America's Best Beaches List

Dr. Stephen P. Leatherman, known throughout the United States and internationally as Dr. Beach, is regarded as the country's leading authority on beach quality and ratings. A Ph.D. coastal scientist, professor of environmental studies and Director of the Laboratory for Coastal Research at Florida International University and acclaimed author, Dr. Leatherman is perhaps best known for his annual America's Best Beaches Top 10 List.

Dr. Leatherman's first Top Beach list was issued in 1991. Since then, every year around Memorial Day, beachgoers and beach communities anxiously await his latest list of the ten best public recreational beaches for swimming, walking, scenery, sports, and other activities. Beaches along the Atlantic Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific Ocean are objectively evaluated using a rating scale that covers 50 different criteria, ranging from beach width, sand quality, water temperature and strengths of currents to human impact issues such as lifeguards, the presence of litter and undesirable noise.

2012 America's Top Beaches

The list of 2012 top ten beaches features four beaches in the Southeast U.S. including the same beaches listed last year with the exception of Florida's Siesta Beach in Sarasota, which received top honors as the 2011 National Winner. Altogether, Southeast U.S. top beaches for 2012 include two in Florida, one in North Carolina and one in South Carolina: Cape Hatteras moved down five spots from fifth to tenth place; Kiawah Island's Beachwalker Park move down two places from seventh to ninth place; Florida's Cape Florida State Park moved up two spots from tenth to eighth place; while St. George Island State Park moved up two spots from sixth to fourth place.

1. Coronado Beach - San Diego, California - National Winner
   
2. Kahanamoku Beach - Waikiki, Oahu, Hawaii
   
3. Main Beach - East Hampton, New York
   
4. St. George Island State Park - The Florida Panhandle
   
5. Hamoa Beach - Maui, Hawaii
   
6. Coast Guard Beach - Cape Cod, Massachusetts
   
7. Waimanalo Bay Beach Park - Oahu, Hawaii
   
8. Cape Florida State Park - Key Biscayne, Florida
9. Beachwalker Park - Kiawah Island, South Carolina
   
10. Cape Hatteras - Outer Banks of North Carolina

More About the 2012 Southeastern Winning Beaches

• Cape Hatteras
  
• Beachwalker Park Website
  
• The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island
  
• Florida's Top Beaches
  
• Dr. Beach Official Website

Previous Annual Dr. Beach Top Beaches

2011 America's Top Beaches

The Southeast received recognition in five of the top ten spots, including three in Florida (the National Winner plus two others), one in North Carolina and one in South Carolina:

1. Siesta Beach - Sarasota, Florida - National Winner
   
2. Coronado Beach - San Diego, California
   
3. Kahanamoku Beach - Waikiki, Oahu, Hawaii
   
4. Main Beach - East Hampton, New York
   
5. Cape Hatteras - Outer Banks of North Carolina
   
6. St. George Island State Park - The Florida Panhandle
   
7. Beachwalker Park - Kiawah Island, South Carolina
   
8. Coast Guard Beach - Cape Cod, Massachusetts
   
9. Waimanalo Bay Beach Park - Oahu, Hawaii
   
10. Cape Florida State Park - Key Biscayne, Florida

2010 America's Top Beaches

The Southeast received recognition in four of the top ten spots, including two Florida beaches, one in North Carolina and one in South Carolina. These were the same beaches selected as 2009 winners, although the rankings were different:

1. Coopers Beach - Southampton, New York - National Winner
   
2. Siesta Beach - Sarasota, Florida
   
3. Coronado Beach - San Diego, California
   
4. Cape Hatteras - Outer Banks of North Carolina
   
5. Main Beach - East Hampton, New York
   
6. Kahanamoku Beach - Waikiki, Oahu, Hawaii
   
7. Coast Guard Beach - Cape Cod, Massachusetts
   
8. Beachwalker Park - Kiawah Island, South Carolina
   
9. Hamoa Beach - Maui, Hawaii
   
10. Cape Florida State Park - Key Biscayne, Florida

2009 America's Top Beaches

The Southeast received recognition in four of the top ten spots. Two Florida beaches, one in North Carolina and one in South Carolina were selected as 2009 winners:

1. Hanalei Bay - Kauai, Hawaii - National Winner
   
2. Siesta Beach - Sarasota, Florida
   
3. Coopers Beach - Southampton, New York
   
4. Coronado Beach - San Diego, California
   
5. Hamoa Beach - Maui, Hawaii
   
6. Main Beach - East Hampton, New York
   
7. Cape Hatteras Buxton Lifeguarded Beach - Outer Banks of North Carolina
   
8. Cape Florida State Park - Key Biscayne, Florida
   
9. Coast Guard Beach - Cape Cod, Massachusetts
   
10. Beachwalker Park - Kiawah Island, South Carolina

2008 America's Top Beaches

The Southeast received recognition in five of the top ten spots. Three Florida beaches, one in North Carolina and one in South Carolina were selected as 2008 winners:

1. Caladesi Island State Park - Dunedin / Clearwater, Florida - National Winner
   
2. Hanalei Beach - Kauai, Hawaii
   
3. Siesta Beach - Sarasota, Florida
   
4. Coopers Beach - Southampton, New York
   
5. Coronado Beach - San Diego, California
   
6. Main Beach - East Hampton, New York
   
7. Hamoa Beach - Maui, Hawaii
   
8. Cape Hatteras - Outer Banks, North Carolina
   
9. Cape Florida State Park - Key Biscayne, Florida
   
10. Beachwalker Park - Kiawah Island, South Carolina

2007 America's Top Beaches

The 2007 national winner of America's Top Beaches for 2007 was Ocracoke Lifeguarded Beach, located on Ocracoke Island at the southern end of the Outer Banks of North Carolina. This was the first year in the history of the list that a beach outside of Florida or Hawaii was selected as the national winner. In addition, three Florida beaches were on the 2007 list, along with three in the Northeast, two in Hawaii, and one in California, making the Southeastern United States the clear overall winning region for 2007.

The complete list of the ten America's Top Beaches for 2007 includes:

1. Ocracoke Lifeguarded Beach - Outer Banks, North Carolina - National Winner
   
2. Caladesi Island State Park - Dunedin/Clearwater, Florida
   
3. Coopers Beach, Southampton - New York
   
4. Hanalei Bay, Kauai - Hawaii
   
5. Coast Guard Beach - Cape Cod, Massachusetts
   
6. Hamoa Beach, Maui - Hawaii
   
7. Main Beach - East Hampton, New York
   
8. Coronado Beach - San Diego, California
   
9. Lighthouse Point Park - Daytona Beach, Florida
   
10. Siesta Beach - Sarasota, Florida

Past National Winners

Once a beach has been named the national winner, it is retired and no longer appears on future lists. Past national winners are:

• 2006 - Fleming Beach Park, Maui, Hawaii
  
• 2005 - Fort DeSoto Park - North Beach, St Petersburg, Florida
  
• 2004 - Hanauma Bay, Oahu, Hawaii
  
• 2003 - Kaanapali, Hawaii
  
• 2002 - St. Joseph Peninsula State Park, Florida
  
• 2001 - Poipu Beach Park, Hawaii
  
• 2000 - Mauna Kea Beach, Hawaii
  
• 1999 - Wailea Beach, Hawaii
  
• 1998 - Kailua Beach Park, Hawaii
  
• 1997 - Hulopoe, Hawaii
  
• 1996 - Lanikai Beach, Hawaii
  
• 1995 - St. Andrews SRA, Florida
  
• 1994 - Grayton Beach SRA, Florida
  
• 1993 - Hapuna, Hawaii
  
• 1992 - Bahia Honda SRA, Florida
  
• 1991 - Kapalua Bay Beach, Hawaii

Additional Information

• Ocracoke Island
  
• Scenic Photos of Ocracoke Island
  
• Driving Tour of the Outer Banks
  
• Top Southeast US Beach Resort Hotels