This Florida Seaside Was Simply Named the Greatest 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 number of the finest sunsets within the nation. However, in line with Dr. Seaside (whose actual title is Dr. Stephen P. Leatherman), one seaside stands out above the remainder. On this annual America’s Greatest Seashores listing, the scientist, creator, professor, and director of the Laboratory for Coastal Analysis at Florida Worldwide College deemed Delnor-Wiggins Move State Park the highest seaside in Florida.

Positioned 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 happy a number of of Dr. Seaside’s standards. (He charges every seaside from 1 to five throughout 50 completely different classes.)

“This barrier island seaside boasts … stunning white-sand seashores and crystal-clear Gulf waters,” he said. “Actions embody 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 Move State Park did expertise injury from Hurricanes Helene and Milton in 2024, but it surely reopened to the general public in early 2025 following reconstruction efforts.

Should you’re planning a day journey to the park from Naples, there are a number of issues to bear in mind. For starters, you’ll have to time your go to accurately (and have money on you). Delnor-Wiggins Move 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. Seaside talked about, there are all types of issues to do inside the park. These visiting particularly for the seaside can swim, collect seashells, and lease seaside chairs and tents from the Nature Recreation Administration Concessionaire. Earlier than you get within the water, make certain to examine the colours of the seaside warning flags (inexperienced means the water is protected for swimming).

Delnor-Wiggins Move 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. Should you select to discover through boat, you possibly can launch a kayak, canoe, or standup paddleboard into Water Turkey Bay on the park’s boat launch; as you paddle by the mangrove swamp or into the Gulf, you would possibly spot manatees, stingrays, and dolphins as properly.

Delnor-Wiggins Move State Park wasn’t the one Florida seaside on Dr. Seaside’s High 10 listing, although. St. Andrews State Park got here in at No. 7; it’s additionally one of many “most calming” state parks, in line with Google Maps information.

Discover the remainder of Dr. Seaside’s choices for America’s Greatest Seashores at drbeach.org.