SARASOTA, FL — Only one beach in the United States was named to “The World’s 50 Best Beaches” list for 2026 - and it’s right here in Florida.
Sarasota’s Siesta Beach, known for its powdery white sand, nabbed the No. 28 spot on the list, which is voted on by more than 1,000 travel professionals. Last year, it ranked at No. 42.
Entalula Beach in the Philippines won the No. 1 spot on the list.
The top five is rounded out by Fteri Beach in Greece at No. 2, Wharton Beach in Australia at No. 3, Nosy Iranja at No. 4 in Madagascar and East Beach on Vomo Island in Fiji at No. 5.
The final list is compiled considering criteria including: uniqueness, wildlife, how untouched it is, the soundtrack of nature, how easy it is to enter, how calm the water tends to be and crowds.
In addition to its world ranking, Siesta Beach also landed at No. 7 on “The Best Beaches in North America” list.
"What makes Siesta Beach truly special is its sand. The beach is famous for its 99 [percent] pure quartz sand, which is powdery white and incredibly fine,” Suze Renner with luxurycolumnist.com said.
The beach is considered “easy to enter” with “often calm water,” according to the list. Siesta Beach is also considered “frequently idyllic.”
“Your odds of perfect beach days are much higher than average at Siesta Beach,” the list said.
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