Bucket List Beaches

If your bucket list includes every one of the spectacular beaches, you’ve got a big task ahead of you. There is a countless amount scattered throughout the world, but we’ve somehow managed to narrow it down to ten favorites. Here are the sugary sands that made it onto our bucket list.

Riviera Maya, Mexico
Private Maroma Beach features everything you love about the Riviera Maya, on a more exclusive level.

In the Riviera Maya, where alluring beaches are so plentiful that they've become the norm, it takes a shoreline that is truly remarkable to stand out from the crowd. Maroma Beach does exactly that, its 500 protected acres of powdered coral once named "One of the best 10 beaches in the world" by Travel Channel. A scant handful of privileged resorts keeps this destination luxurious and exclusive, and the adult's only El Dorado Maroma's 128–room, boutique–y feel only serves to reinforce that feeling. Sophisticated, contemporary décor, three pools, seven restaurants, five bars, and all the trappings of Gourmet Inclusive® add to the decadence, while romance blooms with king–sized beds, personalized beach & pool butler service, spacious terraces, and Jacuzzis® for two in most suites.

Seven Stars Resort
Turks & Caicos, Caribbean
Time after time, the famous beach Seven Stars rests on gets listed among the best in the world.

"Stunning" isn't a description reserved for private resort beaches, as U.S. News & World Report's #1 attraction in Turks & Caicos proves. Grace Bay in Provo boasts 12 miles of soft ashen sand, crystal–clear waters, and Seven Stars Resort, listed by that selfsame publication—among others—as one of the best in the Caribbean. This resort is known for its contemporary and chic accommodations, complete with L'Occitane^® bath toiletries; the island's only heated saltwater pool; unique excursions on the 29–foot World Cat Lady Tamara; and, naturally, an oceanfront setting right on the famous beach. It also doesn't hurt that it's framed by a marine preserve or that the third–largest coral reef system on Earth is found right here, as is JoJo the wild Atlantic bottlenose dolphin—a local celebrity.

Couples Swept Away
Negril, Jamaica
Seven Mile Beach isn’t just a name—it’s a promise. The same goes for Couples Swept Away.

So big that it spills across two parishes, Seven Mile Beach provides a long, meandering stretch of sand in the "Capital of Cool," as well as the lively reggae vibe Jamaica is known for. Its casual, friendly atmosphere makes this destination a favorite of all ages, but adults need only step inside to step it up when they choose to stay at Couples Swept Away. Set right in the center of the beachfront, this resort exemplifies quiet island elegance with plantation shutters that open onto private verandahs and included added values like a sunset or glass–bottom boat cruise and excursions to nearby Sunset Bar, Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville, shopping, and scuba diving. A ten–acre sports complex and a spa might tempt you to stay indoors, but a long list of complimentary activities on its 19 acres of beachfront is more than enough motivation to get active outside.

Petite Plage 4
St. Martin, Caribbean
The number three Caribbean locale for 2015, this beach is even better on a private estate.

Grand Case Beach has arguably been called "the best beach in St. Martin," which certainly says a lot for a Caribbean island that boasts 37 of them! Located in a picturesque fishing village, this sheltered beach's calm, clear waters invite divers to break the glassine surface to explore Creole Rock with ease. There, you can swim among sea turtles, rays, barracuda, tarpon, reef fish, and even dolphins to top off a bucket–list beach stay in a sumptuous, contemporary beachfront mansion. And although Petite Plage 4 offers a gourmet kitchen in addition to a film projector in the living room, plus oversized pool, you'll be well–situated from to take advantage of another of the destination's claims to fame: the French Caribbean cuisine of the "Gourmet Capital of the Caribbean." Its restaurants are only a short walk away from your lavish digs. The beachfront dining on Grand Case Boulevard often serves up free shots of homemade rum, but always provides spectacular views.

Santa Marina Resort & Villas
Mykonos, Greece
All the Greek Isles are legendary, but the windmills and beach scene of Mykonos won our hearts.

Nicknamed "The Capri of Greece," Mykonos really doesn't even need comparison—its numerous beaches stand on their own. Sheltered Ornos Bay, a former fishing port now studded with lounge chairs and umbrellas and dotted with sailboats along the horizon, is one that can provide a complete Greek Isles beach experience. Located in the southwest corner of the island and bustling with activity—including restaurants and charmingly luxurious hotels in Cycladic style, such as the Santa Marina Resort & Villas—this hub is quintessential Mykonos. And by staying at this recently renovated Luxury Collection resort, you won't have to scramble for that perfect spot—its exclusive stretch of beach ensures that guests will have plenty of opportunities to dry off in the sun after wading into the shallow, sand–lined waters.

One & Only Hayman Island
Great Barrier Reef, Australia
With a Coral Sea backdrop on the Great Barrier Reef, the One&Only is as bucket list-worthy as they come.

To make a beach magnificent, it's not always about the sand. In this case, it's just as much about the sea. The Great Barrier Reef, the world's largest coral reef system and one so big that it can be seen from space, stretches over an area of 133,000 square miles off the coast of Queensland, Australia. Snorkeling or diving it is a lone item on many a bucket list, but why not combine it with a stay on a coastline equally deserving? The Whitsundays, known for some of the best shores in the world, sit right in the center of this astounding attraction. On 1.25 miles of sparkling sand in Hayman Island is the One & Only, a lavish, year–old resort with three distinctly different sections, each of which are designed to showcase a unique setting as you strike two monumental sights off at once.

Fairmont Southampton
Southampton, Bermuda
If you think your glasses are rose-colored, look again—those sands really ARE a blushing pink.

Here on the southern coast of the island, 100 acres of lush bougainvillea, towering coconut palms, and well–tended gardens attempt to compete with those signature sands to enchant you. Tinted a watercolor pink by the red foraminifera that grow on the island's coral ledges, these pastel beaches are a sight to see—and at only a short few hours away from the Eastern Seaboard, it'll be one of the easiest beaches to check off your bucket list. After laying out all day in provided chaise lounges on the resort's secluded and private cove, refreshing with cold towel service and water mists, check off another item by dining at the on–site Waterlot Inn, a classic that has defined Bermuda's steakhouse experience for nearly 350 years. Need even more beach? Follow The Fairmont Southampton Beach Club's shoreline to the famous Horseshoe Bay Beach, or keep going to the other connected South Shore beaches to explore the different shades pink can take.

Hilton Moorea Lagoon Resort & Spa
Moorea, French Polynesia
Beach theme aside, no bucket list would be complete without an overwater bungalow stay in paradise.

The South Pacific. French Polynesia. Those destinations can't even be spoken without a soft sigh and a sense of wistfulness, the image of straw–thatched bungalows on spindly stilt legs over impossibly clear waters in your head. The Hilton Moorea Lagoon Resort & Spa lives up to all of these visions, and does you several better. Each iconic structure, deceptively quaint on the outside, features contemporary, luxurious finishes and modern amenities within—including WiFi. An overwater bar, 24–hour fitness center, spa, and tennis court can distract you from the barely believable beauty of the setting…but not for long. Tall mountains rise out of the sea before you, and soft alabaster sands are visible all the way down to the base of the pilings that hold your bungalow up. Now, how can this possibly get any better? Like this: they have their own snorkel–ready beach for guests only. Count yourself among them to count yourself one lucky person.

Find Your Beach: No matter what destination you choose, a AAA Travel Agent can help you plan and book your trip. Visit AAA.com/Travel or call 1-888-577-9222