Did Dr. Beach pick Florida again in 2024 for best beach in the US? Here's the new list
Scandal! Florida no longer features the best beach in the nation, according to Dr. Beach's 2024 list of Top Ten Beaches in the U.S.
Top spot St. George Island beach from last year was toppled by Hawaii's Duke Kahanamoku Beach. But we're not bitter. We still know it's a great beach.
Dr. Stephen P. Leatherman, a.k.a. Dr. Beach, a professor in the Department of Earth & Environment at Florida International University with what has to be the best job in the world, has released his 34th annual rankings of the best of America’s 650 public beaches.
Hawaii continued to dominate Dr. Beach's list, once again nabbing three of the spots. While we might not have come out on top this year, Florida still saw two of its popular beaches made the list this year — Caladesi Island State Park and Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park.
Dr. Beach uses 50 criteria to evaluate beaches, including water and sand quality, safety and environmental management practices. Beaches receive bonus points for not allowing smoking.
Duke Kahanamoku Beach is Dr. Beach's top pick for 2024
Up from last year second place last year, Hawaii's Duke Kahanamoku Beach is Dr. Beach's top pick this year. And it's easy to see why, with its picturesque palm trees and clear blue water along the coastline.
Located at the west end of Waikiki Beach, the beach is far away from the large crowds that Hawaii attracts.
“It is the widest beach on this world-famous stretch of sand and protected by an offshore coral reef, making it a good beach for families with children,” says Leatherman.
The nearby Duke Kahanamoku Lagoon is also a favorite bathing and swimming spot. Smoking is prohibited on all beaches in Hawaii for public health and protection of the marine life.
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Caladesi Island State Park is No. 4 on Dr. Beach's list in 2024
As for what Florida spots make the list, frequent Dr. Beach top-tenner, Caladesi Island State Park, is fourth this year, maintaining its same spot from last year.
Caladesi is reachable mainly by ferry and private boat, but a person in good shape watching the tides could walk there from Clearwater Beach. 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. The ferry drops visitors off in the middle of the island so anyone looking for a more secluded environment need only walk a short distance north or south.
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"My favorite is the kayak and canoe trails through the mangroves to see the large blue herons and other birds that frequent this wonderful natural area," Leatherman said.
Naples' Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park secures spot on Dr. Beach's list
Securing the eighth spot on Dr. Beach's annual list, the Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park in Naples was highlighted for its beautiful white sand beaches and crystal-clear Gulf waters.
"Activities include swimming, snorkeling, paddleboarding, shelling, and fishing. Wildlife in the park includes bald eagles, ospreys, and manatees. Pine trees provide welcome shade," Leatherman said.
He does note the park is still recovering from Hurricane Ian in 2022 so some areas are still closed to the public. Past Naples Daily News coverage detailed the major damage the barrier island beach received, yet officials encouraged those to still visit.
"The beach experience is more rustic but the sand is soft and the sunsets are still glorious," they wrote when the park reopened in 2023.
What are Dr. Beach's top 10 beaches for 2024?
Duke Kahanamoku Beach Oahu, Hawaii
Coopers Beach Southampton, New York
Wailea Beach, Maui, Hawaii
Caladesi Island State Park Dunedin/Clearwater, Florida
Beachwalker Park, Kiawah Island, South Carolina
Main Beach, East Hampton, New York
Poipu Beach, Kauai, Hawaii
Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park, Naples, Florida
Coast Guard Beach Cape Cod, Massachusetts
Coronado Beach, San Diego, California
Who is Dr. Beach?
Dr. Stephen P. Leatherman, the face behind Dr. Beach, is a proud lifelong beachgoer.
"I had the biggest backyard sandbox in Charlotte, North Carolina," he said on his website. "I loved it. Every year I opted for a beach vacation to play in the world’s largest sandbox and frolic in the surf."
A job surveying storm-struck beaches in Cape Hatteras launched his lifelong career to become an internationally recognized authority on beach erosion, hurricane impacts, the effects of sea level rise and rip currents. Leatherman often has provided expert testimony before Congress and also consults nationwide on beach-related environmental matters. He also hosted and co-produced the 1992 film “Vanishing Lands,” winner of three international film awards.
In 1989 a travel magazine caught Leatherman on his way out the door for a trip and asked for a list of the top ten U.S. beaches.
"Pressed by the reporter, I rattled off the first 10 wonderful beaches that came to mind," he said. And then he forgot about it until the magazine came out and the phone began to ring. He heard from the winners and he heard from the places snubbed.
"The media people at Daytona Beach were the most emphatic about the whole thing," Leatherman said. "They wanted to know why their beach was not on the list because everybody knows that Daytona is one of the greatest beaches in the world, it even says so on the town water tower."
So he developed 50 criteria to rate each beach and surveyed them all. The university released the first Dr. Beach list on Memorial Day weekend in 1991 and for the next 33 years it only grew as readers shared it, argued about it, and planned their vacations around it.
Originally, any beach that won the top spot on Dr. Beach's list was retired and ineligible for subsequent years, but in 2016 Leatherman cleared the slate to allow any beach in the nation to once again be eligible for the contest and for the top pick.
Leatherman has authored or edited 16 books including, not surprisingly, "America's Best Beaches."
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Dr. Beach's 2024 list: See where the best beach in the U.S., Florida
