Travelers seeking crystal waters and soft white sand won’t need their passports for a great beach vacation. There are plenty of beautiful coastlines across the U.S. to choose from. Hawaii’s Poipu Beach has been named the country’s best beach for 2026, according to the annual ranking by the world’s foremost “beachologist.” Stephen Leatherman, aka “Dr. Beach,” is a coastal scientist and professor at Florida International University. Leatherman announced his top 10 list of U.S. public beaches last month. It marks the 36rd year he has rated the best of America’s 650 public beaches. Leatherman uses 50 criteria to evaluate beaches including sand type, wave action, whether lifeguards are present, presence of wildlife, the level of development and crowding, and many other factors. Extra credit is given to beaches that forbid cigarette smoking, mainly because of the need to prevent discarded butts. Hawaii claims four beaches on this year’s ranking, followed by Florida with three beaches on the list, while New York, South Carolina and Massachusetts each claim one spot. Here is Dr. Beach’s complete 2026 top 10: 1. Poipu Beach: Kauai Hawaii Poipu Beach Park, Kauai, Hawaii. Located on the sunny, dry side of this island, Poipu Beach is actually two beaches in one. A tombolo, which is a narrow sand spit that extends from the shore to an island, separates the two pocket beaches.   2. St. Andrews State Park: Panama City, Florida Beachgoers are seen at St. Andrews State Park in Panama City, Fla., May 5, 2025. An inlet separates a short section of St. Andrews from the main part of the park which is only accessed by boat both ferry and private. This strikingly white sandy beach is great for shelling and bird watching. 3. Caladesi Island State Park: Dunedin, Florida This May 21, 2008, file photo shows the main beach at Caladesi Island State Park, a barrier island along the Gulf of Mexico, in Dunedin, Fla. Caladesi is reached by pedestrian ferry boat, private boats or a long walk north from Clearwater Beach; the inlet is closed, so Caladesi is no longer a true island, but still a great getaway. 4. Wailea Beach – Maui, Hawaii Wailea beach is pictured in, Maui, Hawaii, in this 2016 photo. The white coral sand beach gently slopes offshore and is great for snorkeling when the ocean is calm. 5. Main Beach – East Hampton, New York People visit East Hampton Main Beach during Memorial Day weekend on May 24, 2020, in East Hampton, New York. Wealthy summertime residents flock to the beaches protected by a conservation easement that dates back over 300 years. 6. Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park – Naples, Florida A pristine beach ranks high among the attractions in Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park, named for the area’s first homesteader and local philanthropists. This barrier island beach boasts of beautiful white sand beaches and crystal-clear Gulf waters.  7. Beachwalker Park – Kiawah Island, South Carolina Beachwalker Park, Kiawah Island, South Carolina. South of Charleston, Beachwalker Park is the public beach located on the southern end of Kiawah Island. This is a nature-lovers coast, so visitors can bring their canoes and kayaks to paddle through the tidal inlets. 8. Kaunaoa Beach – The Island of Hawaii This beach, also known as Mauna Kea Beach, is a hidden jewel, located within the Mauna Key Beach Resort on Hawaii’s Big Island. Kaunaoa is nearly a quarter mile-long pocket beach that features clear, turquoise water and white coral sand that contrasts with the black lava rock. 9. Lanikai Beach – Oahu, Hawaii Canoe paddlers at Lanikai Beach. Lanikai Beach is quite small but arguably the most beautiful beach in Hawaii. The water is perfectly clear and shallow and usually calm with two offshore islands acting as a pictorial backdrop.  10. Coast Guard Beach – Cape Cod, Massachusetts Coast Guard Beach in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, is located where a sand spit extends southward from the glacial sea cliffs. The picturesque old Coast Guard station still sits atop the glacial bluffs, allowing for a spectacular view of the Nauset Spit barrier system and bay. ...read more read less