Explore the 50 best beaches in Southern California this summer
Good morning. It’s Saturday, July 20. Here’s what you need to know to start your day. I’m Brittany Levine Beckman, features editor.
- 50 Southern California beaches to visit this summer.
- Takeaways from the Republican convention.
- A reporter spends 4 hours and 20 minutes in the state fair’s new weed lounge.
- And here’s today’s e-newspaper
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Southern California’s 50 best beaches
It’s often said we pay so much to live in Southern California because of the amenities, high among them the beaches. Yet the sad reality is so many who live here never go to the beach.
If you don’t take advantage of our shores as much as you’d like, let us inspire you to change that. The Los Angeles Times this week named the 50 best beaches from San Diego to Santa Barbara. Reporters spent months visiting hundreds of miles of coastline to pick beaches with easy access (although a handful have a more remote feel) and special amenities (like firepits, volleyball courts, camping, views and great spots to surf, paddleboard, snorkel or explore tide pools).
Many of our recommendations have accessibility options, such as beach wheelchairs, all but three have bathrooms (cleanliness varies), and they’re almost evenly split in terms of dog-friendliness.
Pull up our guide whenever you crave a beach day. Here are a few intriguing tidbits to get your planning gears turning:
- Leo Carrillo State Beach in Malibu has awe-inspiring sea caves, a dog-friendly area and allows alcohol (not in glass).
- Torrance Beach may be L.A. County’s Goldilocks of beaches.
- Bring someone you want to impress (and take photos with) to El Matador State Beach in Malibu.
- Victoria Beach in Laguna Beach boasts a historical landmark: the 60-foot Pirate Tower. And two other great beaches on our list are close by.
- Check out sea stars in Crystal Cove State Park’s tide pools and spend the night in a rustic cottage.
- In La Jolla, head to Windansea for a sunset stroll and La Jolla Shores to snorkel.
- Beachcomb for sea glass and spot dolphins at Surfer’s Knoll in Ventura.
- Sip a cocktail on a chaise lounge at Descanso Beach on Catalina Island.
- Ride horses at two of our Santa Barbara picks, forbidden on most Southern California beaches.
- Find beaches popular with nudists hidden among other recommendations.
Erosion, access and, sometimes, bacteria
However, it’s not all fun in the sun at SoCal’s beaches. Erosion has cut back sand at many beloved spots, some so much so that we didn’t include them on the list; in the case of Fletcher Cove in Solana Beach, a replenishment project was needed to bring in 700,000 cubic yards.
Beach access is an ongoing battle as well. California has a coastal protection law unlike any other in the country. But the California Coastal Commission, the law’s steward, often is battling to uphold it.
The majority of beaches generally pass water quality tests over the summer (on average 95% of beaches in California do, according to environmental nonprofit Heal the Bay). But there are sporadic issues with bacteria levels at some sites, which may fluctuate due to a variety of reasons, including storm drain runoff, water circulation or high temperatures. Over Memorial Day and July Fourth weekends, public health agencies warned beachgoers to avoid bacteria-tainted water. The beaches on our list generally pass water quality tests during the summer, but a few have had temporary lapses in limited spots. If there’s something to note about water quality, we’ve mentioned it in the beach description.
You may be surprised to not see a favorite beach. That may just be because of consistent testing bummers. Still, we’ve recommended plenty to do when you can’t take a dip. Water quality is tested regularly, so check county public health sites and Heal the Bay’s Beach Report Card tracker before you go. A good rule of thumb: Stay 100 yards in either direction from an outfall.
What did we miss?
Of course, curating the best beaches is a subjective task. This is where you come in.
Tell us your favorite beach and why, and we may include your contributions in a future story. The more details, the better.
Enjoy the surf and sand this summer, but don’t forget to wear sunscreen!
The week’s biggest stories
What happened at the Republican National Convention?
- 5 takeaways from Trump’s Republican convention acceptance speech.
- Takeaways from the RNC: What we learned about the Republicans.
- Trump recounts assassination attempt, outlines grim portrait of America in 92-minute acceptance speech.
- Usha Vance: From San Francisco corporate lawyer to MAGA’s potential second lady.
- A look at ominous illegal immigration claims made at the Republican convention.
- Four false and misleading claims made by Trump at his Republican acceptance speech.
- Forget the Oscars. For Republicans, the convention is fashion nirvana.
What will Biden do?
- 4 more Democrats call on Biden to exit; his team says he is ‘absolutely’ still in the race.
- Rep. Schiff calls on Biden to drop out, citing ‘serious concerns’ that he can’t win.
- Nearly two-thirds of Democrats want Biden to withdraw, poll finds.
- In this historic Black neighborhood in Milwaukee, the Biden question is met with indifference.
- Biden may endorse big Supreme Court reforms. Do term limits for justices have a chance?
Impact of the global tech outage
- Global tech outage strands passengers at LAX, other airports; hospitals also hit.
- ‘It is a hot mess’ at LAX as global tech outage brings long lines.
- What is CrowdStrike, and how did it cripple so many computers?
- Tech outage disrupts flights, banks, media outlets and others.
- Global IT collapse puts cyber firm CrowdStrike in spotlight.
More big stories
- Inside the Sheriff Department’s secretive investigation into Villanueva’s critics.
- Elon Musk revived L.A. aerospace with SpaceX. Will it thrive without him?
- These California counties endured the nation’s longest streaks of excessive heat.
- Multiple fires break out in L.A. County amid hot, dry conditions.
- In a win for street vendors, L.A. agrees to lift restrictions and cancel fines.
- Southern California’s jobs picture is improving; glimmer of hope seen in Hollywood employment.
- Disneyland workers cast ballots in strike authorization vote.
- L.A. to get $77 million in federal funds to add electric buses before Olympics, hopes for millions more.
- What’s in store for the Dodgers in the second half? Here are 10 storylines to watch.
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Column One
Column One is The Times’ home for narrative and longform journalism. Here’s a great piece from this week:
‘We’re going to head into a civil war.’ Bill Baird, the ‘father’ of birth control, on the religious right and Supreme Court. If you’re thinking about what kind of birth control to use, you might want to thank Bill Baird — who won a Supreme Court decision that legalized contraception for unmarried women.
More great reads
- Can chess games and toilet paper change prison culture? Inside San Quentin’s big experiment.
- Bob Newhart was a timeless comedic genius whose quiet delivery made him a star.
How can we make this newsletter more useful? Send comments to essentialcalifornia@latimes.com.
For your weekend
Going out
- 💨 I spent 4 hours and 20 minutes in the state fair’s new weed lounge. Here’s how it went.
- ☀️ How to have the best Sunday in L.A., according to Miranda Cosgrove.
- 🥾 10 truly magnificent hikes in California’s state parks.
Staying in
- 📖 The ultimate L.A. bookshelf.
- 🧑🍳 Here’s a recipe for blended guacamole.
- ✏️ Get our free daily crossword puzzle, sudoku, word search and arcade games.
How well did you follow the news this week? Take our quiz.
On Monday, who did Donald Trump choose as his running mate? Plus nine other questions from our weekly news quiz.
Have a great day, from the Essential California team
Christian Orozco, assistant editor
Karim Doumar, head of newsletters
Brittany Levine Beckman, features editor
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