Beautiful Beach Homes for Sale That'll Make You Contemplate a Lifestyle Change

The pandemic has prompted a re-evaluation of the way we live, from cutting loose toxic friends to seeking work that’s rewarding to living in surroundings that truly make us happy. For many, that happy place is the beach. Living by the water — whether it’s enjoying soothing ocean waves, balmy gulf shores, or breezes off a lake — is the stuff of daydreams. Read on for a sampling of properties that may spark not only your imagination but perhaps a move.

Related: The Most Outrageous Mansions for Sale Across America

Gulfport, Mississippi

$1.6 million

Savor the views from the swings on the wraparound front porch of this classic Gulf Coast beach house, a seven-bedroom property in which the sophisticated furnishings that potential buyers see are included. Among the highlights are a formal dining space with beach views, a sitting room with fireplace, a heated, screened-in saltwater pool, and a manicured backyard with mature oak trees. It adds up to a true respite just steps from historic Centennial Plaza, a 48-acre resort complex.

Related: Amazing Gulf Coast Beach Houses to Rent

Sag Harbor, New York

$16.8 million

Don’t be fooled by the use of the word “cottage.” Billed as a “waterfront dream,” this onetime “cozy cottage” of novelist John Steinbeck is a circa-1920s estate offering a premium getaway in a historic village some 100 miles from New York City. Sited at the end of a long lane on nearly 2 acres, it’s a waterfront retreat that features an airy three-bedroom main house that boasts cathedral ceilings, French doors, a fieldstone fireplace, and a kitchen with a wall of windows taking advantage of stunning views. There’s also a guest cabin, pool, dock, plenty of mature trees, and to cap it all, impressive sunsets.

Related: The Best Beach Towns for an Affordable Summer Vacation

Yarmouth, Maine

$4 million

This 1999 cedar-shingled, three-bedroom contemporary offers the coastal lifestyle in a home right on Casco Bay. Designed by architect Samuel Van Dam and built by local crafters, the 5.2-acre waterfront estate combines quiet respite with the opportunity for adventure. A three-wing design ensures privacy among residents and guests, while standout features range from a great room with vaulted ceilings to a spalike bathroom off the primary suite. Access recreational boating from the 325 feet of private water frontage or take a short drive into Yarmouth Village or downtown Portland.

For more fun real estate stories, please sign up for our free newsletters.

Milford, Delaware

$625,000

You don’t need a million dollars to score a summer house. President Joe Biden has put a spotlight on his home state, Delaware, where fans of all things summer will find this single-family escape with three bedrooms and three baths. Delaware Bay views and 100 feet of water frontage add to the sense of low-key seasonal living. Relax at the end of the day with a meal in the formal dining room, gather on the deck or screened porch or perhaps even visit tourist hot spot Rehoboth Beach, some 20 miles away.

Cape May, New Jersey

$4.8 million

Savor modern beach living in this four-bedroom custom home in Cape May, “the nation’s oldest seaside resort.” Highlights include a primary bedroom leading onto a wraparound deck that finds you perched over Beach Avenue, overlooking the Atlantic Ocean beachfront and the city’s scenic promenade. A second wraparound deck is ready for entertaining, including marine-grade electric heaters for the shoulder seasons. Inside or out, this home’s new owner can delight in custom beach-themed stained glass accents or enjoy a classic family barbecue on the paver patio.

Rodanthe, North Carolina

$699,000

“Toes in the sand” is what a sign on this evocative beach retreat promises — and that’s what its new owner will enjoy once renovations are complete. This oceanfront fixer-upper offers the chance to create a dream of this four-bedroom, three-bath home. Spurring the project are a few rewards already in place, including three levels of stunning ocean views, a private pool and hot tub, and perhaps most important, easy beach access.

Bay Harbor, Michigan

$7.3 million

Expect “a perfect view of Lake Michigan’s turquoise blue waters from every room” at this retreat imbued with luxury and privacy. Four large en-suite bedrooms are among the highlights of the home sited on a generous 1.3 acres. A Craftsman interior will likely captivate a discerning owner who will savor indoor-outdoor entertaining along with an infinity pool and spa overlooking 150 feet of lake waterfront.

Chatham, Massachusetts

$7.5 million

This 1-acre Cape Cod property has come to market for the first time in some 50 years. Buyers can choose to enjoy the existing three-bedroom summer cottage, a longtime family property complete with panoramic ocean and harbor views and a private beach. Alternatively, they can opt to build their own Morris Island escape, with conceptual designs for a new home, guesthouse, and infinity pool already drafted to offer a glimpse of the possibilities.

Southport, Connecticut

$9.5 million

This stately 1.37-acre waterfront retreat was built in 1908, its history evident in the classic appeal of its American Shingle design. Find nine bedrooms and nine baths, a formal dining room, kitchen with coffered ceilings, and an expansive bay window offering views of pristine lawns leading to the Long Island Sound frontage, where there’s a 200-foot private sandy beach. There’s also a free-standing stone-and-shingle carriage house.

Galveston, Texas

$2 million

A custom beachfront home with four to five bedrooms, elevator, and a hot tub includes  “breathtaking views of the Gulf” and is just steps from the beach and minutes to the popular shops and restaurants of downtown. Within the city’s lone gated community on the beach, this retreat offers an outdoor kitchen, multiple decks and a balcony; the primary suite, complete with a spalike master bath, faces the Gulf directly. The sunsets are said to be remarkable.

Montross, Virginia

$1.7 million

For those who truly embrace the waterfront life, from boating to crabbing to fishing, this property of more than 8 acres in the heart of the “Playground of the Potomac” offers a potential dream home on deep water. Complete with its own boat ramp and enclosed boat house, the property is on a peninsula with more than 2,200 feet of water frontage, a pier, and two boat lifts. The renovated oasis offers privacy. The house itself is a contemporary, airy vision in white complete with four bedrooms, two baths, and picturesque views.

Jekyll Island, Georgia

$839,000

Live the dream life in a three-bedroom, townhome-style beach cottage nestled into The Cottages at Jekyll Island, where ownership includes access to “million-dollar amenities” through an oceanfront clubhouse and three-beach access points. A fireplace, open-concept floor plan, and screened porches and balconies help create the dream; a furnishing package is also available. And it all comes with plenty of history, as this barrier island on the Atlantic Ocean was once known as an exclusive retreat for some of the nation’s wealthiest vacationers.

Sugarloaf Key, Florida

$3.5 million

Mention the Florida Keys and the mind goes immediately into vacation mode. This listing is a “hidden gem” that’s “ready for your finishing touches.” The two-bedroom, three-bath contemporary is sited on nearly 3 acres with 310 feet of beach frontage. Those who love nature — and privacy — will like hearing that it abuts a wildlife preserve.

Pacific City, Oregon

$889,000

“Location, location, location.” This cozy charmer — a three-bedroom, one-bath home built in the 1970s — is directly on the beach, meaning you gaze out of walls of windows to see the mighty Pacific Ocean seemingly within reach. Soaring ceilings and a modern interior create a sense of low-key relaxation, a lifestyle perhaps best savored from the deck.

Ocean Shores, Washington

$685,000

Love the nautical life? This unique four-bedroom, two-bath home was designed to resemble the elements of boat living, with teak-style cabinets and a primary bedroom playfully called the main berth. The “forward deck” offers views of the Pacific Ocean and summertime parachuting. Enjoy the outdoors even further in the spacious backyard of this nearly half-acre escape.

Portsmouth, Rhode Island

$1.9 million

This four-bedroom, four-bath new construction (2021) seems a perfect-picture creation of New England beach living, sited on more than a half-acre and with 100 feet of water frontage. A private staircase leads to a sandy beach, and the home comes with mooring rights. Panoramic views of the water are visible from every level in this home designed for leisure and entertaining. A private deck leads off one of two primary en-suite bedrooms. Savor this all as a vacation escape or year-round home complete with scenic views of the Sakonnet River within easy access to Newport, Boston, and Providence.

Ocean City, Maryland

$2.7 million

This “bayfront masterpiece,” a custom coastal home, offers stunning views of the Ocean City skyline and the Atlantic Ocean and features five bedrooms and four baths within nearly 4,200 square feet. Custom millwork and built-in cabinetry along with soaring ceilings highlight this three-floor mansion. The master suite and bath include spalike amenities, a gas fireplace, walk-in closet, and a mini-kitchen. A covered wraparound porch allows you to enjoy the view any time.

Madison, Wisconsin

$4.3 million

There’s not a bad view from this five-bedroom, six-bath lakefront property that offers nearly 100 feet of level, gradual sand-bottom frontage. A haven for entertaining along Lake Mendota, the decidedly contemporary home — it was built in 2019 — features formal and informal dining spaces, a game room, and a theater room. The owner suite features a steam shower, copper soaking tub, walk-in closet, and private balcony. There’s also an elevator if all that relaxing wears you out.

Cleveland

$6.5 million

This palatial property — a seven-bedroom, 10-bath stunner on the shores of Lake Erie — offers waterfront living at its most luxurious. The entrance hints at the grandeur within, a nearly 2-acre estate offering unobstructed lake and city views. A main home built in the 1930s has been expanded and updated to offer such perks as an indoor pool complex, a master suite with private veranda, two full kitchens, marble floors, Chihuly chandeliers and state-of-the-art technology throughout. If that weren’t enough, there’s a movie theater, wine cellar, bar, exercise room and spa, and outdoor features that range from multilevel terraces to water features to an all-glass atrium inspired by a European train station.

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

$1.7 million

This 1870 two-bedroom, two-bath charmer was so loved that it was moved to “the lakes” in Baton Rouge from nearby Plaquemine some 20 years ago. The cypress home is a local standout, an Instagram-worthy treasure painted in its original historic colors. Hand-carved millwork, original shutters, and pine floors take residents back in time, though the home has been updated seamlessly. A large front porch is where residents settle in to enjoy views of the lakes — and breezes, as the home rests on piers above ground level — and surrounding neighborhood.

Lahaina, Hawaii

$59.5 million

If money is no object, this six-bedroom, seven-bath retreat on the Hawaiian islands might be a dream find. Billed as “the undisputed crown jewel of the world famous Kapalua Resort,” the estate offers 10 acres of waterfront property on historic Hawea Point. A courtyard further enhances the luxurious feel, welcoming residents home to a property streamlined with contemporary improvements thanks to a 2021 renovation. The home is gated and fenced for privacy. And, yes, there’s both a pool and spa.

Stevensville, Maryland

$1.2 million

The waterfront life is front and center at this five-bedroom, three-bath Kent Island home overlooking the deep water of the Chester River. The waters can be enjoyed from countless unobstructed views, including from a private deck off the main-level master suite. An open floor plan features a gourmet kitchen, spacious dining room, and majestic fireplace, with outdoor amenities that include a private pier and 76 feet of water frontage. For a change of scenery, you can boat to the Kent Narrows for dinner or take a 45-minute excursion to quaint St. Michaels.

McHenry, Illinois

$385,000

Sometimes a simple escape is what’s desired. That’s when this circa-1912 riverside home, an unassuming four-bedroom, two bath home, might do the trick. Recent updates complement the lake views visible from the large front window. With water rights, residents can step out the door and onto the private dock or take an easy stroll into downtown for diversion.

Laguna Beach, California

$32 million

The coastal California city of Laguna Beach has long been known for its coves, beaches, art galleries, and, in more recent years, as a locale for reality TV. The perennial pleasures of this Orange County destination are highlighted in this rare property, where private stairs lead to a sandy beach cove and one of only five natural saltwater pools built into the Laguna Beach coastline. The oceanfront estate with a prestigious team behind it (an original footprint was expanded into the modern design) celebrates indoor-outdoor living with panoramic views throughout. Need to know more? Think five bedrooms, six baths, two-story walls of windows, multiple terraces, a wine cellar, theater, fire pit, and cliff-top driving range platform. A detached guest studio, a six-car garage with turntable and car service pit further enhances this gem nestled within a guarded community.

Mantoloking, New Jersey

$14 million

This Atlantic Ocean community is about a kind of Jersey Shore living that’s far as can be from the “Jersey Shore” TV show. Luxury truly abounds in this 12-bedroom, nine-bath oceanfront home, a custom build with a focus on timeless elegance. A smart-home system, elevator, gourmet kitchen with pizza oven, fireplace, private office, personal gym, and four master suites (three with ocean view, one overlooking the bay) hint at the amenities. Multiple decks, mature landscaping, a saltwater pool, pergola with retractable awning and a private entrance to a beach overlook and direct access to a private beach create a one-of-a-kind lifestyle.

Old Saybrook, Connecticut

$5.7 million

If it was good enough for Hollywood royalty … The coastal Connecticut town along Long Island Sound was the longtime home of iconic actress Katharine Hepburn and boasts this 11-bedroom, 11-bath listing, a 19th-century cedar-shingled classic that’s all about the views. It comes with a wraparound porch and balconies overlooking the water and the property’s own beach. Original touches such as bead-board walls remain throughout to complement modern amenities.

Newport, Rhode Island

$8.3 million

A mention of Newport brings to mind historically lavish living in a famed seaside community. Grab your chance to buy into that classic dream with this restored Gilded Age mansion on iconic Bellevue Avenue. It’s a historic 17-room home on a 1.2-acre gated estate, complete with elaborate master suite and a layout that facilitates entertaining but is ideal for relaxing in private. There’s an elevator, gardens, and a new pool, as well as a two-bedroom carriage house. With everything on hand, there’s no need to leave, except to stroll to nearby Bailey’s Beach and Newport’s famed Cliff Walk.

Miami Beach, Florida

$35.9 million

The tony Venetian Islands host this sophisticated waterfront villa that adds a touch of the tropics to vacation (or daily) life. It’s a fully furnished, seven-bedroom, ultra-sleek contemporary retreat with an architectural pedigree and panoramic bay views. Enjoy waterside living with 100-plus feet of frontage or lounge in the double-sided infinity pool and integrated spa. Two guest suites — and maid’s quarters, of course — complete this retreat just minutes from South Beach’s top attractions.

Malibu, California

$125 million

Malibu living is for celebrities — or those who can afford a home such as this stunning oceanfront estate on the bluffs of Paradise Cove Beach. Access this paradise via a private road, which ensures privacy and security. Almost 7 acres of property offer direct beach access, nearly 340 feet of beach frontage, and panoramic ocean views that include the famed “Queen’s Necklace,” as locals call the glittering skyline. Indoor-outdoor living is the focus, with most rooms opening onto an expansive deck and covered patio that surround the main house, a master class in contemporary living. There’s also a self-contained guesthouse, infinity pool, lush landscaping, a rose garden and fruit trees, an oceanside spa, tennis court, outdoor barbecue and pizza oven, and a 9-hole mini golf course.

Southampton, New York

$175 million

This home requires deep pockets and a desire for excess and offers a rare “double waterfront” experience — 8 acres between the Atlantic Ocean and Shinnecock Bay. The lucky owner will luxuriate in some 500 feet of ocean frontage, countless health-driven amenities and a timeless 15,000-square-foot residence with 11 bedrooms and 12 full and four half baths. There’s an attached caretaker’s cottage, private boardwalk to the ocean and deep-water bayside dock for boating. The entertainer’s dream also includes a large gunite pool, multiple outdoor entertaining spaces, and indoor gym and basketball and tennis courts. A neutral color scheme throughout blends classic design with contemporary amenities and allows the water views to take center stage.

Related: The Most Expensive Home for Sale in Every State