These Florida beaches rank among the best in the US. What makes them special?
.jpg "St. Andrews State Park in Florida ranks among the nation’s best beaches.")
Two Florida beaches boast white-sand shores — and rank among the nation’s best coastal destinations.
The Gulf Coast destinations — Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park and St. Andrews State Park — earned spots on a list of the top 10 beaches in the United States. The results were published Thursday, May 22, the Naples Daily News reported.
The list comes from coastal scientist Stephen P. Leatherman, also known as Dr. Beach. To determine the best coastlines, he studied 650 public beaches for several factors, including sand texture, water temperature, rip currents and pollution, according to his website and a news release.
“50 (criteria) with a sliding scale from 1 to 5 are used to measure beach quality,” Dr. Beach wrote. “The survey was primarily designed for swimming beaches, but this information is also used to determine the best beaches for walking, scenery, sports, and other activities.”
Why the Florida beaches are special
Of the two Florida beach destinations that landed on the national list, Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park ranked the highest at No. 4. The park in Naples, a roughly 165-mile drive south from Tampa, received nods for its wildlife and shady trees.
“This barrier island beach boasts of beautiful white sand beaches and crystal-clear Gulf waters,” Dr. Beach wrote. “Activities include swimming, snorkeling, paddleboarding, shelling, and fishing.”
Also landing on the list was St. Andrews State Park, which ranked No. 7. It was praised for its proximity to tourist attractions in the Panhandle hot spot of Panama City Beach.
But there’s also a more wild side, given “the park is a popular migratory stopover for numerous bird and butterfly species,” according to its website.
“This strikingly white sandy beach is great for shelling and bird watching,” Dr. Beach wrote. “Swimming and snorkeling are popular in both the Gulf of America and St. Andrews Bay on the other side.”
The results were published after the two Florida beaches missed out on another website’s recent list. Instead, Siesta Beach — a roughly 65-mile drive south from Tampa — was named one of the world’s best coastal destinations to visit, McClatchy News reported.
This time around, Dr. Beach said the country’s top place for sand and surf was Coopers Beach on New York’s Long Island. Rounding out the top five:
- Wailea Beach in Hawaii at No. 2
- Poipu Beach in Hawaii at No. 3
- Main Beach in New York at No. 5
This story was originally published May 23, 2025 at 11:41 AM.
