Siesta Beach in Sarasota County on Florida's Gulf Coast was named the No. 1 Beach in America for 2017 by Stephen Leatherman, a.k.a. Dr. Beach, in his annual ranking of the top sand-and-surf spots in the U.S.
Siesta Beach was runner-up to Oahu's Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve last year and first took the top spot on Dr. Beach's list in 2011.
Two other Florida beaches — both on the Gulf, as well — also made the Top 10 this year. Grayton Beach State Park in the Florida Panhandle is No. 4 on the 2017 honor roll, and Caladesi Island State Park in Dunedin, near Clearwater, is No. 7. Beaches are rated based on 50 criteria, including beach safety, environmental protection, and extra points are awarded for laws against smoking on the beach.
Leatherman is a professor at Florida International University and the director of its Laboratory for Coastal Research. His work as a coastal expert led him to begin rating beaches in 1989, resulting in his annual Top 10 Beaches list.
"Siesta Beach boasts that it has the finest, whitest sand in the world, which attracts sand collectors and beach lovers from all over," Leatherman said. "Siesta Beach is not only a beautiful location for beachgoers, but it is also an environmentally healthy beach and offers first-rate beach safety for its visitors."
Since first claiming the No. 1 spot in 2011, Sarasota County has invested more than $21 million to renovate the amenities offered at the beach. These include additional free parking spaces, wheelchair access to the beach, a playground, extended picnic areas and more.