Hawaii: Oahu's Duke Kahanamoku Beach named best in U.S. by Dr. Beach

Hawaii: Oahu’s Duke Kahanamoku Beach named best in U.S. by Dr. Beach

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This beach on Oahu was ranked No. 1 by Dr. Beach. It’s in Waikiki, which can be crowded and touristy, but this beach is quieter and good for families. (Sam Eifling / Associated Press)

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Barefoot Beach, in Bonita Springs, is about 140 miles from Miami on the opposite coast. A two-hour drive from Miami across Interstate 75 -- Alligator Alley -- and a jog north of Naples will get you there. (Chris E. Griffith / Associated Press)

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St. George Island Beach is also on the Gulf of Mexico side of Florida in the panhandle. It’s about 70 miles southeast of Panama City, Fla. (Lou Kellenberger / Associated Press)

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Hawaii scores another “best” on the beach list, this one on Maui. It’s about nine miles south of Hana. If you’re making the drive on the famous Road to Hana, Hamoa could be a lovely refresher. (Ron Dahlquist / Associated Press)

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Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park, in Key Biscayne, Fla., is on the Atlantic side. The lighthouse was built in 1825 and reconstructed in 1846. (Lynne Sladky / Associated Press)

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This is Coast Guard Beach in Eastham, Mass. It’s part of the Cape Cod National Seashore. (Margo Tabb / Associated Press)

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Delnor-Wiggins is on a barrier island on the Gulf of Mexico side, about seven miles from the No. 2 favorite, Barefoot Beach. (Thelma Proctor / Associated Press)

By Mary Forgione

May 30, 2014 8:15 AM PT

Daily Deal and Travel Blogger

Need a sand bucket list for the best beaches in the nation? Start with Duke Kahanamoku Beach in Waikiki on the Hawaiian island of Oahu. The Honolulu beach was picked as the best in the nation, according to Dr. Beach, aka Stephen Leatherman, a professor at Florida International University.

Hawaii and Florida beaches made a good showing, but California lost out in the Top 10 Beaches 2014 list. People pay attention to Dr. Beach’s picks because they aren’t derived from crowd-sourced travel reviews or online polls.

Leatherman has a doctorate in environmental sciences. Each year he scrutinizes beaches using 50 criteria, taking into account beach shape, water temperature and sand softness, among other factors.

Dr. Beach chose Kahanamoku, named for the Olympic athlete and Hawaiian surfer folk hero, as No. 1 because it’s less crowded, protected by a coral reef and good for families.

“Surprising to most visitors, this beautiful beach where smoking is not permitted was created more than half a century ago by dredging through the shallow reef and importing sand,” according to his website.

The rest of the 2014 top beaches:

2. Barefoot Beach, Bonita Springs, Fla.
3. St. George Island State Park, Florida Panhandle
4. Waimanalo Bay Beach Park, Oahu
5. Hamoa Beach, Maui
6. Cape Hatteras, Outer Banks, N.C.
7. Cape Florida State Park, Key Biscayne, Fla.
8. Coast Guard Beach, Cape Cod, Mass.
9. Beachwalker Park, Kiawah Island, S.C.
10. Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park, Naples, Fla.

So why are there no great California beaches on the list? This might explain it.

Coronado Beach near San Diego was Dr. Beach’s top pick in 2012. But past No. 1 winners are excluded from further consideration to give “other great American beaches an opportunity to enjoy the spotlight.”

Hawaii: Oahu’s Duke Kahanamoku Beach named best in U.S. by Dr. Beach

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