Happy National Beach Day ! If ever a holiday was designed for Florida, Aug. 30 is the one.
Started in 2014 by Colleen Paige — who also started National Dog Day , National Cat Day and National Puppy Day — it's a day to celebrate beaches and the importance of keeping them clean.
And there are 825 miles of them in Florida.
Odds are you'll head to the one closest to you, but are there better beaches you should be seeking out this Labor Day weekend ? If only there was an expert...
Dr. Stephen P. Leatherman, a.k.a. Dr. Beach , a professor in the Department of Earth & Environment at Florida International University, has been ranking beaches all over the U.S. for years, and he's picked out some great ones in the Sunshine State. Here's a look at some recent winners.
Dr. Beach uses 50 criteria to evaluate beaches, including water and sand quality, safety and environmental management practices. Beaches receive bonus points for not allowing smoking.
Caladesi Island State Park is No. 4 on Dr. Beach's list in 2024
Frequent Dr. Beach top-tenner, Caladesi Island State Park , was fourth in the U.S. this year, maintaining its same spot from 2023.
Caladesi is reachable mainly by ferry and private boat , but a person in good shape watching the tides could walk there from Clearwater Beach. Caladesi isn't a true island any longer because an inlet closed off, Leatherman said.
“The white beach is composed of crystalline quartz sand, which is soft and cushy at the water's edge, inviting one to take a dip in the sparkling clear waters,” he said.
Caladesi has boardwalk nature trails and kayaking through mangroves that are home to numerous species of fish, birds and other animals. The ferry drops visitors off in the middle of the island so anyone looking for a more secluded environment need only walk a short distance north or south.
"My favorite is the kayak and canoe trails through the mangroves to see the large blue herons and other birds that frequent this wonderful natural area," Leatherman said.
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Naples' Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park secures spot on Dr. Beach's 2024 list
Securing the eighth spot on Dr. Beach's annual list this year, the Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park in Naples was highlighted for its beautiful white sand beaches and crystal-clear Gulf waters.
"Activities include swimming, snorkeling, paddleboarding, shelling, and fishing. Wildlife in the park includes bald eagles, ospreys, and manatees. Pine trees provide welcome shade," Leatherman said.
He does note the park is still recovering from Hurricane Ian in 2022, but officials encouraged people to visit.
"The beach experience is more rustic but the sand is soft and the sunsets are still glorious," they wrote when the park reopened in 2023.
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St. George Island Beach was Dr. Beach's top pick for 2023
Julian G. Bruce St. George Island State Park is nestled at the far east end of the 22-mile long barrier island along the Panhandle in Franklin County, about a two-hour drive from Tallahassee. It's a favorite of Dr. Beach, regularly landing in his top ten with a brief drop after Hurricane Michael devastated the area.
It's not hard to see why, and St. George Island has made Dr. Beach's top 10 again and again over the years. Protected from development, with plenty of activities available including fishing, swimming and kayaking in the crystal-clear waters of the Gulf, bird-watching, beachcombing, shelling, camping and what Letterman called an unparalleled view of the night sky for stargazers make the beach a favorite for Tallahassee daytrippers.
The park is the longest beachfront state park in Florida, covering about 2,000 acres (810 hectares) on the east end of the island, which is connected by a bridge to the mainland across Apalachicola Bay. The other sections of the island contain a small village, restaurants, rental homes and motels, but not a whole lot else, which is a big part of the appeal for Dr. Beach.
“People can have the best of both worlds there, just miles and miles of unspoiled beaches,” Leatherman said.
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Siesta Key Beach in Sarasota has been No. 1 twice
For 25 years, whenever a beach earned a No. 1 rating Dr. Beach would remove it from contention to give other beaches a shot. In 2015 he reset the top beaches list, and Siesta Key Beach won for a second time the next year.
"With some of the finest, whitest sand in the world, this beach attracts sand collectors from all over," Leatherman said. "Siesta Beach has clear, warm waters ideal for swimming. The beach is hundreds of yards wide in the shape of a crescent due to anchoring of onshore rocks to the south. This beach is great for volleyball and other types of recreational fitness."
The sand on most Florida beaches is made of pulverized coral, but Siesta's sands come from quartz minerals carried down through rivers from the Appalachian mountains.
“It’s almost like a sin to walk out here with your shoes on," Leatherman said. "If you can’t feel that cushy sand under your feet, you’re missing a lot of the experience.”
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Grayton Beach State Park was No. 1 in 2020
"This beach boasts of its sugar-white sand and emerald green water where development has been restrained so big sand dunes still dominate the landscape," Leatherman said when he named Grayton Beach on Western Lake in the Florida Panhandle. "At the same time, all the amenities of great restaurants and accommodations are close by in the old town of Grayton Beach or Seaside. Many people choose to camp in this wonderful state park that also features tidal lakes and freshwater ponds.
"Former Governor Bob Graham told me that this was his favorite beach," he said.
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Ready for National Beach Day? Check out Dr. Beach's favorite beaches in Florida
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