What are the top beach destinations this summer? Outer Banks spots make national list
The North Carolina coast is home to two of the best beaches in the nation, a new report finds.
Ocracoke Lifeguarded Beach and the Lighthouse Beach in Buxton rank among the top 10 places to soak up the sun in 2021, according to results released Thursday.
Stephen Leatherman, a Florida International University professor also known as Dr. Beach, recognized the two Outer Banks spots after doing his annual study of 650 destinations along the U.S. coastline. Beaches were scored on 50 criteria, including sand, water, safety and cleanliness, according to a news release.
Among the locations on the Outer Banks — a series of barrier islands off the North Carolina shore — Ocracoke Lifeguarded Beach ranked the highest at No. 3.
Leatherman said the spot on Ocracoke Island was his favorite getaway and that visitors to the area will “find some of the wildest beaches in the country.”
“Don’t expect to play golf or stay at the Ritz; the main pursuits are swimming and beachcombing,” he said.
Also making the national list was Lighthouse Beach in Buxton, on Hatteras Island.
The beach, once home to the iconic Cape Hatteras lighthouse, ranked No. 5 for conditions that make it a top place to surf along the nation’s Atlantic coast.
“It is fun to stroll down to the Cape Point where a long sand split often exists, making one feel somewhat like Moses because the waves are coming from both directions as you walk along this narrow string of sand in the ocean,” Leatherman said.
It’s not the first time North Carolina travel destinations garnered national recognition.
In March, the rental website Airbnb announced the Outer Banks town of Kitty Hawk was one of the most-searched destinations for people considering spring and summer travel.
And earlier this month, Raleigh metro was named a top place to visit this summer. The list from WalletHub gave the metro nods for its affordability and relatively mild weather, McClatchy News reported.
On the most recent list, the best beach in the country was Hapuna Beach State Recreation Area in Hawaii. Rounding out the top five were Coopers Beach in New York and St. George Island State Park in Florida.
During the pandemic, health officials have urged people to postpone travel until at least two weeks after receiving their last dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. While on your trip, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends practicing social distancing and wearing a face mask.
This story was originally published May 28, 2021 at 9:36 AM with the headline "What are the top beach destinations this summer? Outer Banks spots make national list."
