Hawaii and Florida top list of best US beaches for 2026, according to ‘Dr. Beach’

By Jeanne Bonner, CNN (CNN) — A crescent-shaped beach in Hawaii that’s immersed in greenery and facing an island just offshore is the best beach in the US. So says coastal scientist Stephen P. Leatherman, better known as “Dr. Beach.” Poipu Beach on the island of Kauai tops the list for 2026, which he compiles