ST. PETERSBURG – St. Pete Beach was voted the best beach in the country based on the annual Travelers’ Choice rating from Tripadvisor, leaving its second place in 2020.
It is better than the beaches of Hawaii, California and even other beaches in Pinellas. Madeira Beach was ranked ninth, Treasure Island Beach 16th and Clearwater Beach 18th.
St. Pete Beach took home the top spot for the last time in 2012, according to Visit St. Pete-Clearwater. Their website credits the award to the white sand beaches, warm waters of the gulf, beautiful sunsets and vacant space.
Beverly Ackah, 25, and Franklin Okomba, 31, are big fans. Seattle visitors left the snow behind when they made their trip to Pinellas.
“You don’t know what you have here,” said Okomba, sunbathing on Tuesday.
Steve Hayes, president and chief executive of Visit St. Pete-Clearwater, said he thinks having space to spread people along the beaches of Pinellas has helped him win the award in a year plagued by the coronavirus. Hayes said Tripadvisor reported that ratings also take into account the places where people most want to visit.
“When you look at four beaches in the same destination in the top 25, nowhere else on the list can you find that,” said Hayes.
It was the first year that Treasure Island and Madeira Beach made the list, featuring local “hidden gems”, he said.
Overall, St. Pete beach was ranked the fifth best beach by TripAdvisor. It is the only beach in the continental United States to make the global list.
“I just think it continues to raise our awareness as an international destination,” said Hayes. “And if they start to explore more, they will find that there are three more beaches ranked in the top 25 in the US”
Tripadvisor calls itself the largest travel guidance platform in the world. Each year, the company gathers reviews and ratings submitted by users and honors them in the Travelers’ Choice Best of the Best award. Along with the beaches, the site ranks restaurants, national parks, popular destinations, emerging destinations and more.
Here are the 10 best beaches on Tripadvisor.
1. St. Pete Beach, St. Pete Beach, Florida
“A great beach for hiking with white quartz sand, clear and calm waters and shells in trucks. The most perfect place to watch the sunset over the ocean. “
2. Ka’anapali Beach, Lahaina, Hawaii
“This beach is so beautiful and accessible to everyone. There is easy parking and a wonderful path to walk along the beach, with showers to clean. You can stroll on the soft sand, go for a walk, snorkel, swim or paddle in the clear, calm waters. It really is paradise! “
3. Moonstone Beach, Cambria, California.
“Beautiful beach and a great place to look for moonstones and jade. When the tide is low, you can explore the tide pools … magical! “
4. Wailea Beach, Wailea, Hawaii
“The walkway along Wailea Beach offers stunning views of the Maui coast. Whether on a brisk walk or a peaceful stroll, the beauty of the area abounds. You can even see whales right in the sea! “
5. Cannon Beach, Cannon Beach, Ore.
“This beach is vast and beautiful – long and deep! Haystack Rock at low tide is incredible with all the natural pools and sea creatures. Make sure to bring a sweater, it can be cold and windy! “
6. Napili Beach, Lahaina, Hawaii
“This little cove is a hidden gem. There is a small natural reef about 30-50 meters away and tons of marine life living on it. This was the best snorkeling experience I have had. “
7. Ogunquit Beach, Ogunquit, Maine
“This beach is impeccably clean and has a smooth sand floor. At low tide, the beach is probably the widest of all time. At high tide, you can walk hundreds of meters and still be just waist-high. “
8. Wai’anapanapa State Park, Hana, Hawaii
“This black sand beach (produced by the volcanic activity on the island) is out of this world along the beautiful coast.”
9. Madeira Beach, Madeira Beach, Florida.
“Very good flat beaches. The beach is very clean – we even saw a beach that Zamboni used to make every morning. You can enjoy a very pleasant walk on the beach for miles. “
10. Kailua Beach Park, Kailua, Hawaii
“Kailua offers everything: sand, a wide open space, less crowds and a good park to follow. This beach is amazing, coming from a guy who grew up on an island. “
Photographer Martha Asencio Rhine contributed to this report.