The 20 Best Beaches in California

The Golden State is calling you to surf, sunbathe or just watch a gorgeous sunset. Don't miss these top California beach getaways.

July 05, 2022

By: Lynn Coulter

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Find Your Ideal Beach in California

Whether you want to bodysurf, soak up some rays (with UV protection, of course) or dive in an underwater forest, California has a beach for you. Are the kids bored? Head to Santa Monica's amusement park. Need a place to dock your yacht? That's Newport Beach. Join a drum circle in Venice, swim in Laguna's sparkling blue water or chow down in the "Clam Capital of the World." Our list of the best California beaches will help you find the perfect place to go.

If you're into swimming and body surfing, check out Zuma Beach, where the golden sands stretch for almost two miles. The water is usually colder than other beaches in the LA area, and the waves can be rough, so you'll need a wet suit. Zuma is also popular for surfboarding and windsurfing. Lifeguards keep daylight hours most of the year but beware of dangerous riptides. In the winter, watch for migrating gray whales. Zuma is about 10 miles north of Santa Monica and has facilities like public restrooms, showers and snack bars.

Laguna

A 7-mile stretch of coves and beaches attracts sun-lovers to Laguna, located halfway between San Diego and Los Angeles in affluent Orange County. Deadman's Reef is known for its beauty and for the abundance of marine life that divers and snorkelers can see, including lobsters, sand bass and bat rays. Above the waves, the sparkling blue water is great for swimming and bodysurfing. There are more than 20 public beaches and coves to explore in Laguna, along with more than 20,000 acres of spectacular protected wilderness.

Coronado

Coronado is a regular on the list of California's best beaches. Just five minutes from San Diego, this family-friendly beach boasts wide stretches of sand (and it sparkles, thanks to large amounts of the mineral mica), along with mostly calm waves and great whale watching from mid-December through April. Lifeguard stations are staffed seasonally, depending on the weather and the number of beach-goers. Nearby public facilities and free parking along Ocean Boulevard add to Coronado's convenience and popularity. North Beach is dog-friendly. And children will love the tide pools that form at low tide at Central Beach.

Santa Monica

There’s never a shortage of seaside fun at the Santa Monica Pier, where Santa Monica State Beach meets a boardwalk with amusement park rides, an aquarium, shops and eateries. There's no charge to stroll the historic boardwalk and more than 3 miles of warm, soft sand invite you to sit and people-watch, play games like beach volleyball or sunbathe. The mild surf is good for bodysurfing and swimming, but the water is cold, with temperatures ranging from the low to mid-60s.

La Jolla

You’ll have to skip the surfboards and boogie boards at the La Jolla beaches, but there's plenty more to see and do. La Jolla Cove is a deep water bay that's typically calm, so swimmers, divers and snorkelers can spot native marine creatures like the orange Garibaldi fish. Called "the jewel” of San Diego, the cove is small, but there's room to stretch out on the mile-long La Jolla Shores to the north. It's a great location to launch a kayak or let the kids swim, and you can use your surfboard there. At night, follow the rules and regulations to warm your hands over a cozy beach fire.

Pismo Beach

Pismo Beach lies about 12 miles south of San Luis Obispo in central California. It's known as the "clam capital of the world," and you'll find lots of other fresh seafood here, along with fine wines (many vineyards are nearby, and tours are available). Paddle a kayak through the waves or drive your car or horseback ride along the shore. You can also surf, fish from a 1,200-foot-long pier and explore tidal pools and caves. Take a dune buggy ride through the Oceano Dunes State Vehicle Recreation Area, or visit the Pismo Beach Monarch Butterfly Grove to see monarchs soar.

Sonoma Coast State Park

Sonoma Coast State Park is home to several beaches, along with rugged coastlines with natural arch formations and scenic coves. It stretches 17 miles from Bodega Head to Vista Trail, attracting visitors who want to fish, picnic, hike and sunbathe. Shell Beach is great for beachcombing and tidal pooling. Go crabbing from the jetty at Bogeda Head or look for a colony of harbor seals at Goat Rock Beach. The scenery along the Sonoma Coast is spectacular, but you can't swim here. There are strong rip currents and the surf is heavy and unpredictable. Horseback riding is allowed in some areas, but sorry — no dogs in the state park.

Main Beach in Santa Cruz

In Santa Cruz, Main Beach is where the action is, thanks to various eateries, shops, surf spots, beach volleyball courts, the famous boardwalk and a family-friendly amusement park. Check the water quality at Main Beach and nearby Cowell Beach to be sure it's OK before you swim at either one. Of the 29 miles of beaches in Santa Cruz, Main Beach and Capitola Beach are considered two of the best. Head to the Santa Cruz Wharf for scenic views and to watch the sea lions play.

Huntington Beach

Located at the end of Main Street and nicknamed “Surf City, USA,” Huntington Beach might remind you of days gone by. You'll find five beaches and 10 miles of unobstructed coastline at the state park, so you can swim (but the currents and rip tides are dangerous, so stay near the shore and the lifeguards, although they aren't on duty year-round). Watch the blue whales migrate, fish, ride bikes, catch a stunning sunset or gather around a fire ring. The 1,850-foot iconic pier is one of the longest on the West Coast.

Venice Beach

No other beach is quite like Venice Beach. Like other California beaches, it has sand, surf and sunshine, but they don't have its street performers, mimes, jugglers, drum circles, bodybuilders, palm readers, bikini-clad roller skaters and overall Bohemian vibe. Most of the quirky stuff happens on the beachfront boardwalk. More traditional beachgoers can swim, surf, fish or play volleyball along the three miles of coastline. Famous Muscle Beach is to the north.

Baker Beach

Baker Beach, with its mile-long, rocky shoreline, lies to the west of the Golden Gate Bridge. It's not safe to swim here, and there are no lifeguards, but the panoramic views are worth a visit. Keep an eye out and you might see harbor porpoises playing in the surf. Bring your snacks and drinks, since there are picnic and restroom facilities available. Just don’t wander too far north along the shore unless you’re looking for something quite different. The northernmost end of Baker Beach attracts sun-lovers who like to bare it all. Yes, we're talking clothing-optional.

Dockweiler State Beach

Located just west of Los Angeles International Airport, Dockweiler State Beach can get noisy, but most people don't mind since they're busy biking, fishing from the jetties or the shore, diving, surfing, swimming or playing beach volleyball. This beach has 3.7 miles of ocean shoreline and offers 118 spaces with full hook-ups for RVs. Fire rings are available, so bring your marshmallows for s'mores.

El Matador State Beach

Turn your camera on your friends at El Matador, where sea stacks on the beach and in the water offer spectacular background scenery. This is one of three beaches at Robert H. Meyer Memorial State Beach in Malibu, and it's the most beautiful. Park on the bluff (there's a fee for the parking lot), claim a picnic table and enjoy the views of the Pacific Ocean, then follow the trail and steps to the beach itself. Walk north to explore caves and rock arches. The best time to go is at low tide. You can swim, snorkel and bird-watch here.

Newport Beach

Some of the most expensive neighborhoods in southern California are in Newport Beach. Less than an hour's drive from LA, it boasts a harbor filled with luxury yachts and oceanfront "bungalows" worth millions. The area feels chic and sophisticated, and the beach is magnificent. The fine, white sand stretches south from Newport Pier to Balboa Pier and attracts surfers, sunbathers, trendy millennials, families and jet-setters. Book a whale-watching trip while you're here; this is one of the best places in the country to see them. Sportfishing is also top-notch.

Hermosa Beach

Hermosa Beach is all about outdoor sports, from surfing and swimming to volleyball. This public beach, which runs almost 2 miles along the ocean, is also popular with sunbathers, who count soaking up the rays as another outdoor "sport". Bring your bike or roller blades and hit the Strand, a paved boardwalk that borders the beach, during the day; leave some space for the joggers and stroller-pushers. Come back to watch the sunset, people-watch and join the fun-loving crowds in restaurants and bars.

Catalina Island

Just 22 miles off the Southern California coast, Catalina Island is a great place to snorkel, scuba dive, hike, kayak, parasail or paddle board. At the end of a busy day, visitors head to Avalon, the social hub of the island, to shop, gallery-hop and dine. Families with kids — or grown-ups who feel like kids — won't be bored. You can camp in one of the numerous campgrounds, go zip-lining, take a jeep or Hummer tour or a glass-bottom boat tour. High-speed passenger ferry boats serve the island from four ports: Newport Beach, Long Beach, San Pedro or Dana Point. The trip takes about an hour, or you can use your own boat. The trip is 15 minutes by helicopter.

Crystal Cove State Park

Just off the Pacific Coast Highway, between Laguna Beach and Corona del Mar, Crystal Cove State Park is a natural treasure with 3.5 miles of secluded beach. One of its jewels is an offshore, thousand-acre underwater kelp forest that is an incredibly diverse marine ecosystem. Another gem is its 2,400 acres of wooded, backcountry wilderness. Visit the tide pools and coves at low tide to see all sorts of aquatic life. Land-lovers can enjoy more than 23 miles of mountain-biking, horseback-riding and hiking trails, but be aware that many require steep, rocky climbs.

Malibu Lagoon State Beach

It's said that modern surfing culture was born at historic Surfrider Beach, also known as Malibu Lagoon State Beach. Cross the boardwalk over the lagoon, the place where Malibu Creek joins the Pacific Ocean, to look for gulls, herons and many other birds. The beach's real claim to fame, of course, is its surfing, but you can also swim, lounge in the sun or check out the tide pools packed with sea anemones and hermit crabs. There are rocks under the waves, so bring water shoes if you plan to wade. Come early to snag a parking spot and pick a place to paddle out on your board. The biggest swells will carry you all the way to Malibu Pier, an iconic, wooden pier that's popular for saltwater fishing and picnicking.

Sand Dollar Beach

There really are sand dollars at Sand Dollar Beach in Big Sur, where they're most likely to wash up during low tide in the winter months. This scenic beach is the largest uninterrupted stretch of sand in Big Sur, and it's considered one of the best places around to surf and fish. Beachcombing is a big draw. In addition to sand dollars, rocks containing jade and other minerals sometimes wash up on the southern end of the beach. Beautiful jade stones can also be found at nearby Jade Cove, although most aren't valuable. Sand Dollar Beach is a perfect spot to have a summer picnic and watch migrating whales from the shore.

Carmel

The rocky coast of Carmel in Monterey County was the setting for a few beach scenes in the 2017-2019 TV series, Big Little Lies. Rated one of America's top beach towns, Carmel is great for surfing as long as you wear a wet suit, because the water stays around 50 degrees F. Wading or playing on the shore is fun, but there are no lifeguards and rip currents and unpredictable waves make swimming dangerous. Dogs are welcome and the scenery is stunning. Be sure to snap some selfies.