California Beach Cities

From the mountains to the sea in California, the Pacific Ocean seems to be the edge of the world where the population of 32 million plus people simply stops. We are land of beach dwellers and beach lovers. The majority of California's population lives within 50 miles of the beach and five of the top 10 most populated cities are beach cities. As a tourists draw, beaches outrank Disneyland theme parks, as well.

Biggest beach cities include:

Los Angeles - Los Angeles is California's biggest beach city and also its biggest city overall, scouting over 3 million residents. Beaches such as San Pedro's Cabrillo Beach, Dockweiler, Venice and Marina del Rey. Los Angeles County itself, has many popular beach cities such as Santa Monica, Hermosa Beach, Malibu, Redondo Beach, Manhattan Beach, Torrance, El Segundo and Long Beach.

San Diego - Ranking 2nd biggest city in California for population, San Diego is known for its beaches that span miles and provide smiles. Mission Bay includes a massive, man built series of beaches, waterways and attractions and is one of the best known beach destinations in San Diego, but there are also several popular ocean-facing beaches. They include Pacific Beach, Mission Beach, Ocean Beach and La Jolla. San Diego has a popular Dog Beach at Ocean Beach.

San Francisco - The state's 4th most populated city includes strikingly different beaches from its southern California counterparts. The beaches in San Francisco are generally smaller, colder, and yet equally popular as far as crowds go.

Long Beach - Once California's 5th most populated city till overtaken by Fresno, Long Beach beaches are mostly located along the Long Beach peninsula, Belmont Shore, Alamitos Beach and downtown Long Beach near the convention and hotel area next to a busy marina and tourist center. Long Beach has Rosey's Dog Beach at Granada Beach.

Does size matter?

Biggest cities would presumably have the biggest beaches, right? Not necessarily so. Sometimes a city finds its population concentrated among its hills that descend to the sea and thriving harbors such as San Francisco. Top tourist beaches can be in cities where populations are not as large. Though no precise numbers have been divulged, top visitor beaches in the California parks systems can be found in Huntington Beach, for instance, with a population of only around 20o,o00.

San Diego Beach Cities:

Imperial Beach, Coronado, San Diego, Solana Beach, Del Mar, Encinitas, Carlsbad, Oceanside

Orange County Beach Cities:

San Clemente, Dana Point, Laguna Beach, Newport Beach, Huntington Beach, Sunset Beach, Surfside, Seal Beach

Los Angeles Beach Cities:

Long Beach, Los Angeles (San Pedro), Rancho Palos Verdes, Torrance, Redondo Beach, Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, El Segundo, Santa Monica and Malibu

Ventura County Beach Cities:

Port Hueneme, Oxnard and Ventura

Santa Barbara County Beach Cities:

Summerland, Carpinteria, Santa Barbara, Goleta, Lompoc, Guadalupe, Grover Beach, Pismo Beach

San Luis Obispo County Beach Cities:

San Luis Obispo (Avila Beach), Morro Bay, Cayucos, Cambria, San Simeon

MONTEREY COUNTY
Pebble Beach 17 Mile Drive

SAN DIEGO COUNTY
Ocean Beach
Oceanside Beach Bonfires in Oceanside, California
Oceanside Beach Camping, Oceanside, CA
Pacific Beach California City of San Diego
Swami's Surfing in San Diego, California

SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY
San Simeon, CA beaches - Picture of two elephant seals at
San Simeon Elephant Seal Rookery Near Beaches at Piedras Blancas

SANTA BARBARA COUNTY
Guadalupe Beach Central Coast Things to Do
Guadalupe Bridge on California Central Coast
Guadalupe Path to the Guadalupe Bridge and Beach

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY

Greyhound Rock near Davenport
Scott Creek Beach