Best Beaches

Coopers Beach in Southampton, New York, has been named the No. 1 beach in America, according to an annual survey by a Florida researcher known as “Dr. Beach.” Coopers Beach on the east end of Long Island beat out beaches in Florida, California and Hawaii. Dr. Stephen P. Leatherman, director of Florida International University’s Laboratory for Coastal Research, evaluates beaches using 50 different criteria including water and sand quality as well as safety and environmental management. Dr. Beach’s top 10 beaches for 2010:



1. Coopers Beach in Southampton, New York

2. Siesta Beach in Sarasota, Florida

3. Coronado Beach in San Diego, California

4. Cape Hatteras in the Outer Banks of North Carolina

5. Main Beach in East Hampton, New York

6. Kahanamoku Beach in Waikiki, Oahu, Hawaii

7. Coast Guard Beach in Cape Cod, Massachusetts

8. Beachwalker Park in Kiawah Island, South Carolina

9. Hamoa Beach in Maui, Hawaii

10. Cape Florida State Park in Key Biscayne, Florida