Best Beaches in Alaska

With more coastline than any other state at 5,580 miles, Alaska has an incredible range of beach types for a wide range of activities from running, seashell hunting, wildlife viewing, and much more.

The following are some of the most visited beaches located in the state of Alaska:

  • Shingle Beach – Kachemak, AK
  • Finny Beach – Kodiak Station, AK
  • Kenai Beach – Kenai, AK
  • Patricks Beach – Anchorage, AK
  • Coast Guard Beach – Ketchikan, AK
  • Salamatof Beach – Salamatof, AK
  • Tlegu Beach – Haines, AK
  • Tanani Beach – Haines, AK
  • Ready Bullion Beach – Juneau, AK
  • Boyscout beach – Juneau, AK
  • Eagle River Beach – Juneau, AK
  • Young Beach – Juneau, AK

We’ll cover a few of the more popular beaches in detail below:

Shingle Beach

Kachemak Bay is a large bay that can be found near Kenai Fjords National Park. In this bay, there is a small beach called Shingle Beach which is home to a secluded wilderness paradise. The beach can be accessed via East End Road, and the beach makes for an intimate and personal experience with nature.

The water in the area of Kachemak Bay is largely protected by a pier that extends into the bay with a marina and restaurant at the end of the pier. This makes the waters calm and inviting to a wide range of aquatic animals. Sea otters, sea lions, whales, wolves, coyotes, foxes, and moose are all common sights in the bay as well as the surrounding shores. Not only is Shingle Beach home to many different species of wildlife but also some rare trees only found in specific parts of Alaska such as tamarack trees.

Kenai Beach

Kenai Beach is one of the most popular destinations in Kenai Peninsula. It offers a variety of natural beauty that makes it one of the most scenic seaside destinations in Alaska. The beach offers a scenic backdrop of the mountains across the bay. You can also go to the other side of the river for Kenai Beach South. Camping is a popular activity and many people bring their well-behaved dogs off-leash.

Patrick’s Beach

Patrick’s Beach is a city beach in Anchorage, AK. The beach has a paved parking lot and bathroom buildings nearby. There is also a playground nearby with BBQs and picnic tables scattered about. Patrick’s Beach has an off-leash area for dogs where you can also enjoy the boardwalk. However it does not provide equipment to launch kayaks or canoes and there is no lifeguard on duty either.