in the mid-atlantic)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I grew up in Maryland (MoCo) and live in Northern Virginia now. I spent many summer vacations in Bethany, OBX etc. Fewer in Florida admittedly. I married someone whose family lives in sourthern CA roughly 18 years ago. There are 4 beach resort towns (and amazig resorts) from San Diego north to Pismo Beach that we visit regularly - and have returned to many times over the years before and after having kids. Sadly, I have never found their equal on the east coast, despite REALLY wanting to. Yes, east coast beach towns have some charm, but you just don't get the level of well kept 4-5 star luxury resorts with amazing pools, beaches, golf and amenities (like being a short drive from wine regions). I get the coastlines are just different, but wish we had similar resorts (especially in the mid-atlantic)

Apples and oranges. No, the East Coast beaches can't compare to West Coast Beaches in natural beauty, except for maybe Maine. That isn't to say there aren't pockets of beautiful on the East Coast. Same with mountains. Mountain, some might call hills, in the East, can't compare to anything in the Rockies or Sierra Nevada, that doesn't mean there still isn't beauty there. It's just on a smaller scale.

One antecdote, have California relatives and many years we had family reunions on Hatteras Island. Even though they were from the West Coast, around San Simeon, which is post-card beautiful, they loved North Carolina and the soft sand and warm water. On the flipside, East Coast relatives, myself included, enjoyed visits to the California coast. Coming from East Coast summers, cool weather and low humidity, was so refreshing and quite a respite, from the dog days of our summer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We just returned from the Spring Break in Lewes Beach. OMG - what was I thinking?! First time there and this was miserable. Close to zero attractions. They have a massive road just outside the town with endless shopping malls. Is that how the beach towns feel like on the East Coast?! We drove to Bethany Beach, which was just so ugly. Zero charm and so much ugliness. Sorry - a recent transplant from France here and my disappointment is huge. Is OXC equally as ugly? Is Florida better?

This you?

Haha OP here - yeah, you are right, it wasn’t that bad. Simply so different than what I am used to. Oh well.

Go back to France.

[Anonymous]

St. Michael's is charming.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We just returned from the Spring Break in Lewes Beach. OMG - what was I thinking?! First time there and this was miserable. Close to zero attractions. They have a massive road just outside the town with endless shopping malls. Is that how the beach towns feel like on the East Coast?! We drove to Bethany Beach, which was just so ugly. Zero charm and so much ugliness. Sorry - a recent transplant from France here and my disappointment is huge. Is OXC equally as ugly? Is Florida better?

Yes. MD, VA, NJ etc beaches are ugly. Zero charm and zero scenery. Ugly and cold ocean water. Only people who like them are those who grew up here and it’s all nostalgia.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If there is one thing we can fix on this thread can we all agree "Eastern Shore" is the Chesapeake Bay. I've never once heard anyone who lived in the DMV area refer to the actual Ocean as the "Eastern Shore".

https://www.visitmaryland.org/regions-cities/eastern-shore

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I grew up in Maryland (MoCo) and live in Northern Virginia now. I spent many summer vacations in Bethany, OBX etc. Fewer in Florida admittedly. I married someone whose family lives in sourthern CA roughly 18 years ago. There are 4 beach resort towns (and amazig resorts) from San Diego north to Pismo Beach that we visit regularly - and have returned to many times over the years before and after having kids. Sadly, I have never found their equal on the east coast, despite REALLY wanting to. Yes, east coast beach towns have some charm, but you just don't get the level of well kept 4-5 star luxury resorts with amazing pools, beaches, golf and amenities (like being a short drive from wine regions). I get the coastlines are just different, but wish we had similar resorts (especially in the mid-atlantic)

I think Long Island beaches are the prettiest on the East coast, the towns are a mixed bag. I also love the beaches of Northern California, for their beauty but not as somewhere I’d want to spend a day in a bathing suit swimming. SoCal beaches do nothing for me.

[Anonymous]

I've been all over and Bermuda, Puerto Rico and Florida beaches are the best. Hawaii is beautiful but far. Cali beaches I find are too cold. So many better options than Ocean s8itty.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Midatlantic East Coast beaches suck.

Signed,
Californian

West coast US far superior.

I can’t imagine people visiting US for the first time, and seeing west before east. That might be the most disappointing itinerary decision .

Cannon Beach and the entire northern pacific coast beaches are dark and gloomy. Plus, they lack amenities and activities. Think: OBX but with bad weather.

Troll.

Not trolling, just stating facts.

Even google confirms that Cannon Beach (known as the best OR beach) isn’t ideal for swimming given the cold water year round and dangerous currents. The weather is notoriously cloudy. Sand is dark and the overall vibe is gloomy.

Haha, anyone claiming some beach in Oregon has any recreational value compared to a mid Atlantic beach is just trolling.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP … Brit here who childhood summers in France on various coasts. America is just not as beautiful as Europe. I still miss it every day. The only place that’s anything close is Southern California (where I spent most of my 20 years in America and just moved back to from DC). The East coast is especially underwhelming to Europeans in my experience. We are spoilt for choice with so many amazing places in close proximity in Europe, so we have high expectations.

What exactly in Southern California is close to Europe? I honestly want to know what it is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Commercial development tends to ruin the charm that popular beach destinations may have once had. The east end of Long Island retains it somewhat in places, especially on the north fork and out of season. The Atlantic beaches out there are mostly pristine and lovely.

You do not need to go all the way out to the East end for undeveloped Atlantic beaches on Long Island. Almost the entire Atlantic shore is either protected state or federal land once you leave Queens in New York City. You are going to have to share it with other people but there is little commercial development.

[Anonymous]

Chestertown
Easton
Kent Island
Oxford
Smith Island
St. Michael’s
Tilghman Island

^^^
That’s what comes to mind when you say the Eastern Shore…at least for Marylanders.

Find a nice sunny day and visit St. Michael’s. Get on a boat, eat crabs. 🦀

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP … Brit here who childhood summers in France on various coasts. America is just not as beautiful as Europe. I still miss it every day. The only place that’s anything close is Southern California (where I spent most of my 20 years in America and just moved back to from DC). The East coast is especially underwhelming to Europeans in my experience. We are spoilt for choice with so many amazing places in close proximity in Europe, so we have high expectations.

What exactly in Southern California is close to Europe? I honestly want to know what it is.

Not SoCal, but Big Sur, Eastern Sierra, Yosemite, Death Valley, Tahoe, Sequoia NP, Joshua Tree NP, San Francisco…etc, are all beautiful and can rival/equal anything in Europe. Europe is great, but one thing we have are much better wide-open spaces. If you appreciate nature and wild places, the U.S. has Europe beat.