California's Best Beaches

Beach locations with detailed custom maps showing all the key features.
Admission fees, hours, parking, and facilities for more than 150 beaches
Activities at each beach, from surfing to diving, volleyball to whale watching, sand castles to fishing
Nearby lodging and camping

Ocean Safety

Conditions along the coast can vary greatly from day to day. Always check with local officials that the conditions at the beach are safe for your planned acitivities. Learn more about Ocean Safety below.

Find Your Beach

Looking for a nice place to take the family for a day on the sand and some play in the waves? We've got the best beaches here. Searching for a new surfing beach? Check our list of the top ten. Hoping for some spectacular coast photos? Browse our list of suggestions.

Find Your North Coast Beach

Find Your Central California Beach

Find Your Southern California Beach

All California Beaches Index

Ocean Safety

California State Parks and Recreation cautions that "large surf, cold water temperatures, backwash, sudden drop-offs, pounding shorebreak, and dangerous rip currents can turn what seem like safe activities such as playing near the surf line, wading, or climbing on rock outcroppings, deadly."
Learn more about ocean safety at
CA State Parks: Ocean Safety

California's Best Beaches

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