His alter ego, "Dr. Beach," annually ranks the top 20 beaches in America (click on drbeach.org for this year's listing) and has fun making national media appearances on such outlets as the Travel Channel.

At the request of Coastal Living, he picked some of his favorite lesser-known beaches from around the United States. He knows what he's talking about--he has visited every one of this country's 650 major public recreational beaches. Here's his list:

Popham Beach State Park
Phippsburg, Maine; 207/389-1335.
Offshore islands stabilize the arc-shaped pocket beach, one of the widest in the state. The water is chilly. Click on wildernet.com/pages/area.cfm?areaID=MESPPP&CU_ID=1 (An 1883 lifesaving station on the beach has been converted into a bed-and-breakfast inn. Call 207/389-2409.

Great Island
Wellfleet, Massachusetts; 508/255-3421.
This beach, on a spit of land dangling along the west side of Wellfleet Harbor, is part of the Cape Cod National Seashore. At low tide, you can wade out onto the extensive tidal flats, even cross a string of islands. The water can be warm during a rising tide. Click on www.nps.gov/caco/places/greatisland.html

Cape Henlopen State Park
Lewes, Delaware; 302/645-8983.
Enjoy both the ocean side (best swimming) and the bay side. The park offers great birding and views from a World War II observation tower. Click on sandseekers.net/html/capehen.html.

North Assateague Island
Maryland; 410/641-2120.
Park at Assateague State Park near the north end of Assateague Island. Then walk north into Assateague Island National Seashore. You'll enjoy five miles of empty beach, usually shared only with occasional wild ponies. "That's where I did my dissertation work," says Dr. Beach. "That's my beach. It's all you and the ponies." Click on www.dnr.state.md.us/publiclands/eastern/assateague.html or atbeach.com/mdstpark.

Parramore Island
Virginia.
Once, all barrier beaches looked like this. Parramore is the largest of Virginia's barrier islands, most of which are managed as wildlife reserves by The Nature Conservancy. The Conservancy offers tours, or you can hire a local to boat you over. (Note: The back-to-nature experience includes lots of ticks and some snakes.) Click on www.dgif.state.va.us/statemaps/Northampton.html.

Litchfield Beach
South Carolina; 800/476-2861.
Just south of Myrtle Beach, this residential/resort beach has the cleanest water in South Carolina. Click on thelitchfieldcompany.net.

Cumberland Island National Seashore
Near St. Marys, Georgia; 888/817-3421.
The largest of Georgia's barrier islands remains accessible only by ferry or private boat and is largely undeveloped. Click on www.nps.gov/cuis.

Bahia Honda State Park
Bahia Honda Key, Florida Keys; 305/872-2353.
The Keys possess very few beaches, but Bahia Honda has two of the best. Sandspur is on the Atlantic Ocean. Caloosa, on the Gulf of Mexico, has better sand. Click on funandsun.com/parks/BahiaHonda/bahiahonda.html.

Keewaydin Island
South of Naples, Florida. Once the site of a classic Old Florida resort, this barrier island is now undergoing some residential development. But most of the beach remains unspoiled and is accessible by boat for shelling and beachcombing. Click on naplesnews.com/today/marco/d453971a.htm. For tours aboard the catamaran Sweet Liberty, call 941/793-3525 or click on sweetliberty.com.

Grayton Beach
Grayton Beach, Florida; 850/231-4210.
"A lot of people still have never heard of it," says Stephen, even though it ranked number one nationally in his 1994 ranking. Surrounding Grayton Beach State Recreation Area are bed-and-breakfast inns and great restaurants. Everywhere, you find beautiful white sand and emerald water. Click on graytonbeach.com.

Paradise Cove Beach
Malibu, California; 310/457-2503.
You saw it on TV in "The Rockford Files"; fictional detective Jim Rockford (James Garner) parked his trailer here. It costs $20 to park at this private beach or $5 to walk in. But if you eat at the Paradise Cove Restaurant ("great restaurant," says Stephen), you get free parking validation for three hours. Cliffs and sunsets make for spectacular scenery. Click on lainsider.com/recreation/guides/beach/paradisecove.html.

Seaside, Oregon
888/306-2326.
This three-mile stretch of sand just south of the Columbia River offers a little of everything, including surfing, a boardwalk, amusement rides, arcade games, art galleries, and the Seaside Aquarium. Click on el.com/to/seaside.