Know Before You Go: Why These Beaches Are Considered The Most Dangerous In The US
It's probably no surprise that the top 10 most dangerous beaches in the U.S. are in Florida, according to a 2025 analysis. While the Sunshine State is known for its dozens of beautiful, white, sandy beaches, it also gets the highest number of hurricanes and shark attacks.
Those are two of the main factors that the tide and weather forecasting platform, Tideschart, used to analyze 528 beaches across the United States.
The other major factor was surf-zone deaths. The surf zone is where waves begin to break as they reach the shore, deaths are often caused by three hazards in that zone:
Rip Currents - these strong, narrow currents create a high-speed channel that can rip you out to sea.
High Surf - large, powerful waves churned up by swells from a distant storm.
Sneaker Waves - large waves that suddenly swamp the shore, taking people by surprise and sweeping them out into deeper water.
(MORE: 2025 Hurricane Season Outlook)
Each beach in the top 10 has experienced 126 hurricanes, but the destination with the distinction of the number 1 spot had a staggering number of shark attacks.
Here are the top 10:
23 Shark Attacks
5 Surf Zone Deaths
19 shark attacks
6 Surf Zone Deaths
0 Shark Attacks
10 Surf Zone Deaths
35 Shark Attacks
7 Surf Zone deaths
39 Shark Attacks
7 Surf Zone Deaths
Indialantic Beach is a favorite with surfers, but the 8-foot swells that attract them also make this beach especially risky. It's had nine surf-zone deaths and 30 shark attacks.
Miami Beach may be Florida's most famous beach but surf conditions have caused 14 deaths and there have been 17 shark attacks.
The powerful currents at Daytona Beach, on Florida's Atlantic Coast, are blamed for 27 deaths and there have been 67 shark attacks
Just two miles west of Panama City Beach, Daytona Beach had the highest number of surf-related deaths - 39, with nine shark attacks recorded.
South of Daytona Beach, New Smyrna Beach had more shark attacks than all the other 9 beaches combined. 277 encounters were recorded there, in addition to 12 surf-zone deaths.
And while this list may seem like a beach bummer, there's no need to abandon your seaside plans. Just remember to stay aware, pay attention to high-surf and other flagged warnings and stay informed during hurricane season.
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