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15 articles
Long before refrigerators and food systems, salt was the reason coastal communities survived. Today, a loose network of small-batch salt makers is keeping that tradition alive from the tidal flats of South Carolina to the evaporation ponds of San Francisco Bay — and they're more than happy to show you how it's done.
The best seafood story isn't on the menu — it starts at the dock before dawn, moves through fish markets and heritage fisheries, and ends at the kind of coastal restaurant where the chef knows the boat captain by name. These are the American coastal routes where food, ocean culture, and genuine adventure converge in the most delicious ways possible.
Beneath the surface of North America's coastlines, powerful ocean currents carve out living highways teeming with marine life on the move. From the cold, nutrient-rich waters off Northern California to the kelp-draped channels of British Columbia, these underwater corridors are among the most biodiverse — and most accessible — ecosystems on the planet. Here's how to find them, snorkel them responsibly, and road-trip your way through three of the best.
Stretching from the cold Pacific waters off California to the rocky Atlantic shores of Maine, kelp forests are among the ocean's most breathtaking — and most threatened — ecosystems. But a wave of restoration projects is bringing these underwater jungles back to life, and adventurous travelers are starting to take notice. Here's how you can dive in, explore, and actually make a difference.
There's a peculiar breed of traveler who watches the weather forecast not to avoid storms, but to chase them. From roaring surf on the Outer Banks to rare atmospheric-oceanic light shows off the Gulf Coast, hurricane-driven ocean events are some of the most jaw-dropping spectacles on Earth — and a growing community of photographers, scientists, and adventure seekers is determined to witness every one of them.
Imagine dipping your paddle into dark water and watching it explode into electric blue light. Bioluminescent bays and beaches are out there waiting — and with the right timing and a little planning, you can witness one of the ocean's most jaw-dropping natural phenomena. Here's where to go and how to make it happen.
When a tropical system spins up in the Atlantic or the Gulf, a certain breed of wave hunter starts watching weather charts like a hawk. This is the world of swell chasing — a road-trip culture built around following storms to America's most legendary breaks before the window closes.
America's underwater graveyards are some of the most compelling destinations a diver can explore—and you don't need to be a seasoned pro to get down there. From the eerie calm of the Great Lakes to the warm, fish-filled waters off North Carolina's Outer Banks, these accessible wreck sites are waiting for you. Pack your gear, plan your coastal road trip, and get ready to meet history face to face.
From barnacle-crusted shipwrecks rotting in Pacific coves to crumbling Civil War forts swallowed by Atlantic tides, America's forgotten maritime sites are some of the most hauntingly beautiful places you can point your car toward. This road-tripper's guide maps out the eeriest — and most accessible — abandoned ships, lighthouses, and coastal installations worth hunting down.
Where rivers surrender to the sea, something magical happens — ecosystems collide, wildlife congregates, and the water itself transforms beneath your paddle. These are the most thrilling freshwater-to-saltwater confluences in the US, and they're begging to be explored by kayak. Pack your dry bag and get ready to chase the current all the way to the ocean.
America's working fishing villages are living museums where the catch of the day still dictates the rhythm of daily life. Skip the souvenir shops and step onto the actual docks — here's how to connect with the multigenerational fishing families, dawn boat auctions, and salt-worn seafood shacks that keep authentic maritime culture alive.
Not every great coastal adventure starts at a crowded boardwalk or a five-star resort. These under-the-radar seaside communities scattered along America's shoreline offer solo travelers something far more valuable — genuine solitude, real maritime culture, and ocean experiences you simply can't book through a package deal.
While the big-name beach resorts get all the Instagram glory, a handful of scrappy, salt-weathered harbor towns across the US are quietly living their best maritime lives. These are the places where the fishing boats outnumber the souvenir shops, the locals actually want to talk to you, and the clam chowder comes from a recipe nobody's writing down anytime soon. Pack the car and point it somewhere you've probably never heard of.
You don't need a wetsuit or a dive certification to witness some of the ocean's most jaw-dropping creatures up close. Along the rugged coastlines of Oregon and Washington, tide pools offer a front-row seat to a thriving underwater world — no boat required. Here's everything you need to plan the ultimate tide pool road trip through the Pacific Northwest.
Forget the interstate. America's Atlantic coastline hides a slow, salty ribbon of highway connecting lobster shacks, lighthouse towns, and barrier islands all the way from Cape Cod to Key West. This is the road trip that proves the best journeys always smell like the ocean.