Table of Contents
- 10 California Beaches for Unsurpassed Fun
- Morro Bay – California Beaches
- Santa Barbara – California Beaches
- Venice Beach – California Beaches
- Santa Monica – California Beaches
- Manhattan Beach – California Beaches
- Huntington Beach – California Beaches
- Newport Beach – Balboa Island – California Beaches
- Laguna Beach – California Beaches
- La Jolla – California Beaches
- San Diego – California Beaches
- Etcetera
- Life is short, go out and have an adventure!
- ⇢ Check out my guest post on the Raw Surf website. There you will also find some great Surfing Adventure Packages for your next travel. 🌊
- Have you traveled to a California Beach? What was the best activity you did while in Cali? Please leave me a comment below.
- Pin It For Later
- Don't Miss a Beat!
- Success!
10 California Beaches for Unsurpassed Fun
California Beaches hold a special place to me where growing up I can truly say spending a day on the beach provides an unsurpassed amount of fun. As I get older it still is so much fun spending a day on the beach. A typical day will start with a cool foggy morning walk on the sand with smell of salt in the air then, surfing, all with a full day of sunshine leading to gorgeous sunsets makes for the perfect day.
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Let me share with you my favorite 10 California Beaches, that are a must see for all travelers to California. Each beach has their own special quality but what they all have in common are the amazing unsurpassed sunsets and surfing. Make sure to pick up your Lonely Planet Guide for you next California trip. You can also check Trip Advisor for some activities and hotels in each beach area.
Morro Bay – California Beaches
Visit this quaint Northern California seaside town of Morro Bay known for the famous Morro Rock. Try one of the year-round activities; biking, hiking, golfing, kayaking and surfing. The visitors guide is helpful to plan your day. There are two separate Maps one for bikes and one is a visitors guide. The seafood chowder is wonderful in this cooler climate town. The water is a little chilly at times.
Santa Barbara – California Beaches
Stay in this upscale California Beachside town of Santa Barbara. With its beautiful pier and seafood restaurants poised to catch the sunsets. Make sure to take a view of the boats in the marina. Try some upscale shopping, art galleries and quaint restaurants that lead to the pier. Take a visit the missions nearby. Spend a few days here and relax.
Venice Beach – California Beaches
Welcome to Venice Beach or “Muscle Beach” as I know it. Enjoy this quirky beach town and walk the strand. Yes, walk on the beach path next to bike riders, roller skaters or skate boards enjoying the sun swaying to the music. Make sure you are walking on the correct side. Nothing worse than running into another person head on. Stop by and watch the weight lifters on the beach flexing their tanned tone muscles under the sun. Eat like a local, and do some souvenir shopping. Do not forget to get in some surfing while here.
Santa Monica – California Beaches
At the end of iconic Route 66 sits the Santa Monica Pier at this California Beach. Take a ride on the Ferris wheel which twinkles at night. Santa Monica is located next to Venice Beach, not far from the Los Angeles Airport. Rent bikes and ride the strand which goes along the beach. You can also find the fancy Santa Monica Place shopping center and Third Street Promenade. If you’re looking for the legendary Beverly Hills just drive northeast.
Manhattan Beach – California Beaches
Travel towards Los Angeles and stop at Manhattan Beach. Another beachside town with the strand path for bike riding or walking. People watch the street performers or visit one of the fun and crazy restaurants/bars. The “Comedy and Magic Club” in nearby Hermosa Beach is where Jay Leno sometimes frequents which is close by. One of my favorite upscale Italian Restaurant is the “Bottle Inn”. Make sure to make reservations.
Huntington Beach – California Beaches
Huntington Beach a Surfers Paradise with guys and gals catching a wave and enjoying the life. This is one of the famous Southern California Surfing Beaches. No worries here while you enjoy the warmth of the sun. Shop surf clothes then grab a bite of food or enjoy a refreshing beverage. Take a walk along the pier, play volleyball, bicycle or rent a surf board. I just love to soak in the sun and watch the surfers. Growing up, this was my hangout in the summer.
Newport Beach – Balboa Island – California Beaches
Another surf town is Newport Beach, which has the hustle and bustle of people and a fun places to catch a wave. You can also visit the famous Balboa Island for some quaint shops and cafes. Also drive along Pacific Coast for stunning views of the beaches and ocean waves that takes you from one beach to the next. Stay in one of the luxury hotels and have a sunset dinner.
Laguna Beach – California Beaches
Laguna Beach with its quaint town of shopping and restaurants right next to the beach makes it a favorite beach of mine. I really do enjoy my favorite sushi restaurant here.
La Jolla – California Beaches
Travel north of San Diego where sits the beautiful La Jolla with its elegant shopping and cafes. Take a meander down to the beach and watch the surfers.
San Diego – California Beaches
Welcome to home of the happiest people of California. With lots of fun things to do in town plan your day. Go across the bridge to Coronado Bay and rent a paddle board, go out on a yacht for a sunset cruise and so much more. As a treat splurge on a night at the Hotel del Coronado to get pampered.
[Looking for a great tour in your favorite city try Viator. They have provided some wonderful tours for me!]
Etcetera
Hope you enjoy my 10 favorite California Beaches that I love to visit. With so many fun things to do at the beach from surfing, to bicycling the beach to restaurants, bars and shopping. There is something fun for everyone.
All I like to do is just a drive along the coast and see surfers enjoying the sparkling Pacific Ocean and smelling the salt air, Then I truly feel at home.
Life is short, go out and have an adventure!
⇢ Check out my guest post on the Raw Surf website. There you will also find some great Surfing Adventure Packages for your next travel. 🌊
Have you traveled to a California Beach? What was the best activity you did while in Cali? Please leave me a comment below.
Pin It For Later
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That’s a lovely list, especially some of them that we have never heard of. Morro Rock sounds like something we would enjoy visiting! Seafood chowder sounds yum.
Hi Siddharth and Shruti,
Glad I was able to introduce you to some new beach areas of California. Moro Bay is farther up in Northern California with a little cooler temperature and a sleepy sea side town. Definitely worth a visit. Yes the seafood chowder is yummy!
Happy Travels 😊
I am not much of a beach person actually but have been to several of these when I used to live in California. Some of my favorite beaches though are more in northern California – good for scenery and walking, but not so good for swimming 😉
HI Jessica, Northern California beaches are nice and good for walking but the water is a little cold for me. I do love the Southern California beaches but Northern and Southern Beaches both have awesome sunsets! 😎
Our son is currently stationed in San Diego. I’ve pinned this for later when we visit him and drive up the California coast!
Great Carmen,
You will see some amazing beaches and wonderful sunsets when you visit your son 🙂 Thanks for Pinning.
I’ve only been to 4 out of 10 (Venice, Santa Monica, Manhattan & Huntington) so I must rectify that sometime in the future. 🙂
Hi Shona,
You might need to do another road trip to visit the other 6 beaches in California 🙂
This is great! I have always wanted to go to California and how lucky that this is where you grew up! I will definitely have to visit Santa Monica pier and the eateries mentioned-you can’t beat fresh seafood when by the water! I will be saving this for the future!
Thanks Kreete,
A visit to California coast is so wonderful with loads of fun! I hope you get a chance to visit soon 🙂
I visited Venice Beach and checked out Muscle Beach which is where Arnold Schwarzenegger used to train isn’t it. I know there is a Gold’s Gym up the road which is more famous for him training there too. I need to check out more beaches in California, especially the more beautiful ones.
Venice Beach your correct is where Arnold Schwarzenegger trained also at Gold’s Gym. Just a crazy fun place to visit and people watch unless you want to work out on the beach. I am content to ride my bike and stop at places along the way. 🙂 You must check out the other Cali beaches.
It was good to see I only knew a few of these like Venice and Santa Monica. Would love to drive all along the California coast one day and see all of these, they sound truly special.
David, a drive along the coast in So Cal is fantastic also driving along the northern Cali Coast too. I prefer the So Cal beaches since it warmer and great to catch a wave and enjoy the beach life. You might need to return and check out these other beaches 🙂
Nice breakdown of the beaches. I must admit I do love the beaches lifestyle so would have to check out some of these when I finally get around to visiting California!
Thanks Barry,
A California Beach visit should be on your bucket-list. The beach life is fun and free with loads of fun 🙂
This is the perfect post for me to read! I am a huge beach fan (and self-confessed beach snob) so to have a guide like this at my fingertips is perfect! I will be visiting many of these beaches when I make it to Cali, and I have a romantic vision of slowly cycling along the beachfront admiring the views! Pinned for when I visit #feetdotravel
Thanks Angie,
There are some wonderful beach bike trails along the beach where one can ride for 40 miles. It is so much fun and great places to stop along the way. Hope you get a chance to make it to Cali. I like you am a huge beach fan with an emphasis on sunsets. When I travel to islands my priority is to stay on the west side to sit back and enjoy the colorful sunset. Thanks for pinning 🙂
Sweet! We have done Oregon Coast, but we have yet to explore all of the beaches in Cali. We will add your suggestions to our list 🙂
Thanks Scarlett, A must is a Cali Beach drive where the views are amazing along with great places to explore. I must try and visit the Oregon Coast 🙂
My grandparents used to live north of LA, so I spent my childhood visiting many of these beaches! Definitely some beautiful spots to visit!
Hi Jenn,
How exciting you have been to So Cal many times and have visited many of these wonderful beaches. I just love the carefree thinking, sunny days and the beautiful beaches with loads of activities in California. Happy Travels 🙂
We have yet to get to the west coast of the USA and there are some cool beaches to choose from. Hope to get there one day! #feetdotravel
Hi Paul and Carole,
Hope you get a chance to visit the West Coast USA. Lots of amazing beaches to visit! That would be a great trip to drive up the coast in California and see lots of amazing cities. Happy Travels!
Great post – I’ve spent quite a bit of time in California and know some of your beaches well – Venice, Santa Monica, Huntingdon, Newport and Laguna Beach – I was last at Newport and Laguna Beach in 2014 and I agree with you that they offer lots of unsurpassed fun. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks Raymond,
So you know how the Southern California beaches seem to draw one in with each beach having a beauty all its own. It has not been that long since you were last there. Lots of activities to do while in California. The beaches there I must admit have the best sunsets. Happy Travels 🙂
Great list of beaches and I have only managed three of these – but really enjoyed strolling from Santa Monica to Venice and also a quick stop at Santa Barbara. California is so stunning and pretty much every beach looks stunning! Thanks for sharing
Thanks Alexei, Hope you get a chance to finish visiting the rest of my California Beaches. Glad you enjoyed a stroll from Santa Monica to Venice and a visit to Santa Barbara. Bike riding from Venice beach is also a fun activity to do. 😊