Dr. Beach Ranks Ocracoke as #2 Beach in USA

Congratulations to Us!

Dr. Beach ranks Ocracoke's Lifeguard Beach as #2 in the nation.

Ocracoke received the top honors of #1 in 2007. But once a beach reaches #1 Dr. Beach, a.k.a., Dr. Stephen P. Leatherman, "retires" it for a decade. Ocracoke was also #2 last year, and #3 in 2017, after reappearing on the list at #4 in 2016.

As “Dr. Beach” (www.DrBeach.org), Leatherman, a professor at Florida International University, has selected the annual Top 10 Beaches since 1991. Fifty criteria are used to evaluate beaches, which include water and sand quality as well as safety and management. Dr. Leatherman is an internationally known coastal scientist who has published 20 books and hundreds of scientific articles and reports about storm impacts, coastal erosion and ways to improve beach health and safety.

Bonus points are awarded for prohibition of smoking on beaches, and Oahu, Hawaii is leading the way by keeping their beaches clear of cigarette butts. That's one reason why Kailua Beach Park in Oahu is number one in the 29th annual Top 10 Beach List 

2019 Winners:

1. Kailua Beach Park Oahu, Hawaii

2. Ocracoke Lifeguarded Beach Outer Banks of North Carolina

3. Grayton Beach State Park Florida panhandle

4. Coopers Beach Southampton, New York 

5. Duke Kahanamoku Beach Oahu, Hawaii

6. Coast Guard Beach, Cape Cod, Massachusetts

7. Caladesi Island State Park Dunedin/Clearwater, Florida

8. Hapuna Beach State Park Big Island, Hawaii

9. Coronado Beach, San Diego, California

10. Beachwalker Park, Kiawah Island, South Carolina