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“Caladesi is my favorite getaway beach; the only mode of transportation on this lovely island, dominated by palm trees, is by foot,” said Leatherman. “This is a great place to decompress while enjoying the powder white sand and warm, crystal clear water.”
Two other Florida beaches honored by Leatherman this year include third-ranked Siesta Beach, near Sarasota, and ninth-ranked Cape Florida State Park in Key Biscayne, near Miami.
Leatherman, who is the director of Florida International University’s Laboratory for Coastal Research, has made a Memorial Day Weekend tradition of unveiling his list of America’s finest strands of sand and surf.
Caladesi Island State Park is the sixth Florida beach to receive the top spot on Dr. Beach’s list since its inception in 1991. St. Petersburg/Clearwater area’s Ft. De Soto Park was also awarded Leatherman’s top honor in 2005. Others include St. Joseph Peninsula State Park in Port St. Joe in 2002, St. Andrews State Recreation Area in Panama City in 1995, Grayton Beach State Recreation Area, between Panama City and Destin, in 1994 and Bahia Honda State Recreation Area in the Florida Keys in 1992.
Florida’s beaches are among the best in the world. As a top recreational destination for Americans, Florida beaches offer visitors a variety of opportunities for leisure and entertainment.
To see video of Caladesi Island State Park, America’s best beach, check out www.VISITFLORIDA.com/bestbeach.
A professor of coastal research at Miami’s Florida International University, Dr. Leatherman is one of the world’s leading authorities on coastal sciences, having authored or edited more than 16 books and written hundreds of journal articles on the subject. Since 1991, he has released his list of America's Best Beaches each year on Memorial Day weekend, marking the beginning of beach season. |
