Pictures: Ten Best U.S. Beaches of 2011 Named

Coronado Beach, California

Photograph by Charles Ommanney, Getty Images

A group of U.S. Navy Seal trainees prepare to be tested during Hell Week in August 2010 at California's Coronado Beach, which is second on Dr. Beach's list.

"It's a couple hundred yards wide, flat as a pancake, and the sand has [the mineral] mica, so it shines," Leatherman said. "It has the cleanest, warmest water that I've seen in southern California."

(See more beach pictures.)

Leatherman has selected the best beaches annually since 1991, updating the list with information gathered by a network of coastal scientists around the country.

The no. 1 beach on the list each year is retired, Leatherman explained, to give other beaches an opportunity to shine. Past winners can be viewed on Dr. Beach's website.

Published June 3, 2011

Kahanamoku Beach, Hawaii

Photograph from Terry Smith Images/Alamy

Hotels line the shores of number-three Kahanamoku Beach on Hawaii's island of Ohau.

Erosion wise, Kahanamoku Beach is very safe, Leatherman said. "It's protected by an offshore reef and jetties from the boat harbor, so it doesn't really get any wave action."

Leatherman uses 50 criteria to evaluate beaches around the country, including water and sand quality as well as safety and environmental management.

For each criteria, a beach is given a score of 1 to 5, with five being the best. A perfect beach would therefore have a score of 250, but Leatherman said he hasn't found a perfect beach yet.

"I've found a lot of great beaches so far, but I'm still looking for the perfect beach," he said.

(See "Pictures: :Worst Beach Destinations Rated.")

Published June 3, 2011

Main Beach, East Hampton, New York

Photograph from Robert Harding World Imagery/Getty Images

Footprints in the sands of Main Beach in East Hampton, New York, are moments away from being erased by the incoming tide.

With its clear blue water and towering sand dunes, Main Beach provides the perfect blend of nature and built environment, Leatherman said

Fourth on the list, Main Beach is also a place for star-spotting, since actors and actresses frequently visit the beach and live in the area.

Many of the region's wealthy residents aren't above picking up trash to keep the beach clean, Leatherman said.

"I saw Christy Brinkley there once picking up litter," he said.

(See pictures: "Ten Endangered U.S. Beach Towns Named.")

Published June 3, 2011

Cape Hatteras, North Carolina

Photograph by Jeffrey Hinkle, My Shot

Beach grass sprouts from sand dunes at Cape Hatteras in North Carolina.

Fifth on the Dr. Beach list, this beach is very clean and provides some of the best board surfing along the East Coast, according to Leatherman.

"It's also where you have the convergence of the northern cooler waters and southern warmer waters [of the Atlantic], so you have all different types of fish," he added.

(Related video: "Fish 'Walks' on Beach to Spawn.")

Published June 3, 2011

St. George Island State Park, Florida

Photograph by Chris Bligh, My Shot

The sun rises along a stretch of beach on St. George Island State Park, located on Florida's northern Gulf coast.

Famous for its white sands and clear waters, this beach was taken out of the running for best beaches last year because of concerns about pollution from the Gulf oil spill. But it was reinstated this year and comes in as sixth on the list.

"This year the oil's all gone, and the beaches are clean," Leatherman said.

(See "Gulf Oil Spill Anniversary: Hard-Hit Beaches Mostly Oil-Free.")

Published June 3, 2011

Beachwalker Park, South Carolina

Photograph by David Ahlgren, Your Shot

A grounded flock of sandpipers hang out on the sandy shores of Beachwalker Park on Kiawah Island, which is located just south of Charleston, South Carolina.

Seventh on the list, Beachwalker Park is a bird lover's paradise, and it's not unusual to see thousands of various shorebirds here simultaneously, Leatherman said.

In addition to sandpipers, gulls and pelicans are also frequent visitors to the beach.

"I've never seen a place with so many birds," he said. "The best way to explore the whole area is with a canoe or kayak."

(See bird pictures.)

The water at Beachwalker Park is not clear, Leatherman noted, but it's clean and contains excellent seafood.

Published June 3, 2011

Coast Guard Beach, Cape Cod, Massachusetts

Photograph by Andrew Jaouen, My Shot

Dark thunderclouds threaten to rain on Coast Guard Beach in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, which is eighth on the list.

The sand here is fairly coarse and slopes steeply into the water. In recent years, seals have been making a comeback to Coast Guard Beach after decades of absence due to ruthless seal hunting in the 19th century.

While beaches are popular summer destinations, Leatherman said fall is also a great time to visit.

"During that time of year the water's still warm, the weather's great, the crowds are gone, and the prices are down," he said.

(See pictures of the top ten beaches of the world, from the National Geographic book The 10 Best of Everything.)

Published June 3, 2011

Waimanalo Beach, Hawaii

Photograph by Maureen Brady Johnson, My Shot

An uprooted tree is stranded on Hawaii's Waimanalo Beach, which is ninth on Dr. Beach's list.

While not as stunning as some other Hawaiian beaches, it is relatively safe because big waves and dangerous currents are rare and lifeguards are present.

"It's a native Hawaiian favorite," Leatherman said.

(See your beach photos submitted to National Geographic's My Shot.)

Published June 3, 2011

Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park, Florida

Photograph by Miguel Catala, My Shot

A lighthouse stands sentry at Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park, in Miami-Dade County,  which is last on the list.

The beaches here have emerald-colored waters and clean white sands, but the scenery can occasionally be marred by piles of rotting seaweed that have washed ashore.

The "seaweed sort of just sits there and rots and attracts flies," Leatherman said. "It's still on the list because the water and environment is so great, but that's a little sticking point."

Leatherman has recommended that the seaweed be moved from the recreational beach to the northern part of the park where few people venture.

(Take a beaches quiz.)

Published June 3, 2011