California State Beaches of Southern California

This directory of California State Beaches covers the Southern California coast from Santa Barbara to San Diego. You'll find information on locations, day use fees, features and amenities available.

The thing that's nice about these beaches is that they are usually well maintained, clean and have restrooms. Many also have lifeguards during the summer.

The downside is that there is usually a day use parking fee of $6-10, depending on the beach and season. However, for many people, a parking lot by the beach is often preferable to looking for street parking, then lugging your beach gear on a long trek to the sand.

For camping at California State beaches, you should try and make reservations well in advance, as the more popular ones fill up 7 months prior to high season dates. Others don't take reservations but are first come, first served.

The following beaches are listed in consecutive order from north to south by county.


SANTA BARBARA COUNTY

Santa Barbara County has three California State Beaches, all with camping.

Refugio State Beach
Highway 101 at Refugio Road.
Sandy beach, tidepools, campsites, snack stand.
Day use parking $8.

El Capitan State Beach
South of Hwy. 101, twelve miles north of Goleta.
Narrow sandy beach, campsites, hiking trail, grassy picnic area, snack stand.
Day use parking $8.

Carpinteria State Beach
Exit Casitas Pass Rd. from Hwy. 101.
Narrow sandy beach, campsites, tidepools.
Day use parking $8.


VENTURA COUNTY

Of the Ventura County California State Beaches, three provide campsites.

Emma Wood State Beach
North of West Main St., Ventura.
Group campsites, cold outdoor showers.
Day use parking $8.

San Buenaventura State Beach
South of Ventura Pier, Ventura.
Beach protected by breakwaters, snack bar, beach equipment rentals, bikepath, outdoor showers.
Day use parking $8.

McGrath State Beach
Off Harbor Blvd., south of Spinnaker Dr., Ventura.
Bird watching, dunes, sandy beach, marsh, campsites, nature trail.
Day use parking $8.

Oxnard State Beach
Off Harbor Blvd., Oxnard.
Dune trails, sandy beach, covered group BBQ area, bike path, many small BBQ picnic areas with grills and windscreens.

Pt. Mugu State Park
Thornhille Broome Beach - Off Hwy. 1/Pacific Coast Highway.
Rocky and sandy beach, campsites.

Sycamore Cove - Off Hwy.1/Pacific Coast Highway.
Sandy beach, grassy picnic area.
Day use parking $8-10.

Mugu Beach
Day use parking $4.


LOS ANGELES COUNTY

Though there are several California State Beaches in Los Angeles County, only one has camping.

Leo Carrillo State Beach
Off Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu.
Campsites, tidepools, nature trails, rock formations, visitor center, sea caves.

El Pescador
Off Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu.
Bluff, sandy beach.

Robert H. Meyer Memorial State Beaches
La Piedra - Narrow sandy beach, bluff, picnic area.

El Matador - Off Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu.
Bluff, sea stacks.

Point Dume - Off Westward Beach Road, Malibu.
Natural preserve, tidepools, sandstone cliffs, trails in the headlands.

Corral State Beach/Solstice Beach
Off Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu.

Malibu Lagoon State Beach/Surfrider Beach
West of pier at Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu.
Museum, lagoon, pier, interpretive trails, outdoor showers, picnic tables.
Day use parking $8-10.

Las Tunas State Beach
Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu, west of Tuna Canyon Road.
Narrow, sandy and rocky beach, bluff, beware of rusted metal groins under the water.

Topanga State Beach
Pacific Coast Highway at Topanga Canyon Road.
Narrow sandy and rocky beach, bluff.

Will Rogers State Beach
Off Pacific Coast Highway, Pacific Palisades.
Sandy beach, volleyball, outdoor showers, food, bike trail.

Santa Monica State Beach
Wide sandy beach, pier, playground, showers, beach equipment rentals,volleyball, bike trail, promenade.

Dockweiler State Beach
Pacific Coast Highway at Imperial Highway, west of LAX, Playa del Rey.
Wide sandy beach, bike path, volleyball, snack stand, fire pits, showers.

Manhattan State Beach
Volleyball, playground, showers, beach equipment rentals, snack stand, pedestrian walkway, bike trail.

Redondo State Beach
West of Esplanade, Redondo Beach.
Wide sandy beach, volleyball, pedestrian walkway, bike path, pier, showers.

Royal Palms State Beach
Western Ave. and Paseo del Mar, San Pedro.
Rocky beach, tidepools, cliffs, garden terraces.


ORANGE COUNTY

Two of the six California State Beaches in Orange County allow you to camp.

Bolsa Chica State Beach
Pacific Coast Highway, north of Huntington Pier, Huntington Beach.
Firepits, grills, food, showers, paved paths, grunion runs.
Parking $8-10.

Huntington State Beach
Off Pacific Coast Highway in Huntington Beach.
Wide sandy beach, picnic areas, volleyball, food, showers, trail, beach equipment rentals.
Day use parking $8-10.

Corona Del Mar State Beach
Ocean Blvd. and Iris Ave., Corona Del Mar.
Sandy beach, snack stand, volleyball, grassy area on bluff, showers.

Crystal Cove State Park
Pacific Coast Highway, south of Corona Del Mar.
Bluffs, trails, sandy coves, tidepools.
Day use parking $8-10.

Doheny State Beach
Del Obispo and Pacific Coast Highway, Dana Point.
Indoor tidepool, aquariums, food, camping.
Day use parking $8-10.

San Clemente State Beach
Off Avenida Calafia, San Clemente.
Campsites on bluff, snack stand, picnic areas, firepits, visitor center with touch tidepool.
Day use parking $8-10.


SAN DIEGO

There are four California State Beaches with campgrounds in San Diego, and six without.

San Onofre State Beach
Off of Interstate 5 near San Onofre Nuclear Generating Plant.
Two campgrounds, wide sandy beach, sandstone bluffs.
Day use parking $8-10.

Carlsbad State Beach
Highway S21 at Tamarack, Carlsbad.
Below a bluff, sandy and rocky beach, grassy picnic areas, pedestrian trail.

South Carlsbad State Beach
Off Carlsbad Blvd. at Poinsettia Lane, Carlsbad.
Blufftop campsites, beach equipment rentals, dunes, trails.
Day use parking $6.

Leucadia State Beach
Off Leucadia Ave. in Encinitas.
Bluff.

San Elijo State Beach
Hwy. 101, one mile south of Cardiff-by-the-Sea.
Tidepools, blufftop campsites, tidepool exhibit, native plant garden, rocky beach. Day use parking $6.

Cardiff State Beach
Hwy 101, west of San Elijo Lagoon, Cardiff-by-the-Sea.
Tidepools, sandy beach, popular surfing spot.
Day use parking $6.

Torrey Pines State Beach
Next to Los Penasquitos Lagoon. McGonigle Road off Carmel Valley Road, San Diego.
Day use parking $6.

Silver Strand State Beach
Highway 75, Coronado.
Sandy beach, sand dunes, nature trails, campsites.
Wide sandy beach, sandstone bluffs, marsh.
Day use parking $6.