“Dr. Beach,” a self-described coastal expert, has named Hapuna Beach of Hawaii as the best beach in the United States for 2021. In his yearly ranking of the best beaches, he said Hapuna Beach, with its white sand and black lava rocks, “is a perfect place to swim, snorkel or scuba dive.” On big wave days, try the boogie boards, he added. Visitors to Hawaii and its beaches, however, are required to get tested for COVID-19 whether they are vaccinated or not. “Hawaii is a really special place, and so I think it’s worth it,” he told the Associated Press. Kandi Miranda owns Manuela Malasada Company and runs a food truck near Hapuna Beach State Park. Born and raised on the Big Island of Hawaii, she was able to stay open for locals throughout the pandemic and is hopeful about the return of visitors. Miranda described Hapuna Beach as “magical.” She added, “The ocean in general in our culture is a really powerful place.” “Dr. Beach” is also known as Stephen Leatherman, a professor at Florida International University. Leatherman has reviewed and rated beaches around the world for over 30 years. Leatherman uses 50 criteria to come up with his yearly lists. They include cleanliness, smell, sand quality, water temperature and safety. Recently, Leatherman has added a new one on whether smoking is permitted on the beach. “First of all, it’s a health issue,” he said of cigarette smoke. And he worried that people would leave cigarette waste on beaches. The other top beaches on this year’s list include Duke Kahanamoku Beach in Hawaii and Coopers Beach in New York. There are two in the state of Florida, St. George Island State Park and Caladesi Island State Park. To the north on the Atlantic coast are Beachwalker Park in South Carolina and Ocracoke Lifeguarded Beach and Lighthouse Beach in North Carolina. Others include Coronado Beach in San Diego, California, and Coast Guard Beach in Cape Cod, Massachusetts.
Title: Best Beaches in the US and the World
Content: <div id='article-page'><div id='article-content' data-media-url='//news-app-staging.s3.amazonaws.com' data-base-url='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5131/B.wav' data-capture-url='//staging.analytics.lingraphica.com/events/capture_news' data-article-title='Best Beaches in the US and the World' data-article-id='5668'><script src='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com/javascripts/getscripts.js'></script><link rel='stylesheet' href='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com/stylesheets/article.css' type='text/css' /><div class='article'><p><span data-start-time='0' data-end-time='12354'>“Dr. Beach,” a self-described coastal expert, has named Hapuna Beach of Hawaii as the best beach in the United States for 2021.</span> <span data-start-time='12354' data-end-time='27104'>In his yearly ranking of the best beaches, he said Hapuna Beach, with its white sand and black lava rocks, “is a perfect place to swim, snorkel or scuba dive.” </span> <span data-start-time='27104' data-end-time='32479'>On big wave days, try the boogie boards, he added.</span> <span data-start-time='32479' data-end-time='43854'>Visitors to Hawaii and its beaches, however, are required to get tested for COVID-19 whether they are vaccinated or not. </span> <span data-start-time='43854' data-end-time='52354'>“Hawaii is a really special place, and so I think it’s worth it,” he told the Associated Press.</span> <span data-start-time='52354' data-end-time='61271'>Kandi Miranda owns Manuela Malasada Company and runs a food truck near Hapuna Beach State Park. </span> <span data-start-time='61271' data-end-time='74896'>Born and raised on the Big Island of Hawaii, she was able to stay open for locals throughout the pandemic and is hopeful about the return of visitors.</span> <span data-start-time='74896' data-end-time='79771'>Miranda described Hapuna Beach as “magical.” </span> <span data-start-time='79771' data-end-time='86813'>She added, “The ocean in general in our culture is a really powerful place.”</span> <span data-start-time='86813' data-end-time='96375'>“Dr. Beach” is also known as Stephen Leatherman, a professor at Florida International University. </span> <span data-start-time='96375' data-end-time='104250'>Leatherman has reviewed and rated beaches around the world for over 30 years.</span> <span data-start-time='104250' data-end-time='110875'>Leatherman uses 50 criteria to come up with his yearly lists. </span> <span data-start-time='110875' data-end-time='120146'>They include cleanliness, smell, sand quality, water temperature and safety.</span> <span data-start-time='120146' data-end-time='128250'>Recently, Leatherman has added a new one on whether smoking is permitted on the beach.</span> <span data-start-time='128250' data-end-time='133875'>“First of all, it’s a health issue,” he said of cigarette smoke. </span> <span data-start-time='133875' data-end-time='140125'>And he worried that people would leave cigarette waste on beaches.</span> <span data-start-time='140125' data-end-time='150750'>The other top beaches on this year’s list include Duke Kahanamoku Beach in Hawaii and Coopers Beach in New York. </span> <span data-start-time='150750' data-end-time='160063'>There are two in the state of Florida, St. George Island State Park and Caladesi Island State Park.</span> <span data-start-time='160063' data-end-time='171917'>To the north on the Atlantic coast are Beachwalker Park in South Carolina and Ocracoke Lifeguarded Beach and Lighthouse Beach in North Carolina. </span> <span data-start-time='171917' data-end-time='182396'>Others include Coronado Beach in San Diego, California, and Coast Guard Beach in Cape Cod, Massachusetts.</span> </p></div><div class='control-buttons-sticky' style='display:none;'><div class='control-buttons'><button title='Back' class='back' disabled='disabled'></button><button title='Play' class='play' disabled='disabled'></button><button title='Pause' class='pause' style='display:none;'></button><button title='Forward' class='forward' disabled='disabled'></button><button class='finished-reading' style='display:none;'>Done</button></div></div></div><div id='article-media'><div id='media-image'><img src='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5131/B.jpeg'/></div></div><div id='question-content' style='display:none;'><div class='vocabulary_question question-container' data-question-id=17506 data-hint-location='12354' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5131/what_does_it_mean_to_snorkel.wav'>What does it mean to snorkel?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='To swim underwater using a tube to breathe'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5131/to_shine_brightly_with_flashes_of_light.wav'><span>To shine brightly with flashes of light</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5131/to_swim_underwater_using_a_tube_to_breathe.wav'><span>To swim underwater using a tube to breathe</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5131/to_move_or_go_in_a_stealthy_manner.wav'><span>To move or go in a stealthy manner</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5131/to_pull_the_cork_out_of_.wav'><span>To pull the cork out of </span></div></div></div><div class='multiple_choice_question question-container' data-question-id=17507 data-hint-location='86813' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5131/what_is_the_nickname_of_stephen_leatherman_the_man_who_reviews_beaches.wav'>What is the nickname of Stephen Leatherman, the man who reviews beaches?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='Dr. Beach'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5131/dr_beach.wav'><span>Dr. Beach</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5131/beach_daddy.wav'><span>Beach Daddy</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5131/pauly_shoreline.wav'><span>Pauly Shoreline</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5131/mr_sandy.wav'><span>Mr. Sandy</span></div></div></div><div class='sentence_completion_question question-container' data-question-id=17508 data-hint-location='120146' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5131/recently_leatherman_has_added_a_new_one_on_whether__blank__is_permitted_on_the_beach.wav'>Recently, Leatherman has added a new one on whether <span class='blank'>smoking</span> is permitted on the beach.</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='smoking'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5131/smoking.wav'><span>smoking</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5131/dancing.wav'><span>dancing</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5131/eating.wav'><span>eating</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5131/swimming.wav'><span>swimming</span></div></div></div><div class='question-buttons'><button class='skip-button'></button><button class='hint-button'></button><button class='speak-button'></button></div></div></div>
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