10 Safest Coastal Cities from Hurricanes in 2024 (with Pictures)
- Pete Ortiz
- Last updated:
Note: This article’s statistics come from third-party sources and do not represent the opinions of this website.
Who doesn’t want to live by the beach? While coastal cities have a unique vibe and provide entertainment opportunities, they can be dangerous. Hurricanes often damage coastal cities the most. While governments often do their best to prepare the city for the inevitable hurricane, there is only so much you can do against this force of nature.
Still, if you love the beach but hate hurricanes, a few cities are safer than others. In this article, we’ll take a look at exactly that. Here are some cities that have the lowest rates for hurricanes.
The 10 Safest Coastal Cities from Hurricanes
1. Aruba
- Population: 106,766
- Last Hurricane: 2007
Aruba is very close to South America and is often a very popular sport for tourists looking for something a bit more exotic. Though technically located in South America, this island is owned by the Dutch. It has many local resorts and services, making it a great option for a vacation (or even to retire). There are several beaches available and a bay, and some of the beaches aren’t all that crowded.
There are plenty of things to do in this community, and it has a relatively low crime rate as well. It also doesn’t experience many hurricanes at all.
2. Curacao
- Population: 161,052
- Last Hurricane: 1877
Outside of the hurricane zone and also near Aruba is Curacao The Dutch also own this island but experiences a pretty autonomous existence. This city is known for its brightly-colored canals and other Dutch features.
This island is a bit rockier than Aruba, so the beaches tend to be smaller and scattered amongst the rocky cliffs. Fishing is a fun past-time, though much of the island make their living in the tourist industry.
3. Bonaire
- Population: 19,549 (Statista)
- Last Hurricane: 2016
Another island owned by the Dutch, this island is about the same size as Aruba, but it is much less populated. It is known for its vast number of die-hard divers. There aren’t many beaches, which is likely why it isn’t as popular. However, there is no cruise ship dock, so it is best for those looking to escape.
There aren’t as many services on this little island as there are in other locations, so it is best for those who just want to relax in the tropics and enjoy the ocean.
4. Barbados
- Population: 287,371
- Last Hurricane: 2017
This city is widely known for its high number of beach resorts. While it is a great place to vacation (especially if you’re looking for something a bit different), it is also a good place to live. The island is remote and doesn’t have many services. However, it is outside of the hurricane zone by just a bit.
This location is widely known amongst celebrities and has a variety of beaches. Most people stay in the capital, but there are other, smaller towns you can explore as well.
5. Belize
- Population: 397,621
- Last Hurricane: 2020
Every so often, hurricanes do hit Belize. However, they are extremely rare. Much of the beaches are surrounded by a barrier reef, so the swimming is calm and often undisturbed by waves. Water volleyball and paddle boarding are all common due to the calm waters.
With that said, it is also a great place to shop and eat. It does have a small nightlife, though it is mainly focused on the resorts.
6. Roatan
- Population: 65,000+
- Last Hurricane: 1998
If you’re willing to move to (or visit) Honduras, this area is a beautiful spot to set up. Roatan is a small island just off of the coast known for its bright green hills against the blue ocean. It is a great place to dive and snorkel, as it isn’t usually very crowded.
There is a wide variety of beaches on this island. You can visit one on the island’s west side with brown-sugar sand. There are coral reefs and clear waters on the southern side of the island.
7. Guanacaste
- Population: 354,154
- Last Hurricane: Never
This area is known as an up-and-coming resort area, and it is insulated from any potential hurricanes. Pacific storms tend to go further north. While it is a peninsula, it also feels like an island. On top of beaches, it is also home to tropical rainforests that are surprisingly easy to hike in. The beaches are secluded as well, thanks to the forests.
Kayaking is popular due to the quieter waters. There is also an international airport about an hour away. However, you can also arrive by boat.
8. Coronado, Panama
- Population: 20,000
- Last Hurricane: None
Just an hour away from Panama City, this area is known for its great sun-soaked beaches. It has become an ever-popular tourist destination over the years. On top of being free from hurricanes, this area also receives extremely little rain, making it a great place to vacation year-round. However, it is in the tropics, which means that it is very humid and, therefore, hot.
Usually, rain is only around for an hour or two in the morning. After that, it mostly stays sunny.
9. Uvita, Costa Rica
- Population: More than 1,000
- Last Hurricane: 1993
In the Southern Zone of Costa Rica, Uvita is a beautiful place to visit or live. It is known for its quiet beaches and jungles. It has not given way to larger development, so it is still mostly quiet. With that said, this area does have a rainy season. Therefore, it is pretty rainy, though it doesn’t have tropical storms or hurricanes.
This town is known for its long sand bar. It also has the occasional coral reef formation. There are many humpback whales, as well. In fact, this area has an Annual Whale and Dolphin Festival.
This area also has an abundance of local fruits and veggies that are extremely inexpensive, so it isn’t hard to save money.
10. Huanchaco, Peru
- Population: 68,409
- Last Hurricane: None
Known for fishing and surfing, this small fishing town is laid-back and not too well-known. It is an ideal retirement location, though it can also be used as a vacation destination. The temperature stays around the 70s all year, and rainfall amounts are fairly low. Sometimes, wintertime can be a bit chilly, though.
With that said, the tourist population increases during the summer months, when the area is the most popular. Plus, everything is quite inexpensive, so you can have a fairly cheap vacation for very little.
How to Stay Safe in a Coastal City
Generally speaking, cities in the hurricane belt are likely to get hit by a hurricane during hurricane season. While this doesn’t mean these cities will get hit every year, they often get hit enough for it to be a concern. Therefore, if you want to live in an area without any hurricanes, you want to live outside this belt.
The hurricane season officially runs from June 1 to November 30. However, hurricanes don’t always stay within these bounds. Therefore, they may hit earlier or later (especially as the world’s climate continues to change).
They don’t always stay within the hurricane belt, either. Instead, they can sometimes wander outside of it and hit islands and cities that aren’t really supposed to be hit. With that said, this is quite rare and doesn’t occur all that often.
An area of warm water in the Atlantic makes up the hurricane belt, which is specifically determined by overlying all previous hurricanes. By doing that, you get a pretty clear idea of where hurricanes tend to go.
Hurricanes need warm, tropical water to form and light winds and high humidity. These guidelines are not found everywhere. Therefore, hurricanes don’t pop up everywhere. For instance, there is a reason the UK never gets hit with a hurricane. Warmer temperatures usually lead to bigger and more hurricanes, which explains why hurricane season is during the year’s hottest months.
Other times, the water is not warm enough for their creation.
Conclusion
Finding a coastal city without hurricanes involves finding one that is located outside of the hurricane belt. For the most part, this isn’t all that difficult. The hurricane belt is a well-demonstrated area, so it isn’t too hard to find an area outside of it that is also on the coast. Some Caribbean Islands are also included in this count.
While hurricanes won’t for sure never hit these locations, they are extremely rare. If you’re looking for a coastal city that isn’t prone to hurricanes, getting one outside of the hurricane belt is essential.
We’ve included several hurricane-free cities in this list. However, there are plenty of others as well.
Featured Image Credit: Pixabay
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