Beaches (Santa Ana, Huntington Beach, Santa Barbara: living, vs., beach)

[Oceanaddict]

I was wondering about the beaches in California...
Specifically lower central coast and southern California area beaches.
I was looking at some of the photos of them on Webshots and honestly I havent seen very many people at them at all... Is this a common thing.. or is there specific times of the day that people are at the beach vs. others... or a specific day or time of the season...
I guess I was just tooken back at how little of people there were in this photos at the beach.

[ferretkona]

The temperatures lately are unseasonable. Who knew you could get 95degrees in March.
Surf conditions are best when pedestrian conditions are not, I am a SCUBA diver and when surf is lousy scuba is good.

[Mel2882]

I'm from near Newport Beach and Huntington Beach. These both get rather crowded in the summer but are relatively bare in the winter. It's amazing how many people that live in those cities don't even go to the beach, so the people you see in the summer are tourists. It's one of those things...once you have it, you don't use it. Also, during the weekdays, there aren't many people there. But it's kinda nice that way.

[killer2021]

Originally Posted by Mel2882

I'm from near Newport Beach and Huntington Beach. These both get rather crowded in the summer but are relatively bare in the winter. It's amazing how many people that live in those cities don't even go to the beach, so the people you see in the summer are tourists. It's one of those things...once you have it, you don't use it. Also, during the weekdays, there aren't many people there. But it's kinda nice that way.

hahah, well how can we go to the beach when we are working 60+ hour/week to make a living out here? You know it isn't cheap to live here.

[PureHapa]

I'm in Redondo Beach. The beach is pretty deserted most of the year unless there's a warm spell in the winter. What non-Californians don't know is that the Pacific is just too cold and rough to swim in for most people. It's cold all year-round. It's not like warm Florida water. Only die-hard surfers come out every day. Plus, we're so spoiled -- if it's a bit cold and windy, no one will even walk at the beach.

[goatherder]

I live in Santa Barbara and I am just amazed when I see beach pics from other places where people are lying in arms length of strangers. Even on a summer day you would have 40 feet around your towel and that would be close to the parking, if you walked ten minutes you would have a lot more space. I think they are empty as the beach is for tourists and families with kids and the young and gorgeous. Sigh.

[Ilovefall]

Wow,
So does this mean that rarely ever is there people sun bathing on the beaches of California? I hear the swimming isn't the best,but what about good old sun bathing? I see photos all of the time on web pages with people basking in the sun there. Is this all a façade? My impression of the Bold and the Brave going forth and baring themselves in ways some shouldn't there in California has been shattered.

[ferretkona]

Holiday weekends like memorial day and labor day the beaches will be full and no parking available. But you can usually have a lot of room around you.

[Caliguy2007]

CA beaches can get very crowded,especially during the Summer,Weekends or during Special Events.

One of my favorite beaches is Pismo Beach....When I was there it had alot of people,but it wasn't densely crowded.

Originally Posted by Oceanaddict

I was wondering about the beaches in California...
Specifically lower central coast and southern California area beaches.
I was looking at some of the photos of them on Webshots and honestly I havent seen very many people at them at all... Is this a common thing.. or is there specific times of the day that people are at the beach vs. others... or a specific day or time of the season...
I guess I was just tooken back at how little of people there were in this photos at the beach.

[BeenAroundTheBlock]

I lived in a beach town for 10 years.... Ventura. You never saw many people at our beaches either. We hardly went to the beach mostly because it is windy and the water is very cold. The only time you saw the crowds was when the Santa Ana winds blow and the air temperature was 90-100. Great beach weather!