What all beaches in California have in common is the beautiful blue Pacific, but the Southern California beaches are definitely warmer and more conducive to a playful beach vacation.
Below, you’ll find a fairly comprehensive list of beaches in Southern California, covering the coast from Santa Barbara to San Diego. The sections are divided up by counties, and then they are listed consecutively from north to south within each county. The navigation bar to the left will take you to individual beach communities, with more specific information on various beaches in each locale.
Santa Barbara County Beaches In California
These So Cal beaches range from north of Santa Barbara down to Carpinteria.
Isla Vista
Isla Vista Beach
Goleta
Goleta Beach County Park
Santa Barbara
Arroyo Burro Beach County Park, Mesa Lane Stairs, One Thousand Steps, Shoreline Park, Leadbetter Beach, West Beach, Chase Palm Park, East Beach
Montecito
Butterfly Beach, Hammonds Beach, Miramar Beach
Summerland
Lookout County Park
Carpinteria
Santa Clause Lane, Carpinteria City Beach, Carpinteria State Beach, Rincon Beach County Park
Ventura County Beaches In California
You’ll find several campgrounds in this county. Also includes beaches in Oxnard.
La Conchita
La Conchita Beach
Mussel Shoals
Mussel Shoals Beach, Oil Piers Beach
Pitas Point
Faria County Park
Solimar Beach
Solimar Beach, Rincon Parkway South
Ventura
Emma Wood State Beach, Ventura County Fairgrounds Beach/Seaside Park/Promenade Park, San Buenaventura State Beach, Marina Park, Peninsula Beach, Surfer’s Knoll, McGrath State Beach
Oxnard
Mandalay County Park, Oxnard State Beach, Hollywood Beach, Channel Islands Harbor, Silver Strand Beach, Port Hueneme Beach Park, Ormond Beach, Point Mugu Beach, Thornhill Broome Beach, Sycamore Cove Beach, County Line Beach, Staircase Beach
Los Angeles County Beaches In California
From the Malibu coast down through Santa Monica and the South Bay, this county also includes the Palos Verdes Peninsula and Long Beach and San Pedro.
Malibu
Leo Carrillo State Beach, Nicholas Canyon County Beach, El Pescador State Beach, La Piedra State Beach, El Matador State Beach, Broad Beach Rd. beach stairways, Zuma Beach County Park, Point Dume State Beach, Paradise Cove, Escondido Beach, Corral State Beach, Malibu Road beach stairways, Malibu Lagoon state Beach, Las Tunas State Beach, Topanga State Beach
Pacific Palisades
Will Rogers State Beach
Santa Monica
Santa Monica State Beach
Venice
Venice City Beach
Playa del Rey
Playa del Rey, Dockweiler State Beach
El Segundo
El Segundo Beach
Manhattan Beach
El Porto Beach, Manhattan State Beach
Hermosa Beach
Hermosa City Beach
Redondo Beach
Redondo State Beach
Torrance
Torrance County Beach
Palos Verdes Estates
Malaga Cove
Rancho Palos Verdes
Abalone Cove Beach
San Pedro
Royal Palms State Beach, Cabrillo Beach
Long Beach
Long Beach City beach, Belmont Shore, Alamitos Bay Beach
Catalina Island
Descanso Beach, Avalon Bay, Crescent Beach, Pebbly Beach, Ben Westin Beach, Little Harbor, Parson’s Landing, Two Harbors, Isthmus Cove