Tampa Bay has laid claim again to the country's No. 1 beach!

Pics of the 2008 top 10 beaches from the Atlanta Constitution:

http://projects.ajc.com/gallery/view/travel/beaches/trbestbeach0522/

Caladesi Island State Park main page:

http://www.floridastateparks.org/CaladesiIsland/

Caladesi ranked No. 1 from the Tampa Tribune

http://www2.tbo.com/content/2008/may/22/dr-beachs-2008-diagnosis-caladesi-island-no-1/?life

DUNEDIN – Caladesi, a 600-acre island off the Gulf Coast just south of Clearwater, climbed to No. 1 on the annual ranking of America’s best beaches, according to Stephen Leatherman, nicknamed “Dr. Beach”.

Leatherman is the director of Florida International University’s Laboratory for Coastal Research. Caladesi Island State Park has been runner-up the past two years.

If you plan to visit Caladesi, count on making a day of it. The island is accessible only by boat and the ferry, which leaves hourly beginning at 10 a.m. Cost is $9 for adults and $5.50 for kids and allows for a four-hour stay. There are cabana rentals, a cafe and marina on the island for its captive island. There are no roads, the best seashell searching in the area and no pets allowed.