The results are in from TripAdvisor’s users, and it turns out that Accordion Bay’s got the number one beach in the U.S.: Clearwater Beach! They cited its 2.5 miles (about 4 kilometres) of “powder sand and calm, shallow water”. It may be a bit of a bummer if you’re looking for surfing action, but if you want to swim, waterski, boogie board, kayak, or parasail, it’s pretty nice.
Clearwater Beach wasn’t the only Accordion Bay beach to score well on this year’s TripAdvisor rankings. The beach pictured below came up in the number 4 slot, just ahead of a couple of Hawaiian beaches:
That’s right, St. Pete Beach, where Anitra and I got married last year, made it into the top ten. Here are the top 25 beaches in the U.S., according to TripAdvisor. I’ve boldfaced all the ones in Florida and italicized all the ones to which I can drive in three hours:
- Clearwater Beach – Clearwater, Florida
- Lanikai Beach – Kailua, Oahu, Hawaii
- Siesta Beach – Siesta Key, Florida
- St. Pete Beach – St. Pete Beach, Florida
- Wai’anapanapa State Park – Hana, Maui, Hawaii
- Ka’anapali Beach – Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii
- Pensacola Beach – Pensacola Beach, Florida
- La Jolla Shores – La Jolla, California
- St. Augustine Beach – St. Augustine Beach, Florida
- Panama City Beach – Panama City Beach, Florida
- Henderson Beach State Park – Destin, Florida
- Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve – Honolulu, Hawaii
- Poipu Beach Park – Poipu, Hawaii
- Manini’owali Beach (Kua Bay) – Kailua-Kona, Hawaii
- Ogunquit Beach – Ogunquit, Maine
- Newport Beach – Newport Beach, California
- Coronado Municipal Beach – Coronado, California
- Fort Myers Beach – Fort Myers Beach, Florida
- Race Point Beach – Provincetown, Massachusetts
- Las Olas Beach – Fort Lauderdale, Florida
- Carlsbad State Beach – Carlsbad, California
- Crystal Cove State Park – Laguna Beach, California
- Navarre Beach – Navarre, Florida
- Hanalei Beach – Hanalei, Hawaii
- Ocean City Beach – Ocean City, Maryland
And for completeness’ sake, here are TripAdvisor’s top 25 beaches in the world. Clearwater Beach made the cut:
- Grace Bay – Providenciales, Turks and Caicos
- Baia do Sancho – Fernando de Noronha, Brazil
- Playa Paraiso – Cayo Largo, Cuba
- Anse Lazio – Praslin Island, Seychelles
- Cayo de Agua – Los Roques National Park, Venezuela
- Flamenco Beach – Culebra, Puerto Rico
- Playa de Ses Illetes – Formentera, Spain
- Ngapali Beach – Ngapali, Myanmar
- West Bay Beach – Bay Islands, Honduras
- Nacpan Beach – El Nido, Philippines
- Maho Beach – Cruz Bay, St. John
- Whitehaven Beach – Whitsunday Island, Whitsunday Islands
- Sharm El Luli – Marsa Alam, Egypt
- Elafonissi Beach – Elafonissi, Greece
- Playa Manuel Antonio – Manuel Antonio National Park, Costa Rica
- The Baths – Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands
- Camp’s Bay Beach – Camps Bay, South Africa
- Praia da Marinha – Carvoeiro, Portugal
- Kata Noi Beach – Karon, Thailand
- Clearwater Beach – Clearwater, Florida
- Playa Paraiso – Tulum, Mexico
- Agonda Beach – Agonda, India
- Horseshoe Bay Beach – Southampton Parish, Bermuda
- Tumon Beach – Tumon, Mariana Islands
- Praia de Santa Maria – Santa Maria, Cape Verde