St. George Island State Park, located on a pristine 2,000-acre stretch of beach off the Florida Panhandle, has been named America’s best beach for 2023 by Stephen Leatherman, best known as “Dr. Beach.” The annual ranking of 650 public beaches across the US is produced by Leatherman, a professor at Florida International University, who evaluates each beach using 50 criteria, including sand type, wave action, presence of lifeguards, development levels and crowding. The presence or absence of smoking bans also earns extra marks.
St. George Island State Park, which boasts a nine-mile stretch of sugar-white sand and activities including fishing, swimming, kayaking, cycling, camping and stargazing, has frequently featured on the list but stood out this year for offering an idyllic place for stargazers as well as for its natural beauty and lack of development.
Caladesi Island State Park near Clearwater and Dunedin also made the list, coming in fourth place. While Hawaii featured three beaches on the top ten list, more than any other state.
Leatherman’s ranking, now in its 33rd year, aims to promote beaches that are healthy, safe and clean, and a top spot typically results in a 15% to 20% boost in visitors. In addition to St. George Island and Caladesi Island, this year’s top ten included Coronado Beach in California, Kahanamoku Beach in Hawaii, Coast Guard Beach in Massachusetts, Beachwalker Park in South Carolina, Hapuna Beach State Park in Hawaii, Kiawah Island in South Carolina, Coopers Beach in Southampton, New York and Ocracoke Lifeguarded Beach in North Carolina.
Overall, St. George Island State Park’s top ranking highlights its unique blend of natural beauty, lack of development, and range of activities, making it a must-visit destination for beach lovers across the US.
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