Memorial Day weekend in the USA marks a special time each year for people in the tourism industry, especially if they are marketing America’s beaches. In addition to the thousands of tourists they hope to see at their beach vacation destinations, they are also eagerly awaiting the “best beaches in the country” list from Dr. Beach.
About Dr. Beach and the top beach destinations list
For the past twenty years, Dr. Stephen P. Leatherman, also known as Dr. Beach, has created his Top 10 Beaches list based on his research of the 650 major public recreational beaches in the United States. As Professor and Director of the Laboratory for Coastal Research at Florida International University, Dr. Leatherman’s main focus is on storm impacts on coastal areas, which allows him to travel to and analyze beaches all over the country.
Using a list of 50 physical factors such as the quality of the sand and water, underwater beach slope, and rip currents, he assess beaches on everything from safety to environmental management. The list is useful to tourism professionals who want to market their beaches, and to travelers looking for the best beach vacation destinations in the USA.
In 1991, Dr. Beach named Kapalua Bay Beach on the island of Maui in Hawaii, as America’s top beach along with nine more beaches he considered to be in his top ten. Since then, Dr. Beach has named 200 “best beaches in the country.” Most of them have been either a Hawaii beach or a beach in Florida, but in recent years, other destinations have made the coveted list.
Hawaii beach destinations named 12 times
Over the years, twelve beaches in Hawaii have been named the best beach in America. They include:
- 1991 Kapalua Bay Beach, Maui
- 1993 Hapuna Beach State Recreation Area, the Big Island of Hawaii
- 1996 Lanikai Beach, Oahu
- 1997 Hulopoe Bay, Lanai
- 1998 Kailua Beach Park, Oahu
- 1999 Wailea Beach, Maui
- 2000 Kaunaoa Beach, the Big Island of Hawaii
- 2001 Poipu Beach Park, Kauai
- 2003 Kaanapali, Maui
- 2004 Hanauma Bay, Oahu
- 2006 Fleming Beach Park, Maui
- 2009 Hanalei Bay, Kauai.
Florida beaches named six times
Since 1991, the best beach has been a Florida beach, with three of those located in the pristine Northwest Florida region. They are:
- 1992 Bahia Honda State Recreation Area, Florida Keys
- 1994 Grayton Beach State Park, Walton County
- 1995 St. Andrews State Park, Bay County
- 2002 St. Joseph Peninsula State Park, Gulf County
- 2005 Fort DeSoto Park - North Beach, Pinellas County
- 2008 Caladesi Island State Park, Pinellas County.
Other best beach vacation destinations
In 2007, Dr. Beach named for the first time a top beach that was not in Florida or Hawaii, creating a new perspective for beach vacation destinations. Ocracoke Island on North Carolina’s Outer Banks is only accessible by boat, but the North Carolina ferry system makes several daily car-ferry trips to this beautiful remote island. The Ocracoke Lifeguarded Beach was the 2007 top beach pick.
In 2010, the first beach outside of Hawaii and the Southeast USA region was named. Coopers Beach in Southampton, New York marks the first time a northern beach has made the grade. Located on the east end of Long Island, Coopers Beach is not only a beach destination for the rich and famous, it is an area steeped in history with many historic mansions tucked into the dunes.
For more information about beaches and the Top 10 Beaches list see Dr. Beach, America’s Foremost Beach Expert. Dr. Beach also maintains a website for beach vacation inquiries at Dr. Beach’s Beachfinder.
Pamela Watson - I first hit the road at the tender age of three weeks when my career-Army dad packed up my mom and me and moved us from Indiana to New ...
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