St. Andrews State Park is No. 8 and Panama City Beach is No. 11 on the 2026 Travelers’ Choice Awards Best of the Best Beaches list by Tripadvisor.

“With the Gulf of America on one side and St. Andrews Bay on the other, visitors who crave swimming, snorkeling or surfing will be more than satisfied,” the state park, 4607 State Park Lane, Panama City, says on its website. The park boasts “a mile-and-a-half of pristine beaches for fishing and swimming.”

Panama City Beach is 27 miles long. The beach is known for its hospitality, along with its restaurants serving mouthwatering seafood. The beach also is a top spot, for locals and tourists alike, who enjoy soaking up the sun, water sports and parasailing.

Panama City Beach has experienced some issues during spring break, especially with unaccompanied minors. But local law enforcement has a plan in place for the upcoming season, which starts soon.

Both beaches are on the Gulf. But what do people call that body of water nowadays? The News Herald recently conducted an online poll asking that question. In a landslide victory, Gulf of Mexico won.

A separate News Herald poll asks whether Panama City Beach can still be considered a spring break town. Voting closes at noon Feb. 25.

The Tripadvisor list named the top 15 sandy spots across the U.S.

“For many travelers, the beach is the main event,” said Laurel Greatrix, chief communications officer at Tripadvisor. “Based on millions of trips, reviews, and opinions, these awards highlight the very best beaches in the world — making it easier to decide where to go and how to spend your time once you’re there.”

Florida claimed seven of the top 15 beaches. The top spot went to La Jolla Cove in California.

The 2026 Travelers’ Choice Best of the Best Beaches are calculated based on the quality and quantity of reviews, specific to each award subcategory from travelers globally on Tripadvisor from Nov. 30, 2024, through Dec. 1, 2025.

What Florida beaches ranked the best by Tripadvisor?

2. Clearwater Beach — Celebrated for its family-friendliness with powdery, white sand, blue waters and spectacular sunsets.

6. Siesta Beach — A good option for those who want activity or a day of relaxation. Siesta Beach has white sand, clear water, easy access to public transportation and plenty of shops and restaurants nearby.

8. St. Andrews State Park — Located in Panama City Beach, this beach rarely gets crowded and its clear waters are great for kayaking and hiking.

10. Honeymoon Island State Park — This dog-friendly beach in Dunedin has great walking trails and offers a peaceful spot for swimming and sunbathing.

11. Panama City Beach — The family-friendly beach is clean, easy to access and has lots of nearby activities.

12. Sombrero Beach — Powder-soft sand, palm trees and gorgeous views line the shoreline. Dogs are welcome at Sombrero Beach, which has easy parking and picnic tables.

14, Hollywood Beach — There’s always something going on at this South Florida spot. Visitors can often enjoy live music, various water sports and a boardwalk packed with shops and restaurants.

What beaches were ranked the best by Tripadvisor?Conde Nast Traveler ranks four of Florida beaches best in nation

The Tripadvisor report comes on the heels of one by Condé Nast Traveler that ranked four Florida beaches among the top 15 in the country, with Pensacola Beach claiming the top spot.

Here’s the Conde Nast Traveler list:

Kaunaoa Beach (Mauna Kea Beach), Hawaii

Hapuna Beach State Park, Hawaii

Kailua Beach Park, Hawaii

Trunk Beach, US Virgin Islands

South Padre Island, Texas

Coligny Beach, Hilton Head, South Carolina

Lake Havasu State Park, Arizona

St. Augustine Beach, Florida

Coronado Beach, California

Samantha Neely contributed to this report.

Michelle Spitzer is a journalist for The USA TODAY NETWORK-FLORIDA. As the network’s Rapid Response reporter, she covers Florida’s breaking news. You can get all of Florida’s best content directly in your inbox each weekday day by signing up for the free newsletter, Florida TODAY, at https://floridatoday.com/newsletters.

This article originally appeared on The News Herald: Two Bay County beaches make Tripadvisor’s Top 15 list