Beaches in California

Huntington State Beach is located in the City of Huntington Beach, between Santa Ana River in Newport Beach and Beach Boulevard, where the city begins.

Two miles of long sandy beach offers fairly good surfing, fishing, beach volleyball, swimming, romantic walks and sunbathing. It has several basketball courts and fire-rings for evening bonfires. Lifeguards patrol the beach.

The 121-acre state park was created in 1942 to protect the beaches fragile environment, especially the endangered California least terns, which use the beach as their nesting sanctuary, and snowy plovers, which are threatened on the entire West Coast.

21601 Pacific Coast Hwy, Huntington Beach, CA 92646

A beautiful sandy beach with views of Channel Island National Park, Mandalay Beach Oxnard is a perfect spot for a relaxing weekend in the sun. Vacationers enjoy subathing on the soft sand, kayaking, year-round surfing, beachcombing and fishing.

The 60-acre park consists of sandy dunes, barbecue areas and a fun playground for kids. For the active traveler, facilities include volleyball courts, bike paths and skating. Mandalay Beach Oxnard is located along the 1,800-mile Pacific Coast Bicycle Route. Visitors will have access to many great restaurants in the area. Cash only parking is affordable, whether you are visiting for an hour or the whole day.

Mandalay Beach Oxnard, 1601 S Harbor Blvd, Oxnard, CA 93035

For more than a century, people in Mendocino Coast were in the habit of throwing bottles, cars and appliances, into the sea close to the north part of the city.

Instead of getting mad, Mother Nature turned all glass bottles, headlights and other glass into little colorful jewels that washed ashore on three small beaches known today as Glass Beach, a part of MacKerricher State Park. Hunting for the colorful glass is a popular tourist activity, so much so that the park management had to put a stop to it, asking people to look but not take, or very soon there would be nothing to look at.

Beaches can be reached by foot, following a short but steep trail down the cliff to the edge of the water.

Elm Street and Glass Beach Drive, Fort Bragg, CA

Located not far from downtown Los Angeles, Santa Monica beach is a quintessential Southern California beach and one of the most famous beaches in California. This iconic beach is three and half miles long, with fine, soft, well-maintained sand. It is within walking distance from all major hotels, restaurants and bars.

Divided by the famous Santa Monica Pier, the beach is great for surfing, swimming, sunbathing, volleyball, and all other sports on the sand and in the water. You can rent lounge chairs and umbrellas at Perry’s at the Beach, a beach equipment rental place and popular restaurant.

The Santa Monica Pier features an aquarium, an amusement park and restaurants. Watching the sunset from the pier is a must. You can bike from Santa Monica Beach all the way to Torrance Country Beach by taking the Strand, a 22-mile-long bike trail. The best surfing is just off Bay Street, where you can rent equipment and take the surfing lessons you’ve always wanted.

Pacific Coast Hwy, Santa Monica, CA 90401

Carlsbad State Beach, or Tamarack Beach as the locals call it, is a wide sandy beach that stretches between the jetties south of Tamarack Avenue, and Frazee Beach, close to Carlsbad Village Drive. The beach is popular for swimming, surfing, surf fishing, scuba diving, kayaking and picnicking.

It is a great beach for family outings and there is a picnic area with tables and benches. The Carlsbad Seawall is four-miles long and has a paved walking path that extends along the coast from Cannon to Carlsbad Village.

The seawall is often busy with bikers, joggers and rollerbladers, and it separates the beach from Coastal Highway 101. The bluff at the end of the beach is a great spot for watching sunsets.

Carlsbad Blvd and Hwy 101, Carlsbad, CA 92008

Many consider Coronado Municipal Beach as the most beautiful American beach and one of the best California beaches, for its sparkling sand, soft, warm surf and picturesque surrounds.

The municipal beach actually consists of four beaches: Coronado City Beach, Glorietta Bay Park, Tidelands Park, and Centennial Park. Both Glorietta Bay Park and Tidelands Park have grassy picnic areas and playgrounds for children.

All beaches are famous for their glittery sand, which is the result of the presence of fine mica particles, not bits of gold as many people think. The beaches are washed by calm waves that kids love, and have magnificent sunsets.

Large expanses of sand are perfect for flying a kite, skim boarding, surfing or long walks. The northern part of the beach is dog-friendly.

Crystal Cove State Park is located in Newport Beach, between the Pacific Ocean and the Pacific Coast Highway, north of Laguna Beach.

The park includes three miles of magnificent sandy beach in a lovely cove, coastal cliffs, chaparral canyons inland, quaint beach houses that are part of the Crystal Cove Historic District, and the Marine Conservation Area.

The protected area covers coastal bluffs, the underwater park and inland canyons. The beach is popular with scuba and skin divers, surfers and swimmers. Lifeguards are on duty during the summer season and patrol the beach the rest of the year. The beach is wonderful for long walks and exploring fascinating tidal pools.

Horseback riders also enjoy the beach packed sand, and hikers can explore one of 17 trails through the undeveloped woody areas.

8471 Pacific Coast Highway, Laguna Beach, CA 92651

Dog Beach in San Diego is the first off-leash dog beach in California. Although dog owners all over the state fought as well and now there are many other beaches where dogs can freely romp in the surf, Dog Beach remains one of the most popular and famous nation-wide.

The wide stretch of sand is located at the mouth of the San Diego River, at the end of I-8, in northern Ocean Beach.

Dogs and dog owners are happily sharing the beach with surfers, and you do not have to own a dog to come and enjoy this lovely melting pot of people, and dogs, of all sizes, colors and breeds having fun with wild abandon. Dog owners are requested to clean up after their dogs and to make sure that their vaccinations are up to date. Dog park etiquette remains in place – do not bring a dog who does not know how to behave with other dogs and people.

Point Loma, Ocean Beach, San Diego, CA

Uncrowded and wild, beaches of the California Central Coast are very different from the long expanses of fine powdery sand of the south. Moonstone Beach is one of the most beautiful of the Cambria Coastline beaches, surrounded by rugged cliffs and bordered by a long boardwalk that runs for more than a mile. The beach is covered by small, smooth pebbles polished by the sea to almost jewel beauty.

Walking along the water and searching for tide pools, interesting driftwood and the most beautiful stones is a great way to spend the time on the beach. You can also watch the sea otters having fun in the water, look for passing whales or enjoy many kinds of birds.

If you drive along the Pacific Coast Highway in western Malibu, you will see the sign for El Matador Beach, one of the most beautiful in a place so rich with spectacular beaches. There are picnic tables in the parking lot on top of the bluff before you brave the steep dirt trail which descends on the bluff face before you find stairs that will take you the rest of the way to the beach.

The views from everywhere, but especially from the upper cliffs, are breathtaking, with huge boulders and deep dark blue water with underwater forests of kelp clearly visible. The beach is very popular with sunbathers, surfers and swimmers and has a lifeguard year-round. At low tide, stroll to the north end of the beach to see large caves and rock arches at the base of the bluff.

32350 El Matador Beach Rd, Malibu, CA 90265