The U.S. is spoiled with fantastic beaches. After all, the nation does have more than 12,000 miles of coastline to explore. However, some stretches of sand are simply too great to ignore, and Dr. Beach knows exactly where they are and why you should visit. 

For decades, coastal scientist Stephen Leatherman, a professor and director of the Laboratory for Coastal Research at Florida International University, has compiled a list of the best beaches across the nation under the moniker Dr. Beach. He created his ranking system that analyzes beaches based on 50 criteria, including local water temperature, sand softness, the size of waves, the views, and the ease of public access to the beach. And in 2024, for those who love to swim in the south, he named Beachwalker Park in South Carolina, the No. 5 best beach in the country — and the highest-ranking in the state.

“South of Charleston, Beachwalker Park is the public beach located on the southern end of Kiawah Island,” Leatherman wrote about his selection. “This is a nature-lovers coast, so visitors can bring their canoes and kayaks to paddle through the tidal inlets. It is also fun to walk or bicycle down the fine-grained sand beach to Captain Sam’s Inlet to see thousands of birds. The water is not clear, but it is clean and provides fantastic seafood for low-country cooking.”

As Charleston County Parks additionally explained, the beach has everything any visitor would need to enjoy themselves for a day, including seasonal lifeguards, beach chairs, umbrellas, boogie board rentals, restrooms, picnic areas with grills, outdoor showers, and a seasonal snack bar. 

The only word of warning the official park website has for visitors is that Kiawah Beachwalker Park has just 150 parking spots and “usually fills to capacity by 10:30 a.m. during the summer.” So, if you’re visiting during the peak months, get there extra early.  

As for other destinations, Dr. Beach named Kahanamoku Beach on the island of Oahu as his No. 1 selection, thanks to its gin-clear waters, soft sand, and accessibility for families. So, bookmark this beach for your next seaside escape after Beachwalker Park so you can see if Dr. Beach’s rankings are correct.