No matter the time of year, or the fact that I live very close to the beach, I’m always dreaming of my next beach getaway. Whether it’s white sands and calm blue waters, or rock faces and boisterous waves, being near the beach is my happy place, and so when the experts claim to have found the best beach in the United States, my ears perk up.
Is it on Florida’s gorgeous gulf coast? Perhaps it’s in the rugged Pacific Northwest tucked among the wild forests? Is it actually Daytona Beach, whose water tower has for years proudly proclaimed it to be the best beach in the country?
No.
According to Dr Beach, aka Dr. Stephen P. Leatherman, the best beach for 2025 is Coopers Beach, located on the south shore of Long Island, New York near the famous village of Southampton.
© Alamy Stock PhotoAerial view of Cooper’s Beach
Parking at Coopers Beach is $50 for the day, but Dr Beach recommends “the ‘Hamptons Free Ride’ which shuttles visitors from downtown Southampton to Coopers Beach in an electric bubble cart that holds 6-8 people,” and he added that “the best time of the year to visit is in September when the summer tourists are gone, and the ocean water is still warm”.
It was last ranked as number one in 2010.
© Gado via Getty ImagesWailea Beach was ranked number 2
Hawaii had the second and third highest rated beaches; Wailea Beach, a series of five pocket beaches, “great for snorkeling when the ocean is calm,” coming in second and Poipu Beach, on the island of Kauai was third, known for “small waves [that] break gently on the shallow sandbar, creating a fun area for children to play”.
© Alamy Stock PhotoDelnor Wiggins Pass State Park was number 5
Naples, Florida took the fourth spot thanks to the beach at Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park, and another Hamptons beach, Main Beach, came in fifth.
Beachwalker Park in South Carolina was named sixth, St Andrews State Park in Florida seventh, and Hawaii also came in eighth and ninth, with Mauna Kea Beach “a hidden jewel” on the Big Island, and Lanikai Beach on Oahu in ninth.
Coast Guard Beach in Cape Cod rounded out the top 10.
© Alamy Stock PhotoSunset on Cooper’s Beach
Dr Beach uses 50 criteria on a sliding scale from one to five to rate each major public recreational beach in the country, focusing on everything from beach width, condition, and material, to public safety, smell and noise.
He has been ranking the beaches for over three decades.
A professor and director of the Laboratory for Coastal Research at Florida International University, Dr Beach’s focus has primarily been on studying beach erosion and storm impacts, as well as working with TV Production companies, private investigators, and wealthy homeowners.
Read the full article here
