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List of California Beaches

A visit to just about any of the California beaches listed below elicits an immediate, “What a wonderful way to end a continent!” exclamation from this writer. Are some beaches more beautiful than others? Absolutely, but they’re all awe-inspiring in our opinion.

Sunrise at the beach near Cayucos, CABy law, California beaches are public property “up to the mean high tide level,” meaning that access is allowed if (1) you can enter the beach in a legal fashion — from the water, tidelands or adjacent beach; (2) you limit your access to the land below where high tide occurs. While beachfront property owners often wage court challenges to this law – with recent high-profile cases regarding property near Half Moon Bay, Capitola and Graviota – but so far the public’s rights have been upheld. Let’s hope that continues.

The chart below organizes the state’s beaches and beach cities into list for each of the California Tourist Guide’s areas (as set out in our navigation buttons, above), but we also provide commentary about which beaches are our favorites in articles posted in each area. Here are links to those articles, and the full list of beaches and beach cities is below them:

San Diego Area Beach Cities

San Diego Area Beaches

Cardiff
Carlsbad
Coronado
Del Mar
Encinitas
La Jolla
Leucadia
Mission Beach
Ocean Beach
Oceanside
Pacific Beach
Point Loma
San Diego
Solana Beach
Beacon’s Beach
Black’s Beach
Boneyard Beach
Border Field State Park
Cardiff State Beach
Carlsbad City Beach
Carlsbad State Beach
Children’s Pool Beach
Coronado City Beach
Coronado Shores Beach
D Street Viewpoint
Del Mar City Beach
Encinitas Beach
Fletcher Cove Park
Harbor Beach
Imperial Beach
La Jolla Cove
La Jolla Shores Beach
La Jolla Strand Park
Marine Street Beach
Mission Beach
Moonlight State Beach
Ocean Beach City Beach
Ocean Beach Park
Oceanside City Beach
Pacific Beach
Ponto Beach
San Elijo State Beach
San Onofre State Beach
Seascape Shores
Silver Strand State Beach
South Carlsbad State Beach
South Oceanside Beach
Stone Steps Beach
Swami’s Tide Beach Park
Torrey Pines State Beach
Tourmaline Surfing Park
Wind and Sea Beach

Orange County Area Beach Cities

Orange County Area Beaches

Balboa Island
Capistrano Beach
Catalina Island
Corona del Mar
Dana Point
Huntington Beach
Laguna Beach
Newport Beach
San Clemente
Seal Beach
Sunset Beach
Surfside
1,000 Steps Beach
Aliso Creek County Beach
Balboa Beach
Bayside Drive County Beach
Bluebird Beach
Boat Canyon Beach
Bolsa Chica State Beach
Brook’s Beach
Capistrano Beach
China Cove Beach
Christmas Cove Beach
Corona del Mar State Beach
County Beach
Crescent Bay Beach
Crescent Bay Beach
Crystal Cove State Park
Diver’s Cove
Doheny Beach
Goff Cove Beach
Huntington City Beach
Huntington State Beach
Irvine Cove Beach
Little Corona del Mar Beach
Main Beach
Moss Point Beach
Mountain Road Beach
Municipal Beach
Newport Beach
Oak Street Beach
Pearl Street Beach
Picnic Beach
Poche Beach
Rockpile Beach
Rocky Point
Salt Creek County Beach
San Clemente City Beach
San Clemente State Beach
Santa Ana River
Seal Beach
Shaw’s Cove
Sleepy Hollow Beach
St. Ann’s Street Beach
Sunset Beach
Surfside Beach
Thalia Street Beach
Treasure Island Beach
Victoria Beach
West Jetty View Park
West Street Beach
Wood’s Cove Beach

Los Angeles Area Beach Cities

Los Angeles Area Beaches

El Segundo
Hermosa Beach
Long Beach
Malibu
Manhattan Beach
Marina del Rey
Mussel Shoals
Oxnard
Playa del Rey
Port Hueneme
Rancho Palos Verdes
Redondo Beach
San Pedro
Santa Monica
Seacliff
Venice
Ventura
Abalone Cove Beach
Alamitos Bay Beach
Belmont Shore
Ben Weston Beach
Broad Beach
Cabrillo City Beach
Channel Islands – Harbor Beach
County Line Beach Sycamore Cove Beach
Crescent Beach
Dan Blocker County Beach
Descanso Beach
Dockweiler State Beach
e State Beach
El Matador State Beach
El Pescador State Beach
El Porto Beach
El Segundo Beach
Emma Wood State Beach
Escondido Beach
Faria Beach County Park
Hermosa City Beach
Hobson County Park
Hollywood Beach
La Conchita Beach
La Piedra State Beach
Las Tunas County Beach
Leo Carillo State Beach
Little Fisherman’s Cove
Little Harbor Beach
Long Beach City Beach
Malaga Cove
Malibu Lagoon County Beach
Mandalay County Park
Manhattan County Beach
Marina Cove Beach
Marina Park
McGrath State Beach
Mother’s Beach
Mussel Shoals Beach
Nicholas Canyon County Beach
Oil Piers Beach
Ormond Beach
Oxnard State Beach
Paradise Cove
Pebbly Beach
Point Fermin Park
Point Mugu Beach
Port Hueneme Beach Park
Promenade Park
Redondo County Beach
Rincon Parkway North
Royal Palms County Beach
San Buenaventura State Beach
Santa Monica State Beach
Silver Strand Beach
Solimar Beach
Surfer’s Point
Surfrider Beach
Thornhill Broome Beach
Topanga County Beach
Torrance County Beach
Venice City Beach
White Point County Park
Will Rogers State Beach
Zuma County Beach

Central Coast Beach Cities

Central Coast Beaches

Arroyo Grande
Avila Beach .
Big Sur
Cambria
Carmel-by-the-Sea
Carpinteria
Castroville
Cayucos
Goleta
Grover Beach
Isla Vista
Lompoc
Los Osos
Marina
Montecito
Monterey
Morro Bay
Moss Landing
Oceano
Pacific Grove
Pebble Beach
Pismo Beach
Salinas
San Luis Obispo
San Simeon
Sand City
Santa Barbara
Seaside
Shell Beach
Summerland
Andrew Molera State Park
Arroyo Burro Beach County Park
Arroyo Laguna Beach
Asilomar State Beach
Avila State Beach
Bayshore Bluffs Park
Butterfly Beach
Carmel City Beach
Carmel River State Beach
Carpinteria City Beach
Carpinteria State Beach
Cayucos Beach
Cayucos State Beach
Coal Oil Point Natural Reserve
Del Monte Beach
East Beach
El Capitan State Beach
Fanshell Beach
Garrapata State Park
Gaviota State Park
Goleta Beach County Park
Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes
Hammonds Beach
Isla Vista Beach
Jade Cove
Jalama Beach County Park
Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park
Kirk Creek Campground
Leadbetter Beach
Limekiln State Park
Lookout County Park
Lover’s Point
Macabee Beach
Marina State Beach
Mesa Lane Beach
Mill Creek Picnic Area
Miramar Beach
Montana de Oro State Park
Monterey State Beach
Moonstone State Beach
Moro Dunes Natural Area
Morro Bay State Park
Morro Rock and Beach
Morrow Strand State Beach
Morrow Strand State Beach
Moss Beach
Moss Landing State Beach
Ocean Beach County Park
Olde Port Beach
Partington Cove
Pfeiffer Beach
Piedras Blancas Beach
Pismo Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area
Pismo State Beach
Point Lobos State Reserve
Point Sal State Beach
Refugio State Beach
Rincon Beach County Park
Rincon Point
Salinas River State Beach
San Carlos Beach Park
San Simeon State Beach
Sand Dollar Picnic Area and Beach
Shoreline Park
Spanish Bay
Vandenberg Air Force Base Fishing Access
W. R. Hearst Memorial State Beach
West Beach
Willow Creek Picnic Area
Zmudowski State Beach

San Francisco Bay Area Beach Cities

San Francisco Bay Area Beaches

Aptos
Bolinas
Capitola
Daly City
Davenport
Dillon Beach
El Granada
Half Moon Bay
Inverness
Le Selva
Marshall
Miramar
Montara
Moss Beach
Olema
Pacifica
Point Reyes Station
San Francisco
Santa Cruz
Stinson Beach
Abbotts Lagoon
Agate Beach
Alan Sieroty Beach
Ano Nuevo State Reserve
Aquatic Park
Baker Beach
Bean Hollow State Beach
Bolinas Beach
Bonita Cove
Bonny Doon Beach
Burton Memorial Beach
Capitola City Beach
China Beach
Corcoran Lagoon Beach
Cowell Beach
Crissy Field
Davenport Beach
Dillon Beach
Drakes Beach
Dunes Beach
El Granada Beach
Esplanade Beach
Fort Funston Beach
Four Mile Beach
Francis Beach
Gazos Creek Access
Gray Whale Cove State Beach
Greyhound Rock Fishing Access
Hearts Desire Beach
Hooper Beach
Its Beach
James V. Fitzgerald Marine Reserve
Kehoe Beach
Kelham Beach
Key Beach
Kirby Cove
Laguna Creek Beach
Lands End Beach
Lawson’s Landing
Lighthouse Field State Beach
Limantour Beach
Lincoln Beach
Lundborgh Beach
Main Beach
Manresa State Beach
Manresa Uplands
Marina Green
Marshall Beach
Martin’s Beach
Mavericks
McClures Beach
Miramar Beach
Mitchell’s Cove
Montara State Beach
Moran Lake Beach
Muir Beach
Natural Bridges State Beach
New Brighton State Beach
North Baker Beach
Ocean Beach
Pacifica State Beach
Palm Beach
Palomarin Beach
Panther Beach
Pebble Beach
Pelican Point Beach
Pescadero State Beach
Pigeon Point
Pillar Point Harbor
Pleasure Point Beach
Point Reyes Beach North
Point Reyes Beach South
Pomponio State Beach
Red Rock Beach
Red, White, and Blue Beach
Rio Del Mar Beach
Rockaway Beach
Rodeo Beach
San Gregorio State Beach
Santa Maria Beach
Scott Creek Beach
Sculptured Beach
Seabright Beach
Seacliff State Beach
Sharp Park State Beach
Shell Beach
Steamer Lane
Steep Ravine Beach
Stinson Beach
Sunny Cove
Sunset State Beach
Tennessee Cove
The Fist
The Gulch
Thornton State Beach
Twin Lakes State Beach
Venice Beach
Waddell Creek Beach
Wildcat Beach
Wilder Ranch State Park
Yellowbank Beach

Wine Country (Sonoma) Beach Cities

Wine Country
(Sonoma) Beaches

Sea Ranch
Jenner
Bodega Bay
Doran Beach Regional Park
Campbell Cove
Westside Regional Park
Bodega Head
Bodega Dunes
South Salmon Creek Beach
North Salmon Creek Beach
Miwok Beach
Coleman Beach
Arched Rock Beach
Carmet Beach
Schoolhouse Beach
Portuguese Beach
Gleason Beach
Duncan’s Landing
Wright’s Beach
Shell Beach
Blind Beach
Goat Rock Beach
North Jenner Beaches
Russian Gulch
Vista Point
Fort Ross Reef
Fort Ross Cove
Timber Cove
Stillwater Cove Regional Park
Ocean Cove
Gerstle Cove
Stump Beach
Fisk Mill Cove
North Horseshoe Cove
Black Point Beach
Pebble Beach
Stengel Beach
Shell Beach
Walk-On Beach
Gualala Point Regional Park

North Coast Beach Cities

North Coast Beaches

Albion
Arcata
Caspar
Crescent City
Elk & Point Arena
Eureka
Fort Bragg
Gualala & Anchor Bay
Honeydew & Petrolia
Klamath
Little River
Loleta
Ferndale
McKinleyville
Mendocino
Shelter Cove
Smith River
Trinidad
Westport
Ukiah
Gualala River
Fish Rock Beach
Schooner Gulch Beach
Bowling Ball Beach
Moat Creek Beach
Arena Cove Beach
Manchester State Beach
Greenwood Creek State Beach
Navarro River Beach Access
Albion Flat
Van Damme State Park
Mendocino Headlands State Park
Russian Gulch State Park
Caspar Headlands State Reserve
Caspar State Beach
Jug Handle State Reserve
Noyo Harbor
Glass Beach
Pudding Creek Beach
Virgin Creek Beach
MacKerricher State Park
Seaside Creek Beach
Chadbourne Gulch
Wages Creek Beach
Westport-Union Landing State Beach
Usal Beach
Little Jackass Creek Beach
Bear Harbor Beach
Needle Rock Beach
Jones Beach
Dead Man’s Beach
Shelter Cove
Little Black Sands Beach
Black Sands Beach
Mattole River Beach
Centerville Beach Co. Park
Crab County Park
South Spit & Jetty
Samoa Dunes Rec. Area
Mad River Beach Park
Clam Beach County Park
Little River Beach Co. Park
Moonstone Beach
Luffenholtz Beach
Baker Beach
Indian Beach
Trinidad State Beach
College Cove
Agate Beach
Big Lagoon County Park
Dry Lagoon
Stone Lagoon
Freshwater Lagoon
Redwood Creek Beach
Orick Fishing Access
Gold Bluffs Beach
Carruthers Cove Beach
High Bluff Beach
Wilson Creek Beach
Enderts Beach
Crescent Beach
South Beach
Beachfront Park
Pebble Beach
Point St. George
Kellogg Beach
Clifford Kamph Memorial Park
Pelican State Beach

Photo of Sunrise stroll at Cayucos Beach on the California Central Coast by Charlie Day via flickr (Creative Commons).

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