Cape Shoreline Named Among The Nation’s 10 Best, According To ‘Dr. Beach’

CAPE COD, MA — An annual ranking of America’s best beaches is out, and once again the Cape has made the cut.

Coast Guard Beach, in Eastham, ranks 10th among the top sandy shores in the U.S., according to coastal scientist Stephen P. Leatherman, known as “Dr. Beach.”

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Leatherman has been ranking the country’s best beaches each year since 1991, based on more than 50 criteria. They include factors such as water temperature, natural beauty and sand quality.

This year’s rankings, released last week, ranked 650 beaches and named Poipu Beach, in Hawaii, as best in the U.S.

Coast Guard Beach has consistently placed among the top 10 over recent years, according to Dr. Beach. The 12-mile stretch of seashore ranked highest in 2017, when it was named fourth-best in the country.

In the 2026 ranking, Dr. Beach described the Eastham site this way: “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. During the summer, beachgoers take quick, refreshing dips in the ocean as the water is chilly.”

The only other beach in the Northeast to make the rankings is Main Beach in East Hampton, New York.

You can read more about the beach rankings here.