Shhhh…have you heard about these beaches? I suppose that, since they’re published online, they’re no longer “secrets,” but they’re at the least beaches that not as many people know about. Which have you heard of or visited? Here’s a list of all of them, courtesy of Sunset.com, and a bit of commentary about each (I’ve only been to two of them myself, and I’m a beach person!)

Hamoa Beach

1. Hamoa Beach (Hana, Maui)

Ah, the Road to Hana. It’s long, it’s windy and did I say it’s windy already? Luckily, there’s a very pretty beach at the end of it called Hamoa Beach. It’ll take you a good 3-4 hours to reach from the start of the Road to Hana depending on how many stops you make.

2. Indian Beach (Oregon – Ecola State Park)

This beach is a perfect little horseshoe of relaxation. Surfers abound during the summer months.

3. Salt Creek Recreation Area (Washington State)

The tide pools here are wonderful, and you can camp, too! Fantastic place to bring the family.

4. Robert E. Badham Marine Conservation Area (Orange County, CA)

I’ve been here, and although it’s a bit tough to get to, it’s worth it. Get there early or you’ll be driving around for over an hour looking for street parking (seriously).

Beautiful Point Buchon

5. Point Buchon (San Luis Obispo County, CA)

Finally, beach goers can access Coon Creek Beach. Keep an eye out for the boobies, and I don’t mean the birds.

Grand Tetons from Leigh Lake

6. Leigh Lake (Teyon County, Wyoming)

Wish I had known about this tiny beach when I visited Grand Teton National Park! It sounds absolutely gorgeous.

7. Mahai’ula Beach (Kona Coast, The Big Island)

It’s amazing that there are still beaches in any part of the Hawaiian islands that few people visit, especially on The Big Island. Then again, some of the beaches are very difficult to get to and can only be accessed by kayak in good weather. This one is no exception — you can reach it by car, actually, but it’s 1.5 miles off the main highway.

8. Bean Hollow State Beach (San Mateo County, CA)

I visited this beach after I heard that, if you’re lucky, you can find glass floats that arrive all the way from Japan after a big storm – it happens more often than people realize. Gorgeous sea life in the tide pools.

Bean Hollow State Beach

9. Sandcut Beach (Sooke, B.C.)

After reading the description of this beach, I nearly packed up my bags. Waterfalls, tide pools and pebbles as smooth as eggs? Yes, please! The beach’s name just does not do it justice.

Bowling Ball Beach - Now You Can Understand the Name!

10. Bowling Ball Beach (Mendocino, CA)

Sandstone boulders are the main attraction here, and luckily, not many people make the trek down — be one of them!

Photos: Nordique, docentjoyce, Alaskan Dude, grant_joy, Peter Alfred Hess