It's no accident that the slogan "West Coast, best coast" became a well-known California souvenir T-shirt. The diverse selection of beaches that dot California's 840 miles of breathtaking coastline—the third-longest of all the states—from the moody driftwood-filled, rocky coves of Northern California to the sunny swaths of sand to the south where surfers, snorkelers, and beach volleyball players happily play—certainly play a huge part in that boast.

Some are fantastic for hanging 10, while others are ideal for outdoor family pleasure. Others offer wildflowers or waterfalls, while some guarantee animal sightings. While most are constantly busy, a few allow for mainly solo strolls down the sand. This list of the top 17 beaches in the Golden State should assist tourists decide where to dip their toes in the water.

Coronado Beach

This beach, which lies on an island across from San Diego's downtown, frequently makes "best of" lists. Maybe because the crystal mica flecks that are weaved within it literally make it sparkle. A backdrop of lavish mansions and one of California's finest resorts, the Hotel Del Coronado, which holds outdoor exercise classes, add to the appeal. A paved promenade is ideal for strolling at dusk. Beginners can try boogie boarding on waves that face west. The 200-foot-tall bridge can be crossed by car, ferry, or water taxi to get there.

Pro tip: Parking at Ferry Landing Marketplace and on Ocean Boulevard is free.

Baker Beach

Swimming is not permitted at the mile-long beach found within the Presidio of San Francisco national park due to choppy waves, undertow, and powerful rip currents. You probably won't care, though, once you catch a view of the distinctively red Golden Gate Bridge from this interesting vantage position. The Marin Headlands and Land's End are also visible in the panoramic. People go there to walk, fly kites, jog, and play Frisbee. A cypress grove has a picnic area with grills and tables. The battery and other remnants of the Presidio's military heritage are accessible for tours.

Pro Tip: Sunbathers without suits enjoy the beach's northernmost portion.

Goat Rock Beach

Located inside Sonoma Coast State Park, this rocky, picturesque shoreline is close to the mouth of the Russian River, a few miles north of Jenner. There is a beach that is easily accessible, as well as picnic tables, restrooms, and lots of seabirds performing. The harbour seal colony that resides here, however, is the area's main attraction. Pupping season, which runs from March through August, is the best time to go seal-watching. Even cuter than their adult counterparts, babies are lovely. Keep at least 50 yards away from mamas because they can become overly protective, which in the animal kingdom translates to overly hostile.

Pro Tip: During their yearly migrations, whales may be visible with the right binoculars, a high perch, and patience.

Pfeiffer Beach

The Pacific Coast Highway, the state's most famous road, is home to an abundance of beautiful scenery, particularly in the area of Big Sur. This day-use-only cove, noted for the Keyhole Rock arch, sunset viewing (light enters the arch!), tidepools, and purple-like sand, is a must-stop. It's one of Central California's most popular beaches despite having a short trek to get to the sand, especially on the rare full-sun days, so get there early and claim your spot. Make sure to hike the Overlook Trail in the close-by Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park while you're in town. Although there is no beach access nearby, there is a magnificent 80-foot waterfall that plunges into the ocean from granite cliffs.

Pro Tip: The turnoff lies between the ranger station and the post office on Highway 1, which can make it difficult to see the road when driving down it.

Refugio State Beach

This tranquil crescent lies 22 miles west of Santa Barbara, and the beach is stony. The Chumash people who originally lived here called it Kasil, or "beautiful place," because it butts up to the Santa Ynez Mountains. The row of palm palms that flank the former rancho are what make it famous. They were planted decades ago by a group of brothers who operated it as a "tropical" tourist destination. The 66-site campsite is much more basic than that hotel, but it is still near to the lake, hiking paths, and a bike path that crosses the jagged cliffs and, on a clear day, offers views of the Channel Islands.

Pro Tip: The change between low and high tides is significant in this area. When you go along the coast, pay close attention to the time because the sand almost always disappears.

Venice Beach

About 28,000 visitors daily, according to the Los Angeles Department of Parks and Recreation, come from all over the world. The pricey parking lots are worthwhile only for the people-watching. But its distinctive attraction goes well beyond that. There are playgrounds, restaurants, bars with sunny patios, dispensaries, tattoo parlours, street performers, palm trees, a fishing pier, and an expansive beach. There are also sports courts of all kinds, including handball and basketball, a bike/running path, and Arnold Schwarzenegger's famous beach gym, Muscle Beach.

Pro tip: Get ready for the gritty urbanity that will assault all of your senses, from the almost constant scent of marijuana to the competing sound systems. People sleeping on the streets, graffiti, and nearly naked bodies are all rather prevalent. Since Disneyland is the most popular attraction in Southern California, the Venice Boardwalk receives a lot of visitors as well, so expect to be bumped. We are not telling you to stay. We are saying, "Stay frosty," with this.

Point Dume State Beach

When you first arrive, you might feel a little bit familiar because this beach's towering headlands, rocky coves, blufftop preserve, and curved stretch of khaki sand frequently portray the stereotypical California coastline on television and in movies. The films "I Dream of Jeannie," "Iron Man," "The Big Lebowski," "The Princess Diaries," "Modern Family," and "Planet of the Apes" are just a few that have included it. Its beautiful aesthetics easily earn it screen time, but it's also a useful beach with excellent swimming, surfing, and scuba diving. The point is frequently visited by wildlife, such as sea lions, legless lizards, rabbits, crabs, and birds.

Pro tip: From December to mid-April, Dume is a great place to look for migratory grey whales. An old coastal dune and a viewing platform from which you can see the whole breadth of Santa Monica Bay are reached by a gradually ascending walk in the nature preserve portion.

Moonstone Beach

Cambria, a little town on California's central coast, exudes charm, and this beach only adds to that feeling with its vibrant ground cover, winding escarpments, gloomy fog, and playful marine life. The ideal day at this location always includes a cup of coffee to go and a stroll along the mile-long plank boardwalk to feel the breeze in your hair and the mist on your skin. It is located just feet from a variety of housing options. Take a chilly swim or explore the tidepools if you have more time. You might have to wave alongside an otter at some point.

Pro Tip: The Fiscalini Ranch Preserve is located on the nearby bluffs and offers more picturesque and solitary strolls with the sound of crashing waves as your background music.

Doran Regional Park

On Bodega Bay in Sonoma County, there is a 2-mile stretch of sandy shore and relatively calm waves. It provides ideal circumstances for kite flying, sandcastle building, long, passionate hikes, and picnics. While kite surfers, kayakers, and paddleboarders seek out the newly restored boat launch, fishermen make use of the west end's rock jetty. For longer stays, there is a campsite with accessible sites and even a few all-terrain wheelchairs available for rental. To reach the Bird Walk Coastal Access Trail, birders must traverse the grassy dunes.

Advice: Junior Rangers activities like knot-tying lessons and cultural discussions about the area's pre-park days keep kids entertained. They may even pick up something new.

Trinidad State Beach

This beach in Humboldt County, 19 miles north of Eureka, is a model of what a Northern California beach should be like. The river and the forest virtually touch. The colour of the sand is similar to an old pair of Dockers. The curving coastline is adorned with tall rocks, some of which are even topped by trees, sculptures created by erosion, and driftwood, which vacationers frequently assemble into temporary buildings. Fewer people compete over available blankets, and even fewer risk the chilly water to go swimming. Early mornings are foggy, there is abundant wildlife, kayaking is advised, and it seems like everyone owns a dog. It is breathtaking, isolated, romantic, and encourages reflection and lengthy walks.

Pro Tip: The best time to go is in the spring, when the high bluffs are covered in wildflowers, and during low tide on a sunny day, when the sky and clouds are reflected on a glassy surf.

Carmel Beach

A posh and attractive seaside village called Carmel-By-The-Sea is home to numerous art galleries, wine tasting establishments, and charming hotels. Therefore, they would likewise have a grade- a white-sand beach with cypress trees, vistas of Pebble Beach and Point Lobos, passable surfing, and a gravel road up on a cliff for jogging. It's a joy to watch dogs live their finest life in the shallows because it permits canines to be off-leash (rarely). Due to the small size of the village—just one square mile—a it's pleasant (albeit uphill) stroll from any part of the city.

Invest in a wetsuit if you want to spend a lot of time submerged in the water. The temperature of the water is usually around 50 degrees.

Glass Beach

A reassuring illustration of nature's adaptability is found at the north end of Fort Bragg in this Mendocino Coast treasure. Residents discharged rubbish into the sea at three locations between 1906 and 1967. Clean-up initiatives were put in place when it was declared illegal in the late 1960s. In the late 1990s, there was yet another round of them. The pounding waves, however, beat Coke bottles, windows, and other glass waste into submission and spit out glittering, smooth sea glass in a variety of hues to join the pebbles, turning trash into treasure over the course of decades. The best find is the sporadic ruby-colored glass salvaged from vintage auto taillights. However, as scavenging and collection throughout the years have severely depleted the site, enjoy it solely with your eyes. Removal is unlawful in any case.

Pro tip: Two of the three original dumping sites are now a part of MacKerricher State Park and are very accessible. Due to its slightly more difficult access, the southern portion of the beach has more glass than the northern portion. The majority of the glass lies on the third beach, which can only be reached by sea kayak.

Goleta Beach

This is a place for huge groups to hang out all day that is close to the airport and the University of California, Santa Barbara. Use the network of paved trails to bicycle there. Grill out some fun on the BBQ. Allow the children to play freely. Dine outside on the grass. Bask in the sunshine on the gentle sand. Play a game of horseshoes or see the many snowy egrets. Weekends and holidays include boat launches, watercraft rentals, lessons, and a fishing pier. You can wander in both directions for what feels like miles without running into seals or blossoming ice plant coverings.

Pro Tip: At this area, the county parks department offers complimentary beach wheelchair rentals. Making reservations in advance is highly advised.

Crystal Cove State Park

This park between Corona Del Mar and Laguna Beach is one of Orange County's greatest remaining natural green (and blue) places. It has 3.2 miles of beach scattered across seven different coves, 2,400 acres of unspoiled backcountry, 18 miles of trails, and a conserved offshore undersea area. All year long, park workers lead hikes, tidepool excursions, and geology discussions. The only trail that admits leashed dogs is the paved one on the blufftop, which is ideal for bicycling and jogging. Additionally perched on a cliff, the Moro Campground offers stunning views of the Pacific.

Pro Tip: The CCSP is home to 46 vintage cottages constructed in the 1930s and 1940s that are part of a federally recognised seashore historic area. Three meals a day are served at one that was converted into a café, while 21 others can be booked for overnight stays. Through ReserveCalifornia.com, reservations can be made up to six months in advance.

Natural Bridges State Park

One of the three eponymous mudstone arches is the only one that is still surviving, but it nevertheless has enough aesthetic impact to earn this Santa Cruz pocket beach a spot on the list. You can stroll beneath the bridge at low tide, which makes for the ideal social media post. Because it is a station on the Pacific Flyway and contains several ecosystems, including salt marsh and freshwater wetlands, in a limited area, tidepool enthusiasts and birders should move quickly. The eucalyptus forest in the canyon above the beach, which serves as a wintering place for migratory Monarchs, is another attraction.

Pro tip: During the fall and winter, docents offer weekend butterfly tours. In February, there is also a festival honouring migration.

Bolsa Chica State Beach

This hotspot in Huntington Beach, once known as Tin Can Beach, is well-known for bodyboarding, volleyball, and surfing. The surf breaks in quite shallow water, right south of Sunset Beach in Orange County, and forms a helpful curled crest. During the summer, on full or new moon nights, visitors with valid California fishing licences can try their hand (literally!) at another uncommon sport here: catching California grunions, which only reproduce on sandy SoCal beaches. Wade out and fish the surf white caps for corbina, shovelnose guitarfish, and sand sharks if you prefer more conventional techniques. Additionally, there is a campsite with 50 sites and RV connections, as well as a visitor centre with displays on the regional ecosystems.

Pro Tip: The Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve, a 1,300-acre protected coastal estuary located directly across the street from the beach, is a worthwhile stop for birders and photographers thanks to its identification of more than 200 avian species. Free guided tours of the marshes, mudflats, and seabird nesting islands are provided by three organisations.

Moonlight State Beach

The seaside community of Encinitas offers a number of pit breaks ideal for a day at the beach, such as D Street and Stone Steps, as well as a tonne of fantastic spots to refuel or shop along the main thoroughfare through town. Encinitas is the centre of the surfing world, but Moonlight, so named because locals used to gather there for midnight picnics in the early 1900s, caters to the most needs with its expansive sandy area, playground, bonfires at night, beach volleyball courts, free large parking lot, and a bathroom/rentals/snack bar complex. Families can still breathe easy knowing that this area is reserved for swimmers alone.

Pro Tip: Boarders would be better off setting up shop at Swami's, a surf break near the town's southernmost end beneath the golden spires of the Self-realization Center, which is less than a mile away. For those who would rather stay dry and watch, its park offers a superb viewing point and shade. A lot of people strip off to sunbathe at Boneyards Beach, so be cautious about how far north you walk.