Two Florida beaches have been named among the country's best beaches for 2023, according to the annual ranking released Thursday by the world's foremost "beachologist."
Stephen Leatherman, aka “Dr. Beach,” is a coastal scientist and professor at Florida International University who has rated the best of America's 650 public beaches every year for the last 33 years.
Leatherman says he uses 50 criteria to evaluate beaches including sand type, wave action, whether lifeguards are present, the presence of wildlife, the level of development and crowding, and many other factors.
Extra credit is given to beaches that forbid cigarette smoking, mainly because of the need to prevent discarded butts.
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Leatherman announced his top 10 list of U.S. public beaches just in time for Memorial Day — the traditional start of summer. Here's where Florida's beaches ranked on the list.
1. St. George Island State Park, Florida Panhandle
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This year, the state park on St. George Island just off the Florida Panhandle has climbed to the top of Dr. Beach's list.
While St. George Island is frequently somewhere on the list, what made it the top pick this year is its natural beauty, lack of development, abundant activities including fishing, swimming, kayaking, cycling, camping and an unparalleled view of the night sky for stargazers, Leatherman said.
“There's just so many things that capture my imagination there,” Leatherman said in an interview. “It's an idyllic place.”
He also said no cigarette butts were seen during his recent visit to St. George Island, granting the beach some extra points.
The park covers about 2,000 acres on the east end of the island, which is connected by a bridge to the mainland across Apalachicola Bay, famed for its oysters. The other sections of the island contain a small village, restaurants, rental homes and motels, but not a whole lot else.
And that's the way Leatherman likes it.
“People can have the best of both worlds there, just miles and miles of unspoiled beaches,” he said.
4. Caladesi Island State Park, Dunedin/Clearwater, Florida
A second Florida Gulf Coast beach, Caladesi Island State Park near Clearwater and Dunedin, ranks fourth on the list this year.
It's reachable mainly by ferry and private boat, or a person could walk a fair distance there from Clearwater Beach depending on the tides.
Despite the name, Caladesi isn't a true island any longer because an inlet closed off, Leatherman said.
“The white beach is composed of crystalline quartz sand, which is soft and cushy at the water's edge, inviting one to take a dip in the sparkling clear waters,” he said.
Caladesi has boardwalk nature trails and kayaking through mangroves that are home to numerous species of fish, birds and other animals.
Other Beaches on the List
Despite Florida having two beaches on the list, Hawaii was the most frequently listed state with a total of three beaches.
Here is Dr. Beach's complete ranking of the top 10 best U.S. beaches in 2023:
- St. George Island State Park, Florida Panhandle
- Duke Kahanamoku Beach, Oahu, Hawaii
- Coopers Beach, Southampton, New York
- Caladesi Island State Park, Dunedin/Clearwater, Florida
- Lighthouse Beach, Buxton, Outer Banks of North Carolina
- Coronado Beach, San Diego
- Wailea Beach, Maui, Hawaii
- Beachwalker Park, Kiawah Island, South Carolina
- Poipu Beach, Kauai, Hawaii
- Coast Guard Beach, Cape Cod, Massachusetts
