This Florida Seashore Was Simply Named the Finest within the State—and It Has White Sand, Clear Water, and Nesting Sea Turtles

With 663 miles of seashores, Florida is wealthy in coastal escapes with white sand, clear blue water, and a few of the finest sunsets within the nation. However, in accordance with Dr. Seashore (whose actual title is Dr. Stephen P. Leatherman), one seashore stands out above the remainder. On this annual America’s Finest Seashores checklist, the scientist, creator, professor, and director of the Laboratory for Coastal Analysis at Florida Worldwide College deemed Delnor-Wiggins Cross State Park the highest seashore in Florida.

Situated on a barrier island close to Naples, the park has a mile-long stretch of white quartz sand and covers 166 complete acres—and it glad a number of of Dr. Seashore’s standards. (He charges every seashore from 1 to five throughout 50 completely different classes.)

“This barrier island seashore boasts … stunning white-sand seashores and crystal-clear Gulf waters,” he acknowledged. “Actions embrace swimming, snorkeling, paddleboarding, shelling, and fishing. Wildlife within the park consists of bald eagles, ospreys, and manatees. Pine bushes present welcome shade.”

Sadly, Delnor-Wiggins Cross State Park did expertise injury from Hurricanes Helene and Milton in 2024, however it reopened to the general public in early 2025 following reconstruction efforts.

In the event you’re planning a day journey to the park from Naples, there are a number of issues to remember. For starters, you’ll must time your go to appropriately (and have money on you). Delnor-Wiggins Cross State Park opens at 8 a.m. and closes at sunset all yr spherical, and entry prices $6.00 per car or $4.00 per single-occupant car.

Like Dr. Seashore talked about, there are all types of issues to do inside the park. These visiting particularly for the seashore can swim, collect seashells, and hire seashore chairs and tents from the Nature Recreation Administration Concessionaire. Earlier than you get within the water, ensure that to examine the colours of the seashore warning flags (inexperienced means the water is protected for swimming).

Delnor-Wiggins Cross State Park can be a well-liked nesting spot for loggerhead sea turtles, and park rangers will place a cage on high of any nests to guard the eggs. In the event you select to discover by way of boat, you’ll be able to launch a kayak, canoe, or standup paddleboard into Water Turkey Bay on the park’s boat launch; as you paddle via the mangrove swamp or into the Gulf, you would possibly spot manatees, stingrays, and dolphins as properly.

Delnor-Wiggins Cross State Park wasn’t the one Florida seashore on Dr. Seashore’s Prime 10 checklist, although. St. Andrews State Park got here in at No. 7; it’s additionally one of many “most calming” state parks, in accordance with Google Maps knowledge.

Discover the remainder of Dr. Seashore’s picks for America’s Finest Seashores at drbeach.org.