Beach Bonfires

Bonfires offer a time honored tradition and gathering of friends, family and acquaintances to enjoy the outdoor weather, a blazing fire and other earth elements— wind and water, to make for an outdoor experience that can be pleasantly memorable.

As youngsters in scout camps we learn how to build fires, how to cook over them, and use them in nature for survival purposes. Perhaps it is that what's so primal and appealing about experiencing a beach bonfire.

Bring some hot dogs, sticks to cook with, beverages (no glass allowed on public beaches) and marshmallows, graham crackers and chocolate for s'mores.

Places that still have bonfire pits include Huntington Beach, Newport Beach, Corona del Mar, Doheny Beach, a few areas of San Diego, perhaps, and Oceano Dunes State Beach. The options are becoming slimmer for this pleasure so you have to call first to confirm.

HUNTINGTON BEACH Head Count: 600 pits — Bolsa Chica State Beach (200); Huntington State Beach (200); Huntington City Beach (200)

LOS ANGELES: Cabrillo Beach (San Pedro); Dockweiler Beach

MALIBU: Leo Carillo State Beach

NEWPORT BEACH  — Big Corona; Balboa Pier; Newport Pier; Newport Dunes

SAN DIEGO: City officials nearly got rid of their pits but locals fought to save them — La Jolla; Mission Beach; Ocean Beach; Mission Bay; Fiesta Island

• Arcata – Mad River Beach – humboldtgov.org
• Laguna Beach – Aliso Viejo Beach – ocparks.com
• South Carlsbad State Beach – parks.ca.gov
• Carmel – Carmel City Beach - free – ci.carmel.ca.us
• Corona del Mar – Corona del Mar State Beach – parks.ca.gov
• Coronado – Glorietta Bay Beach & Park – coronado.ca.us
• Dana Point – Doheny Beach - – dohenystatebeach.org
• Grover Beach – Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Beach - free – parks.ca.gov
• Huntington Beach – Bolsa Chica State Beach - – parks.ca.gov
• Huntington Beach – City Beach - free – surfcity-hb.org
• Huntington Beach – Huntington State Beach - – parks.ca.gov
• Laguna Beach – Aliso Beach- free – ocparks.com
• Los Angeles – Dockweiler Beach - free – beaches.co.la.ca.us
• Marin County – Marin County Beaches – various agencies
• Newport Beach – west of Balboa Pier - free – city.newport-beach.ca.us
• Newport Beach – east of Balboa Pier - free – city.newport-beach.ca.us
• Newport Beach – Crystal Cove - – parks.ca.gov
• Ocean Beach – Ocean Beach - free – sandiego.gov
• Oceanside – Oceanside City Beach - free – ci.oceanside.ca.us
• Orange County – Orange County Beaches - some – various agencies
• Pismo Beach – Oceano Dunes State Beach – parks.ca.gov
• Point Reyes – Drakes Beach, McClures Beach -free – nps.gov
• San Clemente – San Clemente State Beach - free – ci.san-clemente.ca.us
• San Clemente – San Onofre State Beach - – parks.ca.gov
• San Diego – Mission Bay - free – sandiego.gov
• San Diego – Mission Beach - free – sandiego.gov
• San Diego – Ocean Beach - free – sandiego.gov
• San Diego – Pacific Beach - free – sandiego.gov
• San Diego – Silver Strand State Beach - TBC – parks.ca.gov
• San Francisco – Ocean Beach - free – nps.gov
• San Francisco – Muir Beach - free – nps.gov
• San Pedro – Cabrillo Beach - free – beaches.co.la.ca.us
• Santa Cruz – Seabright State Beach – parks.ca.gov
• Sonoma – Sonoma Coast State Beach – parks.ca.gov
• Sonoma – Pomo Canyon Environmental Camp – parks.ca.gov
• Sonoma – Willow Creek Environmental Camp – parks.ca.gov
• Sonoma – Wright's Beach – parks.ca.gov – –