Siesta Beach named best beach in the nation

SARASOTA (FOX 13) - Just in time for Memorial Day, one of the busiest beach weekends of the year, Dr. Beach released the top beaches in the nation — and a local beach was rated as number one.

Sarasota’s very own Siesta Beach topped the list, earning the title of best beach in America for 2017. Siesta Beach even beat out Hawaii’s best.

Siesta Beach has previously been rated number one, but shared the top title with Hawaii’s Hanauma Bay.

If you have any doubts about Dr. Beach's choice for number one, his description of Siesta Beach jut might change your mind: 

Two other Florida beaches — Caladesi Island State Park in Dunedin, and Grayton Beach State Park in the panhandle— made the 2017 top 10 list.

Dr. Beach, whose real name is Dr. Stephen Leatherman, has been reviewing, evaluating, and rating beaches and coastal areas all over the world for more than 25 years. Each year, he releases a list of the top 10 beaches in America.

To pick the best beaches, Dr. Beach judges each by 50 criteria such as average water temperature and softness of the sand.

Here’s the full list of top ten beaches for 2017:

1. Siesta Beach Sarasota, Florida
2. Kapalua Bay Beach, Maui, Hawaii
3. Ocracoke Lifeguarded Beach, Outer Banks of North Carolina
4. Grayton Beach State Park Florida panhandle
5. Coopers Beach, Southampton, New York
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