Carlsbad State Beach, also known as Tamarack Beach, stretches along a scenic 4-mile coastline in North San Diego County. This narrow, bluff-backed beach offers good swimming conditions with seasonal lifeguard service and excellent surf breaks for all skill levels. The Carlsbad Seawall, a paved walkway running alongside the beach, provides a popular route for walkers, […]
California Beaches
San Onofre State Beach
San Onofre State Beach encompasses several distinct areas spread over 3,000 acres of scenic coastline. Trestles Beach at the northern end features world-class surf breaks that host international competitions. The central section includes Old Man’s, a gentler break popular with longboarders and beginning surfers, embodying the beach’s laid-back surf culture dating back to the 1930s. […]
Solana Beach
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 […]
Malibu Lagoon State Beach
Malibu Lagoon State Beach encompasses Surfrider Beach, a legendary surfing location known for its perfect right-hand breaks and designated as the first World Surfing Reserve. Adjacent to the beach is the restored Malibu Lagoon, where Malibu Creek meets the Pacific Ocean, creating an important estuary that attracts over 200 species of birds. Walking trails and […]
Blacks Beach
Black’s Beach stretches along the base of 300-foot cliffs below Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve, creating one of San Diego’s most isolated and dramatic shorelines. The challenging access—via steep trails from street level—helps maintain the beach’s uncrowded nature despite its reputation for excellent surfing conditions. The northern section of Black’s Beach is unofficially clothing-optional, being […]
Marina State Beach
Marina State Beach features dramatic sand dunes and a wide, pristine shoreline on Monterey Bay. The beach is renowned as one of California’s top hang gliding and paragliding locations, with a designated launch area atop the dunes providing perfect conditions for flight with consistent winds and panoramic coastal views. A boardwalk trail crosses the fragile […]
Half Moon Bay State Beach
Half Moon Bay State Beach encompasses four distinct beach areas (Francis, Venice, Dunes, and Roosevelt beaches) along a scenic stretch of the San Mateo coast. This wide, sandy beach extends for nearly three miles, backed by gentle bluffs and the Half Moon Bay Coastal Trail that connects the beaches and offers stunning ocean views. The […]
Coronado Central Beach
Coronado Central Beach, fronting the iconic Hotel del Coronado with its distinctive red turrets, is famous for its sparkling sand that contains the mineral mica, creating a shimmering effect in sunlight. This wide, flat beach stretches for 1.5 miles along the resort peninsula and consistently ranks among America’s top beaches for its clean water, excellent […]
Victoria Beach
Victoria Beach is a hidden gem in Laguna Beach, accessible via a steep staircase between residential properties. The beach is famous for its 60-foot medieval-looking “La Tour” (also called the Pirate Tower), a stone tower built in 1926 as a private staircase for the owner of the cliffside home above. This photogenic structure against the […]
Asilomar State Beach
Asilomar State Beach encompasses a scenic one-mile strip of rocky shoreline and dune habitat on the Monterey Peninsula. A paved coastal trail runs parallel to the beach, offering stunning views of the Pacific Grove Marine Gardens State Marine Conservation Area offshore. The beach is characterized by rocky outcroppings, tide pools, and small sandy coves rather […]