California Beaches are legendary and for good reason. Tourists and locals flock to the picture-perfect coast to catch some sun and some waves.

Although not every beach is ideally suited for families or kids, Southern California has a lot of great beaches that are perfect for little ones or family vacations. Whether you’re visiting Los Angeles County, Orange County, or San Diego County, you’ll have plenty of options for you and your family.  So grab your beach essentials and get ready to hit the waves!

Where to fly to find the best Family Beaches in Southern California?

The Southern California coast is split up into Los Angeles, Orange, and San Diego counties. You can drive between the three counties, but with California traffic, it is easier to fly into the county that you are visiting. 

 

For Los Angeles, that would be the LAX Airport which is near beaches, Hollywood, Santa Monica, Malibu, Downtown Los Angeles, Warner Bros Studio, Universal Studios, and Beverly Hills. Long Beach also has an airport south of Los Angeles and near the border of Orange County. 

 

The best airport for Orange County would be the John Wayne Airport near northern Orange County beaches, (also known as one of the cheapest airports to fly into in the United States!) Disneyland, and Knott’s Berry Farm.

 

The San Diego Airport is the best option for beaches in south San Diego County. 

Family Friendly Los Angeles County Beaches

Los Angeles County is the northernmost county in Southern California and one of the busiest tourist destinations in the state. If you’re visiting Los Angeles with kids or Hollywood but still want some time at the beach, Los Angeles County has some good beaches for families visiting Southern California. 

Santa Monica Beach 

 

 

You’ll find Santa Monica Beach and Pier straight out west from Los Angeles. It is just south of Malibu and a little north of LAX. It is one of the busiest beaches in Los Angeles County, but it is just a fun place to visit with all the street performers, the pier amusement park, and the beach activities. 

The famous Venice and Muscle Beach are just south of Santa Monica, Palisades Park is just north with walking trails and kids playgrounds, and 3rd Street Promenade is just northeast of the pier with lots of shops, restaurants, and performers. 

Parking can be a bit more challenging to find here, so a ride-share might be a good option when visiting this area. 

Dockweiler Beach 

Dockweiler Beach is the closest beach to LAX Airport and a great option as long as passing planes don’t bother you. It is fun for the whole family to watch the planes take off and land just over their heads. 

The state park has a lot of terrific amenities, including a good amount of parking, but the coolest part about this beach is that you can have a bonfire on the beach as you watch the sunset over the Pacific Ocean. 

Manhattan And Hermosa Beach 

Manhattan Beach and Hermosa Beach are a little bit further south of LAX and the Santa Monica area and are generally some of the less crowded beaches to visit in Los Angeles County. 

A nice boardwalk runs between the two beaches where you can walk, ride bikes, skateboard, or rollerblade along the beach. Monterey also has a free aquarium you can visit at the end of their pier. 

Watch out for the occasional tar at these beaches because it is pretty sticky on your feet and frustrating to get off. Water shoes are an excellent idea for the kids.

Redondo Beach 

Redondo Beach is located just a few minutes south of Hermosa Beach. The best thing about Redondo is its pier. Lots of boating and other on-the-water activities are available, as well as tons of restaurants, shopping, live music, and family-friendly nightlife on and around the pier. 

Parking is also reasonably easy around here, and you may even be able to find some free parking in the nearby neighborhoods. 

Long Beach 

Long Beach is the furthest beach south in Los Angeles County and is just north of the Orange County border. For older kids that like a bit of history and ghost stories, the Queen Mary is located in Long Beach, and you can stay the night, eat or tour the ship. The Queen Mary is a transatlantic ship, much larger than the Titanic, and is decorated in Art Deco style. There are said to be many ghosts who haunt the ship.

The bay beaches in Long Beach (Mother’s Beach and Bayshore Beach) are fantastic options for families with babies, toddlers, or young children. The sand is soft, and there aren’t any waves which is great for introducing kids to the ocean and makes this one of the best beaches in Southern California for families.

The Aquarium of the Pacific, Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve, and Rosie’s Dog Beach is located at or near Long Beach. 

Family Friendly Orange County Beaches

Orange County sits about 45 minutes south of Los Angeles city and about an hour and a half north of San Diego city. Huntington Beach, Newport Beach, and Laguna Beach are the most popular beaches within the county. On a clear day, you might be able to see Catalina Island directly west of most Orange County beaches. 

Seal Beach 

Seal Beach sits on the northernmost edge of Orange County and is separated by two inlets on either side, making it a bit of a secluded and smaller beach. It is closer to those bay beaches in Long Beach, but Seal Beach is also worth a visit. 

Although it is a lesser-known beach, Seal Beach is an excellent option for families because of the expansive beach, the pier, nearby shops and restaurants, the playground, surf rentals, beautiful sunsets, and its proximity to Anaheim and Disneyland. 

 Huntington Beach 

Huntington Beach is our favorite beach and one that teens and adults will especially enjoy. Known as Surf City USA, Huntington is the perfect place for everything surf related. 

I had my first surfing lesson here when I turned 16 and am so glad I did it in one of the best surf cities in the world. There are also many other beach activities, events, surf shops and restaurants, and even the US Surf Open professional competition in Huntington Beach. 

 Newport Beach 

Newport Beach is just south of Huntington Beach and a little less rowdy with both the people and the waves. This can be an excellent beach for younger kids to learn to surf and an enjoyable place to watch possible 30-foot waves down by the jetty at The Wedge. 

It sits on a little peninsula, so it is narrower and a little harder to find parking, but it is still one of the best beaches in Southern California for families.  

Family Friendly San Diego County Beaches

San Diego County starts just south of Dana Point and goes all the way down to the Mexican border. It’s only about a 2-hour drive from Los Angeles to San Diego and just an hour from Tijuana. The San Diego Zoo is a nearby popular attraction and LEGOLAND California. 

La Jolla Shores

The waves here are generally gentle, making it a great place for kids and learning how to surf. Also, right next to the beach are two large grassy areas, one with a playground, which makes this one of the best beaches in Southern California for families.

In between the two grassy areas is a large parking lot. Although it is a decent size, it does fill up quickly. One thing about this beach is that there are few restaurants nearby, so you might want to plan ahead and pack a lunch. 

La Jolla Cove 

There is plenty of sea life at most beaches in California, but to get a guaranteed viewing, visit La Jolla Cove. Seals and Sea Lions fill this beach, offering great opportunities to get close and take some great pictures. It is a bit north of the city center, closer to Torrey Pines. 

A few things to remember here: 

• Show respect to the animals (don’t feed them, don’t touch them, don’t taunt or throw anything at them). 
• Arrive early because parking fills up very quickly. 
• Wear close-toed shoes; it’s pretty rocky and slippery in certain areas. With that in mind, pay close attention to your kids and help them, so they don’t slip or fall. 
• It will smell like an animal ?; you should get used to it pretty quickly but be prepared. 
• Again, pay close attention to your kids. These animals are pretty used to humans but can still bite if you get too close or threaten them. 
• If you’ve got some strong swimmers that love to jump right in the water, you can also snorkel in this area and see the sea lions and other fish in the water, but just be careful about other large animals that like to eat the seals ?.

 Bay Beaches in San Diego

Some of the best beaches in Southern California for families with little ones are the bay beaches with soft, flat sand and calm waters. Some good bay beach options in San Diego are Bahia Point Beach, Ventura Cove Beach, Mission Point Beach, and Crown Point Beach. 

FAQs about Family Friendly Beaches in Southern California

What Is The Prettiest Beach In Southern California?

That is a particularly difficult question because there are many great beaches in Southern California. In our opinion, Orange County and San Diego County have some of the most beautiful beaches in Southern California. 

We love Huntington Beach the most, but others might answer with Laguna Beach, Newport Beach, San Onofre Beach, Torrey Pines Beach, or La Jolla Beach. 

What Is The Cleanest Beach In Southern California?

Laguna Beach in Orange County is generally known as one of the beaches with the cleanest waters in Southern California. Treasure Island Beach, just south of the main beach in Laguna, is specifically known for its clear, blue waters. 

What Is The Least Crowded Beach In Southern California?

California is a busy tourist destination, and the beaches are heavily trafficked by visitors and locals. Especially during the summer months, you’re not likely to find many (if any) empty beaches in Southern California. 

But some of the beaches that tend to be slightly less crowded are the beaches to the west of LAX like Dockweiler Beach, Playa del Rey, or El Segundo Beach, as well as some of the beaches further south in Orange County like Dana Point, San Clemente, and San Onofre. 

What Beach Has The Warmest Water In California? 

Temperatures throughout Southern California, Los Angeles County through San Diego County will most likely be fairly similar no matter where you go along the coast. Unfortunately, there isn’t really any “warm” water in Southern California, as the warmest it gets is during the summer at around 68 degrees. 

What Is The Most Beautiful Part Of The California Coast?

The entire coast of California is pretty spectacular, so you should always have amazing views. In our opinion, the absolute most beautiful stretch of beach in California is Big Sur, which is in North to Central California. 

The drive along Highway 1 is windy and narrow, but it will show you some incredible views. There is also some of the world’s best whale watching in Monterey, up by Big Sur, and several locations where you can spot whales from land within Big Sur. 

What Is The Weather Like In Southern California?

Southern California has beautiful weather, but the whole year isn’t always great for beach vacations. Since the water temperatures are so cold (usually only reaching highs of 68 degrees), you really want hot and sunny weather to enjoy your time at the beach. 

The best season for beach vacations in Southern California is definitely the summer and the best months are usually July and August. With June Gloom (gray and cloudy skies), even this early summer can be a bit too cool to enjoy the waters of the Pacific Ocean, so the hottest summer months are the best. 

 Best Family Beaches in Southern California

Whether you are visiting Los Angeles County, Orange County, or San Diego County, there are plenty of great beaches around Southern California for families and kids. 

Children under 5 might be more suited to bay beaches to avoid rocky terrain and large waves, and kids who are a little older might enjoy beaches like La Jolla or Newport, where they can explore marine life and try surfing. Teens and adults love beaches like Santa Monica and Huntington for their numerous beach activities and huge surf culture. 

 

BONUS SECTION

Family Beaches In Northern California

Northern California isn’t quite the same as Southern when it comes to beach vacations. Even during the summer, outside temperatures, on average, only reach the low 70s, and water temperatures usually go to about 60 degrees. The beaches are still beautiful and worth visiting; just know they can be pretty cold. 

Some of our favorites in Northern California include Pfeiffer Beach, Asilomar State Beach, Carmel Beach, Elephant Seal Viewpoint, Santa Cruz, Mavericks Beach, Half Moon Bay Beaches, Ocean Beaches, and Gray Whale Cove State Beach. 

 

Guest Author:

Fernweh Foreigner is a mother-and-daughter team that focuses on traveling with a healthy lifestyle. We have both dealt with health problems, severe dietary restrictions, and food allergies. But we love traveling so much that we don’t let any of that stop us. We are also huge soccer fans and love going to games wherever we travel!