California Beaches

From sandy, tropical expanses to dramatic, rocky shores dotted with picturesque lighthouses, California offers hundreds of spectacular and diverse beaches stretching over a thousand miles along the beautiful California Coast. Sprinkled along the Pacific Ocean, popular beaches include Huntington Beach, surf crazy Santa Cruz and colorful Venice Beach. Enjoy endless miles of oceanfront swimming, surfing, fishing, hiking, sun-bathing and outdoor adventures under the warm California sunshine!

Northern California

Half Moon Bay
Stop and gaze at the coast where beautiful plateaus are mounted on cliffs perched above the glorious beaches in Half Moon Bay. Located 20 miles south of San Francisco, Half Moon Bay is a coastal paradise for fishing, whale watching cruises from Pillar Point Harbor, horseback riding, kite surfing, and weekend getaways.

Pacifica
A 20 minute drive from San Francisco, Pacifica is a quaint beach with open space and the amazing beauty of the Pacific Ocean. Pacifica is a wonderful place to enjoy serenity and a great spot for hiking, walking, or just enjoying a day at the beach. Surfing is popular in Pacifica as well as bird watching, running, fishing at the municipal pier and promenade, paragliding, rollerblading and skating along the beach front.

Pescadero Beach
The incredibly scenic Pescadero Beach has a mile-long shoreline loaded with sandy coves, rocky cliffs and tide pools. This dog friendly Northern California beach features beautiful hiking trails and inlets for fishing and family picnics. Across from the beach, Pescadero Marsh Natural Preserve is a popular spot for bird and animal life watching. Because of the exceptional beauty of this beach and the distinct, varied colors of the water, it is also a favorite place for natural photographers.

Muir Beach
Located in Marin County, north of San Francisco on Highway 101, Muir Beach is one of two beaches that surround the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. This beautiful beach offers fishing, boogie boarding, surfing, swimming and scenic hiking and horseback riding trails, and dogs are allowed on portions of the beach. Located over the last coastal ridge west of Mill Valley, the rugged beach and bluffs are brimming with California wildlife: Monarch butterflies in pine trees, salmon in Redwood Creek, and fox, birds, deer and coyotes in pastures.

Central California

Carmel Beach
Embrace Central California's most breathtaking seascapes and beaches in Carmel-by-the Sea. Considered one of the world's most romantic wedding destinations, the scenery and history is evident in cobblestone walkways and spectacular beaches framed perfectly by nature so that you can't escape feeling you are in Paradise.

Santa Cruz Beach
Santa Cruz or Surf City is a frolicking beach town on the sunny side of Monterey Bay, 74 miles south of San Francisco. With an old-fashioned boardwalk and California's oldest amusement park and pristine beaches where surfers ride their long boards, Santa Cruz is energized by the golden sun of Central California. From artists who create magic near the pier to a percussion band jamming by the Santa Cruz Surfing Museum, you'll enjoy the Santa Cruz beach vibe. Located along the mile-beach, the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk blends old-time nostalgia and ocean thrills.

Monterey Beach
Monterey's dramatic ocean scenery, pine forests and historic charm entice adventure seekers, artists and vacationers. With miles of breathtaking coastline, Monterey is paradise for water sports, festivals, dining, arts, wine tasting, and attractions, such as the Monterey Bay Aquarium and Cannery Row. Go tide-pooling along the rocky shore, horseback riding over meadows, hike the towering cliffs in Pinnacles National Monument or enjoy the scenery on Pebble Beach's 17-Mile Drive. Venture into the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, the world's largest protected ocean habitat.

Pismo Beach
Stunning views of the Pacific Ocean, high cliffs and a sublime beach are trademarks of Pismo Beach. Enjoy swimming, digging for clams, surfing, basking in the sun, annual Clam and Jazz Festivals, and 12 miles of camping, hiking and surf fishing at one of the top vacation spots on the Central California Coast. The vibrant downtown is filled with surf shops, restaurants, and a beautiful sightseeing pier.

Southern California

Newport Beach
Newport Beach is a magical Southern California destination with nine miles of picture-perfect sand beach and shoreline for swimming, surfing, body boarding, fishing, sailing, yachting, fishing, parasailing, snorkeling, and sunbathing. Enjoy "The Wedge" - a jetty where surfers brave the waves - two piers, Balboa Pavilion, the Newport-Balboa Ferry boat, harbor cruises, boat rentals, rollerblading, sand volleyball, outdoor concerts, tennis and trips to Catalina Island. Framed by the Saddleback Mountains, Newport Beach's ecological reserve is very popular with birders.

Huntington Beach
Known as Surf City USA, Huntington Beach offers 8 miles of wide sandy beaches, a perfect surf break and laid-back attitude. HB is a hotbed for rollerblading, skateboarding, beach volleyball, swimming, basking in the sun, and evening bonfires. Enjoy a beautiful equestrian center, a disc Frisbee golf course, Huntington Central Park, Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve, shopping, and cafés. Huntington State Beach is a popular spot for surfing, skating and surf fishing. The park features a bicycle trail and fire rings. Huntington Cliffs is a haven for dogs and owners, who can be seen frolicking on the shore or tandem surfing on the rolling waves.

Laguna Beach
"City of the Arts," Laguna Beach is a quaint Southern California beach town filled with unique shops, art galleries, and a spectacular coastline of beautiful beaches and ocean views. Boasting the greatest number of localized beaches of any city on the California coast, Laguna Beach offers 7 miles of stunning coastline with Southern California most scenic beaches and coves. For over 100 years, tourists have flocked to this beach to scuba dive, paint vibrant colors of nature, and to enjoy its natural beauty.

Long Beach
Long Beach is an amazing destination for sailing, jetskiing, water skiing, surfing, fishing, kayaking and sunbathing. Stroll along the expansive Pacific Ocean beach that sparkles in sun.  Period architecture, alluring beaches, canals and gondolas, historic adobes, and a Bohemian vibe give you lots to explore.  Five and a half miles of coastline, a large municipal marina with 3,400 slips, the Aquarium of the Pacific, the Queen Mary, the Grand Prix car race, and high-speed boats to Catalina Island are some of the wonderful attractions of beautiful Long Beach.

Santa Monica Beach
The world-famous Santa Monica Beach is an idyllic destination for a seaside vacation. Enjoy the Santa Monica Pier, Third Street Promenade, and views of the Santa Monica Mountains. The 3.5-mile Santa Monica Beach epitomizes beach life of Southern California. Along the sandy strand you can jog, bike, skate, play volleyball, build sandcastles, or ride the waves on to the shore. Surf a swell or work on your California tan.

Sunset Beach
South of Los Angeles, Sunset Beach is a peaceful seaside town with soft sandy beaches, golden sunsets, and picturesque views of the Long Beach skyline. Sunset Beach is a paradise for water sports - swimming, surfing, body surfing, and kayaking - and is a favored destination for windsurfing, volleyball and bird watching. For 100 years, Sunset Beach has been a treasured oasis for tourists who cherish the beauty and serenity of this surfside sanctuary.

Venice Beach
You'll adore the sandy three-mile beach, but during the summer and on weekends, you'll be captivated by colorful street entertainers - artists, musicians, singers, jugglers, acrobats, mimes, comics, magicians, prophets and fortune tellers along Ocean Front Walk. The Boardwalk is a sidewalk circus lined with funky shops and eateries. Along the beach, you'll find courts for basketball, handball, shuffleboard, and paddle tennis. Venice's Muscle Beach is where bodybuilders pump iron.

Catalina Island
Situated off the coast of Los Angeles, Catalina Island is a Southern California paradise for scuba diving, ocean kayaking, sailing, snorkeling, rafting, parasailing, boat cruises, eco tours and family fun. A scenic wilderness of oak, cactus, and sage, the beautiful island offers secluded beaches and coves surrounded by ocean, lush kelp forests and abundant sea life. Cruise over by boat or high-speed catamaran from San Pedro, Long Beach, Newport Beach and Dana Point or by helicopter from San Pedro and Long Beach.

Mission Beach
A San Diego beach oasis for surfing, body boarding, swimming, kayaking, sunbathing, picnicking, volleyball and building sand castles, Mission Beach spans 2 miles in San Diego. The boardwalk is a booming scene of bicycling, rollerblading, running, and skateboarding in contrast to the hip local flavor. Ride the Big Dipper at Belmont Park for the thrill of a beachfront rollercoaster and 1920's nostalgia. Kids love the Mission Beach arcade, while adventurous bikers ride to La Jolla on the connecting bike paths.

La Jolla Beach
One of the most picturesque beaches in the world, La Jolla Beach is a hot spot for swimmers, surfers, kayakers, snorkelers, scuba divers, and nature lovers. Stroll along the coast and stunning emerald beaches and coves. La Jolla offers endless relaxation and beauty - from sandstone cliffs towering 300 feet above the ocean at Torrey Pines State Beach to the crystal clear waters at La Jolla Cove. With its wide, sandy beach and gentle surf, La Jolla is an intimate coastal retreat for romantic getaways or a tranquil family vacation.

Pacific Beach
Pacific Beach exudes the essence of Southern California with its brilliant sunshine and blue ocean swells that greet sand and boardwalks. This colorful beach blends an eccentric mix of surfers, beach bums, students, and families. With the ocean and 3 miles of bike paths, Pacific Beach offers a myriad of activities, such as surfing, swimming, kayaking, sunbathing and body boarding. Bicyclists, skaters, and joggers play on miles of paved paths winding between the ocean and Bay. Build sand castles, splash in the ocean, or catch some waves on a body board.

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