Every Memorial Day Weekend, Dr. Beach releases his Top 10 Best Beaches in America list. But how does he decided which beaches make the list? This blogger had the rare opportunity to spend a couple of days on some Southwest Florida beaches with Dr. Stephen P. Leatherman, aka, Dr. Beach, to learn the science behind his assessments. He’s considered to be America’s foremost beach expert.

Oh yes, although a beach vacation is fun, evaluating 650 public recreational beaches is a scientific adventure. In fact, there are 50 pieces of criteria Dr. Beach uses to rank a beach with a maximum of 250 points to be earned. Has any beach earned a perfect score? Not quite, but close with 240 points. That would be Hawaii’s Kaplua Beach in Maui.

So how does he grade beaches? He touches the sand to determine hardness, he examines sand to determine grain size and composition, he swims in the water to feel the temperature. He also reviews EPA and safety reports to ensure there are no water quality issues and water-related deaths.

He uses tools such as sifters, measuring tape and geologic hand lens. He also used a dye ball to monitor the water’s current. This was most interesting because it looked like a dry, orange sponge. When tossed into the Gulf of Mexico, it slowly dissolved into a neon-greenish-yellow color and it was obvious where the current flowed. He said he used to use red but swimmers thought it looked too much like blood.

Although there are fab beaches throughout the country, Dr. Beach is concerned with swimming beaches. If it’s too cold or too murky, chances are, it won’t make the cut. Easily accessible is another important element in determining a top 10 beach.

Throughout the year, Dr. Beach visits about 100 beaches and has contacts throughout the country who update him on the status of the beaches he’s unable to visit. Come Memorial Day, he releases his Top 10 Best Beaches in America list. Will any of our favorite beaches make the list? We’ll just have to wait and see. If not this year, there’s always next year.

Can you guess the first beach Dr. Beach ever visited? It is Myrtle Beach when he was six-years-old.

Meet Henry. He loves slow walks on the beach, Hilton Head Island and taking it easy. He’s also a few inches tall and lives in a shell. Henry is the Hilton Head Island turtle, a loggerhead who enjoys the good life.

The new spokesman will be featured in Hilton Head Island’s new “Escape the Usual” campaign which encourages Hilton Head vacationers to visit his website, www.escapetheusual.com. The site provides potential visitors with general information including destination information and ecotourism activities along with an introductory video.  The site also connects users to Hilton Head Island’s Facebook and Twitter channels. If you Tweet, follow the Twitter hashtag [#hhiturtle] to find Henry.

Hilton Head Island is the quintessential great American vacation getaway for families, couples and anyone else seeking the same. The island offers 12 miles of beaches, five-star dining, shopping, entertainment and a thriving cultural scene. And can’t forget the golf and tennis! The destination has been rated one of the Best Beaches and Best Family Destinations in Southern Living magazine’s Reader’s Choice Awards and ranked as a Best Beach and Top 10 vacation rental destination in the 2011 TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice awards.

Henry says start planning your Hilton Head Island vacation now. When the turtle speaks, you better listen.

Who likes earning bragging rights? Who likes dancing? Yeah, thought so. If planning a Myrtle Beach vacation at the end of April, be sure to bring your dancing shoes. On Saturday, April 30, 2011, the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce together with United Way of Horry County, will attempt to break the Guinness Book of World Records for the most people simultaneously dancing “The Twist.”

What makes this doubly exciting is Chubby Checker, a South Carolina native, will be performing live on stage, singing his chart-busting hit from 1960, “The Twist.” Everyone is invited to come out to 8th and 9th Avenues North in downtown Myrtle Beach between 11 a.m. and 10 p.m. Checker performs between 6:30 and 8 p.m. as part of the 2011 Beach Music Festival. Best of all, the event is free.

“We are thrilled to partner with United Way of Horry County for the 2011 Beach Music Festival and look forward to kicking off this season by attempting to break a world record,” said Brad Dean, President and CEO of the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce. “It’s a fun partnership, and we look forward to it giving the Myrtle Beach area visitors and community plenty of reason to dance on April 30.”

United Way of Horry County is the premier charity partner of the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce’s Beach Music Festival.

“We were ecstatic when Brad called to share the news of this wonderful gift to United Way,” said Lance Thompson, Campaign Chairperson for United Way. “On the eve of our big thank-you event, a call like that can really make your day.”

Image Source: Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce