A new report claims that for American travelers in 2026, beaches in the Caribbean are on their radar more than anywhere else.
Beach.com is a travel platform that features coastal stays around the world. In its 2026 Travel Trends Report, released in December 2025, the source shared that over one-third (35%) of American travelers who responded to its survey wanted to visit beaches in the Caribbean more than any other region in the world. The second-most-desired 2026 beach destination region for Americans was the United States’ East Coast, with 24% of respondents wanting to visit this year. Rounding out the top five, the ranking consecutively included the U.S. West Coast, the Pacific Islands, and the U.S. Gulf Coast.
What Are The Best Beaches In The Caribbean?
The report notes that this year, the Caribbean replaced the U.S. East Coast as Americans’ most desired beach destination region.
The Caribbean is filled with stunning, warm-water, white-sand beaches to choose from. Generally, some of the region’s best beaches are considered to be in Turks and Caicos, Jamaica, Aruba, Anguilla, and Puerto Rico. Other famous beaches in the region are in St. Lucia, Grenada, and the Dominican Republic. In addition to lively beachside hotspots, the Caribbean is also known for offering more secluded hideaways where you’ll have the sun and sand all to yourself.
What Else Did The Report Share?
Beach.com surveyed 1,005 Americans in November 2025 about their 2026 travels. This year, respondents expect to spend an average of $6,354 on travel. The figure is a notable $667 (12%) more than what Americans anticipated spending on travel in 2025. A significant 68% shared that their travel budget is bigger for this year than it was last year. However, Gen Zers were the only generation group surveyed who plan on decreasing their travel spending in 2026.
Though 47% of respondents didn’t take a beach vacation in 2025, 70% plan to take one (at minimum) in 2026. Per the report, 1 in 3 respondents said beach retreats were their favorite type of vacation, more ideal than urban getaways and visits to national parks.
