Best California Beaches
With miles of coast line, California has
a plethora of beaches. And, while most of them offer the
traditional activities—swimming, sand castle building and
surfing-there are other activities and attractions as well.
Here are some of the top picks for beach fun.
- Laguna Beach -Make memories as you
enjoy swimming, hiking, and volleyball.
- Carmel Beach -There is no swimming
here, but there is picnicking and kite flying.
- Hermosa Beach - The beach offers swimming,
beachcombing, a boardwalk, and The Strand.
- Channel Islands National Park - Located
off the coast of Los
Angeles, this beach is only accessible by boat, and
is a favorite of naturalist, and especially enjoyed by
scuba divers.
- Newport Beach - Fantastic family fun
as you go swimming and surfing.
- La Jolla -This is an urban beach with
clean sand and many areas for outdoor gaming.
- Santa Barbara -This is a great beach
for swimming, surfing and shopping.
- Point Lobos State Reserve - this rocky
coastal beach has terrific tidepooling and scuba diving.
- Limantour Beach - This is a wild beach
on the Point Reyes National Seashore that provides opportunities
for bird-watching and whale watching. You will also find
an estuary and hiking trails.
- Santa Monica Pier - For amusement park
fun right on the beach- this is the place to go. There
are roller coasters, a Ferris wheel, arcades and all the
fun you could ask for!
- Butterfly Beach - If you are seeking
sensational sunset inspired strolls on sun-kissed sand
this is the place you want to see.
- MacKerricher State Park Beach - Located
north of Fort Bragg, this is a wonderful beach for hiking
as it also has 6 miles of coastline perfect for catching
some rays as you enjoy sunbathing or, if you choose, there
is a trail for horseback riding.
Laguna Beach at Dusk
Several other significant California beaches include the Piedras Blancas where you can see the enormous elephant seals, the Gold Bluffs Beach with elk grazing in its meadows behind the dunes, more amusement park fun can be found at the Santa Cruz Beach, and for the unexpected, visit Bowling Ball Beach where you will find four-foot high natural “bowling balls” along the shore.
Photo Credits: Early morning beach by Sharon
Mollerus; Surfer by Gemma Longman; Laguna Beach by Steve
Jurvetson
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