Not Able to Get to the Beach? Not a Problem!
August 30, 2016 8:40 PM   Subscribe

12 Incredible Artificial and Man-Made Beaches

Ask people what a perfect summer destination would be, and many would say a tropical island with pristine, white-sand beaches and crystal-clear waters. But what do you do when you're... landlocked...? Many cities are home to amazing artificial beaches... Some are even located indoors, so you can enjoy a beach getaway even in stormy weather.

Check out the slideshow or scroll down for brief descriptions.
posted by little_dog_laughing (18 comments total) 3 users marked this as a favorite
 
Fun fact, the very famous Jones Beach is also almost entirely artificial.
posted by BungaDunga at 9:49 PM on August 30, 2016 [1 favorite]


The only artificial beaches I have ever seen were at Disney World, at the "Caribbean Beach Resort", which was my favorite place to stay when I visited.
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 10:58 PM on August 30, 2016


I thought pretty much all tourist beaches were artificial by this point.
posted by ckape at 12:15 AM on August 31, 2016


The Paris Plage didn't look so appealing only a few weeks after the quai (concrete river bank) was flooded with the dirty river water!
posted by ellieBOA at 1:02 AM on August 31, 2016


Streets beach has a pretty spectacular view of downtown Brisbane... and no sharks!
posted by Pazzovizza at 1:23 AM on August 31, 2016 [1 favorite]


Artificial is by definition man-made, no?
posted by GallonOfAlan at 1:30 AM on August 31, 2016


Ctrl-F
waikiki


No? Doesn't even rate?
posted by rum-soaked space hobo at 1:39 AM on August 31, 2016


F yeah Sentosa! Nothing like drinking a Singapore Sling at Cafe Del Mar while relaxing in your soon-to-be-filched plastic beach chair, staring at the endless sea of cargo ships not 300 meters from the shore.
posted by grumpybear69 at 5:29 AM on August 31, 2016 [1 favorite]


Sadly, many of the US mid-Atlantic states which once boasted spectacular beaches now rely on replenishment. So places like Ocean City MD and Nags Head NC now have beaches that are entirely artificial. The big difference is in the lack of marginal life (birds, small crustaceans etc.)

Spent the day yesterday at Green Lakes State Park in New York, which features turquoise-hued glacial lakes, and the park centerpiece is a sand beach trucked in entirely from nearby Oneida Lake. Before sand the place was a muddy marsh.

The fake beaches were interesting, though I found the water in that big surf park kind of daunting looking (is it cleaned or treated in any way? That color...) and the idea of breathing chlorine while hearing the echoes of shrieking children, even on sand, holds little appeal.

Folks love beaches. Ocracoke Island has a great one, and Gay Head on Martha's Vineyard is breathtaking. They were still natural last time I checked.
posted by kinnakeet at 5:38 AM on August 31, 2016


No jellyfish! No sharks! Yay! I'm not really too worried about sharks at my local beach but I got a really bad jellyfish sting a couple of years ago; my body's reaction to the toxin made me pretty miserable for a couple of weeks. I've always loved the beach. I'm thinking of getting a heavyweight burkini to protect me from the jellyfish.
posted by mareli at 7:05 AM on August 31, 2016


Nope
Nope
Nuh-uh
Nope
NOPE
posted by RedEmma at 7:46 AM on August 31, 2016


Gimme a natural beach or nothin'.
With lots of natural water exchange--which artificial creations appear to do poorly.
I prefer the Great Lakes--the colder the better.

posted by RedEmma at 7:52 AM on August 31, 2016


The problem with beaches is that there is too much sand. Sand gets into everything. Sand in everything sucks. Give me lake or mountain any day.

(Surfing in a wave pool, especially a steady wave is fun.)
posted by AugustWest at 8:49 AM on August 31, 2016 [1 favorite]


The problem with beaches is that there is too much sand. Sand gets into everything. Sand in everything sucks. Give me lake or mountain any day.

*looks side-eyed at AugustWest* Umm...what are your general feelings towards Tusken Raiders and/or younglings?
posted by sparklemotion at 11:10 AM on August 31, 2016 [2 favorites]


ListicleFilter!
posted by Joseph Gurl at 5:20 PM on August 31, 2016


No love for Centennial Beach in Naperville, I see.
posted by SisterHavana at 9:02 PM on August 31, 2016


The problem with beaches is that there is too much sand. Sand gets into everything. Sand in everything sucks. Give me lake or mountain any day.
Amen. It's horrible, horrible stuff. Clingy and gritty. And the sound that's made when walking on rocks with bare feet covered in sand. I love swimming outdoors, but beaches? Yuck.
posted by leo_r at 2:58 PM on September 1, 2016


Yeah, nature is pretty dirty.

Love it or leave it.
posted by Joseph Gurl at 3:31 PM on September 3, 2016


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