The U.S. Beaches With The Clearest Water May Surprise You

For so many people visiting beaches, clear water is a must. (Ever seen Jaws? I get it, too, you know?) But while it may feel like the Caribbean is the best spot to go for water you can see your feet in, TripAdvisor analyzed 250,000 reviews across 158 beaches in the United States to find the beach with the clearest water. And honestly, I’m incredibly surprised at the list.

Let it be known, there’s no scientific checking of clear water here — TripAdvisor filtered for the word “clear” to rank water clarity in the beach reviews, and then the beaches that had the word “clear” used to describe the water were ranked by the percentage of reviews that mentioned it. The higher the percentage, the more consistently the beach’s water clarity was praised. So keep in mind, that could mean a beach is being ranked higher because it’s a beach with more reviews that specifically mention the word clear.

But it should surprise no one that a Hawaiian beach tops the list for clearest water in the U.S. Manini’owali Beach in Hawaii is ranked number one for the clearest water, with nearly one in five TripAdvisor reviewers raving about the water’s transparency. Hidden away in Kua Bay, this beach is known for its calm surf, lava rock outcrops, and turquoise waters. Because of the clear water and calmness of the spot, it’s a great place for snorkeling and finding sea turtles.

But the most surprising beach on this list? Panama City comes in at number two for clearest water in the U.S. The beach has been an incredibly popular destination for beachgoers, and because it’s located on the Gulf of Mexico, it does make sense that the water would be a bit clearer than that of other beaches in Florida.

But let’s be honest: All those people in Panama City just had me assuming the water would be a cloudy mess.

The rest of the top 10 list includes these beaches:

Mayflower Beach, Massachusetts

Orange Beach, Alabama

Siesta Beach, Florida

Lanikai Beach, Hawaii

Mansion Beach, Rhode Island

Dauphin Island Public Beach, Alabama

Ka’anapali Beach, Hawaii

Gooseberry Beach, Rhode Island

A good mixture, right? So if you’re looking for clear waters, head to any of these beaches in the United States, from Hawaii to New England, and enjoy seeing your toes, fish, and a whole lot of fun in the ocean.