With summer on the horizon, it can be stressful to plan activities for the upcoming season. One of the best ways to spend a summer day is laying on the sand with feet dipped in the water and sun shining on faces.

The east coast has so many different beaches it can sometimes be impossible to pick the best one. A list of the top five beaches to visit on the east coast could help.

Ocean City, NJ is one the most popular beaches on the east coast, and not for nothing. It was established in May of 1884 and has become a treasure to many families since.

This beach has 188 streets with a huge boardwalk connecting to each street. The beach town is typically packed with people in the summer due to its abundant attractions and events.

Ocean City is known for its comfort food. Manco and Manco Pizza is one of the biggest pizza competitors. Manco and Manco has been around since 1956, opening two other locations along the boardwalk in the years following.

Gianna Rotunno, a sophomore at CB South, said, “One night, me and my cousin had no ride home, so we went to Manco and Manco Pizza, and it was the best pizza I’ve ever had.”

One of the most popular times to visit Ocean City is around the fourth of July. “The fireworks on the fourth of July are my favorite part of summer,” Daniel McCusker, a sophomore at CB South said.

According to the Ocean City Daily News, there are about 11,700 year-round community members, and 150,000 summer vacationers in Ocean City.

Another extremely popular beach is Wildwood, NJ which has been around since 1895.

According to The Shore Blog, this beach town hosts around 5,300 people year-round. In the summer, that number grows to around 250,000 people.

The Shore Blog also says that the beaches are some of the biggest on the eastcoast by far with some stretching as wide as 500 yards.

A fan favorite here is Kohr Bros; their business has been going steady since 1917. “The custard there is literally mouthwatering – it’s so good,” Aiden Sproehnle, a sophomore at CB South said enthusiastically.

The boardwalk in Wildwood is one of its main attractions. It stretches 2.5 miles down the beach. “Me and my family always visited, and I’m a big fan of the boardwalk,” Anthony Leonardi, an eleventh grader at CB South, said.

On the boardwalk, there is an amusement park called Morey’s Piers. There are over 100 different rides and games. “It’s a really lively place, and I think the rides there are way better than in Ocean City,” Kendall Wiberley, a junior at CB South, said.

The next beach is in Sea Isle City, NJ. It opened in 1882 and has been a home for many families since. According to the Sea Isle News, in the summer, the town gets nearly 60,000 visitors, and the year-round amount is about 2,100.

This beach town is a great place for families looking for a peaceful getaway. Unlike many beaches, Sea Isle has a promenade instead of a wooden boardwalk. The promenade stretches across 28 streets and offers plenty of entertainment, including cafes and gift shops.

“It’s the best place to be no doubt,” Travis Rhodes, a sophomore at CB South, said.

Next is Atlantic City, NJ. Atlantic City is the oldest beach on the list. It was established in 1854 and has a long and varied history.

The Official Website of City of Atlantic City, NJ states that Atlantic City hosts over 27 million visitors a year. This city is also the 25^th largest city in the U.S.

Atlantic City has a boardwalk that runs 5.8 miles long and has many concert venues as well as a huge variation of restaurants and types of food. There are plenty of gift shops and entertainment for people of all ages.

“My stepbrother has a house down there,” Jordyn Vonder-Schmalz, a twelfth grader at CB South, said. “And every time I go down, I meet a new group of people to hang out with, and every time we have so much fun. I’ve made so many friends there.”

The final beach is in Avalon, NJ, first established in 1892. According to the New York Times, the year-round population is only about 2,140 people, but that number swells to around 45,000 in the peak of the summer.

Avalon’s boardwalk is only a half-mile. However, it’s not far from neighboring beach towns boardwalks, and there are plenty of other things to do including playing mini golf, taking a trip to the spa, or going fishing. There is also a plethora of restaurants with amazing reviews.