Field Guide — 2026 Season
Blue Flag Beaches in United States
The United States has a coastline for every taste but only a young Blue Flag chapter — which is exactly why this field guide tracks American beaches so closely, including the freshwater Great Lakes' third coast. Watch this page: the certified roster here is where the programme's next decade gets written.
A Blue Flag is awarded season by season for excellent bathing-water quality, safety, services, and environmental management — what a Blue Flag beach means explains the certification in full.
Regions
Field notes — quick answers
Are there Blue Flag beaches in United States?
Yes — United States operates a national Blue Flag programme, and we currently map 3 of its beaches across 2 regions, each listed with its certification status.
What does a Blue Flag on a United States beach mean?
Blue Flag is an international certification awarded season by season for excellent bathing-water quality, safety, services, and environmental management. Certified Best Beaches is an independent directory and is not affiliated with or endorsed by FEE, the certifying organisation.
How current is this United States beach list?
Certification is seasonal, so we track the 2026 season and update listings as national juries publish changes. Beaches that hold Blue Flag certification and uncertified "Certification Candidate" beaches are always labelled separately.