The 5 Best Beaches in California

It is almost unthinkable to take a trip to California without going to one of their fabulous beaches. The Golden State is known for having some of the best beaches in the US, and Californians are so proud of their beaches that if you don’t visit one, Arnold Schwarzenegger will hunt you down and physically drag you kicking and screaming into the surf. If you wish to avoid that fate, below are the top 5 best beaches in California (or Cal-ee-for-nee-yuh as the Governator would say):

Santa Monica Beach

Santa Monica Beach is considered a source of pride for the state of California. It is meticulously maintained by the city of Santa Monica. Every day the sand is thoroughly raked and cleaned to ensure pristine conditions for beach goers. They even clean the beach on weekends and holidays. Yes, even on flag day. While lifeguards are only present on the beach during the day, the lifeguard headquarters is open 24-hours a day to provide Pamela Anderson style slow motion life saving assistance any time it is needed. Some of the activities that take place at the Santa Monica Beach all year long are fishing, swimming, volleyball, surfing, and biking.

Coronado Central Beach

Coronado Central Beach is 1.5 miles long and is tucked neatly behind a street of idyllic beach houses. This beach is well known to be a great place for swimming, boogie boarding and making sand sculptures. Every year from December through February, whale watching also takes place on Coronado Central Beach. On the north end of the beach, the waves break just right for surfers just about every morning while locals walk their dogs before the sand gets too hot. Usually the dogs do not surf, but you can’t rule anything out on Coronado Central Beach.

Laguna Beach

Laguna Beach is a hefty seven miles long and is a premier beach destination for residents of Los Angeles as well as tourists from all over the world. A beach this large and in charge would be expected to offer a plethora of activities and attractions, and Laguna Beach does just that. Nature lovers and art enthusiasts frequent this famous beach to be inspired. Tourists can check out any of the spectacular restaurants, spas, shops and galleries or even check out The Pacific Marine Mammal Center and learn a few interesting factoids. Many people love to see a show at The Laguna Playhouse which is right on the beach, and the oldest theater on the West Coast. The Laguna Art Museum rounds out the cornucopia of sights and activities on this tasty Beach.

Hermosa Beach

Hermosa Beach packs a ton of fun and beauty into its 1.5 miles of sandy shoreline. Activites such as sunbathing, paddleball, surfing, volleyball, and swimming are happening non-stop on the sand, but much of the action is really going down on “the strand.” The strand is a popular boardwalk that runs along the beach where throngs of local bikers, strollers, joggers and rollerbladers gallivant during the day. At night the boardwalk comes alive as people enjoy themselves at the bars and restaurants that serve great food, strong drinks, and breathtaking ocean views.

Venice Beach

Pictured in featured image in the sidebar – Venice Beach is like no other beach in this world. It is also like no other beach on any other world. In addition to the activities you can find on any beach, Venice Beach is basically a three-ring urban street circus. This circus takes place on the Ocean Front Walk, the boardwalk that lines Venice Beach. The boardwalk features stores, flea markets, restaurants and a bevvy of other weird, confusing, and interesting stuff. This is the home of Muscle Beach, world class street basketball, and countless celebrities. This is more than a beach, this is a crazy experiment in human culture that happens to be near the ocean.

Anyone visiting California owes it to themselves to check out these beaches. If you avoid them, you do so at your own peril. Arnold will know.