Kauai's Hanalei (pronounced Ha-na-LAY) Bay in Hawaii tops this year's list of top beaches in the United States.
“Dr. Beach” is at it again. No not me, even though I was born and raised 5 feet from the sands of Rockaway Beach, I am definitely not a beach bum. The Doc I am talking about instead is Stephen P. Leatherman, director of Florida International University’s Laboratory for Coastal Research.
Dr. Leatherman has been releasing this list annually since 1991. He uses 50 criteria when evaluating each beach. They include water quality and temperature, cleanliness, weather, sand, safety and facilities. So just in time for the unofficial start of the summer, here are the best beaches in the United States for 2009:
- Hanalei Bay, Kauai, Hawaii
- Siesta Beach, Sarasota, Florida
- Coopers Beach, Southampton, New York
- Coronado Beach, San Diego, California
- Hamoa Beach, Maui, Hawaii
- Main Beach, East Hampton, New York
- Cape Hatteras, Outer Banks, North Carolina
- Cape Florida State Park, Key Biscayne, Florida
- Coast Guard Beach, Cape Cod, Massachusetts
- Beachwalker Park, Kiawah Island, South Carolina
