>Dr. Beach's Top 10 Beaches, 2010: Siesta Beach, Sarasota, Fla.
Dr. Beach's Top 10 Beaches, 2010: Coopers Beach, Southampton, N.Y.
Coastal expert Dr. Stephen P. Leatherman, director of Florida International University's Laboratory for Coastal Research and known as "Dr. Beach," announced his 20th annual Top 10 Beaches list on May 28. He has compiled the list annually since 1991 using 50 criteria, including water quality and temperature, cleanliness, weather, sand, safety and facilities. Here are Dr. Beach’s top 10 picks for 2010, along with the No. 1 beaches from the five prior years.
1. Coopers Beach, Southampton, N.Y.: This white-quartz sand beach in the village of Southampton on the south shore of Long Island, N.Y., is a dramatic site to behold. It is hundreds of yards wide, backed by large sand dunes covered by American beach grass and interspersed with extravagant mansions. You’ll find some of the best beach access in the Hamptons here, along with a snack bar serving lunch and drinks.
Slide show text by Robin Dalmas, Bing Travel.
Dr. Beach's Top 10 Beaches, 2010: Coronado Beach, San Diego, Calif.
Dr. Beach's Top 10 Beaches, 2010: Siesta Beach, Sarasota, Fla.
2. Siesta Beach, Sarasota, Fla.: With some of the finest, whitest sand in the world, this beach attracts sand collectors from all over. Siesta Beach has clear, warm waters that are a swimmer’s dream. A unique underwater formation of coral rock and caves helps create a crescent-shaped beach that is perfect for snorkeling and scuba diving. This beach is hundreds of yards wide and is great for volleyball and other recreation.
Dr. Beach's Top 10 Beaches, 2010: Cape Hatteras, North Carolina
Dr. Beach's Top 10 Beaches, 2010: Coronado Beach, San Diego, Calif.
3. Coronado Beach, San Diego, Calif.: This veritable oasis by the sea is the toast of Southern California. It boasts lush subtropical vegetation, a unique Mediterranean climate and fine sparkling sand. Beachgoers flock here for mild surf and great ship watching. The local landmark, Hotel del Coronado, was built more than 100 years ago and offers spectacular architecture and Old World elegance. Kings, sheiks, actors and actresses have stayed at this property, where food and drinks are served on the beach.
Dr. Beach's Top 10 Beaches, 2010: Main Beach, East Hampton, N.Y.
Dr. Beach's Top 10 Beaches, 2010: Cape Hatteras, North Carolina
4. Cape Hatteras, Outer Banks of North Carolina: The country’s first national seashore is a barrier island that bulges far offshore. It provides some of the best board surfing along the East Coast and features the most famous lighthouse in the U.S. Cape Hatteras attracts beachgoers to its historic villages as well as nature lovers who enjoy beachcombing and fishing.
Dr. Beach's Top 10 Beaches, 2010: Kahanamoku Beach, Waikiki, Oahu, Hawaii
Dr. Beach's Top 10 Beaches, 2010: Main Beach, East Hampton, N.Y.
5. Main Beach, East Hampton, N.Y.: Main Beach provides the perfect blend of nature and a manmade environment. Wealthy summertime residents flock here to beaches protected by a conservation easement that dates back more than 300 years. Main Beach is a great place for celebrity spotting; many actors and actresses visit for the idyllic setting in a small village. The big, wide sandy beach made of quartz has towering sand dunes and beautiful clean, clear blue water. Pedal a bicycle to avoid parking and take in the beautiful vista.
Dr. Beach's Top 10 Beaches, 2010: Coast Guard Beach, Cape Cod, Mass.
Dr. Beach's Top 10 Beaches, 2010: Kahanamoku Beach, Waikiki, Oahu, Hawaii
6. Kahanamoku Beach, Waikiki, Oahu, Hawaii: This beach was named in honor of Duke Paoa Kahanamoku, a gold-medal Olympic swimmer who is credited with introducing surfing to the outside world. Kahanamoku Beach is bordered by the Ala Wai small boat harbor and the Hilton Hawaiian Village catamaran pier. A shallow offshore reef protects this beach from big waves, making it a great swimming area for families with children.
Dr. Beach's Top 10 Beaches, 2010: Beachwalker Park, Kiawah Island, S.C.
Dr. Beach's Top 10 Beaches, 2010: Coast Guard Beach, Cape Cod, Mass.
7. Coast Guard Beach, Cape Cod, Mass.: This beach, accessible by bicycle or via shuttle bus from the Salt Pond Visitor’s Center, was formed when a sand spit attached to the eroding glacial cliffs. The sand is fairly coarse, so the beach slopes steeply into the water. The picturesque old Coast Guard station still sits atop the glacial bluffs, allowing for a spectacular view of the Nauset Spit barrier system and bay. In summer, beachgoers tend to take quick, refreshing dips in the ocean, as water temperatures only reach 60 to 70 degrees.
Dr. Beach's Top 10 Beaches, 2010: Hamoa Beach, Maui, Hawaii
Dr. Beach's Top 10 Beaches, 2010: Beachwalker Park, Kiawah Island, S.C.
8. Beachwalker Park, Kiawah Island, S.C.: This public beach on the southern end of Kiawah Island is approximately 25 miles south of Charleston. Tennis and golf are featured here, as well as interpretative tours of the island’s flora and fauna. This is a nature-lover’s coast, so visitors should pack their canoes and kayaks to paddle through the tidal inlets or walk down to St. Sam’s Inlet to see thousands of birds. The water is not clear here, but it is clean and provides for fantastic seafood. Visitors can also pack their bicycles, since the sand is compact enough to ride along the 10-mile long barrier island.
Dr. Beach's Top 10 Beaches, 2010: Cape Florida State Park, Key Biscayne, Fla.
Dr. Beach's Top 10 Beaches, 2010: Hamoa Beach, Maui, Hawaii
9. Hamoa Beach, Maui, Hawaii: Ernest Hemingway once said that Hamoa Beach was the world’s best beach. It’s certainly the most famous of Maui’s Hana beaches. This crescent-shaped beach, a mixture of coral and lava sand, is rimmed by cliffs and covered by coconut palms and flowering vegetation. The beach is actually inside a breached volcanic crater. To get to Hamoa Beach, one has to take the “Road to Hana,” the treacherous drive with sporadic guardrails and drop-offs of more than 1,000 feet. Take it slow on this road, which has more than 50 one-way bridges.
Dr. Beach's Top Beach for 2009: Hanalei Bay Beach, Kauai, Hawaii
Dr. Beach's Top 10 Beaches, 2010: Cape Florida State Park, Key Biscayne, Fla.
10. Cape Florida State Park, Key Biscayne, Fla.: This beach at the southern tip of Key Biscayne provides clear, emerald-colored waters and gentle surf. The fine white-coral sand beach is great for swimming, as waves are knocked down by a large sand shoal offshore. In addition, the Cape Florida Lighthouse allows for a breathtaking view of this beautiful beach.
Dr. Beach's Top Beach for 2008: Caladesi Island State Park, Dunedin/Clearwater, Fla.
Dr. Beach's Top Beach for 2009: Hanalei Bay Beach, Kauai, Hawaii
Dr. Beach named Hanalei Bay Beach as his No. 1 beach in 2009. Hanalei Bay is a spectacular white crescent-shaped sand beach that is considered by residents and visitors to be the most beautiful beach setting in Hawaii. The two-mile long strand is lined by palm trees and has a backdrop of waterfalls and mountain peaks that range up to 4,000 feet high. One of the best views of the beach is from the Princeville Hotel on the high bluff to the east. The other end of this wide coral sand beach is anchored by a high lava point that extends into the ocean. This panorama has been the inspiration for many paintings and photo shoots.
>Dr. Beach's Top Beach for 2007: Ocracoke Lifeguarded Beach, Outer Banks, N.C.
Dr. Beach's Top Beach for 2008: Caladesi Island State Park, Dunedin/Clearwater, Fla.
Caladesi Island State Park took the No. 1 spot in 2008. It is north of Clearwater Beach, three miles off shore from Dunedin, and is one of the few undeveloped barrier islands left in Florida. Your imagination can get a vigorous workout here. While walking the three miles of beaches, it's easy to imagine yourself as a 16th-century Spanish explorer looking at the New World for the first time. Or, enjoy the Robinson Crusoe fantasy of having a tropical island to yourself. The Gulf Coast barrier island's unspoiled beauty offers a glimpse of Florida the way it looked centuries ago. Caladesi offers excellent opportunities for swimming, fishing, shelling, boating and nature study.
Dr. Beach's Top Beach for 2006: Fleming Beach Park, Maui, Hawaii
Dr. Beach's Top Beach for 2007: Ocracoke Lifeguarded Beach, Outer Banks, N.C.
Ocracoke Island was Dr. Beach’s No. 1 pick in 2007. Big surf and coarse-grained beaches, some of the finest wild beaches in the country, are the rule here. The water quality is at the top of the charts, as there is literally nothing out here to pollute it. This island can be reached by a state ferry from Cape Hatteras. Don't come here expecting to play golf or stay at a resort hotel, however. The main pursuits are swimming (best at the Airport Beach area), shelling (especially on the north end) and general beachcombing along the 16-mile long shore. It's also fun to ride bicycles through the historic village of Ocracoke on the southern end of the island.
Dr. Beach's Top Beach for 2005: Fort De Soto Park, North Beach, St. Petersburg, Fla.
Dr. Beach's Top Beach for 2006: Fleming Beach Park, Maui, Hawaii
Fleming Beach Park was the No. 1 spot in 2006. This popular beach is great for swimming when the ocean is calm, but riptides may develop when the surf rises. The beach is long, wide and sandy and is surrounded by ironwood trees that provide wonderful shade. Take caution when swimming, however, due to the steep slope of the beach that causes a backwash even during calm seas.
Dr. Beach's Top Beach for 2006: Fleming Beach Park, Maui, Hawaii
Dr. Beach's Top Beach for 2005: Fort De Soto Park, North Beach, St. Petersburg, Fla.
Fort De Soto Park was the No. 1 spot in 2005. It consists of seven miles of beaches and two fishing piers along with picnic and camping areas within its 900 unspoiled acres. The island is easily accessible by a causeway from St. Petersburg and St. Pete Beach. A historic fort built during the Spanish-American War can be found on Mullet Key, the largest of the five islands that make up this unique area. The park also features a 235-site family camping area directly on the Gulf of Mexico, with luxury facilities that include picnic tables, grills, water, electricity, washers, dryers, sanitary disposal stations, modern restrooms, showers, play areas and a camp store.
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