At least, according to "Dr. Beach," who may have the best job in the world.
Just in time for Memorial Day, Dr. Stephen P. Leatherman, professor in the Department of Earth & Environment at Florida International University, has released his 33rd annual rankings of the best of America’s 650 public beaches. This year, after years of moving up and down the top ten list, the state park on St. George Island just off the Florida Panhandle is No. 1.
“There's just so many things that capture my imagination there,” Leatherman told the Associated Press. “It's an idyllic place.”
A second Florida Gulf Coast beach, Caladesi Island State Park near Clearwater and Dunedin, ranks fourth on the list this year. Hawaii beat us with three beaches in the top ten, but who's counting? (We're No. 1!)...
Julian G. Bruce St. George Island State Park is nestled at the far east end of the 22-mile long barrier island along the Panhandle in Franklin County, about a two-hour drive from Tallahassee. It's a favorite of Dr. Beach, regularly landing in his top ten with a brief drop after Hurricane Michael devastated the area.
It's not hard to see why, and St. George Island has made Dr. Beach's top 10 again and again over the years. Protected from development, with plenty of activities available including fishing, swimming and kayaking in the crystal-clear waters of the Gulf, bird-watching, beachcombing, shelling, camping and what Letterman called an unparalleled view of the night sky for stargazers make the beach a favorite for Tallahassee daytrippers.
The park, the longest beachfront state park in Florida, covers about 2,000 acres (810 hectares) on the east end of the island, which is connected by a bridge to the mainland across Apalachicola Bay. The other sections of the island contain a small village, restaurants, rental homes and motels, but not a whole lot else, which is a big part of the appeal for Dr. Beach.
More | Panama City News Herald:
Take that, Hawaii! This Florida beach tops Dr. Beach's Top 10 list for 2023
Dr. Beach's annual Top 10 Beach in the U.S. rankings are out and Florida is on the top of the pack, including having the best beach.
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