Top 10 Best Beaches in California by U.S. News

1.La Jolla Shores Beach

La Jolla Shores is among the many fantastic beaches in the San Diego area. It's a well-liked location that occasionally gets very busy. We like this beach because it allows you to launch your kayak or stand-up paddleboard and explore the La Jolla Shore.

Children can ride the waves on bodyboards here in addition to surfing. Simply stroll north along the beach toward the Scripps Pier if you want some peace and quiet. You'll enter South Black's Beach, a clothing-optional area, if you venture too far past the pier.

2.Santa Monica State Beach

Santa Monica State Beach easily made the list this year thanks to its fantastic pier, which features amusement rides and fantastic shops, as well as its large beach, which can accommodate thousands of visitors each day.

The parks are tidy and pleasant to the south of the pier. Parking is plentiful. It is simple to stay here for a weekend or even a week thanks to the abundance of restaurants and hotels in the area.

3.Coronado Beach

This year, the list included a well-known beach in the San Diego region. Children, families, couples, and even dogs love Coronado Beach. It is a strollable beach and benefits from Point Loma's protection from large waves.

Each beach along this shoreline has a boardwalk and sidewalk leading back to it. Nearby are the renowned Hotel Del Coronado and its many eateries. Coronado Dog Beach is located at the northern end of the beach and is home to lots of amiable dogs.

4.Carmel City Beach

The median home sales price in the ostensibly pretentious city of Carmel-By-The-Sea is well over $1 million. It's a great place to visit, though, and the people are all very friendly. In or close to Carmel are some of our favorite beaches.

Carmel City Beach, with its brilliant white sand and plenty of room to spread out, is one of the best. Small beach fires are permitted on the southern end, and it's a great place to watch sunsets.

5.Moonstone Beach

Cambria has lovely brown sand beaches in contrast to Carmel's white beaches. Despite being a small beach at high tide, Moonstone Beach made the list this year. It runs parallel to Moonstone Beach Drive, which is home to a number of cozy motels and a few delectable eateries in the town's northern region.

Between Santa Rosa Creek and Leffingwell Landing's two other beaches, a wooden boardwalk meanders along the bluff above the beach. Moonstone Beach can be reached from many points along this stroll. To put it mildly, the shoreline is picturesque.

6.Salt Creek Beach

One of our favorite beaches in Orange County is this one. OC families flock to the enormous Salt Creek Beach Park in Dana Point. If the wind isn't blowing, have a picnic on one of the sizable grassy lawns or on the beach. Surfers adore this place.

Lifeguards are on duty to keep an eye out for swimmers and bodyboarders who stray too far from the shore. At low tides, tide pools can be found at the southern end of the beach. Dana Strand Beach is a second strollable beach that is located south of that.

7.Sand Dollar Beach

The first hidden treasure on our list is Sand Dollar Beach. Although it's not really that hidden, many motorists on Highway 1 in Big Sur speed past it. It is a day-use area, but if you want to camp, Plaskett Creek Campground is across the highway. Beautiful beach with big rocks in the surf off the coast.

Keep an eye out next to the cliff as you walk the beach searching for sand dollars because there are green jade stones there. Even though profit-driven rockhounds have stolen the majority of the priceless jade stones, Jade Cove is close by if you're feeling adventurous.

8.McClure's Beach

Our list's "hidden" beach is this one. To reach the parking lot, one must travel a considerable distance to the Point Reyes National Seashore's northwesterly shoreline. Then, a gentle half-mile downhill hike on a trail leads to the sand. Like its neighboring Point Reyes strands (Kehoe is another of our favorites), McClures Beach has a wild and remote feel. McClure's is big enough to wander around and has colorful crumbling bluffs behind the beach.

9.Pebble Beach of Crescent City

Although California is home to a number of Pebble Beaches, this one is undoubtedly the best. Although few others are aware of it, it is not particularly hidden from the fortunate citizens of Crescent City in Northern California. The beach slopes gradually, making it extremely wide at low tide and quite narrow at high tide. Castle Rock is a sizable rocky island that is offshore. It is a portion of a national wildlife refuge that guards nearby rocks where seals, sea lions, and seabirds reside. There are things to photograph in all directions, so bring a camera.

10.San Gregorio State Beach

There are countless incredible beaches in San Mateo County, so it really says something for this one to stand out as the best. We simply adore this beach. Make your way down to the beach to begin exploring San Gregorio State Beach's trails, which are located on the bluff next to the sizable picnic area. A creek and lagoon are located behind the beach, where birds perform for the cameras.

One of the list's beaches that is easiest to access on foot is this one.

Except during high tide, it is possible to walk south from the creek all the way to Pomponio State Beach and much further. Check out the cliffside caves to the north of the creek. Avoid going too far north because that beach is private and attire is not required. You should also search the cliffs near San Gregorio State Beach for unusual rocks and fossils.

In Conclusion

According to Visit California, studies have shown that spending time at the beach has positive psychological and physiological consequences, such as the calming effect of bare feet in warm sand.

We could all use a dose of surf and sand after months of being cooped up inside, and now that California beaches are open, it's time to lather on the sunscreen.

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