Top 2026 Beach Rankings Released

- The top spot for 2026 was awarded to Isla Pasion off the coast of Cozumel, Mexico, a private island accessible only by a 10-minute boat ride. The number one beach in the United States was La Jolla Cove in San Diego, California. - The rankings are part of TripAdvisor's Travelers' Choice Awards "Best of the Best," which analyzes the quality and quantity of reviews from millions of global users over a 12-month period. Fewer than 1% of the 8 million listings on the platform receive this distinction. - Siesta Key's famous sand is composed of 99% pure quartz crystal that flowed down from the Appalachian Mountains millions of years ago. This composition keeps the sand cool to the touch, even on hot days, and its fine, powdery texture is ideal for sand sculpting. - In previous TripAdvisor rankings, Siesta Beach held the #1 spot in the U.S. in 2025 and the #2 spot in 2024, showcasing its consistent popularity among travelers. - Honeymoon Island is a state park that offers more than four miles of beach and a three-mile hiking trail through one of the last remaining virgin slash pine forests. It is a habitat for wildlife including ospreys, great horned owls, and gopher tortoises. - Beyond its main beach, Honeymoon Island State Park serves as a ferry terminal for access to the even more secluded Caladesi Island State Park, another highly-rated and unspoiled beach destination. - Clearwater Beach holds a Guinness World Record for the most consecutive days of sunshine, at 768 days. A nightly festival with street performers and artisans takes place at Pier 60 to celebrate the sunset.