Best California Beaches for People-Watching
- Venice Beach: Los Angeles' quirkiest beach attracts a cast of characters fit for a Hollywood movie.
- Main Beach, Laguna Beach: This small beach in the middle of town attracts a variety of people, including artists and musicians.
- Baker, San Francisco: I always enjoy the mix of families, fishermen and nudist who co-exist peacefully here.
- Main Beach, Santa Cruz: All the goings-on at the adjacent amusement park make it people-watcher's heaven.
Best California Beaches for Surfing
- Zuma Beach, Malibu: Locals love Zuma for good waves and clean water, but if don't want drive 20-miles up to Malibu, try Manhattan Beach.
- Huntington Pier, Orange County: Huntington Beach is so proud of its surfing heritage that they've trademarked the name "Surf City, USA." Serious surfers do their stuff near the pier. Beginners are better off at Bolsa Chica, where local surf schools give lessons.
- Windansea, La Jolla: One of San Diego's best surfing beaches, it's not for novices.
- Ocean, San Francisco: Not recommended for the drop-in surfer who doesn't know how to contend with the rip tides and undertow, but a hardy group of surfers can be seen here most days.
- Rincon Beach, Santa Barbara: With seemingly non-stop waves, this beach is a favorite with surfers.
- Steamer Lane, Santa Cruz: The place where pioneering big-wave surfers got their start still boasts the area's best surfing. Beginning surfers may like Cowell's Beach better.
Best California Beaches for a Volleyball Game
- Manhattan Beach (Los Angeles): The birthplace of the sport and home of the world's first beach volleyball tournament.
- Huntington State, Orange County: Lots of clean, soft sand and plenty of nets.
- Mission Beach, San Diego: The south end of this narrow beach sports a lot of well-maintained nets.
- East Beach, Santa Barbara: A long beach that runs from the wharf east, protected by the harbor.
- Capitola: and Main Beach, Santa Cruz: You'll find plenty of nets in both places.
Best California Beaches for a Bonfire
- Dockweiler Beach, Los Angeles: One of the few Los Angeles beaches that allow bonfires.
- Huntington State, Orange County: They've got plenty of places here to build your blaze.
- Ocean Beach, San Francisco: Bring your firewood and dress warmly.
- Seacliff, Santa Cruz: and Sunset: Arrive early to stake out the best spots.
Best California Beaches for a Romantic Stroll
- El Matador Beach, Malibu: This secluded pocket beach is a great place to watch the sunset with your sweetie.
- Main Beach, Orange County: Just off downtown Laguna Beach and popular with lovers for evening strolls.
- La Jolla Shores, San Diego: This long, flat beach is a great place for a hand-in-hand stroll, with great views of La Jolla.
- Butterfly Beach, Santa Barbara: Just across the street from the Biltmore Hotel. In late afternoon, it's a nice place for a romantic walk.
- Seascape, Santa Cruz: The long, sandy beach just below this seaside resort is accessible to everyone, but seldom crowded.
- Manchester Beach, Mendocino: A pretty beach with lots of sand and driftwood.
Best California Beaches to Take the Kids
- Redondo Beach (Los Angeles): Lots of sand to play on, a pier full of amusements and a long, paved path for biking or skating.
- Coronado Beach, San Diego: Downtown Coronado is nearby. Lots of clean sand and gentle waves.
- Rodeo, San Francisco : Kids love the pebbly beach here.
- Main Beach, Santa Cruz: The boardwalk is nearby and lifeguards are on duty during the busiest times.
- Monterey State Beach: This stretch of sand next to Fisherman's Wharf is a family favorite.
- Asilomar Beach, Monterey: One of Monterey Peninsula's prettiest and most popular beaches, with a wide, sandy place to play and nice walking trails through the dunes.
- La Jolla Cove: Great tidepools and a small, rocky cave.
California Beaches With Nearby Amusements
- Santa Monica Beach: The beach here is nice, but most people also come for the amusement park on the pier.
- Balboa, Newport Beach: With a great beach, a pier and the nearby Balboa Fun Zone, there's a lot here to keep the kids occupied.
- Mission Beach, San Diego: Belmont Park is home to the Giant Dipper, originally built in 1925, a classic carousel and some modern thrill rides.
- Main Beach: The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk: is located at Main Beach.
Best California Beaches for Easy Walking
- Manhattan Beach (Los Angeles): A long, paved walking path with Santa Monica Bay views makes Manhattan Beach our favorite place to take a walk.
- Mission Beach, San Diego: For a slice of California beach life at its best, take a walk along the paved boardwalk that runs between the houses and the sand.
- Moonstone Beach, Cambria: Moonstone Beach has a little of everything: an easy clifftop boardwalk that's easily accessible by wheelchair or ECV, tidepools, surfers, crashing waves and golden-colored cliffs above the rocks.
Best California Beach Events
- Imperial Beach, San Diego: The U. S. Open Sandcastle Competition is America's largest and longest-running sand castle competition.
- Mavericks, Half Moon Bay: Dependent on Mother Nature and launched within 24 hours after the big waves approach the coast, Mavericks Surf Contest boasts some of the world's biggest waves.
- Volleyball Championships, Manhattan Beach: Some people call the AVP Volleyball Championships the Wimbledon of volleyball.
The Truth about California Sunshine
The Beach Boys weren't quite telling the truth when they crooned about West Coast sunshine. You may find California less sunny than expected, especially at the beaches. When temperatures rise inland, so does the air, pulling cool, moist ocean air onto the beaches like a foggy blanket. It's so predictable in early summer that locals dub it "June gloom," but it can persist into July and August. Some days, fog and low clouds disappear early, but other times the sun may not put in an appearance until mid- to late-afternoon. Use sunscreen even on these overcast days because UV light goes right through the clouds.
