25 Best Beach Movies to Watch When You're Missing the Ocean
These flicks are all about sun, sand, and surf! 🏖
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Some people would spend all day playing in the sand and swimming in the ocean if they could—but it's just not possible for everyone! When you're craving the beach but can't seem to fit in a family beach vacation anytime soon, the next best thing is to watch a marathon of movies that take place right along the oceanside. Whether you're looking for a romantic movie that embraces summer love or a fun beach comedy that'll bring the laughs, this list of beach movies will become your new best friend. And speaking of friends, the movie Beaches is an all-time friendship classic that doubles as one of the best summer movies of all time.
It's a given that Jaws (one of Ree Drummond's favorites) made the cut, but you'll also find family-friendly options that everyone will love. Want to head to Hawaii? Check out 50 First Dates, Disney's Lilo and Stitch, or The Descendants. Otherwise, travel across the world with Mamma Mia! or The Talented Mr. Ripley. We promise you won't be able to peel your eyes off of the sun-drenched landscapes and gorgeous crystal blue waters shown on screen. Many of them include catchy beach songs and famous beach quotes. (Is there anything more iconic than Chief Brody in Jaws saying, "You're gonna need a bigger boat..."?) Heck, it might even inspire your beach captions for Instagram. There are so many movies about sun, sand, and that summertime feeling.
Flipper
Sandy is a teenage boy who doesn't necessarily want to spend the summer with his oddball uncle, but alas, that's what he has to do. He ends up falling in love with the Florida coastline and befriending a cute dolphin named Flipper. This new friendship is what gives him the courage to stand up to a group who do not have the ocean's best interest in mind.
Just Go With It
Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston are one of those acting combos that everyone loves. Sandler plays Danny, a man who would rather lie than fall in love. Aniston plays Katherine, his friend and colleague who reluctantly agrees to string these lies along. (What are friends for... right?)
Blue Hawaii
Chadwick (Elvis Presley) loves his mom (Angela Lansbury), but he just can't seem to fulfill her wishes and become a business professional. Instead, he's passionate about music and the Hawaii-way-of-life, which is what he chooses to embark on.
Aquamarine
Mermaids are real, and they want love! So when a mermaid named Aquamarine washes ashore after a big storm, she immediately forms a connection with two young BFFs who vow to help her find her Prince Charming.
Something's Gotta Give
Harry (Jack Nicholson) is an aging man who refuses to date anyone older the age of 30. He's in for an awakening when he runs into some health problems, and ends up in the care of his girlfriend's mother (Diane Keaton). They take many walks along the beach together, which has Harry rethinking his idea of love...
Surf's Up
The penguins of Pen Gu Island sure know how to surf! That's why Cody decides to travel all the way from Shiverpool, Antarctica to partake in the island's annual Big Z Memorial Surf-Off. Does he have what it takes to keep up with the best of the best?
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants
Four longtime BFFs are heartbroken when they realize they have to spend the next couple months away from each other. It's okay, though, because their love for a pair of traveling denim jeans helps keep their bond stronger than ever, even when some of their adventures take them to the beaches of Greece and Mexico.
The Last Song
A young Miley Cyrus stars in this Nicholas Sparks book-to-movie adaptation about a city teen who is forced to stay with her father at the beach for the summer. She hates the idea at first, but eventually comes around as they start growing closer together. She learns a few lessons and also finds a boy she likes along the way.
Beaches
Bette Midler and Barbara Hershey play two women and best friends who met at the beach when they were young girls. They keep in touch via letters, and decide to head back to the beach where it all started a few decades later.
Teen Beach Movie
A Disney musical that takes place on the beach? Uh, yes please! Watch as a crew of teens yearn to figure out who they are while also enjoying their summer of freedom right along the coast.
Dear John
Based on the romance novel by Nicholas Sparks, Dear John tells the story of how a soldier, John Tyree, meets an idealistic college student and their romance over a seven-year period. Their narrative is traced through the letters she writes to him as his increasingly dangerous job strains the relationship.
Jaws
You can't beat this classic summer romp! At the height of tourist season, a great white shark gets a taste for swimmers, but the mayor of the beach town won't close up shop. Police chief Martin Brody gathers a rag-tag gang to track down the beast lurking around Amity Island and... well, you know!
Cast Away
"Wilsonnnn!" If you've heard that line yelled but have never seen the movie, now is your chance! FedEx executive Chuck Noland is flying a quick holiday job when his plane crashes on a deserted island. The only one to make it out of the crash alive, he must learn how to survive the beautiful yet harsh island.
Point Break
This action movie is all fun and surfing! When a string of strange robberies in California causes an agent to go undercover to find out who is behind it, he infiltrates the suspected gang of surfers who are addicted to the rush of catching a wave.
Mamma Mia!
In this funny movie-musical, Sophie, a free-spirited bride, decides to have her wedding at her single mother's hotel in Greece. She hatches a plan to invite three men from her mom's past in the hope that one is revealed as her father.
Barb & Star Go to Vista Del Mar
Here's a silly buddy movie we can all get behind! Longtime besties Barb and Star are oddballs who decide to leave their small midwestern town for an adventure they won't forget.
How Stella Got Her Groove Back
It's the classic narrative set at a steamy beach resort! Stella, a stockbroker with little luck in love, decides to take a much-needed trip to Jamaica with her best friend. It's there that she starts a fling with a handsome younger man and the two quickly start falling in love.
50 First Dates
Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore have amazingly sweet chemistry in this Hawaii-set rom-com. Henry Roth, a man who's never been one for commitment, thinks he may have finally met the one. The only problem is Lucy has short-term memory loss and forgets their date after 24 hrs.
Lilo and Stitch
This adorably sweet Disney movie is a must-watch for the whole fam! Spunky Lilo accidentally adopts an alien who finds its way to Hawaii and the two develop the most heartwarming friendship.
Weekend at Bernie's
In this comedy of errors, salesmen Richard and Larry are invited to their boss's fancy beach house for the weekend. Unbeknownst to them, their boss has arranged to kill them to cover up his fraud, but the plan backfires and leaves him dead instead. Hilarious chaos ensues.
Micaela Bahn is a freelance editorial assistant and recent graduate from Carleton College, where she majored in English literature. She loves running, photography, and cooking the best new recipes.
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