The winning shoreline is making a splash far from the usual sun-soaked suspects
When you imagine the best beach in the United States, your mind likely conjures up images of powdery white sands in a hidden Hawaiian cove, or maybe the turquoise waters of a Florida Key. And while pristine shores in both states do make appearances on this year’s brand-new Dr. Beach’s Top 10 Beaches list, the newly crowned No. 1 spot surprisingly isn’t even close to those sunny locales. Read on to discover which beach is making the most waves in 2025 (and why), plus the nine contenders chasing its wake.
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How did Dr. Beach determine the best beaches in the U.S.?
Every year for well over three decades, Dr. Beach, also known as Stephan Leatherman, a coastal scientist, professor and director of the Laboratory for Coastal Research at Florida International University in Miami, completes a 50-question survey ranking aspects of beach quality on a scale from 1 to 5. He evaluates his “patients,” as he refers to the 650 public beaches lining the country’s Atlantic, Pacific and Gulf coasts, on everything from pesky ailments like noise from traffic and smells from seaweed or rotting fish to more desirable attributes, such as scenic vistas and soft sand. Even the shade of the sand grains contributes to overall scores—gray, black and brown sand earn fewer points than light tan and pink.
What’s the best beach in the U.S. in 2025?
This year’s top spot was awarded to Coopers Beach, in Southampton, New York. This destination on Long Island’s south shore takes the title from 2024’s winner, Duke Kahanamoku Beach on the west end of Waikiki Beach in Hawaii.
Why does Coopers Beach rank as the Best in America?
Dr. Beach notes that even though Coopers Beach is on the Atlantic, the water is largely spared from the chill of the Labrador currents, making the quieter, shoulder-season month of September an especially ideal time to enjoy its shores. The beach is also expansive, stretching hundreds of yards wide, with grainy white quartz sand forming rolling dunes adorned with American beach grass. The beautiful backdrop of stately beachside mansions and the nearby quaint village of Southampton only add to the area’s overall allure.
What other U.S. beaches rounded out the Top 10?
New York beaches take two of the list’s highest honors, while Hawaii lays claim to four, Florida to two and South Carolina and Massachusetts to one each. Here is the complete list of 2025’s best beaches:
1. Coopers Beach, Southampton, New York
2. Wailea Beach, Maui, Hawaii
3. Poipu Beach, Kauai, Hawaii
4. Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park, Naples, Florida
5. Main Beach, East Hampton, New York
6. Kiawah Beachwalker Park, Kiawah Island, South Carolina
7. St. Andrews State Park, Panama City, Florida
8. Kaunaoa Beach, Big Island, Hawaii
9. Lanikai Beach, Oahu, Hawaii
10. Coast Guard Beach, Cape Cod, Massachusetts
Which beach could top the list next year?
Dr. Beach reportedly has never awarded a beach a perfect score of 250 points. And once a beach becomes No. 1, it’s out of the running in the future for the coveted very top spot. And hurricanes, erosion and other shifting factors ensure there’s always plenty of churn in the rankings. In other words, when it comes to which beach is America’s best, the tides can turn quite quickly.
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Sources:
- DrBeach.org: “2025 Top 10 Beaches”
- DrBeach.org: “Dr. Beach’s 50 Criteria”
- FIU News: “Students Called Him Dr. Beach and Like Sand, the Name Stuck”
