For over three decades, coastal scientist Dr. Stephen Leatherman—aka Dr. Beach—has ranked the best beaches in the United States, celebrating clean sand, sparkling water, and the simple joy of salt air on skin.

Each year around Memorial Day, his top-10 list becomes a love letter to shorelines and conservation. His criteria? Sand softness, water clarity, wave energy, and even the ecological care of each coast.

His original 2002 pick, St. Joseph Peninsula State Park in Florida, remains iconic, but his mission is timeless: to inspire awareness and appreciation of our natural waterscapes. With the Healthy Beaches Campaign, he promotes sustainable beauty and responsibility—so future generations can still run barefoot toward the waves.

“Nothing restores the body and soul like a stay at the beach,” he explained. The rhythm of the waves becomes a reminder of where we come from. Of what remains untouched and true.

In 2024, he released his 34th list, with Duke Kahanamoku Beach in Oahu, Hawaii, earning the top spot. This beach is praised for its wide sands, family-friendly lagoon, and protection from waves by an offshore coral reef. This choice is so delightful because I have enjoyed this beach throughout my life!

On this May 26, listen closely. The ocean is speaking in all its languages.