The Ultimate Guide to the BEST Beaches in California (2024)

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The best time to visit California depends on what you want to do during your stay. The great thing about the state is that it’s a year-round destination. However, for visiting the beaches in California, it’s not recommended to come between November and April, even if you’re visiting the warmer climate of Southern California.

The best time to head to California for a beach vacation is from May to October. August and September are the warmest months, although July and August can be very crowded and expensive. If you visit in September, the crowds will have thinned, and you’ll be able to swim in tepid waters and sunbathe to your heart’s content, especially in the south of the state.

Since California is such a large state, there are some regional factors to take into consideration. San Diego can be very foggy during May and June, meaning that the beaches might be a bit colder than you like. It can get foggy in July and August in San Francisco, too.

Taking everything into consideration, the best month to travel to California is September. Visiting at any other time of the year won’t be too big of an issue, though – if you can’t go to the beach, there are plenty of other things to do on your backpacking trip to California!

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• Who It’s For: Families who aren’t content with just chilling on the sand. There’s so much to do here!
• Don’t Miss: Pacific Park on Santa Monica Pier. This classic theme park is fun for everyone.

One of the most popular beaches in California, Santa Monica is not just a great base for beach holidays, but also for visiting LA. There’s no shortage of things to see and do in the area, places to eat, and hotels to stay in. The only criticism you could make is that this place gets a bit crowded. But if you can deal with that, then no worries! It is, after all, one of the best beaches in the United States.

Another cool spot to stay is Long Beach, just down the coast from here. A great spot for a road trip if you’re staying in Santa Monica.

• Who It’s For: Those who want to get off the beaten track and fully appreciate California’s natural beauty.
• Don’t Miss: Tacos and Seafood at nearby Malibu Seafood.

This beautiful beach is made up of three small coves with stunning rock formations. Your first introduction will be from the rugged cliff tops. Want to swim? You’ll need to head down a steep dirt trail to do so, but it’s so worth it to get into that water. If you come here outside of summer, you might even have the whole beach to yourself. What more could you want?! This is an easy sell as one of the top beaches in California.

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• Who It’s For: Anyone looking to see one of the most awe-inspiring sights in California. Don’t forget your camera!
• Don’t Miss: Keyhole Rock – the main focus of the beach. It’s an enormous natural arch that looks especially spectacular at sunset!

Hidden away in the Big Sur State Park, chances are you’ll need your own transport to get to this epic beach in California. But this spot is well worth the hassle of renting a car on your travels! You could be forgiven for thinking that the purple sand found here has transported you to the Mediterranean. And those rock formations with the waves crashing against them are just something else. Pfeiffer Beach is sure to boost your popularity on the Gram!

• Who It’s For: Looking for a boho vibe where anything goes? Venice Beach in California is the one for you!
• Don’t Miss: Take some time away from the beach to stroll along Venice’s canals, which give the neighbourhood its name.

Just a hop, skip, and a jump from the earlier mentioned Santa Monica Beach in LA, Venice is another of California’s most popular beaches. It’s also one of the most famous in the world! Check out the street art or just watch the locals running and biking along the promenade. It’s mad how quickly the time passes when you’re doing this! You’ll see crazy sights like rollerblading guitarists and chainsaw jugglers – to name a few.

• Who It’s For: Those who want several options for their beach break in terms of activities.
• Don’t Miss: Taking a hike along the coast and spotting all the seals.

Point Lobos State Reserve’s waters are quite cool and can be rough depending on the season, so it’s not ideal for swimming. However, for everything else, it gets a big tick! Hiking in the national park and watching wildlife are incomparable, and outdoor enthusiasts will love using this beach as the base for a day trip.

• Who It’s For: Families looking to spend time paddling in the waves and having lots of space on the sand will be delighted with Coronado Beach.
• Don’t Miss: Hotel del Coronado. The historic beachfront hotel is part of a very special group: it’s one of the only surviving examples of the American Victorian beach resort-style architecture.

Coronado Beach is one of the best beaches in San Diego, California, and sits in the shadow of the second-largest wooden structure in the US – the Hotel Coronado. The supposedly haunted hotel has to have a spot on your San Diego itinerary! The beach is wider than most in California, and at 1.5 miles long, you’ll never have trouble finding a spot on the sand. If that’s not enough, there are a plethora of activities on offer here, including boogie boarding, volleyball, and tide-pooling!

• Who It’s For: Surfers will be delighted with the challenging waves and the gorgeous evening sunsets.
• Don’t Miss: The International Surfing Museum – it’s one of the coolest places to go on a rainy day.

In a state packed with great surfing spots, it’s hard to pick a favourite beach in California. However, since it’s also known as Surf City USA, we guess it will have to go to Huntington in Orange County. It’s where the US Open for surfing takes place annually, and it’s home to the International Surfing Museum. There’s more to the beach than surfing, though. It’s also a wonderful place to watch the sunset or bring the family – since there are lots of other activities on offer too!

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1. Backpacking Stove: If you want to cook your own food, either because you’re sick of takeout or want to save money, then you’ll need a cooking stove. Some campgrounds have fire pits with grills but I find these very inefficient. Campfires also may be outright banned as well if the fire season has been particularly bad that year, in which case you’ll definitely need your own stove.

I like the MSR Pocketrocket because it’s affordable, reliable, and very convenient.

2. Sleeping Pad: I really cannot sleep without some sort of camping pad. I’ve slept in some pretty rough campgrounds, full of rocks and roots, and my sleeping pad saved my life many times. The self-inflating sleeping mats, like the Thermarest Prolite, are my favorite, though people often settle for the foam ones.

3. Hammock: Taking a tent and pad on a road trip are not always practical but hammocks are lightweight, cheap, strong, sexy, and allow you to pitch up for the night pretty much anywhere. Right now, I’m rocking an Eno parachute hammock – it’s light, colorful and tough.

4. Microfibre Towel: It’s always worth packing a proper towel. Hostel towels are scummy and take forever to dry. Microfibre towels dry quickly, are compact, lightweight and can be used as a blanket or yoga mat if need be.

5. Headtorch: Every backpacker should have a head torch! A decent head torch could save your life. If you want to explore caves, unlit temples, or simply find your way to the bathroom during a blackout, a headtorch is a must. Currently, I’m using the Petzl Actik Core rechargeable headlamp – an awesome piece of kit! Because it’s USB chargeable I never have to buy earth polluting batteries.

6. Travel Water Bottle: Always travel with a water bottle – it’ll save you money and reduce your plastic footprint on our planet. The Grayl geopress is a true behemoth amongst water bottles acting as a purifier AND temperature regulator – so you can enjoy a cold red bull, or a hot coffee, no matter where you are.

7. Toiletry Bag: I always travel with a hanging toiletry bag as it’s a super efficient way to organise your bathroom stuff. Well worth having, whether you are hanging it from a tree whilst camping, or a hook in a wall, it helps to have quick access to all your stuff.

Final Thoughts on the Best Beaches in California

Now that you’ve seen the best beaches in California, you’ll probably have a better idea of how to plan your trip. Whether you want to catch some waves on Huntington, enjoy Santa Monica with the family, or just soak up the coolness of Venice, there’s a California beach for you.

Make sure you set some time aside in California to visit more than just the beaches, though. Cross San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge on your bike, see the wonders of Yosemite National Park, and be sure to take a drive along the coastline – perhaps you’ll stop off at some deserted beaches, too!

However you choose to spend your trip to California, we hope you have an amazing time. And remember to keep this post bookmarked so that you can find the best places to stay and things to do near your chosen California beach!

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