For the Hamptons locals and anyone who has stepped foot on one of the serene Hamptons beaches, it should come as no shocker that a Hamptons beach has taken the top spot once again on coastal expert Stephen P. Leatherman’s aka “Dr. Beach” annual list of the best beaches in the U.S. This year taking home the top honor is Main Beach in East Hampton. This isn’t the first time Main Beach has been ranked on the list, taking the home the number three spot in 2012.
“The thing about the Hamptons is that people are so proud of their beaches out there,” Leatherman told The Associated Press in an interview in advance of the release of his list. “People pick up their litter there, the bathrooms are clean; they provide good services.”
To compile the list, Leatherman visited beaches around the U.S. using criteria including sand quality, safety and environmental management and water to decide which beach tops the list. Main Beach benefited from their team of lifeguards, which Leatherman credited for making it a “very safe beach for bathing and swimming”.
The other nine beaches included on Leatherman’s list include Kahanamoku Beach, Waikiki, Hawaii; St. George Island State Park, Florida; Hamoa Beach, Maui, Hawaii; Waimanalo Bay State Park, Oahu, Hawaii; Barefoot Beach Preserve County Park, Bonita Springs, Florida; Cape Florida State Park, Key Biscayne, Florida; Cape Hatteras, Outer Banks, North Carolina; Coast Guard Beach, Cape Cod, Massachusetts; and Beachwalker Park, Kiawah Island, South Carolina.