And the Top Beach in the United States Is...

According to Dr. Beach (aka Professor Stephen Leatherman at Miami's Florida International University), who makes a living in studying American beaches, Siesta Beach on Florida's Gulf Coast has the finest sand because of its composition - 99% pure crushed quartz and therefore, was selected this year as the best beach in America. In previous years, Siesta has been in the top 10 list of best beaches.

Other beaches that made the list this year, in order of ranking, are: Kapalua Bay Beach in Maui, Hawaii; Ocracoke Lifeguarded Beach on the Outer Banks of North Carolina; Grayton 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; and Beachwalker Park on Kiawah Island, South Carolina.

Located along the Gulf of Mexico and nearby downtown Sarasota, the water is generally placid, shallow, and safe for swimming. Added bonuses include lots of parking, a trolley service to and from the island's downtown area and plenty of lifeguards. The beach also has natural dunes which are rare for Florida and the sand is excellent for building sand castles.

Dr. Beach has been rating beaches since 1991 and uses 50 criteria to assess and rank beaches including environmental policies such as no smoking and safety and environmental factors.