"Dr. Beach" Releases 10th Annual Rating Of America's Best Beaches(May 2000) -- An environmental studies professor and self-proclaimed beach expert has once again named seven Florida beaches to his annual list of top-20 beaches in the United States. Stephen Leatherman, who teaches at Florida International University in Miami, has issued his report as "Dr. Beach" for the past 10 years. All seven are "best of the best" returnees from the 1999 list. St. Joseph Peninsula State Park moved up a notch from No. 3 to be named the second-best beach in America. The other six kept their 1999 rankings. Just three years ago, St. Joseph's ranked No. 10. The beaches are ranked on 50 criteria, including lifeguard protection, wave size, sand softness and amenities, such as nearby hotels and restaurants. Beaches previously ranked as number one in the country are exluded from Leatherman's survey for 10 years (see table below for previous winners). The list, with 1999 rankings in parentheses:
1. (2) Kaunaoa Beach, Hawaii 9. (9) Cape Florida State Recreation Area, Key Biscayne (a.k.a. Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park) 10. (10) Ocracoke Island, N.C. 11. (11) St. George Island State Park, East Point, Fla. 12. (12) East Hampton Beach, N.Y. 13. (13) Westhampton Beach, N.Y. 14. (14) Perdido Key State Park, Pensacola, Fla. 15. (15) Siesta Beach, Siesta Key, Sarasota, Fla. 16. (16) Cape Hatteras, N.C. 17. (18) Hanauma Bay, Hawaii 18. (19)Coast Guard Beach, Mass. 19. (20) Carpinteria State Beach, Calif. 20. (new) Long Beach Island, New Jersey. Leatherman's favorite once again is in Hawaii. Kaunaoa Beach on the Big Island of Hawaii topped his 2000 list by scoring high marks in all 50 of his rating categories. "This long crescent-shaped, white sand beach contrasts with the black lava headlands that frame it," Leatherman said. "It is a great place to swim and snorkel in the sparking clear waters, especially during the calm summer months."
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| PREVIOUS NATIONAL
WINNERS (excluded from the survey for 10 years) |
| 1991 Kapalua, Hawaii |
| 1992 Bahia Honda State Park, Fla. |
| 1993 Hapuna, Hawaii |
| 1994 Grayton Beach State Recreation Area, Fla. |
| 1995 St. Andrews State Park, Fla. |
| 1996 Lanikai Beach, Hawaii |
| 1997 Hulopoe, Hawaii |
| 1998 Kailua Beach Park, Hawaii |
| 1999 Wailea Beach, Hawaii |
| Related Links Sand, Sun and Fun! |
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| Florida State Parks and Recreation Areas |
Bahia Honda State Park |
NEW LINK HERE! |
| NEW LINK HERE! | Florida Department of Environmental Protection | |
| > Florida Division of Tourism – Facts | ||
| Florida State Parks Alphabetical Index |
Florida State Parks Activities and Events |
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| YOUR LINK GOES HERE! | YOUR LINK HERE | |
| YOUR LINK HERE | YOUR LINK HERE | |
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