Hottest Beaches In 2024 Revealed
If you’re looking for Spring Break inspiration, or your next hot spot vacation getaway then look no further. St. Moriz has delved into social media and weather data to reveal the hottest beaches across the United States and internationally - in both meanings of the word!
We’ve also surveyed 1,000 Americans to uncover tanning habits across the country and which generations are thinking about sun safety first ahead of their next vacation.
Key Findings
- Huntington Beach, CA ranks first as the hottest beach, both in the US and overall
- The top hottest beach internationally is Palm Beach in Aruba
- When it comes to best beach practices, 45% of Gen Z respondents are investing in and safeguarding their skin health - more than any other generation
- Millennials and Gen Zers are the most concerned generation when it comes to the negative effects of too much sun exposure, opting for safer beauty alternatives such as self-tanner instead
- Top 5 items that Americans pack for a Spring Break vacation are: sunscreen, swimwear, sunglasses, beach towel, flip flops
Huntington Beach, CA Ranked No.1 Hottest Beach
Coming in at the top spot is Huntington Beach in California, with a comfortable average high temperature of 69.8F and an average global TikTok search volume of 108,000, it’s no surprise that we’re dreaming of the west coast…
Check out the hottest beaches broken down below including the top 20 US and international locations.
California, Virginia, and Florida beaches top the hottest rankings in the US! With beach options on both coasts that are trending on social media and have wow-ing weather stats, you can take your pick with a destination that works for you and your travel party.
Ever thought about jet-setting this vacation season with an international trip? Well, according to our analysis, Aruba, Mexico, and Australia are the countries you should consider as they made our top 5!
The number one international hottest beach, Palm Beach in Aruba, has an average temperature of 82.4F and an average US search volume of over 90k - with white sandy beaches and crystal clear water, we can see why.
Gen Zers Are More Concerned About Skin Health Than Any Other Generation
While we can’t wait to take a trip to one of the hottest-ranked beaches to enjoy a day on the sand, we need to be aware of the potential negative effects of too much sun exposure and the importance of protecting our skin.
Aside from the non-negotiable need for sun protection, the sun, sea, and sand can leave our skin feeling dry and in need of some serious TLC. But are beachgoers truly considering their skin this vacation season?
To find out, we’ve surveyed each generation in the US on their beach and holiday habits and how they alter their skincare and lifestyle choices in response.
Nearly half (45%) of Gen Zers are investing in safeguarding their skin health with beauty purchases and see this as a top priority, more so than any other generation. They’re clued up on why too, with a huge 75% saying they know of the negative effects of too much sun and take steps to limit exposure and protect their skin.
It seems that Gen Z is here for the shade when it comes to a vacay, taking the necessary precautions to limit time spent in the rays, and you should too!
They still want to keep their skin glowing though with nearly half (48%) of Gen Z respondents opting for safer beauty alternatives to sun tanning, such as self-tanner - who can blame them?
When it comes to the beauty shopping spree, Gen Z is looking at labels, and shopping for more clean beauty products than any other generation.
Let’s look at the generation above - Millennials. They’re leading the charge to safer sun tanning alternatives as the most likely generation to shop for and use beauty products instead to get the same results.
This is due to their heightened awareness of the negative effects of too much sun, with over 75% of Millennials protecting their skin and limiting sun exposure.
They’re also looking closely at their shopping cart, with more than a quarter (27%) prioritizing sustainability in daily life and purchases.
St. Moriz Share Top 3 Beauty Picks Ahead Of Your Next Vacation
Whether your next trip is in the US or an international break, we like to pack light where we can without compromising on our beauty favorites and of course, we wouldn’t say no to a self-tan glow!
Check out our top product picks for your next vacation below…
St. Moriz Advanced Tan Boosting Face Drops - $18.99
Get your effortless vacation glow on this year with the St. Moriz Advanced Tan Boosting Face Drops. The lightweight clear formula contains salon professional active ingredients that are dermatologically tested.
Add 3 drops for a natural glow or up to a maximum of 6 for more bronzed glow, to your favorite moisturizer and mix in your palm. Apply evenly in circular motions to your face and neck and wash your hands immediately after application. Sit back and watch your face gradually take on a golden glow throughout the day for a boost of radiance.
An ideal product to build into your existing skincare routine, use the drops daily to build color and achieve your desired glow!
St. Moriz Exfoliating Skin Primer - $12.99
As well as getting the sand and salt off your skin before applying self-tan, it’s important to exfoliate too. The St. Moriz Exfoliating Skin Primer is the secret to achieving a long-lasting glow as it’s specially formulated to prime your body before you start your tanning application.
Apply all over the body paying extra attention to dry areas like elbows and knees. Massage gently into the skin and rinse well after use. Your skin is now ready for the self-tanner!
To keep your self-tan looking vacation-ready, the product can be applied 3-4 days after your tanning session to ensure the tan fades evenly - and it’s ideal to remove build-up in common areas (elbow crease, armpits, wrists, and ankles).
St. Moriz Professional Self-Tanning Mousse - $13.99
It’s time for the vacation tan without the need for sun damage! The St. Moriz Professional Self-Tanning Mousse has a lightweight formula with added Aloe Vera and Vitamin E will leave skin moisturized with a luxurious luminous finish.
It’s ideal for all users and skin types too, so pass it around your vacation party to keep everyone glowing!
The mousse formula is easy to apply and fast drying with instant color to highlight any missed areas. In 4-6 hours your self-tan will develop and last for days so you can enjoy your getaway glow for your whole trip.
Methodology
Hottest beach index
A list of popular spring break beaches was collected from a range of blogs and online sources. The beaches were mainly based in the US, with several non-US-based locations added.
The locations were then analyzed and the most relevant search term was assigned. This was done by putting the location into multiple formats such as "beach name" or "beach name + "beach" or "beach name + city" or "beach name + state" etc. These terms were then analyzed and those that were the most relevant and gained the most traffic were selected as the terms to use.
These terms were searched across multiple search platforms, locations, and time periods to gain insight into the level of demand for each location.
As well as search data, local weather data was also included for each beach. This was sourced through timeanddate.com and collected for the month of March.
Using all of the metrics data points they were then ranked from 0-100 with 100 being awarded to the beach that had the best performance within that metric. The index scores were then averaged for weather, search, and a combination of all metrics to show which beach is the 'hottest' for spring break.
The state-by-state data was then analyzed by looking at the yearly change in search every March along with the average total search each March between 2020 and 2023. The average % change and search volume were then used to identify which state was searching the most for each beach. They were ranked initially by search volume with trend being used to distinguish between any locations with the same search volume.
Survey
We surveyed 1,000 US respondents on their opinions towards a range of beauty, lifestyle, and health choices. This included gathering insight into the opinions towards the effects of too much sun exposure and the lifestyle and purchasing decisions in response to this opinion. Questions were multiple choice, with the option to provide qualitative data where needed. Respondents were split by multiple demographics, including age, generation, and the state they reside in, to find key statistics about beauty, lifestyle, and health choices in the US.