Find Your Favorite Beach

Scenic Beaches

• Mendocino Headlands

  - spectacular, rugged coast.

• McWay Cove in Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park

  - McWay Falls spills 80 feet onto the beach, unspoiled, spectacular, a must stop when driving the Big Sur coast.

• Point Lobos

  - rugged coastal rocks, crashing waves, coves, beaches, and islands - there's something spectacular around every bend in the trail

• Shark Fin Cove

  - photographers know this place, just south of Davenport - breathtaking rocks rising out of the surf

• Baker Beach

  - bring your camera for fabulous shots of the Golden Gate Bridge and the Marin headlands.

• Natural Bridges Beach

  - the big arches have collapsed, but the rocks, the surf, the monarch butterflies, and the tide pools draw thousands every year

• Gray Whale Cove

  - this scenic little beach hides at the bottom of a long stairway - soaring cliffs, crashing surf, and sparkling sand

• Pfeiffer Beach

  - one of the best in Big Sur, purple sand, towering rocks with passages for waves to come crashing through

• Wilder Ranch Beaches

  - hike along this rugged coast to less-often visited beaches such as Sand Plant and 3-Mile Beach. Visit Fern Grotto Cave.

• Palos Verdes Beaches

  - Rugged coast with hidden bays and coves. Point Vicente, Portuguese and Inspiration Points

• Point Mugu

  - Solitary rock standing at the point

• Torrey Pines State Beach and Natural Reserve

  - Trails lead out to a number of viewpoints along the reddish colored sandstone bluffs overlooking the ocean.

• Leo Carrillo State Park

  - Rocky points jutting out into the sea at Carrillo and southward at Pescador, Piedra, and Matador beaches.

• Point Dume Beach

  - Hike the trails to summit of point Dume for spectacular views of the coast.

• Crystal Cove Beach

  - Varied coastline with points and bluffs, beaches, and trails, Historic District of vintage beach homes.

Great Play in the Sand and Surf Family Beaches

Many California beaches have dangerous rip-currents and other hazards. Children playing near or in the surf should be supervised at all times.

• Cabrillo Beach

  - Great for small children. The inner beach is protected by breakwaters at the mouth of LA Harbor and has virtually no surf. Outer beach has surf.

• Corona Del Mar Beach

  - Protected by the harbor jetty, convenient facilities and easy access to beach.

• Moonlight Beach

  - Simply a great family beach with playground, lifeguards, snack shop, volleyball, and easy acess.

• Goleta Beach

  - Broad stretch of sand, playground, picnic areas close to sand.

• Fletcher Cove Beach

  - With the adjacent park, Fletcher Cove is a wonderful place for families. Restrooms, showers, playground, and picnic areas along with a nice sandy beach.

• Refugio State Beach

  - Lots of good facilities, easy access, bike trail.

• Laguna Beach

  - Usually gentle surf, nearby Main Beach park, playground, tide pools.

• Leadbetter Beach

  - Wide expanse of sand, gentle waves, close to Shoreline Park.

• La Jolla Shores Beach

  - Great beach for everyone, good facilities and easy access. Next to Kellogg Park.

• Carpinteria Beach

  - Tomol Play Area, gentle waves, tidepools, good facilities

• San Buenaventura Beach

  - Bike trail, playground on the sand, large picnic area, Ventura Pier

• Hueneme Beach

  - Meandering bike trails, pier, swings, broad beach

• Seacliff Beach

  - usually gentle surf, convenient and plentiful facilities, including restrooms, snack bar, showers, pier with cement boat, and shaded picnic areas.

• Capitola Beach

  - good facilities, wharf, close to shops and restaurants in Capitola, family atmosphere.

• Santa Cruz Beach

  - crowded in the summer, but lots of fun for kids, next to the Boardwalk, pier, good facilities

• Monterey Beaches

  - close to El Estero Park, wharf, bike trail, lots of room along a narrow beach, usually gentle surf, close to Monterey shops and restaurants

• Carmel Beach

  - Bring your dog and let it run free, close to shops and restaurants, broad sandy beach, campfires allowed on the beach, free parking

• Half Moon Bay State Beach

  - Roosevelt, Dunes, Venice, and Francis - a long expanse of sand, good facilities, easy access; Francis Beach has the best facilities, including a big picnic area, outdoor showers, and a lifeguard

• Pismo Beach

  - long expanse of sand with easy access and plenty of nearby facilities

Fishing Beaches

• Sharp Park

  - Pacifica's Sharp Park pier has the reputation as the best fishing spot along the coast

• Avila Beach

  - reputed to be the best fishing pier along the central coast, open 24 hours, good facilities

• Pismo Beach

  - one of the most popular fishing piers along the central coast, great facilities, easy access

• Half Moon Bay Beaches

  - things get wild in late spring and summer when the surf smelt run

• Capitola Beach

  - fishing from the wharf is always a great experience and often rewarded with big catches

• Gray Whale Cove

  - enjoyable surf fishing

• Moss Landing Beach

  - get out on the jetty for some really rewarding fishing

• Ocean Beach

  - surf fishing for stripers, perch and halibut

• Seacliff Beach

  - fish off the pier out by the old cement boat

• Santa Cruz Beach

  - opportunities for fishing all the way out the half mile long wharf

• Gaviota State Park

  - Fish from the Gaviota Pier for halibut, surfperch, bass, bonito, and jacksmelt. Available at night for those camping there

• Goleta Beach Pier

  - The Goleta Beach Pier is considered one of the top fishing spots on the coast. Open 24 hours a day, lights, restrooms, etc.

• Redondo Beach Pier

  - great facilities, designated fishing areas, easy access and parking

• Leadbetter and Arroyo Burro beaches

  -Fish your way along the coast by kayak or float tube, surf fish for perch and corbina.

• Stearns Wharf - Santa Barbara

  - great facilities, bait and tackle shop

• Ventura Pier

  - Stretches 1,700 feet into the ocean, good spot for sea bass, halibut, yellowtail, and mackerel, benches, fish cleaning stations.

• Port Hueneme Pier

  - 1,250 feet long, sandy bottom fishing, open 24 hours a day, restrooms, fish cleaning stations, lights and benches.

• Newport and Balboa Piers

  - Open 5 AM to midnight, good fishing for rockfish, guitarfish, croaker, and surfperch. More deep-water fish off Balboa Pier.

• Huntington Beach Pier

  - Bait and tackle shop on pier, good fishing for halibut, bonito, surfperch and more. Night lights, fish cleaning stations.

• Point Mugu State Park

  - Use extreme caution and fish from the rocks at Point Mugu and down the coast. Rogue waves have taken unwary fishermen.

• Leo Carrillo State Park

  - Cast from the rocky points in the center of the park or find the best holes along the beach.

• Malibu Pier

  - try your luck fishing for corbina, kelp bass, halibut, surfperch, and mackerel.

• San Clemente Pier

  - Artificial reef provides fish habitat, expect croaker, halibut, jacksmelt, guitarfish, corbina, and more. Open 4 AM to midnight. Lights, fish cleaning stations.