The West Coast is where epic cliffs, golden beaches, and endless sunsets come together. These dreamy Beaches on the West Coast are perfect for surfing, strolling, or simply soaking in that chill coastal vibe.
Highlights:
Recommended Beaches on the West Coast:
1. Thousand Steps Beach
One of the largest beaches in South Laguna Beach, Thousand Steps Beach, is a wide, natural sand beach nestled along the iconic Pacific Coast Highway.
Contrary to its name, visitors will only need to climb down 223 stairs to reach the sand from the highway.
It offers visitors a wealth of outdoor activities include sunbathing, surfing, skim-boarding, snorkeling, and scuba diving.
The beach is also home to tide pools and several caves available for exploration, including a large cave on the southern end of the beach that can only be entered when the tide is out exposing its entrance.
The cave acts as a tunnel opening out onto a small, rocky cove on the other end.
9th Avenue & Pacific Coast Highway, Laguna Beach, CA, Phone: 949-497-9229
2. Cama Beach State Beach
Located on Camano Island’s southwest shore, Cama Beach State Beach faces the Saratoga Passage on north Puget Sound.
Offering visitors the chance to take a step back in time, the beach has perfectly preserved, renovated, and modernized the 1930s-era fishing resort and auto court.
These waterfront cedar bungalows and cabins are equipped with contemporary amenities and conveniences as well as scenic vistas of the Olympic Mountains, Saratoga Passage, and Whidbey Island.
Aside from the cozy accommodations the beach also offers a variety of activities including swimming, scuba diving, fishing, crabbing, boating, sailing, wildlife viewing, and 15 miles of hiking trails.
This includes a one-mile-long trail connecting to Camano Island State Park.
1880 W Camano Drive, Camano Island, WA, Phone: 360-387-1550
Romantic Beaches on the West Coast:
3. Cannon Beach
Cannon Beach is an affluent resort town with several incredible restaurants, boutiques, art galleries, and oceanfront lodging, as well as four major parks including Haystack Hill State Park. It is most well-known for its landmark, Haystack Rock – an igneous rock that stands at an elevation of 235 feet. A tiny cave system pierces the rock; it is visible from the coastline located southwest of the city’s downtown area. There are also two giant rocks that stick straight up out of the water nearby. Though not always the case, Haystack Rock is typically accessible to visitors by foot during low-tide, this is especially true during the summer months.
4. Cape Disappointment State Beach
. Cape Disappointment State Beach is a 2,032-acre camping park situated along the Long Beach Peninsula, overlooking where the Pacific Ocean meets the Columbia River.
The park features a diverse landscape of Oceanside tidelands, old-growth forest, freshwater marshes, saltwater marshes, and freshwater lakes.
As a part of the Lewis and Clark National and State Historical Parks, the grounds are home to The Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center.
It features exhibits about the 1803-1806 Lewis and Clark Expedition, the U.S. Coast Guard, lighthouses, and military activities, as well as local, natural, and maritime history.
Cape Disappointment Lighthouse and North Head Lighthouse are also worth a visit.
244 Robert Gray Drive, IIwaco, WA, Phone: 888-226-7688
Family Beaches on the West Coast:
5. Carlsbad State Beach
Carlsbad State Beach, also known as Tamarack Surf Beach, is situated along the famous Pacific Coast Highway from Oak Avenue to Cannon Road.
There are multiple access points along the beach including stairwells at Tamarack Avenue, Cherry Avenue, Maple Avenue, Sycamore Avenue, and Pine Avenue.
This beach is most notable for its legendary, consistent surf and expansive camping grounds with 220 camping sites.
Other popular activities include fishing, swimming, bodysurfing, hiking, and beachcombing.
This 44-acre park also provides several amenities including showers and bathrooms as well as water, electricity, Wi-Fi, and a camp store.
7201 Carlsbad Boulevard, Carlsbad, CA, Phone: 760-438-3143
6. Dog Beach
One of the first leash-free beaches in the U.S., Dog Beach is a nationally famous beach and treasured landmark of the iconic Ocean Beach neighborhood of San Diego.
Situated where the I-8 ends at the opening of the San Diego River, the beach caters to pets and their people as well as surfers and beach lovers who don’t mind an occasional sniff when greeting.
On any given day visitors will see dogs of varying shapes, sizes, colors, and breeds running freely around the sand or out catching some waves with their parents.
All dogs must be collared with a current license and are required to have proper up-to-date vaccinations. Owners are responsible for picking up after their dogs.
Newport Avenue, Ocean Beach, CA, Phone: 619-236-1242
Unique Beaches on the West Coast:
7. Fort Worden
A former military base designed to protect the Puget Sound, Fort Worden is a legendary and beloved state park located in the charming town of Fort Townsend.
Spanning two miles of gorgeous saltwater shoreline, the beach offers magnificent views of the San Juan Islands, Olympic Mountains, and the Cascade Mountain Range.
The Fort itself features a campus-like atmosphere with several amazing meeting spaces, delicious dining options, and comfortable accommodations among more than 100 historic structures.
It is a popular place for people to gather to participate in woodworking classes, music events, and art festivals, as well as several outdoor activities like camping, kayaking, biking, hiking, and wildlife viewing.
200 Battery Way, Port Townsend, WA, Phone: 360-344-4400
Plan ahead for these Port Townsend events:
- Port Townsend Acoustic Blues Festival July 27-August 3, 2025
- Wooden Boat Festival from September 5- 7, 2025
8. Glass Beach
Located in MacKerricher State Park, Glass Beach is an iconic Fort Bragg beach known for its sea glass shoreline.
This was created from years of using the area as a dump site in the early 1900s. By 1967, it was closed down and cleanup programs began to fix the environmental damage.
Over the next few decades the continual onslaught of waves from the Pacific Ocean wore down the discarded glass turning it into the smooth, magnificent colored sea glass covering its coast today.
A wide path leads to the shore from a parking area off West Elm Street, and there are a few hiking trails both north and south of the beach. Removing sea glass is prohibited.
345 N Franklin Street, Fort Bragg, CA, Phone: 707-964-9010
If you are a photographer, don't miss:
9. Horsfall Beach Campground
Located roughly two miles north of Coos Bay, Horsfall Beach Campground is nestled in the heart of Oregon’s Pacific coastline in the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area.
This natural area is most famous for its 47 miles of towering, wind-sculpted sand dunes, 500 feet above sea level covering nearly 1,100 acres of land that’s bordered by the Pacific Ocean to the west and flourishing forests to the east.
The number one activity at Horsfall is off-roading, open riding zones and off-road trails are located north of the campground. Other popular activities include swimming, sunbathing, and beachcombing as well as hiking and horseback riding along The Wild Mare Horse Trail #4500.
Horsefall Beach Road, North Bend, OR, Phone: 541-271-6000
10. Jetty Island Park, West Coast
Situated 30 minutes north of Seattle, Jetty Island Park is a small, manmade, two-mile-long island off the Everett waterfront.
It has fast become one of the best beaches in the Pacific Northwest for kiteboarding.
This half-mile wide beach features shallow, warmer waters that are ideal for kite surfers from beginner to expert.
The conditions are only aided by the predictable and steady sea breezes that kick up every afternoon into the early evening from April to September.
There is also a small, gently sloping beach on the island’s west side available for those who prefer wading in Puget Sound’s warm waters. Jetty Island also provides sanctuary for 45 bird species.
1205 Craftsman Way #200, Everett, WA, Phone: 800-729-7678
📔 I get asked this a lot so I decided to include it:
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What makes West Coast beaches unique?
- From the rugged Washington coastline to the enviable shores of Southern California, West Coast beaches offer visitors a stunning array of beautiful choices for their next seaside getaway.
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How do Pacific Coast beaches compare to other U.S. beaches?
- While Pacific Coast beaches have markedly colder water than beaches along the Gulf Coast or Atlantic Coast, there is still plenty to see and do.
Best Time to Visit Beaches on the West Coast
- June to August – Warm weather, ideal for swimming, surfing, and beach activities.
- May & September – Pleasant temperatures, fewer crowds, and great for relaxing by the ocean.
- April & October – Cooler but perfect for beach walks and enjoying scenic views.
- November to March – Off-season with peaceful shorelines, ideal for solitude and reflection.
- Early June – Great for enjoying mild weather before the peak summer crowds arrive.
Plan Your Trip