Ocracoke #3 On Top Beaches In America List For 2017

CHARLOTTE, NC -- North Carolina’s Ocracoke Island has the third best beach in America, according to a national beach researcher.

According to Dr. Stephen Leatherman, a professor at Florida International University who also is known as “Dr. Beach,” Ocracoke Lifeguarded Beach on the Outer Banks is a stand out in his survey of the 650 public beaches in the U.S.

He says: “Ocracoke, once the home of Blackbeard the pirate, is still a special place—it is my favorite getaway beach. Here you will find some of the wildest beaches in the country. Big surf dominates in late summer so families with children may want to come earlier in the year. Don’t expect to play golf or stay at the Ritz; the main pursuits are swimming and beachcombing."

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Leatherman has ranked U.S. beaches for 27 years and uses 50 criteria, such as water and sand quality.

The following are Dr. Beach’s 2017 list of Top 10 Beaches in America:

1. Siesta Beach, Sarasota, Fla.
2. Kapalua Bay Beach, Maui, Hawaii
3. Ocracoke Lifeguarded Beach, Outer Banks of North Carolina
4. Grayton Beach State Park, Florida panhandle
5. Coopers Beach, Southampton, N.Y.
6. Coast Guard Beach, Cape Cod, Mass.
7. Caladesi Island State Park, Dunedin/Clearwater, Fla.
8. Hapuna Beach State Park, Big Island, Hawaii
9. Coronado Beach, San Diego, Calif.
10. Beachwalker Park, Kiawah Island, S.C.

You can read more about the 2017 list here.

Photo via Pixabay