Best Beaches in California for Kids
Living in California, I’m lucky to be in close proximity to some of the most amazing beaches in the world. Even after living most of my life near the Pacific Coast, my breath is still taken away every time I round a bend and get that first glimpse of the ocean. Because I have lived in and explored both Northern and Southern California, I have grown to especially love the diversity that our coast holds. Here are five of best beaches in California for kids, each with vibe and landscape all its own.
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Santa Monica Beach & Pier
You’ll find the prototypical Southern California beach scene at Santa Monica Beach. Think palm trees swaying, wide expanses of sand, and surfers searching for the perfect wave. Santa Monica ups the ante and includes the picture perfect Santa Monica Pier, complete with Ferris wheel, surf-side dining, and sunglass-sporting salesmen hawking photo ops with a cutout version of your favorite star. It’s one of the best beaches in California for you and the kids to get active, too, whether you rent a bike for a ride or bring a volley ball and hit the courts. Feeling lazy? Pick your preferred parcel of sand and catch some rays while the kids perfect their castle-making skills.
Gold Bluffs Beach in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park
The scenic Gold Bluffs Beach is not what comes to mind when people think of California. Way up in Humbolt County, here California takes on a new identity. The beach itself is wide and sandy, but it’s often shrouded by fog and the temperature of its waters can be described as bone-chilling at best. Elk can be spotted on the beach and there’s an amazing fern and Redwood filled hike right near the shore.
Beaches of Point Reyes
The beaches on Point Reyes are so rugged and remote, it’s hard to believe they are less than thirty miles from San Francisco. Kayaking, hiking, and wildlife-viewing are just some of the activities families can enjoy while on this incredible stretch of beach. During one visit we saw both elephant seals and Tule elk. On one side of the point, thunderous waves crash down onto the sandy shores. On the other, the calm water of Tomales Bay provide the perfect place to get out and paddle.
Crystal Cove State Park
To get a glimpse of what Southern California beaches looked like a century ago, head to Crystal Cove State Park. Most of the park is still wild. Better yet, you won’t find a single multi-million dollar home occupying the bluffs above the ocean. There are only a few beach bungalows on one section of the beach. Crystal Cove Beach Cottages are historic properties from the 1930s and ‘40s, which are available for rent through the State Park system at a very reasonable rate.
There’s also a fun restaurant right on the sand and a shake shack at the top of the hill. That means you don’t have to leave the beach or pack a meal while you are there. Although there is no surfing at Crystal Cove, there is plenty of scuba diving, water play, and tide pooling. My kids love searching for sea stars and hermit crabs in the pools that gather around the rocks.
Point Lobos State Natural Reserve
Magic happens on a point near where Monterey Bay ends and Big Sur begins. Cypress trees reveal their enchanting, twisted beauty as they cling to rocky cliffs above the sea. The ocean produces the most amazing blues and greens before it rears back and crashes into the shore. Children will love spotting the seals, sea lions, sea otters, and countless birds that call Point Lobos home. Fantastical coastal walks will lead your family along some of the most breathtaking coast California has to offer. It is said that Point Lobos is the “greatest meeting of land and water in the world.” After spending the day at this beach, it’s hard to disagree.
Save this List of California Beach for Kids
Be sure to save this list of best family beaches in California for future reference. Just pin the image above to Pinterest. Go ahead and follow Travel Mamas on Pinterest while you’re at it!
If you’re dreaming of a California family vacation, be sure to take a look at the best destinations in California for kids!
What is your favorite California beach? Let us know in the comments below!
Sharlene Earnshaw is an Orange County, California based writer who loves nothing more than to travel with her husband and twins. You can find her on Trekaroo where she is editor-in-chief.
I will definitely save this and send it to my friend living in California. Summer is near so its the best time to plan.
Thank you for sharing this list of beaches with your California friend!
These all sound like such a blast! I can never get enough of the beach!
Any day at the beach is a good day, if you ask me!
California has the best beaches. I cannot wait to take the little one for the first time!
So exciting! Have a wonderful time in California!
Thanks for this great list! We’ll have to check them out next time we’re there!
Yes, you must! 🙂
These look so beautiful! Would love to make it out there someday! My kids would love it!
I hope you can plan a California beach vacation soon!
I love the photos of the beaches! It looks so serene and peaceful! I want to visit it!
I want to go to the beach…right NOW! Can’t go wrong with a Cali beach!
Kids are definitely going to have fun on these beaches. I personally liked the crystal cove state park.:)
Crystal Cove is so beautiful & peaceful — love it!
I love beaches and the ones you have shown makes me want to go. Point Reyes coastline looks just awesome.
Point Reyes is even more awesome in-person! 🙂
Those beaches look so wonderful. I wish we lived near one!
Living near a California beach is great, but so is vacationing at one! 🙂
These look beautiful I wanna go there! (Even if Im not a small kid) haha!
No need to be a small kid to enjoy these CA beaches, for sure! 🙂
This is an awesome resource! Not all beaches are created equal when you’re traveling with kids. Kids need to be able to safely play and enjoy the water. They get bored if they’re at a beach that they can’t use.
I don’t have small kids any more but these beaches sound wonderful! How can I decide !?!
That’s a tough one! It really depends on what type of beach vacation you like. Maybe plan to visit more than one during your trip to Cali?! 🙂
There is a LOT of awesome beaches for kids in Cali! That’s super awesome! I can’t find as many here or couldn’t find as many when I was in Florida and a lot of these I’ve never even heard of! Thanks for sharing!
There’s so much coastline in California — lucky state!
My family loves attending the summertime concerts in Santa Cruz. We also enjoy kayaking there to get up close to the otters, sea lions, etc.
Sharlene – Thanks so much for writing a guest blog post for Travel Mamas! I am just going to have to go visit the Crystal Cove beach ~ I keep hearing wonderful things about it…and I looked at those rentable beach bungalows…sweet! Really, if this post doesn’t make a person long for a CA beach visit, nothing will!
Sharlene-
You’re spot n with the Best Old School Beach! Growing up in HB, my friends and I always preferred the laid back vibe there without the meat market feel. Helps that it’s gorgeous! BTW, the beachfront restaurant nearby is top notch and very kid friendly (sandy feet and all).
Great post! 🙂
Fantastic post! Love it! Now you’ve got me dreaming of beach day trips! 🙂 I’d love to take the kids to Gold Bluffs Beach in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park — it looks beautiful & combines my love of Redwoods & my hubby’s love of the ocean.