Best Beaches in California

California is a hot destination for those looking to cool summer, and and between numerous lakes and ocean front, California has plenty of beautiful beaches for you to visit!

If you’ve ever been to California, chances are you’ve seen a beach or two. The state has plenty of them and each one is unique in its own way. From the most popular tourist destinations to little-known gems that only locals know about, there’s something for everyone when it comes to beaches in California.   Below we have compiled a list of some of the best beaches in Northern, Central, and Southern California for you to enjoy! This article will be updated as more information becomes available so check back often.

Northern California

Half Moon Bay Beach

If you want your toes wet with waves crashing on the shoreline while enjoying an ice cream cone from one of the many shops nearby, Half Moon Bay Beach is the perfect spot for you. Known as California’s classic surfing beach, it’s popular with surfers and swimmers alike. The water quality is excellent here because of the rocky shoreline which prevents most pollution from reaching the ocean.

Mount Tamalpais State Park

This state park offers over seven miles of hiking trails along with panoramic views of San Francisco Bay up to Mount Tamalpais itself. It also features Kent Lake complete with fishing docks and a swimming area with lifeguards on duty during the summer months. You can bike or rollerblade along smooth roads surrounding the perimeter of this picturesque lake where golden hills meet deep blue waters.

Stinson Beach

Stinson Beach is a little slice of heaven with its soft, golden sand and clear, calm waters. A popular destination for hiking, surfing, swimming, and kayaking, the water quality here is excellent due to the lack of direct agriculture or industrial run-off as well as its protected location as part of a larger Biosphere Reserve. In addition to these perks, it also has a burger shop near the entrance that sells big juicy burgers that are some of the best you can find on this stretch of coastline.

Steep Ravine Park

If you want a more private beach experience without all the hustle and bustle of people around you then Steep Ravine Park is perfect for you. With only rustic, quaint picnic areas and a trail that leads you to the sea through lush vegetation, this beach is perfect for families who want some quality time together without having to deal with all the distractions of modern life.

Bonny Doon Beach

As one of Santa Cruz’s most popular beaches Bonny Doon is ideal for families who want to spend time together though it can get busy during peak season so weekend visitors should be prepared to fight for parking spaces that fill up fast. With beautiful views of Steamer Lane plus easy access to nearby restaurants and shopping, you can spend lots of fun-filled hours here enjoying the sun, surf and sand while taking short walks onshore or relaxing in the shade under an umbrella or gazebo.

China Beach

One of the best beaches in Northern California for swimming, picnicking, and surfing China Beach is close to San Francisco so it gets pretty crowded on weekends plus parking can also become an issue so visitors who want to enjoy its excellent amenities should go early before everyone else arrives. With lifeguards standing by during the summer months you’ll be able to spend lots of time enjoying the sun while watching dolphins play in nearby waters or staying dry under one of many covered picnic areas where food vendors sell tasty snacks all day long.

Stinson Beach

Accessible only by Bay Area Rapid Transit train or bus this beach is perfect for people who to avoid crowded beaches packed with people where parking is limited. Another perk is that this beach features ample amenities including restrooms, concession stands, and various shops while offering beautiful views of the Pacific Ocean with great surfing conditions while also serving as a popular fishing spot for visitors who love to cast their lines into waters filled with fish.

Sugarloaf Ridge State Park

With its serene setting surrounded by tall pine trees plus direct access to Sonoma County Regional Parks trails you won’t find many places more peaceful than Sugarloaf Ridge State Park during spring when flowers are blooming or fall when oaks are cloaked in stunning shades of reds oranges and yellows. Since it can get pretty busy on weekends if you come during the summer months then expect crowds but don’t let that stop you from enjoying its excellent amenities including restrooms, picnic areas, and a gift shop where all kinds of tasty snacks are available for purchase.

Central California

Montaña de Oro State Park

One of the best beaches in Central California is in Montaña de Oro State Park in Oceano where beautiful white sands meet crashing waves at high tide. A popular destination for surfers, it’s also known for great fishing and amazing views that stretch across miles of golden cliffs plunging into deep blue waters below.

Morro Bay State Park

Morro Bay State Park sits pretty at the edge between land and sea along an impressive stretch of golden shores. This beach is known for its natural beauty with scenic trails leading to the top of a rocky promontory where you can enjoy views of the Morro Rock as well as lots of wildlife that includes blue herons, hawks and various shorebirds.

Cayucos State Beach

Cayucos State Beach is one of those classic beaches that have been drawing people from around the world for more than a hundred years. With miles of white sand dunes and deep blue waters, this destination has a spectacular playground near a campground complete with restrooms lit up at night, showers and an onsite concession stand so hungry visitors have plenty to choose from. The beach features beautiful views of Morro Rock plus easy access to Downtown Cayucos where lots of shops, restaurants, and historic Victorian homes await visitors who get hungry or thirsty after playing on the sand all day long.

Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk

One of the most popular beaches in Santa Cruz is Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk where visitors can walk on wooden planks while having fun stuffed animal prizes in hand after playing games at this old-fashioned amusement park. You’ll also be able to experience good swimming conditions with lifeguards standing by during the summer plus it’s located near shops and restaurants so you won’t need to carry all beach toys when walking back to your car.

New Brighton State Beach

Another great spot for families who want to spend time together is New Brighton State Beach which features both bay and ocean views though it does get very crowded during peak season weekends with people coming from far and wide to enjoy its calm waters plus lots of amenities including restrooms, picnic areas plus food concessions that are open during the summer months.

Morro Rock

One of the best beaches in Central California for surfing is Morro Rock where brave wave riders flock to enjoy hours of fun while catching big waves on their boards enjoying nature at its finest while taking in some fresh air before heading back home to work after spending all day on this oceanfront destination

Kern County Beaches

One of the best beaches in Central California for families who want to stay close to home while still experiencing good waves and safe swimming conditions is Kern County Beach where visitors can take advantage of clean restrooms, lifeguards standing watch during summer months, fire pits located on the sand near the beach’s volleyball courts which are open 24 hours a day so you can roast marshmallows or just sit back and enjoy some tasty snacks with family members after taking an evening swim in its calm waters before heading home at sunset.

Southern California

Venice Beach

Venice Beach might seem uninviting at first glance what with its lively atmosphere – street performers, artists, out-of-the ordinary objects like painted pianos displayed along sidewalks as well as quirky people walking around all day long. However, once you take a stroll along its pier and feel the ocean breeze hitting your face while looking out onto the vast horizon, you’ll forget all about what it seemed like when you first arrived. It is also home to Muscle Beach where strong men and women show off their sculpted muscles in front of hundreds of onlookers.

Crystal Cove State Park

This state park has something for everyone. Enjoy a hike through rare coastal sage scrub, hardwood groves, and grasslands to reach the beach where you can go surfing or swimming in clear blue waters while watching dolphins play nearby. You can also take biking trails downhills near the campgrounds that are perfect for stargazing under wide-open skies with no light pollution to interfere with your view of the heavens above.

Zuma County Beach

If you are looking for golden sand beaches with soft waves lapping onshore then Zuma County Beach is perfect for you. Located between Point Dume State Beach and Malibu Pier, it’s one of the best beaches in Southern California not just because of its amazing location but also for its excellent amenities including lifeguard stations, showers, restrooms along with concession stands and shops.

El Matador State Beach

If you are looking for a more private beach experience then El Matador State Park is perfect for you. With relatively few visitors compared to other beaches in the area, it allows you to enjoy pristine golden sands surrounded by ironwood trees that offer amazing shade during the hot summer months.

Leo Carrillo State Park

As one of Southern California’s most historic state parks, Leo Carrillo features lots of great amenities including bike trails that wind through hillsides down to the sea where beaches await your arrival. With lifeguards standing by on duty during the day, you can also enjoy surfing and swimming in crystal clear waters with dolphins playing nearby beneath wide blue skies.

Coronado Beach

If you are looking for a white sand beach that’s protected from winds above all else then Coronado Beach is perfect for you. One of the best beaches in Southern California it features beautiful views of the San Diego skyline, as well as lots of great activities to keep everyone busy including boat rentals, kayaking, volleyball courts plus restaurants and snack shops close by so hungry visitors, don’t have far to go when they get hungry or thirsty.

Victoria Beach

Perfect for families who want to spend time together one of the most popular beaches in Long Beach is Victoria Park. This beach offers various amenities including a playground, concession stands, and restrooms in the summer since it gets pretty crowded on weekends with people coming from all around to enjoy its calm waters and golden sands.

Big Bear Lake

Another great spot for families who want to spend time together is Big Bear Lake which features calm waters perfect for swimming and fishing with lifeguards standing by during the summer months though do keep an eye out for zooming jetskiers while you’re here since they like to cut across areas where people are swimming. Big Bear Lake also offers excellent amenities including restrooms plus picnic areas along with lots of shops and restaurants that are open during the summer months while all kinds of tasty snacks are available for purchase at the concession stands.

Crystal Cove State Park

Another great spot in Southern California is Crystal Cove State Park which features both bay and ocean views perfect for enjoying sunsets while having picnics with friends or family members though it does get so crowded on weekends during summer months so expect crowds if you come here to play in its golden sands though there is adequate parking off PCH near this beach so don’t let that stop you from experiencing its natural beauty because it’s definitely worth seeing even if it’s during crowded times.

Irvine Beach Park

Just like Crystal Cove State Park though less crowded during summer months plus lots of open space to enjoy in its golden sands is Irvine Beach Park where visitors can take in views of the Pacific Ocean while enjoying picnics with friends or family members in lotus-shaped gazebos that are perfect for playing all kinds of beach games like frisbee toss, soccer and volleyball though it does get busy on weekends when families come here to enjoy some fun in sun. This is another fabulous place for fishing especially for children since they’ll be able to catch lots of bass fish but you should keep an eye out for waves while playing on sand so don’t get knocked down by them plus this park also offers restrooms plus picnic areas but no food concessions on site.

Marina Dunes State Beach

Nestled between Marina and Monterey Bay is Marina Dunes State Beach which has a small beach shack where visitors can get tasty food and drinks while enjoying views of the ocean during the summer months. Its calm waters are perfect for swimming but watch out for winds that cause waves to crash onto shore plus it also has a designated area for surfers looking to catch some gnarly waves though swimmers should stick close to shore since rip currents have been known to pull people away from this location so keep an eye out for flags designating areas where it’s deemed safe to swim in while also avoiding areas marked by red flags because these mean only lifeguards are allowed to enter its waters since conditions could be dangerous so you don’t want to put your life at risk by entering these areas.