Siesta Key beach in Sarasota Florida named best beach in the U.S.

Siesta Beach in Sarasota Florida has consistently won accolades from travelers around the world, and now it can add one more: TripAdvisor’s best beach in the U.S.

The user-review travel site rolled out the results for best beaches as part of its Travelers’ Choice Awards and sandy strips in Florida took nine of the top 25 in the U.S. with Siesta Beach moving up two spots from 2014 to take the crown.

“It is an honor to be chosen by our fans for this award,” says Virginia J. Haley, president of Visit Sarasota County. “We are fortunate to have such a beautiful beach in Sarasota County. This honor is a reflection of the outstanding service provided by Sarasota County Parks & Recreation and volunteers who give their time and talents daily to ensure the beach is pristine and welcoming to all. We are proud to share the beach with the world.”

This is the third year the site has produced the awards. The rankings come from millions of travelers who left reviews and ratings on TripAdvisor’s site last year. The site took those ratings and came up with a list of best beaches not only in the U.S., but also the world and regions around the world.

“We had heard this was one of the top beaches in the state and agree,” wrote TripAdvisor user Ooromyoo from Orlando. “Wonderful suburban location and beautiful white sands – must get there early to find free public parking and get a great spot. A definite must while here!”

The rankings take into account both the quality and quantity of reviews from their readers, so 21 of the 25 U.S. beaches on the list come from just three places famous for attracting tourists: Florida with nine, Hawaii with seven and California with five. The other states ranked are Maine, South Carolina, Massachusetts and Maryland.

Siesta Beach in Sarasota was named Dr. Beach’s top U.S. beach in 2011.

“Siesta Beach in Sarasota boasts that it has the finest and whitest sand in the world, and I cannot argue with this claim,” Leatherman said in 2011. “The powdery sand is nearly pure quartz crystal. The beautiful blue-colored water is clean and clear, making it so inviting to bathers and swimmers.”