Golden Gardens Park is a popular urban beach in Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood, offering stunning views of Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains. The park features sandy beaches, wetlands, hiking trails, and fishing piers. It’s one of the few Seattle parks with designated fire pits, making evening beach bonfires a popular activity (permits required). The protected […]
Alki Beach is a long, sandy beach that offers spectacular views of Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains. Located in West Seattle, it’s popular among locals for its 2.5-mile pedestrian path, beach volleyball courts, and numerous waterfront restaurants. The beach is historically significant as the landing point of Seattle’s first white settlers in 1851. On […]
Newport Municipal Beach stretches along the Balboa Peninsula, encompassing several distinct beach areas including the popular section near Newport Pier. This wide, sandy beach offers excellent swimming conditions with seasonal lifeguard service and facilities including volleyball courts, bicycle rentals, and a paved beachfront path. The historic Newport Pier is a centerpiece of the beach, with […]
Ocean Beach in San Diego offers a laid-back, bohemian atmosphere that reflects the community’s free-spirited character. The wide, sandy beach stretches for one mile and features a designated dog beach at the northern end where pets can run off-leash. The Ocean Beach Municipal Pier extends 1,971 feet into the Pacific, making it one of the […]
Imperial Beach is the southernmost beach town in California, situated just north of the Mexican border. The wide, sandy beach stretches for 4 miles and features the 1,491-foot Imperial Beach Pier, a popular fishing spot offering panoramic views of Los Coronados Islands, Point Loma, and the Mexico coastline. The Tijuana Estuary, one of the few […]
Thousand Steps Beach is named for the long, steep staircase (actually 218 steps) that leads from street level down to this secluded Laguna Beach cove. The effort required to access this beach means it’s often less crowded than other area beaches, especially on weekdays. At the southern end, visitors can explore sea caves during low […]
Solana Beach features several cove-like beaches nestled beneath scenic sandstone bluffs north of San Diego. Fletcher Cove Beach Park, the main access point, includes a grassy park area atop the bluff with a playground and picnic facilities, plus a gradually sloping ramp down to the beach. Tide Beach Park to the north offers excellent tide […]
Main Beach sits at the heart of downtown Laguna Beach, serving as the community’s central gathering place where the town meets the sea. The beach features a distinctive white lifeguard tower, basketball and volleyball courts, a children’s playground, and a scenic boardwalk perfect for strolling. Its central location provides easy access to Laguna’s art galleries, […]
San Clemente State Beach sits beneath scenic bluffs in the “Spanish Village by the Sea,” offering a mile of sandy shoreline away from urban development. A campground atop the bluff provides overnight accommodations with ocean views, connected to the beach by a pedestrian underpass beneath the railroad tracks. The beach is popular for swimming and […]
Santa Monica State Beach North extends from the iconic pier to the city boundary with Pacific Palisades, offering a quieter alternative to the bustling south beach area. This section features the original Muscle Beach with outdoor fitness equipment, plus numerous volleyball courts that host both casual players and professional tournaments. The wide beach has soft, […]