A coastal science professor at Florida International University in Miami, Stephen Leatherman, better known as "Dr. Beach," released his annual list of best beaches in the nation on Thursday.
Two Florida beaches made the Sunshine State professor's top 10.
- Kapalua Bay Beach, Maui
- Ocracoke Lifeguarded Beach, North Carolina's Outer Banks
- Grayton Beach State Park, Florida
- Coopers Beach, New York
- Coast Guard Beach, Cape Cod, Massachusetts
- Lighthouse Beach, Buxton, Outer Banks, North Carolina
- Caladesi Island State Park, Dunedin-Clearwater, Florida
- Hapuna, the Big Island, Hawaii
- Coronado Beach, San Diego, California, in ninth place and
- Kiawah Beachwalker Park, Kiawah Island, South Carolina, coming in 10th.
Leatherman has been compiling his annual list of top 10 beaches every year since 1991.
The list looks at 50 different criteria, with the most important categories being water cleanliness, safety (meaning no rip currents or drownings) and management of the beach environment and its facilities.
Dr. Beach also looks for soft sand, and gives extra points for beaches that prohibit smoking. He also analyzes water quality data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to grade the beaches.