Top 20 most popular coastal towns with best tide pools in the world

Tide pools, where the ocean meets the shore and marine life thrives in small, temporary water basins, are fascinating ecosystems filled with starfish, anemones, crabs, and other sea creatures. Here are 20 popular coastal towns around the world known for having some of the best tide pools:

1. Cannon Beach, Oregon, USA

• Haystack Rock is one of the most famous tide pool destinations on the Oregon coast, where visitors can explore colorful sea stars, anemones, and more at low tide.

2. La Jolla, California, USA

• The tide pools at La Jolla Cove and Shell Beach offer a chance to see an array of marine life, including sea urchins, crabs, and octopuses, all against a beautiful Pacific backdrop.

3. Point Loma, California, USA

• Cabrillo National Monument offers some of the best tide pooling in Southern California, where visitors can spot sea stars, anemones, and small fish in rocky pools.

4. Bicheno, Tasmania, Australia

• The rocky shores of Bicheno on Tasmania’s east coast are great for tide pooling, where you can find anemones, sea snails, and colorful sea stars in the pristine waters.

5. Yachats, Oregon, USA

• Yachats is home to excellent tide pools along the Cape Perpetua Marine Reserve, where visitors can find a diverse range of marine life and enjoy dramatic coastal views.

6. Mendocino, California, USA

• The rugged coastline of Mendocino features numerous tide pools teeming with marine life such as hermit crabs, sea stars, and abalone, set among the beautiful Northern California coastline.

7. Kaikoura, New Zealand

• Kaikoura offers some of the best tide pools in New Zealand, with rocky shores full of small marine creatures and the chance to see seals and dolphins nearby.

8. Acadia National Park, Maine, USA

• The Bar Harbor coastline in Acadia National Park has excellent tide pools, where you can find sea stars, urchins, and periwinkles amid the rocky shores of the North Atlantic.

9. Tofino, British Columbia, Canada

• The tide pools around Chesterman Beach and Tonquin Beach in Tofino are famous for their beauty, offering the chance to explore starfish, anemones, and barnacles in the Pacific Northwest.

10. Hermanus, South Africa

• Hermanus is a popular destination for whale watching, but its rocky shores are also home to vibrant tide pools filled with urchins, crabs, and small fish, making it a great spot for marine exploration.

11. Cape Kiwanda, Oregon, USA

• Cape Kiwanda’s tide pools, located near the stunning sandstone cliffs of the Oregon coast, are rich with marine life like sea anemones, snails, and small fish.

12. Big Sur, California, USA

• The rugged coastline of Big Sur has many small, isolated tide pools where visitors can find starfish, crabs, and sea anemones against a backdrop of stunning cliffs and waves.

13. Shelly Beach, Sydney, Australia

• Located within Sydney’s Cabbage Tree Bay Aquatic Reserve, the tide pools at Shelly Beach are brimming with marine life, including small fish, sea stars, and mollusks.

14. Barnstable, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, USA

• The tidal flats and pools along the shores of Barnstable in Cape Cod offer great opportunities to explore small sea creatures like crabs, clams, and starfish in the nutrient-rich waters of the Atlantic.

15. Dingle Peninsula, Ireland

• The Dingle Peninsula’s rocky beaches reveal tide pools filled with small marine creatures, providing a glimpse into the rich coastal ecosystems of the Atlantic shores of Ireland.

16. Mont Saint-Michel, France

• The tidal flats around Mont Saint-Michel offer a unique opportunity to explore tide pools and marine life as the tide dramatically recedes, revealing the coastal floor.

17. Coronado, California, USA

• The tide pools around Coronado Island near San Diego are famous for their marine biodiversity, with colorful sea stars, urchins, and small fish to discover.

18. Horseneck Beach, Massachusetts, USA

• Horseneck Beach in Westport, Massachusetts, has an abundance of tide pools where you can spot sea life like barnacles, mussels, and tiny crabs along the rocky shoreline.

19. Fingal Head, New South Wales, Australia

• Fingal Head offers stunning views and crystal-clear tide pools where visitors can spot marine creatures like starfish, crabs, and sea urchins along the basalt rocks formed by ancient lava flows.

20. Perkins Cove, Maine, USA

• Located near Ogunquit, Perkins Cove has rocky shorelines with numerous tide pools, providing visitors with the chance to see sea urchins, snails, and other marine species in the chilly waters of the Atlantic.

These coastal towns are perfect for those who love to explore tide pools and observe the diverse marine life that thrives in these natural habitats. Whether in the cool waters of Maine or the warm shores of Australia, tide pools offer a glimpse into fascinating underwater ecosystems.