Top 5 Beaches in California

3455 Solstice Canyon Rd, Malibu, CA 90265, United States

“We hiked the Solstice Canyon loop. This 3 mile trail has a lot of interests. There are ruins, a tiny waterfall, pretty wild flowers for this season, and the nice views. It was very easy to walk and I really like there. I will introduce this trail to my other friends who like to hike.”

135 5th Ave, Santa Cruz, CA 95062, United States

“My favorite time of year down at the Santa Cruz harbor is Christmas light time, and the Lighted Boat Parade is definitely the best. The boats are all decked out and take part in a parade in the harbor for people to see – and it brings quite a crowd. It’s a fairly quick parade but it’s a lot of fun. The restaurants are all open, so you can eat before or after and make an evening of it. The boardwalk boat and the one with reddish pink lights that had Tinkerbell were my two favorites! Check this out next year or just head down to the harbor during the evening and see some of the lighted boats. Most of the action is for the parade but it still feels like Christmas when you are down here”

Unnamed Road, Richmond, CA 94804, United States

“Very nice jog. Beautiful views of course. There was a public bathroom (my friend needed to go as soon as we got there), but it's locked. It so happened that a man came out of the ?storage area in the same little building and he had the access card. It sounded like he works in multiple park areas, but he wasn't in a uniform or anything. So we got lucky, otherwise there would've been nowhere to go that I could see. Lots of dogs on leashes. I wouldn't provoke the geese - it's their territory!”

1628 Lomas Santa Fe Dr, Del Mar, CA 92014, United States

“When adults and teens could have their own ‘playground’ a.k.a the sports area, the park is 5 stars for me. Loved the sports area!! But I hope the city will build more courts, as one volleyball and basketball won’t be enough on warmer days. Also, maybe the park would make lower park and upper park connected with cars in the future, it’s gonna be better to enjoy the entire area.”

750 Hearst Castle Rd, San Simeon, CA 93452, United States

“A great place to take the family or the dogs. Nice easy parking lot and no fees! There is a trail at the end of the beach that goes out to San Simeon Pointe. Very nice and easy trail with great views of Hearst Castle. The is also a nice pier to walk out and check out the views.”

Santa Barbara, CA 93109, United States

“If you wanna take a look from a high point this is the right spot! You can have a little walk, picnic watching the ocean and the Amazing variety of big 🌳. If you have a dog this park is made for them ! There is also a fountain with water and a lot of shadows!”

2 Park Pl, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275, United States

“Beautiful place to see a wide view of the Pacific Ocean. Reserved parking signs were up. I'm not sure for what reason, but we just parked and watched the sunset for about 20 minutes. Definitely recommend checking this view out if you are in the area. I didn't see any kids' areas or playgrounds or restrooms.”

5255 E Paoli Way, Long Beach, CA 90803, United States

“While I’ve never seen any skiing competitions here, the park near the rowing club is spectacular. Beautiful sunsets and sunrises. You can usually see small boats going by and people walking their dogs. A great place to just bring a blanket, maybe a picnic, and just sit and enjoy yourself. Miss this place since moving out of Long Beach.”

31550 Palos Verdes Dr W, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275, United States

“I went there for a walk during sunset time on a Sunday. We walked out and back on the Seascape trail. It was not very crowded and we got to see a beautiful sunset!”

1701 Coyote Point Dr, San Mateo, CA 94401, United States

“Great place for so many reasons. Beaches, bathrooms, playgrounds, CuriOddysey, boats, walking trails, launches for water activities like stand up paddle boarding, large grassy area for running, flat paved areas good for kids learn to ride bikes, picnic areas with grills that you can reserve, parking, informational signs about history and climate change. Entry is six dollars per car. If you get the San Mateo County Parks Pass you can visit any time and never pay to enter! Well worth it! Magic Mountain Playground - large double playground - part for older kids, part for younger kids. All fenced and gated so it's easier to manage littles who like to run. There is a gun range in the area so you sometimes here the gun practice which can be jarring, annoying, or triggering for some. Be aware that there is poison oak by the trails in the Eucalyptus Grove. Beaches are swim at your own risk - no lifeguard. Coyote Point is close to the airport - so you can watch planes fly in and out of SFO. There is a second playground close to CuriOddysey. Dogs are okay on leashes - EXCEPT - where marked "no dogs." Please respect rules regarding dogs! And pick up poop. Please don't encourage kids to have water balloon fights with those little balloons - they are hard to pick and worsen the micro-plastic problem in soil and sea - not good for people or planet! CuriOddysey is a WONDERFUL place - it has its own entry fee. Worth a family visit, for sure. Good for all ages to learn about enjoy science and nature. Mostly non-native plants - such as eucalyptus - but some drought resistant and native California plants have been put in. This is a wonderful place to spend time in - solo or with friends or family or a community group. Respect, care for, and enjoy this wonderful place.”

1080 Gunpowder Point Dr, Chula Vista, CA 91910, United States

“This wildlife refuge will always have a special place in my heart. It is one of the first places I took Bahbah when he was old enough to step outside. This park is the perfect place to take your adventurous dog. With many hiking trails and …”

210 Lincoln Blvd, San Francisco, CA 94129, United States

“October 2023 5* Wanted to see Golden Gate Bridge and my friend recommend to go to Tunnel Tops is you don’t to go too close. You can have amazing view of the Golden Gate Bridge and SF skyline. The park is nice and well maintained. It is constructed over the highway so can be little noisy. It is wheelchair friendly as the path are fully paved. If you are in hurry and want to see the bridge, visit this place.”

245 Anchor Way, Crescent City, CA 95531, United States

“A really nice place to stop on our drive into the redwoods. A really busy beach, with lots of campers set up. The weather was really chilly in July so come prepared!”

California 95062, United States

“Came here by chance just driving by. Usually, we go to the beach by the Broadwalk park for the kids to ride the rides. This is better and cleaner. It's a smaller beach and parking here is premium in different spots. You just have to be lucky. Came here late in the afternoon on a Sunday. There is a bathroom to use but it's a public bathroom…what more can I say? Park hours is open from 6a -10p and there are lifeguards on duty. The beach offers fire pits to use but you have to provide the wood. I thought that's pretty cool. I would definitely come back to hang out with friends and family for a picnic. Let's make the beach clean! I saw some trash that should be in the garbage. The sand is nice, soft and warm. I can see it can be crowded here. Found out this beach was renovated back in 2018. There are some neat shells, rocks and live sea life on the beach so be careful. It's still beautiful!”

1600 US-101, Garberville, CA 95542, United States

“Tania, the Ranger, was very friendly and attentive, and even showed my kids some bats in a tree! Beautiful State Park. Definitely will come back.”

2000 Mullinex Dr, Coronado, CA 92118, United States

“Great place to watch the sunrise on an early morning walk.”

3550 Pecho Valley Rd, Los Osos, CA 93402, United States

“Beautiful little tucked away spot, first time coming here as an adult, I wanna say nearby 20 years ago I was here as a kid while staying at Camp Keep which is actually right down the road from here and we visited the tide pools here at Spooners cove, This is a nice spot that is somewhat well kept and maintained besides the parking lot being a little rough for low profile cars. Watched a beautiful sunset and tried to do a time-lapse also. Definitely worth the short drive to come check out and the tons of other scenic spots along the way 😎”

45500 CA-1, Big Sur, CA 93920, United States

“The campground was clean, the bathrooms and trash were well maintained, and most of the trails were open. We stayed at the trail camp, it wasn’t too long, (1/4mi) or difficult, but does have about 10 stairs so plan accordingly. The distance …”

6999 W Main St, Guadalupe, CA 93434, United States

“I've gone here on quite a few occasions for a nice, relaxing, quiet beach walk. It doesn't get very crowded so you can walk for a really long time and only come across one or two people. There's not much here and a lot of wide open space so I imagine it would be a great place to bring dogs. It is pretty far out of the way so I don't know that a ton of people come out here. I imagine it would be a great place to view the sunset.”

9550 Milden St, La Mesa, CA 91942, United States

“Plenty of parking, huge park with several playgrounds for kids. It can be a little muddy after the rain. There's an outdoor theater near the gate, not sure if they use it for anything. Again, it's a really big park so very spacious for multiple birthday parties going on at the same time. The Men's restroom needs better maintenance and cleaning. The dog park is also nearby but we didn't go over there. Really appreciate those who kept the leash on the dog, especially next to the playground.”