‘Dr. Beach' names top 10 US beaches of 2025
(NEXSTAR) – Stephen Leatherman, the coastal scientist and professor known as 'Dr. Beach,' has revealed his picks for the top beaches of 2025.
This year, a beach on Long Island in New York topped the annual list, which has often been dominated by sandy spots in Hawaii or Florida in previous years.
'Coopers Beach is located on the south shore of Long Island, New York, shielded from the cold Labrador currents in the beautiful village of Southampton,' reads a description shared to Dr. Beach's official website.
'As the first 'Gold Coast' in the country, Coopers Beach is hundreds of yards wide, made of grainy white quartz sand,' Leatherman added. 'The beach is backed by large sand dunes covered by American beach grass interspersed with extravagant mansions.'
Coopers beach has also been on a steady trajectory toward the No. 1 spot, having placed third in Dr. Beach's list in 2023 and earning second place in the 2024 edition.
Coopers Beach in Southampton, New York, is pictured on May 13, 2010. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens, File)
As for the rest of the 2025 list, two beaches in Hawaii — Wailea Beach in Maui, and Poipu Beach in Kauai — were ranked second and third. Additional beaches in New York and Hawaii, as well as beaches in Florida, South Carolina and Massachusetts, rounded out the top 10.
Leatherman, a professor and the director of the Laboratory for Coastal Research at Florida International University, has been publishing his annual list since 1991. He bases his annual rankings on evaluations of fifty different criteria, including water temperatures, sand softness, crime levels and the availability of beach amenities.
Being an advocate for smoke-free beaches, Leatherman also awards 'bonus points' for beaches that prohibit such activity, according to his past news releases.
Past winners, and more information on each of the beaches that made this year's list, can be found at the Dr. Beach website.
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