Just to the south of Los Angeles, Palos Verdes is a peninsula of green hills and sandy beaches. California has 840 miles of coastline.
Visit California/Ryan Killackey
Pfeiffer Beach —
Pfeiffer Beach is a hard-to-access but beautiful stretch of sand in the mountainous Big Sur region of California's Central Coast area.
Visit California/Chris Leschinsky
Carmel Beach —
Carmel bills itself as a "European-style village" overlooking a stretch of white-sand beach.
California Travel and Tourism Commission / Blaise
Huntington Pier —
Huntington Beach has been legally declared "Surf City, USA." Beginners should avoid surfing near the pier though.
California Travel and Tourism Commission/Andreas Hub
Huntington Beach —
With 10 miles of sands, Huntington claims to embody the laid-back Californian vibe.
California Travel and Tourism Commission/Andreas Hub
Surf City —
There are professional surf schools in virtually every town and city along the California coast.
California Travel and Tourism Commission/Andreas Hub
Newport Beach —
Just south of Huntington, Newport is another popular beach for surfers and night owls.
Visit California/Sean Arbabi
Santa Monica Pier —
The Santa Monica Pier has everything from a trapeze school to an aquarium and offers one of California's prettiest views at dusk.
California Travel and Tourism Commission/Andreas Hub
Venice Beach —
The sun doesn't always shine in California. Visitors should note that winters can bring cool temperatures along the coastline.
California Travel and Tourism Commission/Andreas Hub
San Diego Beach —
San Diego alone has 70 miles of shoreline, ranging from flat, golden beaches to rocky shorelines and powerful surfing swells.
California Travel and Tourism Commission/Andreas Hub
Point Lobos —
The Point Lobos State Natural Reserve in Monterey County is popular with hikers. It's sometimes billed as the "greatest meeting of land and sea in the world."
