Central California Beaches



To view a list of the Central California Beaches, click on these links to "Jump-To" or just scroll down. Central Beach Counties include: Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo,  Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Mateo. These five areas encompass everything you’d expect from the California Coast, with panoramic views out over the pacific, miles of rocky shoreline and dreamy beaches.

Navigating this page: If you click on a Beach City you'll be taken to a page that will give you a list of all the beaches in that city. If you click on an individual beach (left hand column) you'll be taken to the Beach City page where that particular beach is located. So, multiple beaches listed will end up on the same page. Phew! Confusing? Yeah, you might want to read that again!

 These Beaches are the real California Coastline - unspoiled, golden hills, the scenic Pacific Coast Highway and several wine growing regions with rolling vineyards. Thunderous crashing surf, fog shrouded cliffs, austere cypress trees and hiking trails. Central California is also known as “The Middle Kingdom” which offers an astonishing richness of coastline. 

Beaches in
Santa Barbara County

  1. Carpinteria City Beach
  2. Carpinteria State Beach
  3. Rincon Beach Park
  4. Rincon Point
  5. Summerland Beach
  6. Lookout County Park
  7. Butterfly Beach
  8. Miramar Beach
  9. East Beach
  10. West Beach
  11. Hammonds Beach
  12. Leadbetter Beach
  13. Shoreline Park
  14. La Mesa Park
  15. Mesa Lane Beach
  16. Arroyo Burro Beach County Park
  17. Gaviota State Park
  18. Refugio State Beach
  19. El Capitan State Beach
  20. Sands Beach at Coal Oil Point
  21. Isla Vista Beach
  22. Goleta Beach County Park
  23. Jalama Beach County Park

Beach Cities in
Santa Barbara County

  • Carpinteria
  • Summerland
  • Monticeto
  • Santa Barbara
  • Goleta
  • Lompoc

Surfing, fishing, hiking, sailing and kayaking are among the popular “things to do” along this beautiful coastline. Seals, sea lions, whales and sea otters thrive in the kelp rich waters of central California beaches.

Beaches in San Luis Obispo County

  1. Piedras Blancas Beach
  2. Arroyo Laguna Beach
  3. William Randolph Hearst Memorial State Beach
  4. San Simeon State Beach
  5. Moonstone State Beach
  6. Cayucos State Beach
  7. Cayucos Beach
  8. Morro Strand State Beach - North
  9. Morro Strand State Beach
  10. Morro Rock and Beach
  11. Morro Bay State Park
  12. Bayshore  Bluffs Park
  13. Moro Dunes Natural Area
  14. Montana de Oro State Park
  15. Olde Port Beach
  16. Avila State Beach
  17. Pismo State Beach
  18. Pismo Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area

Beach Cities in San Luis Obispo County

  • San Simeon
  • Cayucos
  • Cambria
  • Morro Bay
  • Los Osos
  • San Luis Obispo
  • Avila Beach
  • Pismo Beach
  • Grover Beach
  • Shell Beach
  • Oceano
  • Arroyo Grande

Warmest central california beaches and waters? Your best bets would be Santa Barbara, Avila Beach and Santa Cruz. In the summer months, the differences are minimal in these three places, with air temperatures averaging from 72 to 78 degrees. Avila Beach has slightly warmer air temperatures, at least during the spring but Santa Barbara has the warmest water.

Beaches in
Monterey County

  1. Zmudowski State Beach
  2. Moss Landing State Beach
  3. Salinas River State Beach
  4. Marina State Beach
  5. North Marina
  6. Monterey State Beach 
  7. Del Monte Beach
  8. San Carlos Beach Park
  9. Macabee Beach
  10. Seaside State Beach
  11. The Crater
  12. Shoreline Park
  13. Lover's Point
  14. Asilomar State Beach
  15. Spanish Bay
  16. Moss Beach
  17. Fanshell Beach
  18. Carmel City Beach
  19. Carmel River State Beach
  20. Headland Cove 
  21. Garrapata State Park
  22. Weston Beach
  23. Whaler's Cove
  24. Andrew Molera State Park
  25. Pfeiffer Beach
  26. Partington Cove
  27. Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park
  28. Limeklin State Park
  29. Kirk Creek Campground
  30. Mill Creek Picnic Area
  31. Sand Dollar Picnic Area & Beach
  32. Jade Cove
  33. Willow Creek Picnic Area
  34. Point Lobos State Natural Reserve

Beach Cities in
Monterey County

Central California Beaches     are beautiful!


Beaches in
Santa Cruz County

  1. Waddell Creek Beach
  2. Greyhound Rock Fishing Access
  3. Scott Creek Beach
  4. Davenport Landing Beach
  5. Davenport Beach
  6. Panther Beach
  7. Bonny Doon Beach
  8. Yellowbank Beach
  9. Laguna Creek Beach
  10. Red, White & Blue Beach
  11. Four Mile Beach
  12. Wilder Ranch State Beach
  13. Natural Bridges State Beach
  14. Mitchell's Cove
  15. Its Beach
  16. Lighthouse Field State Beach
  17. Steamer Lane
  18. Cowell Beach
  19. Main Beach
  20. Seabright Beach
  21. Twin Lakes State Beach
  22. Lincoln Beach
  23. Sunny Cove
  24. Corcoran Lagoon Beach
  25. Moran Lake Beach
  26. Pleasure Point beach
  27. Key Beach
  28. Hooper Beach
  29. Capitola City Beach
  30. New Brighton State Beach
  31. Seacliff State Beach
  32. Rio del Mar Beach
  33. Lundborgh Beach
  34. Manresa State Beach
  35. Manresa Uplands
  36. Sunset State Beach
  37. Palm Beach

Beach Cities in
Santa Cruz County

  • Santa Cruz
  • Davenport
  • Capitola
  • Aptos
  • Le Selva

Beaches in
San Mateo County

  1. Thornton State Beach
  2. Esplanade Beach
  3. Sharp Park State Beach
  4. Rockaway Beach
  5. Pacifica State Beach
  6. Gray Whale Cove State Beach
  7. Montara State Beach
  8. James V. Fitzgerald Marine Reserve
  9. Mavericks
  10. Pillar Point Harbor
  11. El Granada Beach
  12. Miramar Beach
  13. Dunes Beach
  14. Venice Beach
  15. Francis Beach
  16. Pelican Point Beach
  17. Cowell Ranch Beach
  18. Martin's Beach
  19. San Gregorio Private Beach
  20. San Gregorio State Beach
  21. Pomponio State Beach
  22. Pescadero State Beach
  23. The Gulch
  24. Pebble Beach
  25. Bean Hollow State Beach
  26. Pigeon Point Lighthouse
  27. Pigeon Point
  28. Gazos Creek Access
  29. The Fist
  30. Ano Nuevo State Reserve

Beach Cities in
San Mateo County

  • Pacifica
  • Daly City
  • Moss Beach
  • Half Moon Bay
  • Montara
  • El Granada
  • Miramar

Thanks for checking out all the Central California Beaches!


Thank you for visiting Trippin' Thru California! Hope you enjoy discovering new "things to do" and "fun places" as much as I do!

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