Dr Beach (aka coastal scientist, Stephen Leatherman) who has been selecting the Top 10 beaches annually since 1991, has announced his best beaches for 2023. He bases his decisions on 50 criteria used to evaluate hundreds of public beaches in the United States.
The criteria include beach width, sand softness, water temperature and color, wildlife, and more. This year, Florida's St. George Island State Park earned the top spot.
The barrier island, which is nine miles long and sits way away from urban life, is a favorite for beachgoers. Dr. Beach said: "It has some of the whitest, finest sand in the world."
It's a hot destination for anglers and bird watchers. Besides swimming in crystal clear waters, there is the opportunity for beach combing and shelling. It's also a great spot for star-gazing.
READ MORE: Florida's best four RV parks have been rated 'top-notch' by reviewers
This is the widest beach on the west end of Waikiki. It's one of the most spectacularly located beaches in the US set against the backdrop of the distinctive Diamond Head volcano.
It's protected by an offshore coral reef, so it's perfect for families. Nearby is the Duke Kahanamoku Lagoon, a big draw for swimming too.
This beach sits on the south shore of Long Island, New York in the beautiful village of Southampton. It's the first "Gold Coast" in the country and features glistening, grainy white quartz sand.
It's a movie-makers dream location as the beach is backed by large sand dunes covered in grasses and opulent mansions. There's also a little snack bar that serves drinks and lunch.
This beach, composed of crystalline quartz sand, is reached by ferry boat, private boats, or a stroll north up from Clearwater Beach.
The sand is soft and there are boardwalk trails. Alternatively, you can pick up a canoe and kayak and paddle through the mangroves to spot blue herons amongst the vast array of species.
This beach is the top surfing spot on the U.S. Atlantic Coast. That's due to the large offshore sandy banks known as Diamond Shoals, which cause wave refraction.
It's lifeguarded so if you fancy paddling into the waves, you will feel safe and if you stroll to Cape Point, you might be lucky to walk along the long sand spit with waves coming at you from both directions.
This wide beach was made particularly famous after the Marilyn Monroe hit 'Some Like It Hot' was filmed at the local landmark, Hotel del Coronado in 1958. Built over 100 years ago, the great and the good have all stayed here: Kings, Sheiks, actors, and actresses have all overlooked this sensational beach.
The beach is hundreds of feet wide, made up of fine sparkling sands and subtropical vegetation. Beachgoers love it for the warm, mild surf and great ship-spotting.
Although Wailea Beach is part of the Wailea resort complex, the public can visit this series of five pocket beaches. It's a paradise of a beach with coral sands gently sloping offshore and it's a great place for snorkeling
Thanks to the hotels being slightly set back from the shore, the beach is overlooked by a beautifully landscaped park with flowering bushes and trees.
At the southern end of Kiawah Island, sits Beachwalker Park, just south of Charleston. With its focus on nature, visitors can explore the tidal inlets on canoes and kayaks.
Many visitors actually cycle down the fine-grain sandy beach to Captain Sam's Inlet, home to thousands of birds. The water may not be clear, but it is very clean and is full of seafood.
This beach is actually two beaches in one. A tombolo, a narrow sand spit, extends from the shore to an island and separates the two small beaches. The island breaks the big waves down into small, gentle ones which break on the shallow sandbar, creating a fun place for the children to play.
Depending on where you are on the crescent-shaped beach, you might encounter larger waves at certain points. If you fancy trying your hand at surfing, or snorkeling, you can rent them from a shack just back from the beach.
This beach is part of the Cape Cod National Seashore. Accessible by bicycle or shuttle bus from the Salt Pond Visitor's Center, it features a picturesque old Coast Guard Station sitting on top of the bluff. Head up for a great view of the Nauset Spit barrier system and bay.
The water is chilly here, so it's all about a quick dip. That's probably also due to the red flags with shark images which are put up on the beach when the predators are around.