17 Best Beaches for a Budget Vacation in 2017- Featured in The Active Times

Imagine sand between your toes, a cold drink in your hand and the sound of waves crashing (or lapping) against the shore. You don’t have a care in the world. The last thing on your mind is “How much is this costing me?”

The good news is that there are plenty of beaches on this planet where this idyllic dream can be your reality. The trick to not breaking the bank on a beach vacation is looking for destinations that won’t nickel and dime you for everything from access to parking and hefty resort fees.

In the U.S., that looks like visiting beaches in national parks (because where are you going to spend money in a national park?) or checking out beaches designed for local residents, not tourists with money to spend.

Internationally, your best bets for cheap beach vacations are going to be in countries where the U.S. dollar goes a long way, and then some. Granted, some of these exotic locales require expensive airfare, but at least once you’re there, you can plan on living like royalty for less than $50/day.

Note, the cheaper the beach, the more you usually sacrifice in infrastructure and amenities. But if a lack of public toilets, showers and lifeguard stations aren’t deal breakers for you, you’ll easily find paradise without worrying about how much you have to pay for it.

If you want your 2017 travel plans to include a audget-friendly beach getaway, check out the following beaches which are easy on the eyes, and the bank account. 

Los Gigantes, Tenerife, Spain

Although this Canary Island beach belongs to Spain, its consumer prices (including rent) are about 30 percent cheaper than mainland Spain’s according to Numbeo. Los Gigantes is famous for its seaside cliffs, called the Giants, some 1,000-ft. tall.  Although this Canary Island beach belongs to Spain, its consumer prices (including rent) are about 30 percent cheaper than mainland Spain’s according to Numbeo. Los Gigantes is famous for its seaside cliffs, called the Giants, some 1,000-ft. tall. But this beach town is also very affordable for Western Europe. Three-star hotels average $77/night, and a meal in a nice restaurant can still cost less than $10. In the beach department, Los Gigantes has a beautiful black sand beach. The sand is from the ancient volcano that formed the famous cliffs millions of years ago. Of course, the best way to see this beach town is from the water. Take a whale-watching/snorkeling kayak excursion with Teno Activo. It’s about $25 for the afternoon and it includes a free drink and a book of digital photos from your trip.