How about miles of alternating rocky and sandy coves, backed by gorgeous manicured landscaping ringed by an unobtrusive boardwalk. Oh, and surf breaks for grommets. Pllus, plenty of wide sand. Read more.
Not only is this beach famed for its cult cinema status, it’s total eye candy for its breathtaking cliffs, climbable by newbies in search of a killer Pacific view. Read more.
Sea stacks, hidden coves and, since there’s just a rocky path down to the shore, not a lot of crowds. Three words: Sunset Champagne toast. Read more.
Mybe you prefer spending a weekend in a cottage set on a stunning 3.2 miles of coastline backed by a couple thousand acres of unspoiled woodland? It’s a bucket-list Cali experience. Read more.
On the “back side” of Catalina Island is the less-crowded, lesser-known beach where you can set up camp. Rent all your equipment on site and get ready to cast away. Read more.
This stretch of Venice Beach has all manner of physical fitness going on, right there, where everyone can be inspired. Or just admire the view, whichever works for you. Read more.
Sure, it’s crowded, noisy, and that pier is a bit much for anyone who’s hit puberty. But if you discover anything more romantic than the image of its lighted Ferris wheel in the distance, let us know. Read more.
Hey, Indiana Jones. This is the beach for you with more than a mile of tide pools and sea caves to explore. A 28-mile drive up PCH from Santa Monica, this Malibu beach even has its own visitor center. Read more.
You’re sunbathing on the set of the iconic Marilyn Monroe movie Some Like It Hot. Even if you’re not sleeping at the Hotel Del Coronado, it’s fun to enjoy its gabled grandeur as a backdrop. Read more.
Sure, there are breathtaking surfside cliffs. But really, the most beautiful sight here is the scores of pooches running alongside their owners--and after Labor Day, you can even let them off-leash. Read more.
What? A pirate tower? Well, pirates (probably) pre-date this ruin of a 60-foot poured-cement tower, built in the 1920s. You can’t go into the tower, but you can lie on the gorgeously soft sand. Read more.
