What Beaches are there in Southern California

[Daniel1313]

Hi,

We want to take our 16 year old son to Southern California next summer. We have in the past gone to several Florida beaches. We love Cocoa Beach. It's not too commercialized. We were wondering if anyone knows of any beaches in Southern California that may be similar to Cocoa Beach? Also, if you could recommend any hotels that would be a great help too... We don't want anything like Daytona Beach.

 

Thank You

Dan

[maren91]

Southern California is a huge place, what area are you staying in and then we could recommend some different beaches in the area.

[Daniel1313]

We are open to any place. We have not decided where to go. That depends on where there is a good beach. I guess the only request is that is fairly warm...

[critterchick]

I haven't been to Cocoa or Daytona Beach, so perhaps you could describe them so we have an idea of what you like or don't like about them. Southern California has lots of beaches - some are quite busy (anything from Santa Monica south to Redondo Beach, for example) while others are less popular because they're farther from the more populated areas.

 

As for hotels, there are a few to choose from - do you want to be near a port? If so, which one - LA, Long Beach or San Diego? If not, what kinds of attractions would you like to see?

[Bruin Steve]

"fairly warm" is a relative term...

The weather will be pretty much the same Anywhere from Point Dume to San Clemente..."Summer" will be moderate to warm in June, hot in August...but always fairly low in humidity...

 

But the water will be far cooler than what you find in Florida...The currents in the Pacific run southward from Alaska...

 

As to specific beaches...

 

First, my knowledge of Florida is somewhat lacking...I don't really know what you mean by "like Cocoa Beach" or "not like Daytona Beach"...

 

Some popular beaches--like Venice Beach--are fairly "urban" with shops and restaurants all along the beach...and all sorts of people and crowds...

 

Other Beaches (like my kids' old hangout, Zuma) are fairly uncrowded, out of the way and in, basically, upscale residential neighborhoods--nothing really there but the beach...

 

From the north to the south:

 

Zuma--Wide, clean, white sand beach with sparse crowds...fairly remote from the city...

 

Malibu--upscale with nearby restaurants and shopping, but mostly an upscale residential area...

 

Topanga--rocky, a little isolated...residential area, a few upscale restaurants...

 

Will Rogers (Pacific Palisades) wide white sand beach, Volleyball courts, ample parking...The town of the Palisades (up the hill from the beach)--very nice upscale community

 

Santa Monica...Wide beach, pier with amusements, rides...many hotels and restaurants, walking streets, shopping, entertainment...my usual recommendation to out-of-towners on where to stay...Convenient location to most LA area attractions...beach often crowded...

 

Venice Beach...Funky boardwalk area...off-beat, "hippie-ish", loads of fun...

 

Playa del Rey--quiet, apartment-residential

 

Dockweiler--under the airport runways of LAX...place for picnics...and a view of the sewage plant...

 

Manhattan Beach--"Yuppieville"...somegreat restaurants...what a beach town in SoCal should look like...Stuck in time in 1963...

 

Redondo Beach--some restaurants, residential, a little less trendy than Manhattan...

 

Skip Palos Verdes--upscale residential area with more rocks and cliffs than beaches per se

 

Skip San Pedro--pretty much industrial harbor area...Skip western Long Beach...more harbor area, not really a beach town despite the name...

 

Naples (Eastern Long Beach)--trendy upscale area of LB...beach can get very crowded...

 

I'll let someone else pick up from here: Seal Beach, Huntington Beach, Costa Mesa, Newport Beach, Corona del Mar, Laguna Beach, Dana Point, San Clemente...the Orange County beaches...

[Daniel1313]

What I meant by like Cocoa Beach and not Daytona Beach is, Cocoa Beach is a relatively quite beach not too big and not too small. There is not usually too much trouble going on. Daytona Beach is a LOT bigger with kids driving their cars up and down the beach just trying to show off and pick up guys and girls... When I was younger it was fun, but now I am older I am looking for a much quieter and less rowdy teenagers and young adults. Thanks for your help in naming all these beaches. I'll have to check them out. My wife and I are going to Hawaii on a cruise in March. I have never been to Californina so I'll have to check out some of the beaches that you mentioned. I had hoped to book it early in the year. I am not sure if the hotels in Californina at the beach book up early or not.

 

Dan

[donanderson]

What I meant by like Cocoa Beach and not Daytona Beach is, Cocoa Beach is a relatively quite beach not too big and not too small. There is not usually too much trouble going on. Daytona Beach is a LOT bigger with kids driving their cars up and down the beach just trying to show off and pick up guys and girls... When I was younger it was fun, but now I am older I am looking for a much quieter and less rowdy teenagers and young adults. Thanks for your help in naming all these beaches. I'll have to check them out. My wife and I are going to Hawaii on a cruise in March. I have never been to Californina so I'll have to check out some of the beaches that you mentioned. I had hoped to book it early in the year. I am not sure if the hotels in Californina at the beach book up early or not.

 

Dan

 

Hi, Daniel...I live in Huntington Beach a few miles from the docks in San Pedro, where I guess you are sailing from. It's a very friendly, family oriented place within driving distance from most of the attractions in So Cal. Here's a web page put on the net by the city. Let me know if you'd like more info.

http://www.huntingtonbeach.com/

Don

[Cruisin' Chick]

Are you staying in LA in March or in the summer (and which month)? March can be rainy or cool here. Probably wouldn't be beach weather (the one time I've been to the beach on the east coast was post-cruise in March '01 and we stayed in Miami and then the Keys -- warm enough to check out the beaches there). Even early summer (until July) can be overcast in the am (we call it "June Gloom").

 

We did go to a beach in Malibu last week (rare for us) and it was nice...not too quiet. We actually found a parking space across the street, near a signal light/crosswalk. It's the one next to the Malibu Pier. But it may be far for you to drive to (we went through a canyon from the Valley).

[Splinter]

Are you doing this in conjunction with a cruise, or is this a separate vacation? I assume it is separate. You said summer, so yes, book as early as possible. Just be aware that summer rates will be significantly higher in beach areas than they are in the winter. Also, consider if you want a motel/hotel or rent a house. Do you want to be able to cook, or just eat all your meals out?

 

How long do you have? Do you plan to stay in one place or travel around? Do the kids want to surf? Snorkle? Body surf? Swim? Kayak or boating?

 

I can tell you about beaches in the San Diego area, where I live now, or in the LA or Orange County areas (where I grew up). Some are more quiet than others, some have services, while others don't. Some are more family beaches, some are meat markets. You can pretty much find what you want. I can guarantee none allow automobiles to drive up and down the beach. Many are county or state parks, which will include an entrance fee or parking fee. Some beaches are rocky, some sandy.

 

Keep in mind that all beaches in CA are technically public property, at least up to the mean high tide line, so there are lots of places you can see and visit. A good guidebook to all coast access in CA is this book from the CA Coastal Commission: http://www.coastal.ca.gov/access/accessguide.html

 

Just keep in mind that even in the middle of the summer, you are lucky to get ocean water over 70 degrees F anyplace in Southern California. It is not the Caribbean, Florida or Hawaii.

 

PS: Bruin Steve: you left out Torrance Beach, which is a very nice swimming and surfing area with convenient parking!

[Daniel1313]

Hi we are cruising out of San Pedro in Mid March and would like to take a 7-10 day vacation in late July or August. I did not realize that the water temp. did not get much past 70 degrees. My son is sick of always going to Florida.... He wants to try something different. He is not going on the cruise to Hawaii with us....

 

Thanks for all your help...

 

Dan

[Splinter]

OK, I would then recommend that you decide if you want to see multiple areas or just one. You could book a cottage or house for a week and stay in one place, or plan to spend some time in the LA area, some in Orange County, and some in San Diego at hotels or motels.

 

Once in a blue moon the water gets as warm as 73 or 74 in August, but it is rare. Surfers often wear shortie wetsuits during the summer. Its not bad, but it does take some getting used to, esp. if you are snorkeling. Still some great beaches and the water is definitely refreshing when it it hot!

 

For San Diego, I can recommend just about any beach along our coast. My favorites include Carlsbad State Beach, Torrey Pines State Beach, Del Mar, the La Jolla Shores area, La Jolla Cove, Ocean Beach (I avoid Mission Beach as it is too crowded and rowdy), and both the beach by the Hotel del Coronado and Silver Strand State Beach in Coronado. Avoid Mission Bay and Imperial Beach due to pollution concerns.Generally you want to avoid Del Mar in the summer as it is very crowded with first the County Fair and then with the Del Mar horse racing season. Best to wait until after September for that area.

[dosi]

Another thing you may want to keep in mind is that the surf out here is much rougher than most waves I have seen in FL or in the Caribbean. I grew up in No Cali and used to body surf at Mavericks which is a big surf beach. However, if you are not used to large waves, undertows and cooler water you will want to exercise great caution!!!

 

I also think any place in the San Diego area or in the Newport area would be appealing to you.

[sunsetme]

he will definitely need a wetsuit. the summer water temp is 68 on a good day.

[Curt Jerome Wild]

Hi we are cruising out of San Pedro in Mid March and would like to take a 7-10 day vacation in late July or August. I did not realize that the water temp. did not get much past 70 degrees. My son is sick of always going to Florida.... He wants to try something different. He is not going on the cruise to Hawaii with us....

 

Thanks for all your help...

 

Dan

 

The LA area is a great idea for a 16 year old, so many things to do and see (especially if he's a little tired of Florida)...:cool:

Because also for a 7 to 10 day vacation, you won't be spending all the time in the water at the beach. When it's really hot here in July and August that water feels good. But you'd also be walking around the beach and neighborhood, and (hopefully) seeing things like Universal or Hollywood with him...

Then, it's more about what is around the beach (area and activities), and all of the other things nearby to do and see.

What is he into? What do you all like to do?

And I agree that for that length of vacation, it might be cool to spread it out for half the time in one area, and move to another area later.

CJW

[Katink]

If you're willing to go a little to the north, drive up PCH for about an hour (OK an hour and a half if it's traffic-y) and try Carpinteria or the Santa Barbara beaches. Carpinteria is wonderful for families with calmer and warmer water. Santa Barbara, justa few miles to the north of Carpinteria is its own destination with many hotels right across the street from the beach. Beaches equally good for families but also for young adults. Tons of restaurants within walking distance of the beaches.

 

We live in between LA and Santa Barbara in Ventura County and have some great beaches, too. Ventura County beaches tend to be more for surfing for the reasons other posters have mentioned, the water is cooler and not so calm.

 

If you can wait a little longer, the weather is absolutely wonderful in SoCal in September - still plenty warm, fewer crowds, IMO pretty much the best beach weather of the year.

 

Katink

[Splinter]

I agree. I usually wait to do the majority of my beach time in late August and September when the kids are back on school and all the 'Zonies have gone back to Phoenix/Tucson/et al, and we finally can find a place to park at our own beaches!

[Daniel1313]

We don't have a set destination.... I was just thinking Southern California thinking the weather would be warmer and also the beaches...

 

Dan

[beachtravel]

Hermosa Beach is another great place.

 

Santa Barbara, Pismo Beach, San Diego...

 

There are a lot of beach towns/communities to chose from.

[cruiserbryce]

I cant say I am too familiar with the beaches in the LA area but in SD there are some great beaches...Pacific Beach, La Jolla and others...