This ‘sparkling’ California beach is one of the best in nation, report says. Here’s why

Helena Wegner
·1 min read
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Warming weather and Memorial Day weekend mark the beginning of beach season, and this year, one of the “2023 Top 10 beaches” in the nation includes a spot in California with “sparkling sand.”

Coronado Beach in the San Diego area made the list for another year in a row, ranking No. 6.

It was recognized for its subtropical vegetation, Mediterranean climate, mild surf and ship-watching.

“It is a veritable oasis by the sea that is hundreds of yards wide,” the report says.

Hotel del Coronado also overlooks this beach. The hotel was built in 1888 and has had guests including U.S. presidents, celebrities and royalty. It’s now a National Historic Landmark. It ranked No. 7 on the list last year.

Stephen Leatherman — also known as “Dr. Beach” — has released his top 10 beaches ahead of the holiday weekend every year since 1991.

He is a professor and director of the Laboratory for Coastal Research at Florida International University, and he was nicknamed Dr. Beach by his students after teaching a class on beaches and waves at the University of Maryland.

Leatherman pulls the list together each year from an evaluation of 650 “major public recreational beaches” in the country. He measures beach quality from 50 categories, including sand, water, sunshine, rip currents and views to find the best coastal destinations.

Here are the top 10 beaches:

  1. St. George Island State Park — Florida Panhandle

  2. Duke Kahanamoku Beach — Oahu, Hawaii

  3. Coopers Beach — South Hampton, New York

  4. Caladesi Island State Park — Dunedin/Clearwater, Florida

  5. Lighthouse Beach — Buxton, Outer Banks of North Carolina

  6. Coronado Beach — San Diego, California

  7. Wailea Beach — Maui, Hawaii

  8. Beachwalker Park — Kiawah Island, South Carolina

  9. Poipu Beach — Kauai, Hawaii

  10. Coast Guard Beach — Cape Cod, Massachusetts

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