Fortunately, us city slickers don't have to suffer through the sweat with a dozen plus beaches at our disposal. For our list of the finest beaches near Philadelphia, keep checking out!

Brigantine

The very first stop on our list is Brigantine Beach. Just a little over an hour outside of Center City, Brigantine is the closest beach to Philadelphia. Little in size, this beach is the perfect spot for a fast outing from Philly.

When you're not absorbing the sun and saltwater, pop over to the Brigantine Historic Museum for a look into the previous or get some regional fruit and vegetables from the Brigantine Farmers Market.

Margate

Another close-by spot, Margate is best known for Lucy the Elephant, a six-story elephant-shaped monolith, built of wood and tin sheeting and the earliest surviving roadside tourist destination in America.

Margate City is just one hour and ten minutes from Philly making it a no-brainer to go to on the hottest days of the summertime. Throw backpacker destinations in free street parking and an excellent beach and you have all the makings of a terrific household destination.

Sea Island City

A Philly favorite, Sea Island City is a small beach town right next to Ocean City. Accentuated by a beachfront promenade, packed with stores and cafés, the beach is not the only attraction in this charming beach town. If water sports are your thing, the location has designated beaches for kayaking, kiteboarding, rafting, and browse fishing.

After a long day of browse and sun, enjoy a quick slice from Uncle Oogies or a seafood feast from Mike's Seafood and Dock Restaurant. If you're seeking to keep the enjoyable going all night, the bar and club scene is not too shoddy either!

Ocean City, New Jersey

The best location for a family vacation, Ocean City New Jersey boasts a range of amusement parks, a boardwalk, and mini golf courses. Focus on its family-friendly nature, Ocean City is a dry town, indicating no alcohol of any kind offered within its borders.

That being said, there are lots of activities in OCNJ to inhabit your time including Gillian's Wonderland Pier and Completely Tubular Aqua Park Start your day of rest and Augie's Omelette and Waffle and ride the trips or take it easy and relax on the beach. Or strike the beach like Bill and Sue because popular Beach Boys song on your NJ playlist.

Elk Neck State Park.

A lesser known and more remote beach, Elk Neck State Park is a leisure location located in between the Elk River and the Chesapeake Bay. This state park is consisted of not simply beaches, but marshlands and woody bluffs. Dating from 1833, Turkey Point Lighthouse is the crown jewel of the peninsula, offering views of Chesapeake Bay, and Northeast and Elk rivers.

While this state park does not include traditional accommodations, it provides more than 250 campsites, in addition to some cabins.

Avalon

Among the more upscale beaches of the Jersey Shore, Avalon's beaches are exceptionally clean, jutting out into the ocean a mile further than any of the other Jersey beach towns. Primarily residential, the town is overflowing with yoga studios and boutiques. Check out our related short article: Things to Do in Avalon.

Looking to capture your lunch? Check out the Miss Avalon Fishing charter for complete day and half field trip. If that's excessive work, grab a donut from Kohler's Bakeshop or a turkey club wrap from Avalon Brew Club.