BEST OVERALL, SOUTHERN CA
This wide stretch of sand has lifeguards to watch over you & it connects to miles of alternating rocky & sandy coves.
BEST OVERALL, NORTHERN CA
Accessible via a twisty two-mile-long unmarked road off Highway 1, this beach is notable for Keyhole Arch rock formation.
BEST SURFER'S BEACH
Known as one of the state's top surf breaks, "Rincon" is on the border of Ventura & Santa Barbara counties.
BEST DOG BEACH
Enjoy off-leash canine mingling and swimming between 6 a.m. and 8 p.m. daily.
BEST FOR SWIMMING
The Balboa Peninsula shelters the water on Newport Beach from the greater Pacific swells, so it allows the water to stay warmer than other beaches.
BEST BEACH CAFE
This cove has been a community gathering place for decades. Now there's the added bonus of a beach front restaurant.
BEST BEACHCOMBING
From 1906 to 1967, townspeople pushed their garbage over the cliffs. Now all those auto tail lights and apothecary bottles have been ground into soft-edged chunks of sea glass.
BEST FOR FAMILIES
This mile-and-a-half stretch in front of the Hotel Del Coronado has calm water, gentle waves and lifeguard stands, making it a safe place for kids.
BEST FOR WILDLIFE
In the 1930s, a wealthy local built a sea wall to create a calm cove for children to use. In the 1990s, a harbor seal population discovered the spot and use it as a place to rest and give birth to pups each year.
BEST SPORTS BEACH
Dozens of volleyball nets line the sand at this SoCal beach where the competition ranges from friendly pick-up games to once-a-year Olympics-level tournament.