Coronado Beach San Diego top in 2012 California

Coronado is named the top beach in the U.S. for 2012. It's the first time a California beach - usually criticized for having cold water - has won the contest since it started in 1991.

Coronado Beach was named the top beach in the United States for 2012 in the annual "Dr. Beach" best beaches list. It was the first time a California beach won since the list was started in 1991.
The win by the sand strand near San Diego was expected – Coronado came in second last year and since winners are automatically excluded from the competition, Coronado was the odds-on favorite to moved up to the top slot. More than 20 beaches in Hawaii, Florida and North Carolina were out of the running due to winning in earlier years.

The beach is the site of the Hotel del Coronado, a rambling Victorian castle that opened in 1888. The beach and hotel have been the setting of numerous movies and TV shows, most notably the film "Some Like It Hot," starring Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon.

    The Top 10:

1. Coronado Beach, San Diego
2. Kahanamoku Beach in Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawaii
3. Main Beach, East Hampton, N.Y.
4. St. George Island State Park, Florida Panhandle
5. Hamoa Beach, Maui, Hawaii
6. Coast Guard Beach, Cape Cod, Mass.
7. Waimanalo Bay Beach Park, Oahu, Hawaii
8. Cape Florida State Park, Florida
9. Beachwalker Park, Kiawah Island, S.C.
10. Cape Hatteras, N.C. in North Carolina.