Few places are as associated with sun, sand and sea as California, with the glorious territory packed with beaches to accommodate every taste. If you’re planning a sunshine break, you’ll find plenty of options to surf, sunbathe or swim all over the best beaches in california.
Northern California
With the north of California encompassing the fabled San Francisco Bay, you’ll find no shortage of sunshine spots to spend your time in.
Bay Area Ocean Beach
Image credit: Wheeling Cals Coast
If you’re a surfing enthusiast, the Bay Area’s Ocean Beach is a little slice of heaven. Waves frequently reach over ten feet, but Ocean Beach stretches for miles so you’ll be able to find a spot of comparative peace.
If you relish a challenge, you can also test yourself against the crashing waves of the Klamath River in Del Norte, but this is only for daredevils –the surf here is choppy and powerful, it’s a colder coast, and sharks have been spotted in the region.
Capitola Beach
Image credit: Amy Meredith
If you head toward Santa Cruz you’ll also find surf on the smaller Capitola Beach, but this is also a fine site for other sea sports. Should you decide to take up sailing you’ll find plenty of opportunities to hire equipment and lessons here.
Waterboarding, kayaking and snorkeling are also popular activities at this beach, but for an even bigger range of activities, catch the nearby ferry across to Catalina Island (2 hours), where the water is deep blue and clear and you are happily joined in ocean frolics by dolphins and seals. Scuba and snorkeling are very popular here and at the west tip of the island, at Two Harbors, there are both sail boats and power boats to enjoy.
Catalina Island can be reached from both North and South California by ferry.
San Quentin Beach
Image credit: Hikes Dogs Love
Of course, not everybody wants an active vacation, so if you simply want to kick back and relax on your beach towel you will be spoiled for choice in Northern California.
Marin County’s San Quentin may be best known for the prison that Johnny Cash memorably paid tribute to in song, but it also hosts a small beach that will act as a private paradise for anybody looking to escape the more popular tourist spots of NoCal.
The waves merely lap the shore, and this beach is relatively unknown in comparison to some of the larger beaches in the area.
Montara State Beach
Image credit: Quinn Dombrowski
If it’s a beauty spot that you’re after then head to the Montara State Beach on Half Moon Bay for one of the most picturesque spots of California.
Fine golden sands and deep blue seas make for the perfect place to snap photos of memories that will last forever, and you can rest assured that you are in the cleanest area of the state; Montara Beach is the jewel in the crown of the Parks and Recreations department, and is maintained as thus.
Cambria’s Moonstone Beach
Image credit: Moonstone Beach House
Cambria’s Moonstone Beach is equally quiet and is a great spot for families with young children thanks to the number of family-friendly restaurants located nearby and shallow pools to paddle in.
A large, wide sandy beach also awaits you at Bodega Dunes, which is a very popular camping spot (off beach), where the children can play for hours in a safe environment.
Fort Bragg’s Glass Beach
Image credit: Matador Network
For something a little quirkier, you could try Fort Bragg’s Glass Beach, which lives up to its name; the surface is coated in glass that has been washed to shore. It’s not a spot for bare feet or sun worshiping in a bathing suit, but it’s a curiosity that’s definitely worth seeing.
If collecting shiny pieces on the beach makes you happy, try the Sea Glass Curio Shop and Museum, where there are lots of things to buy as gifts or to see as collections. The café and deli are great for a relaxing snack away from the warm sun.
Point Reyes
Image credit: Turtle Expedition
For a safe dip in the sea to round out your time in NoCal, try Point Reyes. This is the home of the Heart’s Desire Beach, which is a popular swimming spot due to its warm temperatures and clean water.
Southern California
Huntington Beach
Image credit: California Beaches
SoCal is famed for a whole other series of beaches and resorts, offering both sporting and secluded spots.
There is only one option for serious surfers here – Huntington Beach, aka Surf City. Five beaches line this area, alongside a range of restaurants and lessons in how to ride the waves, meaning that surfers of all skills and experience levels will find something to relish in this most popular of destinations.
The famous Beach Boys band loved this place so much they wrote a song about it! There is a lot do and see once you have exhausted yourself surfing. The pier at Huntington is the longest pier in California, and the town itself is full of great little shops and a farmers market.
Laguna Beach
Image credit: California Beaches
Laguna Beach in Orange County stretches for seven miles, and offers lessons in windsurfing, bodyboarding, sailing and kitesurfing – if it involves getting wet and wild, you’ll be able to enjoy in the warm Pacific climes of Laguna Beach, before escaping to the rich golden sands.
Elk Creek Beach
Image credit: California Beaches
Elk Creek Beach in Mendocino County, meanwhile, is a picturesque and secluded spot with plenty of opportunities for photos. Ideal for anyone keen to escape the madding crowds, you’ll hear nature instead of chattering tourists in this beautiful cove of blue water and golden sand.
La Jolla and Black’s Beach
Image credit: Tony Webster
Alternatively, you can head for La Jolla and Black’s Beach, another secluded spot located below the popular hiking region of Torrey Pines. It’s a beautiful and isolated location, surrounded by cliffs and mountains that make for fine photo opportunities, but close enough to other parts of San Diego to avoid feeling inaccessible.
El Matador State Beach
Image credit: Marc Cooper
The El Matador State Beach in Malibu is part of a trinity of beaches that make up the Robert H. Meyer Memorial State Beach. This is a great spot for children as it remains comparatively quiet, as well as boasting all kinds of tide pools that little ones will love to watch and paddle in.
It’s also one of the cleanest and picturesque spots in the state, and you can be assured of its safety. Crystal Cove at Laguna Beach is also a kid-friendly haven, with gorgeous sand, tide pools and secret coves to explore. Definitely take a bucket and spade or two!
Cabrillo Beach
Image credit: Outdoor Project
The Cabrillo Beach in San Pedro offers everything you’d expect from a sandy spot in Southern California – deep blue seas and wide expanses of golden sands. What it also has is a lengthy and unique pier that provides opportunities to relax or engage in any number of activities.
The beach nearest the harbor is the best if you are travelling with children, who can also enjoy fishing off the pier and perhaps seeing some flying fish as they leap from the water. There is nothing commercialized about this area, just a few little shops and cafes.
The biggest attraction is the mating season of the grunion fish – the females get washed up on the shore and bury themselves in the sand, to await the arrival of the male of the species!
Hermosa Beach
Image credit: Dan Dilworth
South Bay is famed for aquatic escapades, and Hermosa Beach is arguably the finest sea-swimming spot in SoCal. You may have to dodge surfers, but the beautiful blue sea of the Pacific and smaller crowds than would be found in Malibu, ensure that you’ll feel refreshed in no time at all.
The famous pier at Hermosa Beach is home to the ‘Surfers Walk of Fame’, depicting brass plaques of some of the best names in surfing – and the pier itself has a relaxed but fun vibe as you stroll along.
