Southern California Beaches

Southern California has some of the most beautiful beaches in the country. Filled with activities, and each with a personality all its own. We drove from Malibu through the L.A. area for 3 days, and then headed to the San Diego area for 3 days, where we ended at Imperial Beach at the tip of the San Diego/ Mexico border.Since my husband and I love the beach and do not get there very often we though we would take Highway 1, or the Pacific Coast Highway, all the way from Malibu to the border in San Diego. We stopped at nearly every beach on the map, got out and touched the sand, we spent more time at some and just caught a glimpse of others. We found so many things at every beach that we stopped and spent time at.I have included some of the beaches that stood out to us and were some of the best in the following reviews. Some other beaches I might recommend but we just did not stay at longer are:Long Beach, which has a neat cargo port and is known for kite flying, parasailing, and the Queen Mary.Newport Beach, which is like a little island that is full of dining, activities and culture for the modern day. Santa Monica Beach, which has a theme park off the ocean on the pier and is know for some great shopping.Huntington Beach, which is know for its world-class surfing, one of the best beaches for surfing, and host of many surfing competitions. Very nice and classy area with modern style resorts and shops. Crystal Cove was a very pretty and gorgeous beach. The views from the cliffs were unbelievable, the water was so blue.The rest of the beaches that I visited and thought were the so called highlights, can be visited in my reviews. Since we stopped so many places I could not highlight everything in this little box.However if I could pick one thing that stood out as places that I would recommend it would be Malibu in the L.A., and Sunset Cliffs/ La Jolla in the San Diego area.

Quick Tips:

For this particular trip I would say get yourself a map and take a look at what all the coast has to offer. There are a ton of beaches and something to do at each one. Find out what each beach is known for and has to offer, and focus on the ones that you think interest you the most.Depending on how you do this you can spend as much, or a little time at each as possible. We stayed the night in L.A. for 3 nights and visited the L.A. beaches in that time, then we spent one whole day driving to just outside of San Diego so those beaches we spent less time at, and skipped a few. Then we stayed in San Diego for 3 days and took out those beaches one day at a time there. Wish we had more time in between but I think we got the best ones on the days we stayed and got to really grasp what the beach was all about.I do suggest if you have the time, patience and money to experience this because it truly is a great time well spent and you experience so much culture, especially if you are a beach person.Parking: make sure you have lots of quarters and patience. Parking can be a pain to find and will cost you by the hour, but if you are up for it you can usually find a place to park and have a great time. Lots of beaches have a parking space that is free and lots have a parking lot that you have to pay for (not a meter). Check ahead of time or just be prepared.Food and shopping: Almost every beach has a place to eat and shopping of all sorts. It is amazing what each has to offer.Research Research Research, you can find almost all the beaches online and they will provide pictures, lists of activities, city info, dining, and lots of information to help with your adventure.

Best Way To Get Around:

Well, if you are taking this trip you are going to need to go by car.But when you get to each beach you will have to decide based on the area. You can walk, bike, blade, swim, surf, run, or stroll, whatever you desire.Whatever you choose have a great time and put on lots of sun screen. It does not get real hot, but the sun will scorch you.Enjoy and be adventurous!!!!!!!!!!!!

Prestige, beautiful, and full of star life. Malibu Beach is the home of many of Hollywoods most famous. With steep shores and blue water, it's no wonder they come here for a summer escape from the Hollywood life.

The water is very blue and you can see for miles. Malibu has many cliffs and mountains and the ocean/beach is off a cliff. You have to do a little off roading to get to the beach. The beach is actually kind of small in that it is not very wide, mostly because of the rocks and the cliffs. However, there is still a place to lay out, and most of all walk the beach. As you walk the beach you can see the many beach houses that line the beach, several of which I'm sure are home to many of the stars. In fact, you might even catch one of them walking the beach right next to you.

It truly is a place of paradise and is a nice, laid back, and relaxed environment.

The parking is a little bit of a nuisance, I believe the road is lined with parking and there are very few lots for strictly parking, so be aware of parking and be prepared to look for a little while. Make sure you do not park in someones driveway or in a no parking zone because they will tow your car, or leave you with a ticket.

Take a 15-20 minute drive north from Los Angeles and enjoy the high life that the stars enjoy for little to nothing, and walk the same beach they walk, come on out to Malibu beach and see what all the talk is about.

Just a 3-hour drive or so south from L.A. you will find a quite, little town called Coronado. It is a small island town in the San Diego Bay, connected to the city of San Diego by the San Diego-Coronado Bridge, and to the City of Imperial Beach to the south by State Highway 75. The town is the neighbor of Naval Base Coronado, which includes Naval Air Station North Island, the home port for two aircraft carriers and the Naval Amphibious Base where the elite SEALS are trained.

Downtown Coronado boasts unique shops and many restaurants, serving residents and visitors. A few destination resorts and many small hotels offer a variety of accommodations. Coronado is an award-winning beach, ranked second-best in the country by the Travel Channel; it is a special jewel. This beach truly is a place you want to see and experience.

My husband and I spend the day just laying out at the beach. The beach was pretty crowded, and there was lots going on, but believe it or not it was fine and we enjoyed ourselves. You can see a variety of people out here, families, couples, groups of people, and even the occasional marine taking in a run on the beach.

The view is breathtaking, with the gorgeous water and the softest white sand beach I have ever walked on. Turn around and there sits the well known Coronado Hotel featured in an episode of Baywatch and used in several other movies. It is an amazing site to see, with its red roof and white siding. Its no wonder it is used as a place of interest for the film and TV businesses.

This little town provides so much to see and do, and is much more laid-back than the beaches just a little further north in the L.A. area.

Take a once in a lifetime drive over the Coronado Bridge, enjoy the breathtaking view of the port, and enjoy a day with the locals and the tourists on Coronado Island.

Sun, surf, sand, sea—and no smog, come to Hermosa Beach, the center of Los Angeles County's South Bay coastline. Hermosa means beautiful in Spanish, and boy you can see why. White sand beaches and blue water. At Hermosa Beach there is 1 ½ miles of the prettiest, cleanest beach in Southern California. You can have fun with volleyball, paddleball, or beach ball, while creating a golden tan or toning up.

Hermosa is mostly known for volleyball, if you love to play this is were to go. Hermosa has been the home of several well known volleyball tournaments, both internationally and locally. you can almost always find people playing and enjoying the sport.

While walking, riding, or exploring Hermosa you may find a familiar land mark from the famous TV show Beverly hills 90210. On the corner of Hermosa and Manhattan beach is the beach house that was shot for the exterior view in the show.

Since I mentioned riding along the beach, there are several places to rent bikes, boards, roller blades, and many other things to stroll the beaches. In this particular area Redondo, Heremosa, and Manhattan beaches all connects and it is a joy to ride a bike or walk through them all and enjoy the shopping, scenary, and beach life in this area of LA. In Hermosa there s a nice paved road that is made for people to ride and walk, on one side of the road is the beach and the sand, and the other is the front doors of beach houses. I particularly like Hermosa because it is cleanest and the prettiest.

Just sitting on the beach enjoying the average weather of 70 degrees and getting a tan is what I preferred to do with my husband, but I have been here about three times and every other time I have rented a bike and rode around.

For a relaxing, and clean beach where you can play some volley ball or lay out, check out Hermosa, you might even catch a volleyball tournament.

A shopper's paradise, a gourmet's delight and a surfer's joy, Manhattan Beach is your place. Lined with gorgeous beach houses and a paved road for walking and riding. This beach is a simple and laid back place for chilling and relaxing.Shopping and surfing are two of the main activities you can see here at Manhattan beach, with waves that will give you a ride, and shops that will keep you on your feet all day long. You can stay busy or just relax, whatever your pleasure is.The Strip that runs through Manhattan beach is known as the "STRAND", every street that intersects this beach has some sort of shopping on it. You can catch a shop for about 3-4 blocks up each street for about 10-15 blocks. The street that faces the beach is filled with beach houses, and condos. Usually you will see people just sitting out in there front yard. The locals and vacationers are very nice.Along with little shops, you can find some of the best little places to eat. I ate at a little local Mexican food place and it was great. You work up an appetite when you stay in this area all day.So come take a stroll down the pier and catch the sunset, you won't be disappointed. It's a great place to see the surfers, shop, and catch all that the Pacific Ocean's has to offer in its beauty.

Redondo Beach Pier is a well-known place in the city of Redondo. The pier is packed with shopping, food, and activities. The pier host a large recreational and commercial harbor, including King Harbor—a 1,500-slip private craft port; the Redondo Beach Pier, and Seaside Lagoon.

Many people fish from the pier and you can buy and eat all kinds of fresh seafood. There are so many unique shops and stores on the pier. You could spend the whole day looking around. The pier and the area surrounding the pier is a little deserted and causes a laid back not so crazy and crowded area. The beach, however, is full of life and people. It's a great place for the family, plenty of things for the kids, and lots of shopping and fishing for the adults.

Surfing and marine-life watching are big at this beach and off the pier. On my trips to Redondo I have spotted Dolphins, a sea lion, a sting ray, and many other little fish and birds. The pier also has a little arcade and amusement like park with games and rides. Mostly for little kids but never the less something for them to do while you shop or look around. You can take a walk from Redondo pier to Hermosa and Manhattan beaches, or rent a bike or blades and enjoy a great day exploring the surrounding area and beaches.

Parking can be a little crazy in these areas due to the high interest among visitors and locals. In fact, on the weekends it is nearly impossible to find somewhere. Don't get discouraged... just park and walk, you will be there for a while anyways since there is so much to do and see.

Redondo State Beach is a public beach with activities like surfing, swimming, volleyball, and bike riding.

The view from the beach is great, the cliffs in the background have houses built right in and the strip of beach houses that line the coast make it an awe-inspiring view.

This area of the beach has rentals that range from bike, roller blades, surf boards and boogie boards. The water is great for surfing, and also boogie boards. This beach is a great area for the kids and families. It is very laid back and not too touristy.

The beaches in the area are all connected, Redondo, Manhattan and Hermosa, each boasts its own flavor and personality but all joined together so you can enjoy them all in one day. I have rented a bike and rode down them all, it is fun and neat to see each personality.

Redondo beach stood out to me as a very homey area with lots of houses and businesses and even a church, more your everyday family oriented place, where as some of the other beaches seemed more like vacation spots or a young, college-age crowd.

The sunset from the beach is breath taking. Since the sun sets on the Pacific Coast side, it makes for amazing sunsets that can only be described by eye itself. They are indescribable, and the pictures alone do it no justice.

The pictures here are from one night we just sat on a bench right by the beach and enjoyed the beauty of the ocean and the sun setting.

La Jolla in Spanish means "The Jewel". It is the Jewel of America's finest city, San Diego. La Jolla is located 15 minutes from downtown San Diego. It has wonderful beaches, cultural activities and fine restaurants. La Jolla is an exquisite combination of a southern European resort atmosphere and Southern California fun.La Jolla is mostly known for its cliffs that the water is set off of and the gentle waves that roll ashore. When we visited La Jolla we got out and walked around and enjoyed the scenery in the area. In one spot off the cliffs you could see a family of seals beached on the water. There were around 10 or 15, they would rest there and then swim into the water. There was also a bridge you could walk out onto to see them closer. The water would crash up on the bridge and you could see all the way to the bottom of the ocean floor, it was so blue/green and clear.La Jolla is a very laid back and calm area, with many activities. They have a golf course (I hear one of the best) a beach for swimming, surfing, and scuba diving. It is a very classy and upscale area but you still feel welcome.La Jolla offers also offers snorkeling, hiking, walking tours and gliderports, off the beach there is a movie theater and other shops and dinning.This was just an amazing place to be to sit and watch the water and enjoy the afternoon.La Jolla is a great place to live in, visit, or do business.

Sunset cliffs is named of course for its sunsets right off the cliffs in La Jolla. Just down the street from La Jolla Shores, and marked with signs so you know where to go, are the the most colorful and breathtaking sunsets you can see. It is amazing that we have access to such a beautiful place here in the states.

The night we were there was a little cloudy and not the best sky for a great amount of color, but we were able to get some good shots and the scenery is still great.Sunset cliffs only has a limited amount of parking, so you want to get there early enough so you can get a spot to see the sunset. The cliffs have plenty of places to stand and sit, and watch the sun set. You will always see lots of people around here as it is a sight to see every night.The cliffs are also known for some good surfing, since the water is wedged in between rocks it makes for some great waves.Hands down my favorite place in Southern California.