Florida’s Beaches – Aerial View of Miami Beach, South Beach – Courtesy: Shutterstock – Image by Mia2you
Two of the top 10 beaches are in Florida and three are in Hawaii.
The greatest beach in the US for 2023 has been recognized as Florida’s St. George Island beach.
The 14-kilometer length of the undeveloped white sand beach was picked for its natural beauty, lack of development, and the variety of activities it offers beachgoers.
Professor Stephen Leatherman, commonly known as Dr. Beach, of Florida International University gave it the top spot. He has been ranking America’s 650 public beaches for the past 33 years, producing an annual top 10 list.
Why did St. George Island receive the title of “greatest” beach in America?
Leatherman praised the beach at St. George Island, saying, “There are just so many things there that capture my imagination.” “It’s a beautiful place.”
On St. George Island, which is off the coast of Florida’s Panhandle, the beach is a portion of the state park. The park, which is located on the east end of the island and spans roughly 2,000 acres (810 hectares), is connected to the mainland by a bridge over the Apalachicola Bay, famous for its oysters. There isn’t much else to be found on the other parts of the island than a tiny hamlet, restaurants, rental houses, and motels.
And Leatherman likes it that way.
There are miles and miles of undeveloped beaches, so people may have the best of both worlds, he said.
Tropical storms have repeatedly pounded the island throughout the years, most recently in 2018 with Hurricane Michael. Although it made landfall near Mexico Beach, about 80 kilometers to the northwest, that deadly Category 5 storm had enough force to flatten numerous sand dunes on St. George Island and harm park amenities.
Officials at the park wrote on its website that since then, “staff and volunteers have made great strides toward getting the park back to normal.”
Which ten beaches in the US are the best?
Dr. Beach’s complete top 10 for 2023 is as follows:
1. St. George Island State Park, Florida Panhandle
2. Duke Kahanamoku Beach, Oahu, Hawaii
3. Coopers Beach, Southampton, New York
4. Caladesi Island State Park, Dunedin/Clearwater, Florida
5. Lighthouse Beach, Buxton, Outer Banks of North Carolina
6. Coronado Beach, San Diego
7. Wailea Beach, Maui, Hawaii
8. Beachwalker Park, Kiawah Island, South Carolina
9. Poipu Beach, Kauai, Hawaii
10. Coast Guard Beach, Cape Cod, Massachusetts
What other places made the top 10?
Caladesi Island State Park, which is close to Clearwater and Dunedin and is a second Florida Gulf Coast beach, is ranked fourth on the list this year. Depending on the tides, it can be reached via ferry, private boat, or a long walk from Clearwater Beach.
Despite its name, Caladesi is no longer a real island since an inlet is blocked off, according to Leatherman.
The crystalline quartz sand that makes up the white beach is soft and comfortable by the water’s edge, encouraging visitors to take a plunge in the crystal-clear waters, the man explained.
Boardwalk nature walks and kayaking through mangroves, which are home to numerous fish, birds, and other animal species, are available in Caladesi.
How did Dr. Beach decide which beaches in America were the best?
Professor Leatherman evaluates beaches based on 50 criteria, including the type of sand, wave activity, the presence of lifeguards, the presence of wildlife, and the level of development and crowding, among other things.
Beaches that prohibit smoking are granted extra points, primarily due to the necessity to stop discarded butts. A recent trip to St. George Island yielded no sightings, according to Leatherman.
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Born and raised in South Florida, Krystal is a recent graduate from the University of Miami with professional writing experience at the collegiate and national news outlet levels. She’s a foodie who loves all things travel, the beach, & visiting new places throughout Florida.