For 33 years in a row, Florida International University coastal scientist Stephen “Dr. Beach” Leatherman has been ranking the best public beaches around the country, and this morning the good doctor released his prestigious list of top-tier sand.
This year, only two Florida spots made the cut.
Locally, Caladesi Island State Park, located in Dunedin, came in at No. 4, in Dr. Beach’s 2023 Top Ten Beaches in the country. The beach was ranked No. 2 in last year’s list.
But the No. 1 overall ranking went to George Island State Park, in the Florida Panhandle, which jumped from No. 4.
Three Hawaii beaches made the cut, the most of any state.
Dr. Beach’s annual list is chosen using a 50-point metric of criteria, ranking things like noise levels, traffic, smell, general access, algae levels, rip currents and even the slope of the beach.
Noticeably absent from this year’s list were previous Dr. Beach winners Siesta Key and Grayton Beach State Park. Though it’s worth noting that Hurricane Ian’s impact along the Southwest Coast may have played a factor, and over the last few years Florida has experienced some of the worst Red Tide algae blooms in recent history.
Here’s the full 2023 list:
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
This story was originally published by our sister paper Creative Loafing Tampa Bay.
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