10 Most Breathtaking Islands In America

Typically, when planning out our vacations, we tend to stick to our regular places. These types of trips are always lovely, but sometimes it’s worth it breaking out of your shell to visit the breathtaking views of various islands around America. The coasts of the United States are dotted with too many spectacular islands to count, let alone summarize on a Top 10 list.

You can expect beautiful beaches with crazy seashell collections, no cars, charming bike paths and carriage roads, blissful national parks, authentic Victorian vibes, and oyster cocktail pubs. The one typical quality between them is that they are all worth bridge-crossing, ferry-hopping, helicopter-splurging, or twin engine-braving to savor for yourself.

We have found for you 1o stunning islands that will allow you to explore new places that you haven’t seen yet and which you can reach through major cities.

Our first island offers the oldest hotel in its state…..

AMELIA ISLAND, FLORIDA

With the tranquility of a quiet beach and the charm of wide-open spaces, Amelia Island has everything you’re searching for as you plan your next escape. The island is only 13 miles long and two miles wide, but natural beauty is what the island is all about. If you’re looking for a hotel, why not stay at the oldest one in the state? The Florida House Inn has been up and running since 1857 and is the longest operating hotel in Florida. While you’re here, you can explore the island’s enchanted rivers and marshes while embracing the wonders of nature. As far as food, you can indulge in the various flavors served outdoors under a brilliant sky.

While it’s a fantastic place, it’s somewhat of a hidden gem, so there are many things that most people may not know about this beautiful island. It’s strongly believed that there is buried treasure here. While this seems far-fetched, Amelia Island’s harbor would regularly have hundreds of ships moored during its ancient history, and many of these were pirate ships.

Also, the oldest saloon in Florida is on Amelia Island. Another fun fact is that the island was colonized 3,000 years ago. Based on pottery found in archaeological digs, the oldest-known inhabitants of the island date back to 1500 BC. If you love shrimp, you’ll be happy to know that Amelia Island is the birthplace of our modern shrimp industry! The boat-builders of Amelia Island were vital in formulating the process of shrimping with giant nets to tug in the hefty loads of these delicious crustaceans.

Next, what’s better than one harbor? Why two of course…..

CATALINA ISLAND, CALIFORNIA

Catalina Island is a picture-perfect island paradise and a world apart from the hustle and bustle of the mainland. Only 22 miles off the coast of the southern part of California, you’ll find two different experiences on this island. Historic and endearing Avalon on the east end, and the more rustic and secluded Two Harbors on the west end. Catalina is a great place for play and relaxation with many opportunities for adventure whether you’re coming for the day or the weekend.

Getting here is an escapade all its own with a ferry or helicopter ride across terrific southern California waters. Once you arrive, their hotels will surprise and delight you with their island feel and laid-back hospitality. Catalina Island is full of activities, from shopping to exciting adventures on a zip line or paddleboard. As the sun sets, you can unwind with a meal at one of the many restaurants.

If you’re an adventurer, you can get your heart pumping with a visit to the Zip Line Eco Tour. Some other great things to do on the island include hiking, biking, golf, and museums. Water activities on the island include fishing, kayaking, scuba diving, parasailing, jet ski rentals, and paddleboarding.

For a relaxed pace, check out Avalon’s famous shopping, relax on the beaches, or plan a trip to the spa. You also have the Island tours, which offer a view of the island from the comfort of a boat, jeep, or Hummer!

Once you visit our next island, wild horses won’t be able to drag you away…..

CUMBERLAND ISLAND, GEORGIA

Georgia on your mind? Then welcome to the state’s largest barrier island and one of the most spectacular natural habitats in the Northern Hemisphere. Located just off the coast of St. Mary’s and accessible only by ferry or private boat, you can easily imagine glimpses of the Carnegie lifestyle throughout the ruins of Dungeness, Plum Orchard, and Greyfield Inn. It offers guests more than 17 miles of secluded beaches.

Wild horses and other island wildlife roam freely throughout the ruins and along the coast. Here pristine forests, undeveloped beaches, and vast marshes whisper the stories of both man and nature. Enslaved African Americans, missionaries, Natives, and Wealthy Industrialists all walked here. Cumberland Island is also home to over 9,800 acres of Congressionally designated Wilderness.

The island’s most significant and most lasting value is its ability to change people through its spiritual quality. It is a place of transformation. It has an invisible feature that seems to be the essential benefit Cumberland Island has for its guests.

You’ll develop a real burning love for this next island…..

FIRE ISLAND, NYC

You won’t see any cars or paved roads on Fire Island. For that matter, you won’t find much development along most of its parkland-protected shores marked with 17 villages, all sporting their charms, proud heritages, dining options, and ironclad ordinances. If you were a pristine barrier island hanging off the coast of the imposing Long Island and just 60 miles away of that other island called Manhattan, you’d be just as protective of your precious space too! With a year-round population of 400 that turns into 20,000 summers, Fire Island is many things to just as many visitors. LGBT and straight. Home renter families and solo Ocean Beach daytrippers. Bar-hoppers, beachcombers, and bird watchers. There are breathtaking strips of unpopulated sand here.

Also, there are lots of hiking, paddling, fishing, camping, swimming, and surfing opportunities along Fire Island’s surprisingly extensive National Seashore. There’s also the rowdy July 4th Invasion of the Pines, which brings hundreds of drag queens and spectators. And let’s not forget Kismet’s August clam-shucking contest, drawing its slew of bystanders. Searching for hidden treasures on the beach is always a good time.

On the island, you can explore all of its incredible beaches year-round for shells, marine plants, and other unusual finds. Careful not to bother any shells that might still have living residents! Clams are plentiful and delicious, and clamming has become a regular practice for islanders. While many use the boat and rake approach, locals are more adept with the foot and toe technique. Just go out in the bay and dig your feet in the sand. Once you feel a smooth, hard rock shell, reach down and pull it out.

While you’ll not find a McDonalds Big Mac on this next island, you might find a Mighty one…..

MACKINAC ISLAND, MICHIGAN

Whether you’re crossing the five-mile “Mighty Mac” Bridge between Michigan’s Peninsulas or ignoring the bridge altogether and just hopping on a 16-minute ferry to Mackinac Island from either end, visitors have found this national landmark to be the perfect vacation spot for centuries. No cars or chain hotels. Just some world-famous Mackinac Island Fudge, historic Fort Mackinac, unique shopping, and diverse dining.

Here you will find unforgettable sunsets, awe-inspiring sunrises, and extraordinary nightlife. ​Start planning your adventure to Mackinac Island, the “Jewel of the Great Lakes.” Experience Middle America’s best offshore Victorian time warp, complete with horse-drawn carriage rides past 19th-century mansions and War of 1812 historical sites.

Afternoon Tea at the appropriately named Grand Hotel and a quality piece of Main Street fudge. Intensify the experience by renting a bike, horse buggy, or kayak and exploring the rest of this 3.8-square-mile National Historic Landmark, which is 80% preserved state park with its dramatic limestone bluffs and thick forests, and Great Lake waters. Best of all, not a single Prius is to be seen on the island because cars are banned here since 1898.

You’ll not be whining if you visit the next island…..

MARTHA’S VINEYARD, MASSACHUSETTS

Massachusetts’ largest isle is home to pristine beaches, iconic clay cliffs, Oak Bluffs, and some of the smoothest coastal bike paths on either end of the Atlantic. Even though getting there is a bit of a project, this tiny island off Cape Cod is still one of the most sought-after and scenic destinations in New England. It’s still the perfect escape from all those waffle cone/fried clam lines on the pretty peninsula and further proof that beautiful islands, no matter how summer crowd-inducing, always feel wondrously secluded.

Martha’s Vineyard is a charming, lovely place with a great sense of community and diversity. It’s a bigger island than most people think. MV has six towns spread around 100 square miles, each with its own flavor. Among the island’s villages, you’ll find the Vineyard that’s right for you. With stately Greek revival houses which date back to the whaling era of the early 19th century, Edgartown is a seaside village of boutiques and excellent harbor views.

For more of a “beach town,” Oak Bluffs has an arcade, the Flying Horses carousel, plus the “gingerbread” house campgrounds. Vineyard Haven gives visitors a blend of both. For a natural retreat, Chilmark/Aquinnah is the place to get away from it all. The island is far less crowded in the off-season, but the shore is always beautiful. Whenever you visit, leave your car behind! Cabs are plentiful, and they wait for the incoming ferries to help you reach your stopping place. Visitors prefer to explore the island by bike, scooter, or public bus.

Want to feel relaxed? Well, our next island literally has it in its name (kind of)…..

OCRACOKE ISLAND, NORTH CAROLINA

Tucked below Duck, Nags Head, Kill Devil Hills, and Hatteras, Ocracoke is the southernmost barrier island of N.C. No bridge. No crowds. Almost no pulse, in a good sense, Ocracoke welcomes ferry or private plane commuters to do what’s expected of anyone visiting a wafer-thin, 16-mile long spit of seagrass and former Blackbeard hideout.

Here you can put life on pause and rent an old bicycle, browse through buccaneer tchotchke shops, chat with pirate impersonators, overfill on oyster shooters at Howard’s Pub & Raw Bar, and then slowly pedal up a long quiet road to an empty beach to nap it off. Where else could the word “Ocracoma,” meaning: “feeling relaxed and oh so good,” have been coined?

Experience a beach vacation that’s different from anything on the mainland. On Ocracoke Island, you’ll find miles and miles of pristine, undeveloped, and best of all, uncrowded beaches for you to enjoy. And that’s just part of its appeal. A getaway to Ocracoke Island is about getting back to nature, soaking up the unique culture, and savoring local cuisine.

Sure this island, its beaches, and village might look a little different from what you’re used to on the mainland, but once you see all that Ocracoke Island has to offer, we doubt you’ll ever look back.

Next, you’ll have a whale of a time if you visit here…..

ORCAS ISLAND IN THE SAN JUANS, SEATTLE

Step onto the horseshoe-shaped Orcas Island, drop your suitcase, and take in the green paradise locals call “the gem of the San Juans.” It’s a mystical mix of arts and culture, lush forests, pristine lakes, and limitless outdoor possibilities. Most of Orcas Island’s 57 square miles are rural and rocky.

A treat for drivers and a provocation for cyclists, with curving roads that wind through forests and fields with old apple barns. Take this driving tour around the island to experience all its hidden gems and notable stops! Go out on the water kayaking, a whale-watching tour, fishing, or sailboat charter. You can book these escapades and more from Eastsound, Deer Harbor, or Olga.

Take the scenic route and rent bikes or check out guided horseback rides. There is an abundance of activities on “the Emerald Isle” year-round to enjoy! San Juan Island, the namesake and hub of this chain is your best bet for shopping and paddling through killer whale country.

You’ll want to sea food everywhere on this next amazing island…..

SANIBEL ISLAND, FLORIDA

Located down the Gulf of Mexico, Sanibel Island is just a short drive from Fort Myers and is justly famed for its lighthouse, sunsets, and luxurious resorts. A unique shell magnet, the sands of Sanibel are littered with astoundingly intact whelks, junonias, coquinas, and murexes, and people of all ages are hunched over looking for them. Doing the well-known “Sanibel Stoop.”

But Sanibel Island has much more to offer. Fine accommodations, delicious dining (seafood, of course!), fishing, boating, and just plain relaxation. The island’s boomerang-shaped, east-west orientation makes Sanibel more than just another sedate Florida Gulf community with sweet sunsets, smooth bike paths, and wildlife.

From the beach, it’s a quick trip to the Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum and myriad craft shops to appreciate just how many ingenious little figurines can make from nothing but shells.

Our last island will make you not want to escape…..

ALCATRAZ, CALIFORNIA

The trip and tour of Alcatraz Island are a must-see for anyone who is touring San Francisco! The history is fascinating, and the encounter is hard to describe. Fun isn’t the proper adjective, but you’ll be so glad you visited. Whether your first time or it’s been a few years, book this trip the next time you’re in San Francisco.

Alcatraz tells the stories of American incarceration, justice, and our shared humanity. This tiny island was once a fort, a military prison, and then a maximum-security federal penitentiary. In 1969, the Indians of All Tribes occupied Alcatraz for 19 months in the name of freedom and Native American civil rights. The island has over 1.5 million visitors a year. Alcatraz’s scaly history allows visitors to explore the U.S. Army and military prison period through the federal penitentiary and American Indian occupations.

Alcatraz Island supplies a powerful opportunity to encourage visitors to contemplate their personal views on crime and punishment, the judicial system, national defense, and freedom. Park rangers lead tours by describing the prison’s history and interesting anecdotes about Al Capone and other legendary people who called this place home.