Top Florida Beaches, America’s Best Beaches 2020

By James | Last updated August 23, 2023

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Since 1991, Professor Stephen Leatherman (Dr Beach) from Florida International University has been ranking America’s top beaches based on 50 separate criteria including sand and water quality, weather, amenities, safety, environmental management, development, ease of access, parking and crowds.

Prior to 2016 all previous first place winners were automatically excluded from the latest survey so you need to take this in consideration when viewing the historical results.

For 2020, two of Florida’s beaches are in the top ten of his annual America’s Best Beaches Survey (two were in 2019 and 2018).

This year the top spot goes to Grayton Beach State Park in the Florida Panhandle which has ranked in the top 10 every year since 2016.

In sixth place is Caladesi Island State Park which has also ranked in the top 10 every year since 2016.

Only swimming beaches are considered.

The complete top ten for 2020 (2019 ranking in square brackets) is:

  • #1 Grayton Beach State Park, Florida Panhandle [3]
  • #2 Ocracoke Lifeguarded Beach, Outer Banks of North Carolina [2]
  • #3 Coopers Beach, Southampton, New York [4]
  • #4 Duke Kahanamoku Beach, Oahu, Hawaii [5]
  • #5 Lighthouse Beach, Buxton, Outer Banks of North Carolina []
  • #6 Caldesi Island State Park, Dunedin/Clearwater, Florida [7]
  • #7 Hapuna Beach State Park, Big Island, Hawaii [8]
  • #8 Coast Guard Beach, Cape Cod, Massachusetts [6]
  • #9 Coronado Beach, San Diego, California [9]
  • #10 Beachwalker Park, Kiawah Island, South Carolina [10]

“Dr Beach” isn’t the only one to rank beaches, there is also an annual survey by TripAdvisor and their Travelers’ Choice® Beaches Awards and not unsurprisingly Florida’s beaches often appear in the TripAdvisor rankings.

Previous Florida Top Beach winners

  • Siesta Beach in Sarasota, first in 2011 and 2017
  • Caladesi Island State Park near Tampa in 2008
  • Fort DeSoto Park, North Beach in St Petersburg in 2005
  • St. Joseph Peninsula State Park in 2002
  • St. Andrews SRA (State Recreation Area) in 1995
  • Grayton Beach SRA in 1994 and
  • Bahia Honda SRA in 1992.

Only Hawaii can boast more winners than Florida.

If you are planning on visiting one of Florida’s many beautiful beaches, please consider our beach safety tips.

Previous Top Beaches by Year from 2010

Note that prior to 2016, once a beach had made the top spot, it was no longer considered in following years. From 2016, all beaches are now considered every year and Siesta Key has won twice in 2011 and again in 2017.

In all the results below, prior year ranking is shown in square brackets.

Top Beaches for 2019

  • #1 Kailua Beach Park, Oahu, Hawaii []
  • #2 Ocracoke Lifeguarded Beach, Outer Banks of North Carolina [2]
  • #3 Grayton Beach State Park, Florida Panhandle [3]
  • #4 Coopers Beach, Southampton, New York [4]
  • #5 Duke Kahanamoku Beach, Oahu, Hawaii []
  • #6 Coast Guard Beach, Cape Cod, Massachusetts [5]
  • #7 Caldesi Island State Park, Dunedin/Clearwater, Florida [7]
  • #8 Hapuna Beach State Park, Big Island, Hawaii [8]
  • #9 Coronado Beach, San Diego, California [9]
  • #10 Beachwalker Park, Kiawah Island, South Carolina [10]

Top Beaches for 2018

  • #1 Kapalua Bay Beach, Maui, Hawaii [2]
  • #2 Ocracoke Lifeguarded Beach, Outer Banks of North Carolina [3]
  • #3 Grayton Beach State Park, Florida Panhandle [4]
  • #4 Coopers Beach, Southampton, New York [5]
  • #5 Coast Guard Beach, Cape Cod, Massachusetts [6]
  • #6 Lighthouse Beach, Buxton, Outer Banks of North Carolina []
  • #7 Caldesi Island State Park, Dunedin/Clearwater, Florida [7]
  • #8 Hapuna Beach State Park, Big Island, Hawaii [8]
  • #9 Coronado Beach, San Diego, California [9]
  • #10 Beachwalker Park, Kiawah Island, South Carolina [10]

Top Beaches for 2017

  • #1 Siesta Beach, Sarasota Florida [2]
  • #2 Kapalua Bay Beach, Maui, Hawaii [3]
  • #3 Ocracoke Lifeguarded Beach, Outer Banks of North Carolina [4]
  • #4 Grayton Beach State Park, Florida Panhandle [6]
  • #5 Coopers Beach, Southampton, New York [8]
  • #6 Coast Guard Beach, Cape Cod, Massachusetts [5]
  • #7 Caldesi Island State Park, Dunedin/Clearwater, Florida [9]
  • #8 Hapuna Beach State Park, Big Island, Hawaii []
  • #9 Coronado Beach, San Diego, California [7]
  • #10 Beachwalker Park, Kiawah Island, South Carolina [10]

Top Beaches for 2016

  • #1 Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve, Oahu, Hawaii []
  • #2 Siesta Beach, Sarasota Florida []
  • #3 Kapalua Bay Beach, Maui, Hawaii []
  • #4 Ocracoke Lifeguarded Beach, Outer Banks of North Carolina []
  • #5 Coast Guard Beach, Cape Cod, Massachusetts [7]
  • #6 Grayton Beach State Park, Florida Panhandle []
  • #7 Coronado Beach, San Diego, California []
  • #8 Coopers Beach, Southampton, New York []
  • #9 Caldesi Island State Park, Dunedin/Clearwater, Florida []
  • #10 Beachwalker Park, Kiawah Island, South Carolina [8]

Top Beaches for 2015

  • #1 Waimanalo Bay Beach Park, Oahu, Hawaii [4]
  • #2 Barefoot Beach Preserve County Park, Bonita Springs, Florida [2]
  • #3 St. George Island State Park, Florida [3]
  • #4 Hamoa Beach, Maui, Hawaii [5]
  • #5 Cape Hatteras, Outer Banks, North Carolina [6]
  • #6 Cape Florida State Park, Key Biscayne, Florida [7]
  • #7 Coast Guard Beach, Cape Cod, Massachusetts [8]
  • #8 Beachwalker Park, Kiawah Island, South Carolina [9]
  • #9 Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park, Naples, Florida [10]
  • #10 East Beach, Santa Barbara, California []

Top Beaches for 2014

  • #1 Duke Kahanamoku Beach, Oahu, Hawaii []
  • #2 Barefoot Beach Preserve County Park, Bonita Springs, Florida [6]
  • #3 St. George Island State Park, Florida [3]
  • #4 Waimanalo Bay Beach Park, Oahu, Hawaii [5]
  • #5 Hamoa Beach, Maui, Hawaii [4]
  • #6 Cape Hatteras, Outer Banks, North Carolina [8]
  • #7 Cape Florida State Park, Key Biscayne, Florida [7]
  • #8 Coast Guard Beach, Cape Cod, Massachusetts [9]
  • #9 Beachwalker Park, Kiawah Island, South Carolina [10]
  • #10 Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park, Naples, Florida []

Top Beaches for 2013

  • #1 Main Beach East Hampton, New York [3]
  • #2 Kahanamoku Beach Waikiki, Oahu, Hawaii [2]
  • #3 St. George Island State Park, Florida [4]
  • #4 Hamoa Beach, Maui, Hawaii [5]
  • #5 Waimanalo Bay Beach Park, Oahu, Hawaii [7]
  • #6 Barefoot Beach Preserve County Park, Bonita Springs, Florida []
  • #7 Cape Florida State Park, Key Biscayne, Florida [8]
  • #8 Cape Hatteras, Outer Banks, North Carolina [10]
  • #9 Coast Guard Beach, Cape Cod, Massachusetts [6]
  • #10 Beachwalker Park, Kiawah Island, South Carolina [9]

Top Beaches for 2012

  • #1 Coronado Beach, San Diego, California [2]
  • #2 Kahanamoku Beach Waikiki, Oahu, Hawaii [3]
  • #3 Main Beach East Hampton, New York [4]
  • #4 St. George Island State Park, Florida [6]
  • #5 Hamoa Beach, Maui, Hawaii []
  • #6 Coast Guard Beach, Cape Cod, Massachusetts [8]
  • #7 Waimanalo Bay Beach Park, Oahu, Hawaii [9]
  • #8 Cape Florida State Park, Key Biscayne, Florida [10]
  • #9 Beachwalker Park, Kiawah Island, South Carolina [7]
  • #10 Cape Hatteras, Outer Banks, North Carolina [5]

Top Beaches for 2011

  • #1 Siesta Beach, Sarasota Florida [2]
  • #2 Coronado Beach, San Diego, California [3]
  • #3 Kahanamoku Beach Waikiki, Oahu, Hawaii [6]
  • #4 Main Beach East Hampton, New York [5]
  • #5 Cape Hatteras, Outer Banks, North Carolina [4]
  • #6 St. George Island State Park, Florida []
  • #7 Beachwalker Park, Kiawah Island, South Carolina [8]
  • #8 Coast Guard Beach, Cape Cod, Massachusetts [7]
  • #9 Waimanalo Bay Beach Park, Oahu, Hawaii []
  • #10 Cape Florida State Park, Key Biscayne, Florida [10]

Top Beaches for 2010

  • #1 Coopers Beach, Southampton, New York [3]
  • #2 Siesta Beach, Sarasota Florida [2]
  • #3 Coronado Beach, San Diego, California [4]
  • #4 Cape Hatteras, Outer Banks, North Carolina [7]
  • #5 Main Beach East Hampton, New York [6]
  • #6 Kahanamoku Beach Waikiki, Oahu, Hawaii []
  • #7 Coast Guard Beach, Cape Cod, Massachusetts [9]
  • #8 Beachwalker Park, Kiawah Island, South Carolina [10]
  • #9 Hamoa Beach, Maui, Hawaii [5]
  • #10 Cape Florida State Park, Key Biscayne, Florida [8]

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