USA TODAY 10Best
Pensacola Beach wins title of Best Florida Beach
Best Florida Beach (2018)
From the Gulf of Mexico to the Atlantic, the Sunshine State boasts 825 miles of beaches, many of which are ranked among the best on the planet. An average of 230 days of sunshine a year make Florida's shoreline hard to resist for vacationers looking for sun, sand and sea.
The top 10 winners in the category Best Florida Beach are as follows:
Photo courtesy of iStock / EyeMark
No. 10: Bean Point - Anna Maria Island
As beautiful as it is underrated, Bean Point on Anna Maria Island sparkles with white sand and turquoise Gulf Coast water. The tide is calm and ideal for swimming, and beach goers might find themselves sharing the water with a curious Florida manatee.
Photo courtesy of S. Anderson / NPS Photo
No. 9: Canaveral National Seashore - Titusville
Stretching between New Smyrna Beach and Titusville, Florida's Canaveral National Seashore provides a habitat for many threatened and endangered species, including sea turtles. Beach lovers will find 24 miles of undeveloped beach – the longest undeveloped beach on the state's eastern coast.
Photo courtesy of Visit St. Petersburg/Clearwater
No. 8: Caladesi Island State Park - Dunedin
Accessible only by boat (although you can sometimes walk across from Clearwater Beach at low tide), Caladesi Island State Park remains lightly populated despite its reputation for plush white sands and unspoiled demeanor. A ferry from nearby Honeymoon Island State Park makes the short trip to Caladesi for sun-lovers, fishermen, nature trail hikers and picnickers. Docks accommodate boat-in visitors, and a playground keeps the kids happy.
Photo courtesy of John Mayer / Flickr
No. 7: St. Joseph Peninsula State Park - Port St. Joe
Hidden far off the flip-flopped path, St. Joseph Peninsula State Park juts into the Gulf of Mexico to benefit from both gulf and bay water fronts, meaning excellent fishing and birding, and beaches so quiet even the ghost crabs are spooked. The beach flaunts the white sugar sands that make Northwest Florida famous. Clear aqua waters invite swimming and kayaking into the Wilderness Preserve that occupies the park’s west end.
Photo courtesy of City of Clearwater
No. 6: Clearwater Beach - Clearwater
The depth of this clean, sugary, talc-white strand of sand ensures a wealth of space for beach enthusiasts as they cavort – or lie prone in the bright Florida sun – from surf to towel, contemplating active options from paddle boarding to parasailing. Of course, simply lolling about in the oft-warm, blue-green swells, scanning for dolphin pods or enjoying the epic sunsets is just as appealing.
Photo courtesy of iStock / NicsPix
No. 5: Siesta Key Beach - Sarasota
For decades, Siesta Key has been winning awards for whitest and softest sand in the world. The thick carpet of sand is made up of quartz crystals that wash down from North Florida beaches. Siesta Key Beach is a wonderland of the pearlescent sand, as popular with couples as with families for its recreational facilities – from volleyball to soccer – and gorgeous sunsets.
Photo courtesy of Britt Reints / Flickr
No. 4: Navarre Beach - Navarre
Powdery white sand and turquoise waters characterize the 12-mile stretch of under-the-radar beach in Navarre near Pensacola. Popular with families, the beach offers the opportunity to spot bottlenose dolphins playing in the surf or cycle along a seaside bike path.
Photo courtesy of Visit Pensacola
No. 3: Gulf Islands National Seashore - Pensacola
Undulating with the Panhandle’s patent dunes of talcum sands, this continuum of platinum sandscape feels otherworldly and primitive. It stretches from Perdido Key on the state’s westernmost waterfront and continues at Pensacola Beach’s Fort Pickens National Park and the Santa Rosa Area – the most secluded.
Photo courtesy of Visit Panama City Beach
No. 2: Panama City Public Beach - Panama City Beach
With 27 miles of soft sand and nearly 100 beach access points, Panama City Public Beach caters to sun seekers of all types. Just about every activity is on offer here as well, from parasailing and kayaking to scuba diving and deep sea fishing.
Photo courtesy of iStock / lightphoto
No. 1: Pensacola Beach - Pensacola
The narrow strip of white, powder-soft sand known as Pensacola Beach is backed by a boardwalk filled with shops and restaurants. Beach goers enjoy clear, shallow waters and gentle waves, perfect for swimming, along with a relaxed Old Florida feel.
A panel of experts partnered with 10Best editors to picked the initial 20 nominees, and the top 10 winners were determined by popular vote. Congratulations to these 10 winning beaches!
About 10Best Readers' Choice Awards
Nominees are submitted by a panel of experts. 10Best editors narrow the field to select the final set of nominees for the Readers’ Choice Awards. Readers can vote once per category, per day. For any questions or comments, please read the FAQ or email USA TODAY 10Best.
The Experts
10Best Local Experts
10Best Local Experts provide users with original,... Read More
10Best Local Experts provide users with original, unbiased, and experiential travel content of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world. No business pays to be listed. Our Local Experts are well-traveled and well-educated group who are not only experts in their fields - and their cities - but discriminating in their tastes. These local experts live in the city they write about, with constantly updated content.
10Best Local Experts
10Best Local Experts provide users with original, unbiased, and experiential travel content of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world. No business pays to be listed. Our Local Experts are well-traveled and well-educated group who are not only experts in their fields - and their cities - but discriminating in their tastes. These local experts live in the city they write about, with constantly updated content.
Dr. Stephen Leatherman
Dr. Stephen Leatherman (a.k.a. "Dr. Beach") is a... Read More
Dr. Stephen Leatherman (a.k.a. "Dr. Beach") is a Professor at Florida International University who uses 50 criteria to select the best US beaches on an annual basis since 1991. He has published 20 books and hundreds of scientific articles about waves and beaches, as well as appeared hundreds of times on TV shows.
Dr. Stephen Leatherman
Dr. Stephen Leatherman (a.k.a. "Dr. Beach") is a Professor at Florida International University who uses 50 criteria to select the best US beaches on an annual basis since 1991. He has published 20 books and hundreds of scientific articles about waves and beaches, as well as appeared hundreds of times on TV shows.
10Best Editors
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original,... Read More
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original, unbiased and experiential travel coverage of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world.
10Best Editors
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original, unbiased and experiential travel coverage of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world.