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It was 86 degrees here in Siesta Key, Florida yesterday and parts of New York reportedly hit 70 degrees for a record high. Spring is just around the corner and that means SPRING BREAK. After that, we’ve got the glorious season of Summer. What I’m trying to say here is beach season is knocking on the door.
To everyone amped up for beach season, Trip Advisor has just released their Traveler’s Choice Top 10 lists of the Best Beaches in the U.S. and the Best Beaches in the World. 6 of the top 10 beaches in America are in Florida but only 1 of the top 10 beaches in the world are in America (also in Florida).
These rankings can create huge boosts in tourism and bring a lot of money to these beach communities. I know because I grew up in Sarasota/Siesta Key, a beach that’s always vying for the top spot. This year, Siesta Key was bumped from the #1 Beach in America and fell to the #2 spot behind another greater Tampa Bay beach. Let’s check out the Top 10 Beaches in America first:
10. Lanikai Beach – Kailua, Hawaii
9. Santa Monica Beach – Santa Monica, California
8. Hollywood Beach – Hollywood, Florida
7. Saint Pete Beach – St. Pete Beach, Florida
6. Fort Lauderdale Beach – Fort Lauderdale, Florida
5. Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve – Honolulu, Hawaii
4. South Beach – Miami Beach, Florida
3. Ka’anapali Beach – Lahaina, Hawaii
2. Siesta Beach – Siesta Key, Florida
Less than thirty minutes south of Sarasota, Siesta Beach on Siesta Key is renowned for its eight-mile stretch of sugar-fine, quartz-white sand. It’s also a great spot for kids to collect seashells and sand dollars. “It is a very large beach that accommodates lots of people — it has lots of parking, picnic tables, BBQ, there is also a snack shop. It gets very crowded so timing is important,” added a TripAdvisor reviewer.
1. Clearwater Beach – Clearwater, Florida
About a forty-minute drive west of Tampa, Clearwater Beach dazzles with two and a half miles of sugar-white sand, crystal-clear waters and tranquil Gulf breezes. Perched on a barrier island, the beach offers calm, shallow water, making it an ideal playground for families. “GREAT white sand beach … very long, so if you are a beach walker, you will be happy. There is nothing like FL white, silky, sand! I love it!” shared a TripAdvisor traveler. (via)
So Clearwater Beach comes in at #1. I’ve only ever been to that beach once before. Growing up on Siesta Key there was really never any reason at all to leave and go visit other beaches in Florida. But I’ve got some family in that area so maybe I should go check in and see what all the hoopla is about with that beach.
Here are the top 10 Beaches in the World from Trip Advisor:
1. Grace Bay – Providenciales, Turks and Caicos
2. Baia do Sancho – Fernando de Noronha, Brazil
3. Varadero Beach – Varadero, Cuba
4. Eagle Beach – Palm – Eagle Beach, Aruba
5. Seven Mile Beach – Seven Mile Beach, Cayman Islands
6. La Concha Beach – San Sebastian – Donostia, Spain
7. Clearwater Beach – Clearwater, Florida
8. Seven Mile Beach – Negril, Jamaica
9. Bavaro Beach – Bavaro, Dominican Republic
10. Playa Norte – Isla Mujeres, Mexico (via)
I’ll say that I think Bavaro Beach in the D.R. is wildly overrated because it’s overrun with underwhelming all-inclusive resorts. And Playa Norte in Isla Mujeres, Mexico should be ranked above Bavaro in my opinion. Isla Mujeres is an awesome place, if you ever have the chance to go there you should. Excellent sailfish fishing and diving for whale sharks.
For more on the methodology of this Trip Advisor report of the Top 10 Beaches in America and the World, you can click here to read that report in full.