The Drunkest Beach Towns In America [Map]

Let’s face it, when we go to the beach, whether it’s legal or illegal, we drink. But some people drink more than others, and it seems the same is true for entire beaches. How do we know? Data. We’ve partnered with BACtrack to compile the BAC data collected via the BACtrack app last summer from June 1 – Aug. 31, 2015. That data was geolocated – which is how we’re able to tie specific BAC readings with specific beaches – and then ranked from highest average BAC to lowest, revealing which beach towns drink the most and which drink the least. We then plotted each town with their rank on the map below.

It probably comes as no surprise to anyone that Myrtle Beach, SC takes the prize for drunkest beach. With an average BAC of .117 we’d recommend staying off the roads if you plan on spending any time there this summer. However, not to be outdone, Norfolk, VA and Charleston, SC come in a close second and third with average BACs that were also well over .1. In fact, the entire east coast seems to imbibe more than the rest of the country.

The surprise, however, was Miami, coming in with the lowest average BAC to make the top twenty, at just .049. While it’s known as a huge party city, our assumption for the low BAC is that the partygoers are most likely partaking in other substances more closely connected with club culture instead of throwing back a cold one.

MAP: America's 20 Drunkest Beach Towns
Click to open a larger version of this map.