One Of America’s Top 100 Secret Beaches Is On This Wisconsin Island

WISCONSIN — The whole point of a secret beach may be that few people know about it, but this Wisconsin waterfront that made a new list of the top 100 secret beaches in America remains unique for its difficulty to access.

Family Destinations Guide, a travel planning company, recently published the list based on a survey of 3,000 U.S. families to determine the hidden beaches they’d most like to visit in 2023. Wisconsin had just one that made the list, which was otherwise dominated by beaches in Hawaii and California. The Badger State's Schoolhouse Beach ranked in at No. 86.

If you've never heard of it, you aren't alone. The beach is known for its inaccessibility and isolated feel, likely because it requires a ferry to get there. It's located on Washington Island, just off the tip of mainland Door County, across a treacherous strait of water known as Death's Door.

You can take regular ferry trips out to the island, which also features eateries, a lavender farm and more.

The top secret beach in the poll was Awahua Beach, located off Hawaii’s island of Molokai. It’s known for crystal clear turquoise waters and soft, white sand.

Hawaii has three of the top five secret beaches — No. 3 Lanikai Beach, off the coast of Oahu, and No. 4 Kauapea Beach, on the north shore of Kauai, Hawaii.

Also among the top five picks are Shell Key Preserve beach in Florida (No. 2) and Sedge Island beach in New Jersey (No. 5).

Florida had the most secret beaches to visit with nine, California had eight and Hawaii had five.

Not all the beaches front oceans. The list included beaches in other states such as Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, Nevada, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, and Wyoming.