This California beach is one of the best in the nation, report finds. Here’s why

Memorial Day is the unofficial start of beach season.

That’s according to Dr. Beach, who has released his list of top beaches ahead of the holiday weekend every year since 1991.

This year’s “2022 Top Beaches” in the country include a beach in San Diego, California.

Coronado Beach landed the No. 7 spot for its subtropical vegetation, “sparkling sand,” warm and mild surf and ship-watching views. Hotel del Coronado, a historic beach resort built in 1888, overlooks the sandy shoreline.

The beach moved up one ranking from last year’s list.

Stephen Leatherman — also known as “Dr. Beach” — is a professor and director of the Laboratory for Coastal Research at Florida International University.

He was nicknamed Dr. Beach by his students after teaching a class on beaches and waves at the University of Maryland.

Leatherman pulls the list together each year from an evaluation of 650 “major public recreational beaches” in the country.

Each beach is rated based on 50 factors, including beach width at low tide, beach material (sandy or cobble), sand softness, number of sunny days, water color, trash and litter, and noise.

1. Ocracoke Lifeguarded Beach in North Carolina

2. Caladesi Island State Park in Dunedin/Clearwater, Florida

3. Coopers Beach in Southampton, New York

4. St. George Island State Park in Florida Panhandle

5. Duke Kahanamoku Beach in Oahu, Hawaii

6. Lighthouse Beach in Buxton, Outer Banks of North Carolina

7. Coronado Beach in San Diego, California

8. Wailea Beach in Maui, Hawaii

9. Beachwalker Park in Kiawah Island, South Carolina

10. Coast Guard Beach in Cape Cod, Massachusetts

This story was originally published May 26, 2022 at 8:03 PM with the headline "This California beach is one of the best in the nation, report finds. Here’s why."

Helena Wegner

McClatchy DC

Helena Wegner is a McClatchy National Real-Time Reporter covering the state of Washington and the western region. She’s a journalism graduate from Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication. She’s based in Phoenix.