Best Beach Communities To Visit (San Diego, Orange: amusement park, hotels, college)

[Jewels385]

Just wondering what people think about as their favorite/best beach communities to visit? Any hidden gems either in terms of activites/restaurants or cities themselves. I currently live in the Midwest and am planning a move to the Southwest, and am very much looking forward to trips and long weekends in California. I love the beach, outdoor cafes, scuba diving, interesting historic sites and train travel.

Thanks for your feedback.

[Charles]

I liked La Jolla. It is easy and cheap to get snorkeling equipment and the views of the fish and stuff around the underwater rocks is very interesting.
Plus, just up from the beach are all sorts of nice shops and restaurants. If you like cycling you can ride your bike down to San Diego on nice, safe routes/paths.

[bhcompy]

Carmel is an excellent place to visit, but not for the beach, for the city.

[Capt. Dan]

Pismo Beach or Morro Bay on the Central Coast

[grimstuff]

Mendocino on the northern California coast is a truly unique place. The entire town is a historic landmark.

[humboldtrat]

Check out Santa Cruz with one of the few if not only amusement park beach boardwalks on the west coast Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk - Millions of Memories at California's Beachfront Amusement Park. About 12 miles north of Santa Cruz in the redwoods is the Roaring Camp steam railroad Roaring Camp Railroads | Felton, California.

[SoCalif]

Pismo Beach/Shell Beach: Between LA and SF. Great ocean front restaurants, with some of the most beautiful oceans views that you'll find.

[the city]

Pismo Beach, Monterey, Santa Barbara, La Jolla, Santa Cruz, Mendocino

Pismo Beach like the last post said has tons of great beach views and good locally owned hotels to stay at. Plus there's the dunes, the pier, and outlet mall.

Monterey Bay Pennisula has the aquarium, cannery row, and much more in the city.

Santa Barbara has a lot of nice lobster joints on the harbor, it's close to the downtown shopping, and great surfing.

Santa Cruz has the boardwalk theme park, that has rollecoasters, arcades, and etc... Not to mention it's a small, and beautiful coast. Very quite college town.

La Jolla is a good southern california beach close to San Diego, but crowded. Tons of shopping and outdoor activities.

Mendocino is close to the Humbodlt bay area I think. It's cold up there, but very historic and a very small beach town.

[grimstuff]

Originally Posted by the city

Mendocino is close to the Humbodlt bay area I think. It's cold up there, but very historic and a very small beach town.

Hah. This is always a misunderstanding on the part of people who aren't familiar with northern California. Mendocino is no where near Humboldt. The northern CA coast is one hell of a big place.

[Sorcerer68]

Laguna is awesome. Geography shelters it from the rest of the "Orange Curtain". Weather is very mild. It's quite artsy.