Travel + Leisure Just Named the Best Islands in the US — Here’s Who Made the Cut

There are roughly 19,000 islands in the continental US, which means being named among the best is no easy feat. It was Georgia’s Golden Isles that received the most votes among 661,000 Travel + Leisure readers, climbing all the way to the top.

Not surprisingly, T + L isn’t the only publication to recognize these islands along the Atlantic coast between Savannah, Georgia and Jacksonville, Florida. Southern Living readers also chose the Golden Islands as the No. 1 beach destination in the South, as Beach.com recently reported. 

The archipelago includes St. Simons Island, Sea Island, Little St. Simons Island and Jekyll Island. The group is known for its beautiful undeveloped beaches, including famous Driftwood Beach with its ancient weathered trees. Visitors can also watch for abundant coastal wildlife, visit renowned historical sites, and play a round or two on championship golf courses.

Also making the top 5 were Mount Desert Island, Nantucket, Kiawah Island, and the San Juan Islands, any of which make for an idyllic beach getaway for all types of travelers. 

Home to Acadia National Park, Mount Desert Island is a top spot for nature lovers, with enticing beaches and 130 miles of hiking and biking trails. Sand Beach is one of its crown jewels, while Echo Lake Beach on the quieter west side offers calmer, warmer waters for swimming. The historic resort town of Bar Harbor provides a base for enjoying it all, with many eateries serving fresh lobsters and grand Victorian mansions that have been transformed into B&Bs.

Thirty miles off the Cape Cod coast, Nantucket is easily accessed by ferry, providing access to over 80 miles of unspoiled beaches, from Madaket on the west end with uninterrupted sunset views to the soft sands of Surfside Beach on the south shore facing the Atlantic, providing great waves for surfing. Plus, the cobblestone streets of the Nantucket historic district are incredibly atmospheric, lined with more than 800 pre-Civil War homes.

Kiawah is best known for its championship golf courses, but it also offers 10 miles of protected shoreline for spending days on soft, powdery sands, sunbathing, beachcombing, building sandcastles, or swimming. All sorts of wildlife can be spotted too, including sea turtles and dolphins. Watch for alligators, often spotted traveling between the Kiawah River and the many freshwater and brackish lagoons. 

Recently named the No. 1 destination in the U.S. to visit in July, the San Juan Islands are located off the coast of northern Washington State. Of the more than 175 named islands and reefs, only 16 are inhabited, although the vast majority of travelers visit Orcas Island, the largest, and San Juan Island, the most populated. Easily reached by ferry from Anacortes, both offer a variety of driftwood-strewn sandy beaches and pebbly shores. 

Orcas is home to Mount Constitution, where hikers are rewarded with a panoramic view of the sea and surrounding snow-capped mountains. San Juan is the main hub with lots of unique shops, a whale museum, and farm- and sea-to-table eateries. This is also where you’ll find the best vantage point for spotting orcas: Lime Kiln State Park.