"Dr. Beach" Releases 9th Annual Rating Of America's Best Beaches(May 27, 1999) -- An environmental studies professor and self-proclaimed beach expert has 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 eight years. Six of the seven Florida "best of the best" are returnees from the 1998 list. Dropping off the list was Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Recreation Area in Naples, which ranked 11th in 1997 and 1998. 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 1998 rankings in parentheses:
1. (4) Wailea Beach, Hawaii 9. (7) Cape Florida State Recreation Area, Key Biscayne (a.k.a. Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park) 10. (12) Ocracoke Island, N.C. 11. (10) St. George Island State Park, East Point, Fla. 12. (13) East Hampton Beach, N.Y. 13. (14) Westhampton Beach, N.Y. 14. (15) Perdido Key State Recreation Area, Pensacola, Fla. 15. (17) Siesta Beach, Siesta Key, Sarasota, Fla. 16. (16) Cape Hatteras, N.C. 17. (20) Poipu Beach Park, Hawaii 18. Hanauma Bay, Hawaii 19. (18) Coast Guard Beach, Mass. 20. Carpinteria State Beach, Calif. Leatherman's favorite once again is in Hawaii. He said Wailea Beach on the west side of Maui always has the great sunny beach weather. "This pocket beach of white coral sand is defined by two points of black lava rock and the trademark hotels in a beautiful tropical setting. Wailea is excellent for swimming and snorkeling during the usually calm days; divers and snorkelers often encounter large sea turtles and sometimes manta rays just offshore," Leatherman said.
In addition to best overall beaches, Leatherman has identified the
country's Best City Beaches by region:
Northeast: Rehoboth Beach, Del. |
| 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 Recreation Area, Fla. |
| 1996 Lanikai Beach, Hawaii |
| 1997 Hulopoe, Hawaii |
| 1998 Kailua Beach Park, 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 | ||
| Florida State Parks Alphabetical Index |
Florida State Parks Festivals and Events |
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| NEW LINK HERE! | YOUR LINK HERE | YOUR LINK HERE |
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