if you are thinking of going to the beach, here's a hint of the best beaches in the US.
check them out below;
1. Hanalei Bay, Kauai, HawaiiMay 22, 2009--The white-sand, crescent-shaped beach of Hanalei Bay in Kauai, Hawaii, (above, a woman dips her feet in the surf) has earned the title of best American beach in 2009, a coastal expert announced today.
Stephen Leatherman, better known as Dr. Beach, has compiled his annual list of the top ten U.S. beaches for the past 19 years, rating coastlines on 50 criteria that include the presence of native plants, water quality, and overcrowding.
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The 2-mile (3.2-kilometer) strand of Hanalei Bay--lined with palm trees and set against a backdrop of waterfalls and 4,000-foot (1,219-meter) mountain peaks--"is one of those places that people say is one of the most beautiful areas in Hawaii," said Leatherman, of Florida International University's Laboratory for Coastal Research.
Well off the beaten path, Hanalei Bay gets more rain than other Hawaiian islands and has "spectacular" plant and animal life, Leatherman added. Hanalei Bay moved up from second place in Dr. Beach's 2008 top ten ranking.
—Photograph by Charles Kogod/National Geographic Image Collection
2. Siesta Beach, Sarasota, FloridaWith some of the finest, whitest sand in the world, Florida's Siesta Beach (above) came in second among this year's top ten beaches in the U.S., a coastal expert announced on May 22, 2009.
The beach's unpolluted sand and recreational opportunities--including unique underwater formations that attract snorkelers and scuba divers--led Stephen Leatherman, or Dr. Beach, to add Siesta to his annual list.
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what not to bring to the beach in the Green Guide.)
Leatherman judges beaches on 50 criteria, rating each variable on a one-to-five scale, with five being the highest. He takes off points for exotic plants, overcrowding, and too much development near the shoreline, among other factors.
— Photograph courtesy David McRee
3. Coopers Beach, Southampton, New YorkOn the south shore of Long Island, New York, Coopers Beach (above) is surrounded by large sand dunes dotted with American beach grass.
The beach, made of grainy white-quartz sand, was selected as the third best U.S. beach of 2009 according to the Laboratory for Coastal Research's annual Top 10 Beaches ranking.
Each year 85 percent of people in the U.S. who go on vacation visit a beach, said coastal expert Stephen Leatherman, making the shore the number one recreational destination.
—Photograph courtesy Long Island Convention and Visitors Bureau
4. Coronado Beach, San Diego, CaliforniaA "veritable oasis by the sea," San Diego's Coronado Beach (above, a man searches for sand dollars) has lush subtropical vegetation, a Mediterranean climate, and a warm and mild surf, according to coastal expert Stephen Leatherman.
A local landmark, the Hotel del Coronado, was built more than a hundred years ago and offers "spectacular" architecture, he added.
Leatherman rated Coronado as the fourth best beach in America in his list of the top ten beaches of 2009. The annual ranking, now in its 19th year, has a positive impact on the managers of poorer-quality beaches, he said.
"We're recognizing those great-quality beaches, and it's something for the others to aspire to."
—Photograph by Scott M. Lieberman/AP
5. Hamoa Beach, Maui, Hawaii--Ernest Hemingway once said that Hamoa Beach (above) was the world's best beach--so it's no surprise the coral-and-lava-sand shore made it on to the list of America's top ten beaches of 2009.
Hamoa is rimmed by cliffs and covered with coconut palms and "beautiful" flowering vegetation, said coastal expert Stephen Leatherman.
In judging a beach, Leatherman first examines whether there is clean sand and water. He uses U.S. Environmental Protection Agency data, for example, to determine a coastal area's water quality.
—Photograph by Chris Cheadle/Getty Images
well that's all for now till next time.