Coopers Beach in Southampton Ranks Nation's 3rd Best, Again

Coopers Beach in Southampton retained its title as third-best beach in the nation for the second year straight, according to Dr. Beach’s annual list ranking America’s top 10 beaches released on Thursday.

The beach topped the list in 2010, dropped to No. 8 in 2016, rose to No. 5 in 2017, ranked No. 4 two years in a row, No. 3 in 2020, No. 2 two years ago and placed third last year.

“Some of the best beach access in the Hamptons exists on Coopers Beach,” Dr. Stephen P. Leatherman, a coastal expert and professor at Florida International University who has produced the list for the past 33 years, wrote in his review touting that it’s “hundreds of yards wide, made of grainy white quartz sand.”  

The state park on St. George Island just off the Florida Panhandle drew the top honor. Leatherman’s top 10 list rating the best of America’s 650 public beaches is traditionally released around Memorial Day, the unofficial start of summer and kickoff of beach season.

Dr. Beach bases his annual list of 50 criteria, including categories such as softness of sand, water temperature, air temperature, amount of rain, wind speeds, sand color, water color, presence of wildlife, presence of lifeguards and even the overall smell of the beach.

Hawaii placed three beaches on the list, more than any other state. Florida was next with two.

Here is Dr. Beach’s complete 2023 top 10:

1. St. George Island State Park, Florida Panhandle
2. Duke Kahanamoku Beach, Oahu, Hawaii
3. Coopers Beach, Southampton, New York
4. Caladesi Island State Park, Dunedin/Clearwater, Florida
5. Lighthouse Beach, Buxton, Outer Banks of North Carolina
6. Coronado Beach, San Diego
7. Wailea Beach, Maui, Hawaii
8. Beachwalker Park, Kiawah Island, South Carolina
9. Poipu Beach, Kauai, Hawaii
10. Coast Guard Beach, Cape Cod, Massachusetts

-With Associated Press