Florida Gulf Coast Beach Is No. 1 On Dr. Beach's World-Famous Top 10 Beach List

CLEARWATER, FL — Dr. Beach released his annual Top 10 Beach List Thursday, naming St. George Island State Park in the Florida Panhandle as the No. 1-ranked beach this year.

This is the 33rd year that coastal expert Dr. Stephen P. Leatherman, professor in the Department of Earth & Environment at Florida International University in Miami, nicknamed Dr. Beach, has released his popular list of top beaches.

The last time a Florida beach was ranked No. 1 on the list was in 2017 when Dr. Beach named Siesta Beach in Sarasota the best beach in the country.

Located on a barrier island fronting historic Apalachicola Bay, Dr. Julian G. Bruce St. George Island State Park is noteworthy for its 9 miles of "some of the most pristine beach in the United States," Leatherman said.

"Its remote location is perfect for stargazing and enjoying spectacular sunsets," he said. "Camping in this 1,962-acre barrier island park is available for nature enthusiasts. A climb to the top of St. George Island Lighthouse offers an excellent view of this offshore island and village where accommodations are available. There are ample opportunities for sunbathing, beachcombing, swimming, canoeing, kayaking, hiking and nature study."

As “Dr. Beach”, Leatherman has selected the annual Top 10 Beaches since 1991 using 50 criteria to evaluate beaches, including water and sand quality as well as safety and management.

Leatherman is an internationally known coastal scientist who has published 20 books and hundreds of scientific articles and reports about storm impacts, coastal erosion and ways to improve beach health and safety.

This year, Leatherman awarded bonus points to beaches that prohibit smoking.

Leatherman is credited with lobbying state legislators to pass House Bill 105 in 2022, which allows local governments to ban smoking on public beaches. With the bill's passage, Florida joined the list of growing states that recognizes the importance of keeping their beaches clear of cigarette butts.

Miami Beach was among the first to prohibit smoking. Since then, a number of other popular beaches in the state have banned smoking including Clearwater Beach, Sarasota beaches, Fort Lauderdale and Palm Beach.

Other beaches making the top 10 list are:

2. Duke Kahanamoku Beach, Oahu, Hawaii — Kahanamoku Beach is located on the west end of Waikiki Beach, far from the large crowds elsewhere. It is the widest beach on this world-famous stretch of sand and protected by an offshore coral reef, making it a good beach for families with children. The nearby Duke Kahanamoku Lagoon is also a favorite bathing and swimming spot. "This is one of the most picturesque beaches in the USA with the iconic Diamondhead volcano in the distance," said Leatherman.

3. Coopers Beach, Southampton, New York — Coopers Beach is located on the south shore of Long Island, New York, shielded from the cold Labrador currents in the beautiful village of Southampton. As the first “Gold Coast” in the country, Coopers Beach is hundreds of yards wide, made of grainy white quartz sand. The beach is backed by large sand dunes covered by American beach grass interspersed with extravagant mansions. Some of the best beach access in the Hamptons exists on Coopers Beach.

4. Caladesi Island State Park, Dunedin — Caladesi is reached by pedestrian ferry boat, private boats or a long walk north from Clearwater Beach. The inlet is closed so Caladesi is no longer a true island. The white beach is composed of crystalline quartz sand, "which is soft and cushy at the water’s edge, inviting one to take a dip in the sparkling clear waters," Leatherman said. "There are boardwalk trails, but my favorite is the kayak and canoe trails through the mangroves to see the large blue herons and other birds that frequent this wonderful natural area."

5. Lighthouse Beach, Buxton, Outer Banks of North Carolina — Lighthouse Beach is where the old spiral-striped Cape Hatteras Lighthouse once stood until it was moved landward in 1999 because of beach erosion. This lifeguarded beach is the No. 1 surfing spot on the U. S. Atlantic Coast as the large offshore sand banks, known as Diamond Shoals, cause wave refraction focusing wave energy on this beach. "It is fun to stroll down to the Cape Point where a long sand spit often exists, making one feel somewhat like Moses because the waves are coming from both directions as you walk along this narrow string of sand in the ocean," Leatherman said.

6. Coronado Beach, San Diego, California — Coronado Beach is the toast of Southern California. It is a veritable oasis by the sea that is hundreds of yards wide. With its subtropical vegetation, unique Mediterranean climate and fine sparkling sand, beach-goers flock to this beach for great ship-watching and the summer’s warm and mild surf. The local landmark, Hotel del Coronado, was built over a hundred years ago. Kings, sheiks, actors, and actresses have stayed at this iconic hotel.

7. Wailea Beach, Maui, Hawaii — Wailea Beach is a series of five pocket beaches, which are part of the Wailea resort complex that is mandated to provide a public right-of-way for visitors. "The white coral sand beach gently slopes offshore and is great for snorkeling when the ocean is calm," said Leatherman. "The swanky hotels are setback far from the beach, providing a beautiful-landscaped park, adorned with tropical vegetation and flowering bushes and trees."

8. Beachwalker Park, Kiawah Island, South Carolina — South of Charleston, Beachwalker Park is the public beach located on the southern end of Kiawah Island. "This is a nature lovers' coast so visitors can bring their canoes and kayaks to paddle through the tidal inlets," said Leatherman. "It is also fun to walk or bicycle down the fine-grained sand beach to Captain Sam’s Inlet to see thousands of birds. The water is not clear, but it is clean and provides fantastic seafood for low-country cooking."

9. Poipu Beach, Kauai, Hawaii — Located on the sunny, dry side of this island is Poipu Beach, which is actually two beaches in one because a tombolo, which is a narrow sand spit that extends from the shore to an island, separates the two pocket beaches. "The offshore island knocks down the big waves, so that small waves break gently on the shallow sandbar, creating a fun area for children to play," Leatherman said. "As you move along the crescent-shaped beach, the waves vary in size in response to the exposure to the Pacific Ocean."

10. Coast Guard Beach, Cape Cod, Massachusetts — Coast Guard Beach, accessible by bicycle from the Salt Pond Visitor’s Center or shuttle bus, is located where a sand spit extends southward from the glacial sea cliffs. "The picturesque old Coast Guard station still sits atop the glacial bluffs, allowing for a spectacular view of the Nauset Spit barrier system and bay," Leatherman said. "During the summer, beach goers take quick, refreshing dips in the ocean as the water is chilly. In recent years, seals have moved northward from Monomoy Island Wildlife Refuge into the populated beaches, which has attracted great white sharks."

Click here for previous national winners.