Best Beaches

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Off the coast of Dunedin, Caladesi Island State Park has been voted among the nation's top beaches.

Photo Credit: St. Petersburg CVB

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St Joseph Peninsula State Park

Photo Credit: Richard Bickle

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Bahia Honda State Park in Marathon.

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Grayton Beach State Park

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St. Andrews State Park

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Fort DeSoto Park

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According to the one and only Dr. Beach, Florida has quite a few 'best beaches.'

Who has the best job in America? Many would agree it’s Dr. Stephen P. Leatherman, director of the Laboratory for Coastal Research and professor in the Department of Earth and Environment at Florida International University in Miami and the author of “America’s Best Beaches.” Since he began publishing his top 10 in 1991, Florida beaches have made the list many times, seven times as number one.

2011: Siesta Beach, Sarasota
The powdery sand is nearly pure quartz crystal. The beautiful blue-colored water is clean and clear, making it so inviting to bathers and swimmers. Convenient amenities include showers and bathrooms, snack bars, grills, picnic tables, shade trees and a large parking area, which does fill up on summer weekends. Siesta Beach is a smokeless beach, earning extra points for cleanliness and environmental management.

2006, 2008: Caladesi Island State Park, Dunedin & Barefoot Beach Preserve Park, Bonita Springs

Dr. Beach upgraded Caladesi Island from number four to number two in 2006, and finally number one in 2008 – perhaps because the oasis, off of Florida’s Central West coast, continues to succeed at offering everything and nothing at once. Not far from the marina, snack bar and picnic pavilions, discover sea turtles and a birdwatcher’s bevy or kayak a three-mile trail.

At number 10, Barefoot Beach Preserve Park provides a sanctuary of sable palms and sea grapes off of Florida’s Southwest coast. View gopher tortoises, fish tidal creeks and mangrove swamps, walk the beach and take advantage of amenities like concessions and a picnic area.

2002
Ten miles of sand lace America’s Best Beach of 2002, T.H. Stone Memorial St. Joseph Peninsula State Park. Look for the endangered beach mouse and, depending on the season, some 250 bird species. Or, take one of two short nature walks or one seven-mile hike through distinct coastal environments. Located in Port St. Joe on Florida’s upper Gulf coast.

2005
Florida took top honors in 2005 when Dr. Beach named Fort De Soto Park’s north end “America’s Best Beach.” This series of five islands off of St. Petersburg gives way to miles of beaches, docks for boating, campgrounds, fishing piers and land and water trails.

Nearby Caladesi Island took fourth in ‘05. But three Florida beaches made the list in 2005 (a record for the state). Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park, on Key Biscayne off of Miami Beach, ranked eighth and, in 2011, ranked 10th. Take in the view from the top of the park’s 1825 lighthouse.

1995
In 1995, St. Andrews State Park won Dr. Beach’s highest affection. You’ll love the new environmental interpretation center along with tried-and-true favorites like emerald waters and white sands (a Panama City Beach-area signature). Don’t miss the park’s white-tailed deer, alligators and birds. In spring and summer, catch the boat tour to Shell Island.

This oasis near Santa Rosa Beach along Florida’s Northwest coast mystifies with gnarled driftwood juxtaposed against ethereal sea oats.

1992
Located just south of Marathon in the Florida Keys, Bahia Honda State Park and its vitreous waters tempt swimmers, snorkelers and kayakers. Rent gear from the concession stand, or take a snorkel tour of the Looe Key National Marine Sanctuary provided by this former number one.