For the second year in a row, Dr. Stephen Leatherman (A.K.A. Dr. Beach) has named a Hawaii beach the Top Beach of the year. Kailua Beach Park earned top honors for the 2019 list, while 2018 was topped by Kapalua Bay Beach, Maui.
Kailua Beach Park “is a beautiful white sand coral beach with generally small waves, making it great for swimming and kayaking. A very popular activity is to paddle a kayak to the nearby picturesque offshore islands; the larger one has a nice sandy beach. Kailua Beach Park has lifeguards on duty, free parking, bathrooms, beach showers, picnic tables, volleyball courts and kayak rentals among other amenities. It is only minutes away from the village of Kailua where there are good restaurants, or you can pick up plate lunches and drinks for the beach,” the beach expert explained on his website.
However, one of our own also earned bragging rights. Coopers Beach in Southampton has once again earned the fourth spot on the Top 10 Beaches List. It earned the same spot on the 2018 list, and came in at fifth in 2017.
Now in its 29th year, Dr. Leatherman, a Professor and Director of the Laboratory for Coastal Research at Florida International University, reviews contenders by evaluating 50 different aspects, which include water and sand quality as well as safety and management.
Top 10 Beaches 2019:
10. Beachwalker Park Kiawah Island, South Carolina
9. Coronado Beach, San Diego, California
8. Hapuna Beach State Park, Big Island, Hawaii
7. Caladesi Island State Park Dunedin/Clearwater, Florida
6. Coast Guard Beach, Cape Cod, Massachusetts
5. Duke Kahanamoku Beach, Oahu, Hawaii
4. Coopers Beach, Southampton, New York
3. Grayton Beach State Park Florida panhandle
2. Ocracoke Lifeguarded Beach, Outer Banks of North Carolina
1. Kailua Beach Park, Oahu, Hawaii
And, don’t forget, whenever you need a quick dose of the beautiful Hamptons beach, you can do so without leaving your home by visiting the Hamptons.com Coopers Beach camera here: Hamptons.com.