Sand between your toes, sand on the deck, sand in your hair… There’s something completely and utterly relaxing about staying right by the beach. So relaxing you almost wonder if it’s worth packing shoes. Living by the ocean is a distant dream for all except the lucky few, but thankfully it’s possible to enjoy a slice of coastal paradise for a few days. We’ve rounded up some of the most stunning – and stunningly located – beach homes that can be rented around the USA.

Carpinteria, a small coastal city a little outside Santa Barbara, is cute as a colourful button. These cottages are just as beguiling and match the area’s chilled-out retro vibe with breezy blue-and-white decor and fun vintage details like 1950s-style fridges and an old motel sign. All the cottages, which sleep between two and six people and cost from $127 (£104) per night, are charmers and a short walk from the sandy beach. If you’re looking for a change of scenery from your standard work-from-home set-up this could be for you, as there’s a 31-night minimum stay policy, giving you the chance to truly live like a local.

This two-bed cottage – which costs around $929 (£764) for a two-night minimum stay – is the dream beach house, all white clapboard and blue shutters. Up to five guests can hunker down in rustic bliss, but the best bit is the private sandy beach that’s right under your toes as you step outside. Picnic tables and Adirondack chairs face the ocean head on, and the cute southern Maine fishing village of Ogunquit is nearby.

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Chic La Jolla, north of San Diego, is the place to live the coastal dream. Staying in this four-bed property, roughly $7,194 (£5,910) for a minimum three-night stay, feels like having a chic boutique hotel all to yourself. Cool off in the outdoor pool (which doubles as a large Jacuzzi), watch the sunset from one of the two private decks and generally just pretend you’re among the lucky few who get to enjoy this lifestyle all the time. The beach and La Jolla Shores Cove, with upscale restaurants, cute shops and a sea lion colony, is just a block away.

The sugary beaches that stretch either side of Siesta Key, a barrier island off the coast of Sarasota in western Florida, would look very much at home in the Caribbean. This gorgeous three-bedroom home is right by a private stretch of sand. The decor inside the cubic white property is as impeccable as the surroundings, with minimal decor brightened with pops of colour and bold prints. Wide windows frame the views throughout. Just lovely. Rent from Booking.com for around $4,261 (£3,499) for a week.

The seven-mile stretch of beach that sweeps through Manzanita is all the beauty of Oregon’s coastline, distilled: burnished gold sand, rolling dunes and a backdrop of misty mountains, with the occasional bald eagle sweeping overhead. This cluster of beach houses, which sleep from four to 20 guests, offers front-row seats, whether that’s by the firepits or in living spaces where the ocean is framed by picture windows. Prices start at $150 (£123) per night.

This cottage, named after a species of Maine crab, is as cute as it sounds but packs in a lot of space. It’s a little outside the centre of southern Maine’s Old Orchard Beach, whose stretch of sand sweeps around Saco Bay for seven miles (11km), and all the better for it. Divided into two buildings, the Main House is a seven-bed sleeping up to 13 while the smaller Carriage House is a three-bed sleeping up to 6. Weekly rentals start from $4,620 (£3,795) available between April-October.

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Cape May presents a different, more serene face of the Jersey Shore: one of pretty, pastel-hued Victorian homes, pristine beaches and mesmerising sunsets. This spacious cottage is as immaculate as its surroundings, with soft decor that reflects the beachy vibe, two decks to make the most of the bayfront location and direct access to a private slice of sandy beach. A one-week rental costs around $6,570 (£5,396) on Airbnb for up to 10 guests.

This is the place to stay if you want to avoid rowing over who gets which room – there simply isn’t a short straw to draw. Each of the five bedrooms has an enormous king-sized bed and, more importantly, windows that gaze out to the ocean. It’s a short stroll to the caramel-coloured sandy beach and an easy walk to Seaside’s boardwalk, where you’ll find seafood restaurants and surf shops. If the weather is stormy, take refuge in the rental’s hot tub or arcade games room. A two-night minimum stay is around $1,397 (£1,148) and sleeps up to 13 people.

Tiny, densely forested Orcas Island is part of the San Juan Islands archipelago, a short drive and ferry journey from Seattle, and it punches well above its weight when it comes to scenery, seafood and serenity. Tuck yourself away in this romantic rental for two, right by the beach. The deck juts right over the water, which can be seen through huge picture windows, and there’s a stone patio with BBQ and access to the sand. Priced from $351 (£288) per night.

Here’s a way to really feel like you’re sleeping on the water – a docked ship on a bluff overlooking the Homer Spit and Kachemak Bay on the tranquil Kenai Peninsula. The wooden shrimping boat has been beautifully restored into a unique, cosy beachfront rental with two bedrooms, a decent amount of living space and – most crucially – three decks that open up to a vista of forest, ocean and snow-cloaked mountains. Prices start at $300 (£246) per night for four guests and can accommodate up to six guests at an additional charge.

Staying at this sleek waterfront home is a little like being on your own private cruise ship, with the best suite on board and no other guests. It’s actually perched above Cama Beach on Camano Island in Washington’s Puget Sound region, and it isn’t going anywhere. Not that you’d want it to. It’s a few steps to private beach access, with kayaks and paddle boards provided, and you can see Olympic National Park – and the occasional passing orca – from the broad deck. A minimum three-night stay costs around $2,093 (£1,720).

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Getting to this beachside cabin requires a boat or helicopter ride from Seward Harbour, but that’s half the fun – and also the reason why it’s so wonderfully secluded. Inside are two cosy beds (one tucked in a loft) and a cute kitchenette and living space. But, of course, the best stuff is found outside, from whale spotting on the private beach to alpine trails that weave past kettle ponds and up into the mountains. Rent via Airbnb from around $702 (£576) for a two-night minimum stay.

Every room has perfectly framed views of the beach and water in this gorgeous home on Narragansett Bay, a short drive from downtown Providence. It can be viewed even closer just steps from the broad porch. Best of all, renters have the private beach all to themselves. It’s worth the cost for the sunsets alone. Rental starts at around $2,243 (£1,844) for a five-night minimum stay through Airbnb, with four bedrooms sleeping up to eight guests. 

Ever get the feeling you’re being followed? In this spectacular home in California’s coveted Pacific Grove, it’s the ocean that seems to keep its big blue gaze on you as you move from room to room. It’s mutual, though, as you’ll want to stare at those views day and night. Four of the six bedrooms have Pacific views, as do the living spaces, kitchen – and even the roll-top bath. Outdoor treats include a hot tub and deck. Rent for around $8,671 (£7,129) for a five-night minimum stay for up to 13 guests. 

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Cape Cod is beach home heaven, with either side of the peninsula gazing over the bay or the Atlantic. Take full advantage of this salt-sprayed outdoor playground by staying in this sleek and stylish oceanfront cottage, whose porch leads directly to the sand. With two bedrooms sleeping up to four people, everything’s covered to help guests make the most of the location, including beach chairs and an umbrella. Rent from around $1,467 (£1,206) for a four-night minimum stay via Airbnb.

The location could hardly be more breathtaking, overlooking the Palmetto Dunes Plantation on South Carolina’s idyllic Hilton Head Island. The interior is just as perfect, with plush decor adding to the general sense of luxury. The Atlantic is framed by huge windows in pretty much every room, while the sundeck and outdoor pool are positioned to make the most of the views. Rent via Airbnb for a whopping $39,490 (£32,471) weekly stay, with six bedrooms accommodating up to 12 guests. 

Delaware’s coastline is rather underrated, which is a real riddle when there are places to stay as stunning as this beachfront home. Step straight out of the door and onto the sand, with trees on each side of the house which gives it a more intimate feel. With a dedicated workspace, it’s a fab space to mix up your work-from-home setting. Available to rent via Airbnb from around $2,193 (£1,803) for a three-night minimum stay, sleeping up to six in three bedrooms.

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Mendocino County, a couple of hours’ drive north of San Francisco on California’s famed Highway 1, is pinch-yourself beautiful. The coastline rises to apricot cliffs and falls away to beaches backed by redwood forests. This chic beach home is perhaps even more dreamy, particularly the hot tub perched at the ocean’s edge. The views from inside, and from the rest of the wooden deck, are just as lovely. Prices start at around $2,102 (£1,727) for a three-night minimum stay, sleeping four people (adults only).

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Sandy beaches are surprisingly rare in the Florida Keys, and luxury beachfront properties are even rarer. This two-bed beauty in Key Largo is set within a private campground with access to two small beach areas, and is pinch-yourself gorgeous, inside and out. Sleeping up to six guests, the rental, from $919 (£755) for a two-night minimum stay, is tastefully decorated and includes the use of two kayaks or paddleboards.

Grand Isle is the location those in the know would probably prefer to keep quiet. The breezy barrier island is unusual in a state better known for bayous than beaches, and this huge home – available on Booking.com from around $1,336 (£1,097) for a three-night minimum stay – is a particularly lovely surprise, less than 150 yards from the beach. With four beds, it sleeps 12 people and makes the most of its location with balcony space and terrace with garden views.

Mississippi’s often-underrated coastline – known as ‘The Secret Coast’ – is all blazingly white beaches, seafood restaurants and fishing piers, and this self-catering apartment, perfect for couples, is the perfect base for discovering its charms. It’s a short walk to Biloxi West Central Beach and Biloxi East Central Beach, and is a pleasant walk to Broadwater Marina. There’s also a shared outdoor pool, fitness centre and free private parking. A three-night minimum stay costs around $893 (£733).

Close to the college town of Wilmington, Kure Beach is a lovely, laid-back spot for an oceanfront escape. This beachfront condo with one bedroom and sleeping six from $1,067 (£876) for a two-night minimum stay is pretty much as close as you can get without floating. Its quiet location on a private beach overlooks the ocean and you’re a short walk away from the oldest fishing pier on the Atlantic Coast. There’s also the use of a shared pool, though you might not bother with the ocean so close.

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This sleek, sprawling apartment pops with bright colours and palm trees to give off a tropical vibe. It’s within walking distance of Belleair Beach and Indian Shores Beach while the property itself includes four bedrooms sleeping up to eight guests. Younger years will enjoy the on-site playground and there’s ample space for indoor and outdoor dining. A minimum three-night stay via Booking.com costs around $1,786 (£1,467).

Georgia’s coastline runs for a relatively brief 100 miles (161km) but it crams in the beauty, particularly in the Golden Isles, a set of barrier islands off the Atlantic coast. This chic pad has four bedrooms and three bathrooms and can be rented for $3,643.99 (£2,993) for a minimum stay of four nights. With its breezy, elegant decor you’ll be able to enjoy that relaxed coastal lifestyle. After a day spent at nearby East Beach, take a dip in the pool or sit back on one of the three porches. Bliss!

It isn’t an ocean beach but, when you’re staying by the shores of North America’s largest alpine lake, it doesn’t feel much different. This incredible home is just west of Kings Beach and runs right along the lake, plus you go seek out several hidden beaches. The views inside are equally lovely, from the alpine-themed living room with brick fireplace to three cosy bedrooms sleeping up to 10 guests, and you’ll also find a pool and foosball table in the loft. Rental costs from around $824 (£677) for a two-night minimum stay. 

This two-bed cutie feels like an escape from pretty much everything. Apart from the water, which is just steps away from the cabin and reached via fields and a tiny beach. It’s a short distance from downtown Onancock on Virginia’s Eastern Shore, though it feels blissfully remote. Rent kayaks to paddle in the saltwater creek or just sit and watch the sunset. Priced from around $766 (£629) for a three-night minimum stay via Airbnb, sleeping up to four guests in two bedrooms. 

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Frisco is one of the small communities dotted through the Outer Banks, a strip of barrier islands off North Carolina’s coast that’s basically paradise for beach lovers. It’s pretty impossible to find a rental that doesn’t have views of the water. The cosy, spacious Blue Jewel, which sleeps six from around $1,236 (£1,015) for a three-night minimum stay, is just a three-minute walk to the beach or you can listen to the ocean waves and watch the sun dip down from the deck. There’s plenty to do in the area, with the marina, restaurants, Hatteras ferry, fishing pier and horseback riding within walking distance.

The beach homes on Alabama’s Gulf Coast have bagged all the best views, sitting right over a sweep of alabaster sand that stretches for miles, interrupted only by clumps of dune grass. Options range from quaint cottages to beachy dreams like this beauty, with three bedrooms and a living room sleeping up to 10. There’s a balcony, hot tub and community pool at your fingertips and is a two-minute walk to the Gulf Shores Public Beach. Rates are roughly $1,626 (£1,335) for a three-night minimum stay.

Bayside dining, huge oysters and your own pad just a few minutes’ walk from the beach: Virginia Beach is a salty, sandy, surfy playground. Sandy beaches line the oceanfront, while Chesapeake Bay has seafood restaurants and parks. This bright, family-friendly home has all of this on its doorstep and there’s no compromising on style, with soul-soothing decor, open-space living areas and spacious decking area in its very own backyard. The four-bed property sleeps up to eleven people at $1,684 (£1,382) for a four-night minimum stay through Booking.com.

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