20 Iconic Beach Scenes That Still Make Waves in Pop Culture

Summer’s here, the sunscreen’s out, and whether you’re actually beach-bound or just dreaming from your desk, it’s the perfect time to relive some of the best beach moments ever captured on screen. “Entertainment Weekly“ pulled together a salty, sun-drenched list of pop culture’s most unforgettable beach scenes—and honestly, it’s a total vibe.

Let’s dive in (with SPF 50, obviously).

1. “Jaws” (1975)
Beach terror hits its peak with the frantic rush of swimmers fleeing the water.

2. “Baywatch” (1989–2001)
An entire TV show dedicated to slow-mo running on the sand. Red swimsuits, dramatic rescues, and a generation of people suddenly motivated to become lifeguards.

3. “The Notebook” (2004)
“If you’re a bird, I’m a bird.” Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams get romantic and soggy in a beachside moment of pure rom-dram.

4. “Point Break” (1991)
Patrick Swayze’s final, defiant surf into a deadly wave is haunting and beautiful. A perfect exit.

5. “Casino Royale” (2006)
Daniel Craig walks out of the ocean in tight blue trunks, flipping the traditional Bond girl moment on its head. Internet = broken.

6. “The 400 Blows” (1959)
In Truffaut’s French New Wave masterpiece, young Antoine finally reaches the ocean. His frozen, pensive stare into the camera has haunted cinephiles ever since.

7. “Barbie” (2023)
Ryan Gosling’s Ken gets ultra competitive with Simu Liu’s Ken in a “beach off.” Bonus: Venice Beach plays a starring role when Barbie ventures into the real world, sparkles and all.

8. “From Here to Eternity” (1953)
No beach list is complete without this one: Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr rolling around in the surf mid-affair. Waves crashing. Passion overflowing. Absolute classic.

9. “The Office” (2007)
“Beach Games” features Michael Scott leading the Dunder Mifflin crew in ridiculous competitions. Fun fact: it’s actually a lake. But the energy is very beach.

10. “Planet of the Apes” (1968)
The Statue of Liberty buried in sand. The twist. The existential horror. All thanks to one chilling beach reveal.

11. “Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle” (2003)
Demi Moore struts out of the ocean while Little Surfer Girl plays. Sass, style, and surf—it’s peak early-2000s camp.

12. “Happy Days” (1977)
The origin of the phrase “jumping the shark,” literally. Fonzie water-skis over a shark while wearing his leather jacket on the episode, “Hollywood: Part 3”. Television, folks.

13. “Mad Men” (2013)
Don Draper might be in paradise in the episode “The Doorway”, but this Hawaiian beach scene reveals a man haunted by existential dread, all while reading Dante’s Inferno in the sun.

14. “Die Another Day” (2002)
Speaking of Bond girls: Halle Berry’s slow-mo strut from the sea in an orange bikini became instant film history.

15. “Top Gun” (1986)
Shirtless, sweaty volleyball with Tom Cruise and Val Kilmer. Need we say more?

16. “The Karate Kid” (1984)
Wax on, wax off. And yes, that includes Ralph Macchio learning the iconic crane kick right there on the sand.

17. “Chariots of Fire” (1981)
That opening scene . . . runners charging along a wind-whipped beach to the Vangelis synth score . . . pure cinematic gold.

18. “Friends” (1997)
“The One with the Jellyfish” gave us way too much info about first aid, and peeing on someone to help them.  

19. “Saving Private Ryan” (1998)
One of the most harrowing depictions of D-Day ever filmed, as Tom Hanks and company land on Omaha Beach. Brutal. Important. Unforgettable.

20. “Splash” (1984)
Tom Hanks meets Daryl Hannah (as a literal mermaid) in a dreamy, sandy, fish-out-of-water moment that launched a thousand beachy rom-coms.