Hamptons Beach Makes Dr. Beach's Top 10 In America — Again

SOUTHAMPTON, NY — Coopers Beach, an idyllic destination in Southampton, held its ranking from last year in the popular Dr. Beach's Top 10 list of best beaches in the United States.

And it's not the first time the beach has earned top honors: Coopers Beach, which came in #3 in 2023, also earned the same spot on the list in 2022, and was also named #2 in the list of America's Top 10 Beaches in 2021 by coastal expert Stephen "Dr. Beach" Leatherman, a professor at Florida International University.

Dr. Beach creates the list every year using 50 criteria, which include water, sand quality, safety, and management.

This year, Dr. Beach wrote that Coopers Beach, located in Southampton Village, is "shielded from the cold Labrador currents in the beautiful village of Southampton . . . As the first 'Gold Coast' in the country, Coopers Beach is hundreds of yards wide, made of grainy white quartz sand. The beach is backed by large sand dunes covered by American beach grass interspersed with large and extravagant mansions. Some of the best beach access in the Hamptons exists on Coopers Beach, and a snack bar serving lunch and drinks can be found here as well," he said.

Coopers Beach was also named one of America's Top 10 Beaches in 2019 by Dr. Beach, coming in at #4. Coopers Beach also took the #1 spot in 2010 and came in at #5 in 2017.

Here's the full list of Dr. Beach's Top 10 Beaches in America for 2023:

#1. St. George Island State Park, Florida Panhandle

#2. Duke Kahanamoku Beach, Oahu, Hawaii

#3. Coopers Beach, Southampton, New York

#4. Caladesi Island State Park, Dunedin/Clearwater, Florida

#5. Lighthouse Beach, Buxton, Outer Banks of North Carolina

#6. Coronado Beach, San Diego, California

#7. Wailea Beach, Maui, Hawaii

#8. Beachwalker Park, Kiawah Island, South Carolina

#9. Poipu Beach, Kauai, Hawii

#10. Coast Guard Beach, Cape Cod, Massachusetts

To read all about Dr. Beach's Top 10 list, click here.