This ‘big, beautiful' beach near NYC was just named the best in the US
With Memorial Day Weekend right around the corner, a couple of Long Island hot spots were ranked No. 1 and No. 5 on the list of the top 10 beaches in the U.S. for 2025 — just as a neighboring beach was identified as a diarrhea-prone 'bacteria hot spot.'
Cooper's Beach — located on the Southampton shores on the eastern end — has been ranked the best beach in America, according to Florida International University environmental sciences expert Dr. Stephen P. Leatherman, aka 'Dr. Beach,' a nickname earned because of annual rankings he started in 1991.
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4 The New York beach was noted for its 'white quartz sand' and 'large sand dunes covered by American beach grass interspersed with extravagant mansions.'
Joe Trentacosti – stock.adobe.com
The New York beach was noted for its 'white quartz sand' and 'large sand dunes covered by American beach grass interspersed with extravagant mansions.'
'It's a big, beautiful beach,' Leatherman simply told CNN.
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The beach boss — who uses a 50-factor checklist primarily made with swimming in mind, but accounts for scenery, sports and more — claimed the only issue with the swanky spot is traffic and expensive parking.
To avoid being stuck in the driver's seat or an unwanted parking bill, Leatherman suggested riding the free shuttle from downtown Southampton.
The beach landed at the second spot last year, coming in behind Hawaii's Duke Kahanamoku Beach on Oahu, which didn't even make the 2025 list.
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The second and third spots were taken by Hawaii's Wailea Beach on the island of Maui and Poipu Beach on the island of Kauai, respectively.
Florida joined the list with Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park in Naples at No. 4 and St. Andrews State Park in Panama City at No. 7.
Then the Hamptons reappeared at No. 5 with Main Beach in East Hampton.
4 Wailea Beach on the island of Maui was listed as the second-best beach in the U.S.
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4 Third on the list was the beautiful Poipu Beach on the island of Kauai.
Ron – stock.adobe.com
'Main Beach provides the perfect blend of nature and built environment,' Leatherman wrote. 'The big, wide sandy beach composed of grainy quartz grains has towering sand dunes and beautiful clean and clear blue water.'
The expert also noted the high chance of star-spotting — and he doesn't mean looking up at the night sky.
Again, his only problem is the parking; at this spot, he recommends biking.
4 The Hamptons also nabbed No. 5 with Main Beach in East Hampton, which was noted for its 'perfect blend of nature and built environment.'
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Leatherman listed Beachwalker Park on Kiawah Island in South Carolina at No. 6 and St. Andrews State Park in Panama City, Florida at No. 7.
Hawaii was honored again with Kaunaoa on the Big Island and Lanikai Beach on Oahu. being No. 8 and No. 9.
The list was rounded out with a classic New England escape — Coast Guard Beach on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, at No. 10.
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He noted that while his choices might be a surprise, many of America's beaches are too polluted, murky, hot or cold to top his list.
Top 10 US beaches for 2025
Coopers Beach, Southampton, New York Wailea Beach, Maui, Hawaii Poipu Beach, Kauai, Hawaii Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park, Naples, Florida Main Beach, East Hampton, New York Beachwalker Park, Kiawah Island, South Carolina St. Andrews State Park, Panama City, Florida Kaunaoa, Big Island, Hawaii Lanikai Beach, Oahu, Hawaii Coast Guard Beach, Cape Cod, Massachusetts
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