TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Three of Florida’s beaches stand out as America’s best for a second year in a row, reminding families and summer vacation seekers why Florida is the place for the best family beach vacations in 2017. This year, Siesta Beach in Sarasota County on Florida’s Gulf Coast was named the #1 Beach in America by Dr. Stephen P. Leatherman. Better known as Dr. Beach, Dr. Leatherman is renowned as America’s foremost beach expert and professor at Florida Atlantic University.
Each year, travelers await Dr. Leatherman’s annual Top 10 Beaches list, eager to discover the beaches most admired by locals and tourists alike. For the 27th annual Top 10 Beach list, Dr. Leatherman evaluated and ranked beaches all over the United States, using 50 criteria that included the color of the sand, the clarity of the water, the slope of the shore and much more.
“Siesta Beach boasts that it has the finest, whitest sand in the world, which attracts sand collectors and beach lovers from all over,” says Dr. Leatherman. “Siesta Beach is not only a beautiful location for beachgoers, but it is also an environmentally healthy beach and offers first-rate beach safety for its visitors.” Previously, Siesta Key was # 1 in 2011 and #2 in 2016.
Also making the list are two other Florida beaches: Grayton Beach State Park (#4) in Northwest Florida and Caladesi Island State Park (#7) in Dunedin/Clearwater. Previously, Grayton Beach Stake Park was listed as #6 and Caladesi Island State Park as #9.
With 825 miles of beaches in Florida, Siesta Beach is one of hundreds of beautiful ocean-side destinations that draws summer vacationers from around world. Siesta Beach’s soft, white sand and gentle glass-clear water make it favorable for swimmers of all ages. And the village of Siesta is the perfect place to catch up on rest and relaxation while slowly unwinding into summertime.
Grayton Beach State Park, located in northwest Florida in South Walton, is part of a nearly 2,000-acre park with a sugar-sand beach that’s ideal family beach vacations with swimming, sunbathing, surf fishing and camping.
Caladesi Island State Park is accessible only by boat or ferry. Caladesi´s beach provides an escape into a quiet, untouched world. Situated on one of the few completely natural islands along Florida´s Gulf Coast by Dunedin/Clearwater, the beach features emerald waters and brilliant white sand.
Florida is home to many other award-winning beaches. Florida beaches that have won Dr. Beach’s top honors in year’s past include:
- Bahia Honda State Recreation Area(1992) now a state park in the Florida Keys.
- Grayton Beach State Recreation Area(1994, 2016) now a state park in Walton County.
- Andrew’s State Recreation Area(1995) now a state park in Bay County Panama City Beach.
- Joseph Peninsula State Park(2002) in Gulf County near Port St. Joe.
- Fort De Soto ParkNorth Beach (2005) in Pinellas County St. Petersburg/Clearwater.
- Caladesi Island State Park(2008, 2016) in Pinellas County St. Petersburg/Clearwater.
- Siesta Key Beach(2011, 2016)
Visitors can explore more of Florida’s beaches via the Florida Beach Finder.