SIESTA KEY, Fla. – Ocracoke Lifeguarded Beach on North Carolina's Outer Banks has been named the third best beach on an annual top 10 list compiled by coastal science professor Stephen Leatherman, also known as Dr. Beach.
Leatherman, who is director of the Laboratory for Coastal Research at Florida International University, uses about 50 criteria to assess and rank beaches across the country.
In recent years, he has given extra points to beaches that prohibit smoking, saying cigarette butts are not only environmentally damaging, but can ruin the experience for beach-goers. Safety and environmental management are other major factors, he said.
Florida's Siesta Beach landed at the top of the list.
The sand on Siesta Beach on Florida's Gulf Coast is as fine as powdered sugar, a pure, sparkling white and soft as a kitten's fur — all because it's comprised of 99 percent pure crushed quartz. For that reason, and many others, it was selected this year as the best beach in America by Leatherman.
He's rated beaches since 1991.
The full 2017 Top 10 Beaches List:
- Siesta Beach Sarasota, Florida
- Kapalua Bay Beach in Maui, Hawaii
- Ocracoke Lifeguarded Beach, Outer Banks of North Carolina
- Beach State Park on the Florida Panhandle
- Coopers Beach in Southampton, New York
- Coast Guard Beach on Cape Cod in Massachusetts
- Caladesi Island State Park in Dunedin/Clearwater, Florida
- Hapuna Beach State Park, Big Island, Hawaii
- Coronado Beach in San Diego, California
- Beachwalker Park on Kiawah Island, South Carolina.