During the summer thoughts turn to sun, sea and sand, and beautiful beaches beckon. Two recent surveys identified the best beaches in America. Grab your flip flops and don’t forget the sunblock! It’s time to hit the beach, baby!
Tipspoke’s Best Beaches
Recreational portal and activity database Tipspoke had 1,000 respondents weigh in on their favorite beaches in the United States. The Southeast was well-represented. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, came in first, with 62 votes. This was followed by Miami Beach, Florida; Clearwater Beach, Florida; Destin Beach, Florida; Daytona Beach, Florida; Siesta Key, Florida; and Cocoa Beach, Florida.
Other beaches that made the list include Venice Beach, California; Huntington Beach, California; Malibu Beach, California; Newport Beach, California; Panama City Beach, Florida; and Jones Beach, New York.
“Florida and California made the strongest overall showings, dominating the Top 10,” notes Tipspoke CEO Stacey Sao. “The Carolinas made an impressive showing with Myrtle Beach coming in first, and Outer Banks [North Carolina] making the extended list.”
Other notable beaches singled out by respondents in the Tipspoke survey include La Jolla, California; Pismo Beach, California; Long Beach, California; Ocean City, New Jersey; and Virginia Beach, Virginia.
“Every single one of these beaches is a real winner, and each has something unique and special to offer,” Sao says.
Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts and Texas, all of which boast lovely beaches, did not appear in Tipspoke’s list.
Dr. Beach’s Picks
Dr. Beach is the alter ego of Dr. Stephen P. Leatherman, a professor at Florida International University who has been publicizing his list of the Top 10 beaches for the past 25 years. He evaluates each one based on water and sand quality, as well as safety and beach management. In June, he released his 2016 picks.
Hawaii’s Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve, a remote beach located on the eastern coast of Oahu, came in at No. 1. One of the attributes that helped push it to the top is the fact that smoking is prohibited on the beach. No. 2 is Siesta Beach in Sarasota, Florida, which also made the Tipspoke list. This is followed by Kapalua Bay Beach, in Maui, on Hawaii. Dr. Beach’s No. 4 pick, Ocracoke Lifeguarded Beach in the Outer Banks of North Carolina, also resonated with Tipspoke respondents. No. 5 is Coast Guard Beach on Massachusetts’ Cape Cod.
Rounding out Dr. Beach’s Top 10 Beaches of 2016 are Grayton Beach State Park, on Florida’s Gulf Coast, Coronado Beach in San Diego, California; Coopers Beach in Southampton, New York; Caladesi Island State Park in Dunedin/Clearwater, Florida; and Beachwalker Park on Kiawah Island in South Carolina.
