Best Beaches along California's Northern Coast

Trinidad State Beach, Humboldt County, California
Trinidad State Beach, Humboldt County, California

Best Beaches along California's Northern Coast


Humboldt County Beaches


little girl standing by ocean

Gold Bluffs Beach

  • Gold Bluffs Beach
  • Carruthers Cove Beach
  • High Bluff Beach

Agate Beach

  • Agate Beach
  • Palmer's Point Beach
  • Big Lagoon Beach

Trinidad State Beach

  • Trinidad State Beach
  • College Cove Beach
  • Old Home/Indian Beach
  • Luffenholtz Beach
  • Moonstone Beach

Mendocino County Beaches

MacKerricher Beach

  • Main Beach
  • Glass Beach
  • Pudding Creek Beach
  • Virgin Creek Beach
  • Ten Mile Creek Beach

Russian Gulch Beach


Point Arena Lighhouse

Mendocino Headlands

  • Mendocino Headlands
  • Big River Beach
  • Point Cabrillo Light Station
  • Jug Handle Natural Reserve

Van Damme Beach

Manchester Beach

  • Manchester Beach
  • Point Arena
  • Stornetta Public Land

Schooner Gulch Beach

  • Bowling Ball Beach
  • Schooner Gulch Beach

Sonoma County Beaches

Sea Ranch Beaches

  • Gualala Point Beach
  • Walk on Beach
  • Shell Beach
  • Stengel Beach
  • Pebble Beach
  • Black Point Beach

Salt Point Beaches

  • Horseshoe Cove Beach
  • Fisk Mill Cove Beach
  • Stump Beach
  • Gerstle Cove Beach
  • Ocean Cove Beach
  • Stillwater Cove Beach

Fort Ross Beaches

  • North Cove Beach
  • Clam Beach
  • Sandy Cove Beach

Sonoma Coast
State Park Beaches

  • Goat Rock Beach
  • Arched Rock Beach
  • Shell Beach
  • Wright's Beach Beach
  • Portuguese Beach
  • Salmon Creek Beach
  • Doran Beach

Marin County Beaches


dog on Dillon Beach

Dillon Beach

  • Dillon Beach
  • Lawson's Landing

Stinson Beach

  • Stinson Beach
  • Upton Beach
  • Seadrift Beach

Point Reyes Beaches


Point Reyes
  • McClures Beach
  • Kehoe Beach
  • Point Reyes Beach
  • Drakes Beach
  • Limantour Beach
  • Sculptured Beach
  • Kelham Beach
  • Wildcat Beach
  • Palomarin Beach

Muir Beach

  • Muir Beach
  • Red Rock Beach
  • Tennessee Cove Beach
  • Rodeo Beach
  • Kirby Cove Beach
  • Pirates Cove

windsuring at Hearst Beach, San Luis Obispo County, California


Sun Shade





Pier Fishing in California





Ocean Safety

California State Parks and Recreation cautions that "large surf, cold water temperatures, backwash, sudden drop-offs, pounding shorebreak, and dangerous rip currents can turn what seem like safe activities such as playing near the surf line, wading, or climbing on rock outcroppings, deadly." Learn more about ocean safety at CA State Parks: Ocean Safety