California Beach Cities Vacation Travel Guide

California Beach Cities Vacation Travel Guide features  California Beaches and California hotels highlighted in blue links and California inland cities with no beaches in gray text links, all arranged broadly by county from south to north. To help plan your beach vacation, here are some facts:  There are 58 counties in California, 478 incorporated cities and approx. 118 cities with beaches on the 1000-mile coast and Pacific Ocean. There are also many cities with beaches at lakes such as Big Bear Lake and Lake Tahoe. Some of the largest, wealthiest cities in the USA and biggest public beaches are in California. Helping plan great beach vacations is our Number 1 goal so we've expanded to include historical destinations such as Gold Country, mountain resorts, desert attractions and theme parks such as Disneyland, SeaWorld and Universal Studios Hollywood. We've also visited many hotels, dined on great meals and taken pictures and written reviews of these delicious experiences. Take a look at our beach photos and California pictures to find out why it's so tempting to take a vacation or plan a trip in California.  Because of its long, thin shape, most beaches are accessible within a day's drive. Beach California website has spent a decade bringing the best beaches and vacation destinations in the world to you and we hope you'll find the experience useful. When planning your vacation, you can also find an alphabetic cities and beaches list.
 

California Beach Vacations: Hotels, Attractions Packages, Car Rental, Call Toll free: 800-216-1482

A  to  R    California Cities by County Alphabetical   S  to  Z    California Cities by County Alphabetical   ALAMEDA COUNTY   population is approx. 1,500,000. Incorporated on June 6th, 1853.  ALAMEDA. County seat, Oakland. Created March 25, 1853. The word Alameda is derived from alamo the Spanish name for cottonwood or poplar tree.  www.acgov.org Alameda Albany Berkeley Dublin Emeryville Fremont Hayward Livermore Newark Oakland Piedmont Pleasanton San Leandro Union City Hotels ALAMEDA BERKELEY CASTRO VALLEY DUBLIN EMERYVILLE FREMONT HAYWARD LIVERMORE NEWARK OAKLAND SAN LEANDRO UNION CITY   BUTTE COUNTY Historical Landmarks Chico   CALAVERAS COUNTY Copperopolis Murphys ANGELS CAMP HOTELS MOKELUMNE HILL   COLUSA COUNTY Williams Hotels WILLIAMS   CONTRA COSTA COUNTY  was incorporated in 1850 as one of the original 27 counties of the State of California. It is one of the nine counties in the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Area with a  population close to 1,003,900.  (Gray link -No Beach) Antioch Brentwood Clayton Concord Danville El Cerrito Hercules Knightsen Lafayette Martinez Moraga Pinole Pleasant Hill Pittsburg Oakley Orinda Richmond San Ramon San Pablo Walnut Creek Hotels ANTIOCH CONCORD LAFAYETTE MARTINEZ OAKLEY SAN RAMON   EL DORADO  COUNTY  was created February 18, 1850. El Dorado means "the gilded one" in Spanish, referred in the 16th century to a mythical Indian chief covered with gold dust during religious rites. James W. Marshall discovered gold at Coloma in January 1848. www.co.eldorado.ca.us Placerville South Lake Tahoe beach on lake Hotels ELK GROVE FOLSOM Hotels GALT RANCHO CORDOVA SOUTH LAKE TAHOE   HUMBOLDT COUNTY  county seat is Eureka. Created May 12, 1853. In 1850, Douglas Ottinger and Hans Buhne entered the bay, naming it Humboldt in honor of the great naturalist and world explorer, Baron  Alexander von Humboldt. www.co.humboldt.ca.us Beach Vacations: Eureka Arcata Eureka Fernbridge Ferndale Fields Landing Garberville Loleta Lost Coast McKinleyville Redcrest Samoa Weott Woodley Island Hotels ARCATA EUREKA FORTUNA TRINIDAD INYO COUNTY is over 90% government operated land of the National Parks Services. It contains the highest mountain, Mt. Whitney, and lowest elevation, Death Valley's Badwater. Death Valley   KERN COUNTY Bakersfield   LAKE COUNTY Lakeport                 Hotels LAKEPORT   LOS ANGELES COUNTY is California's largest county with over 10 million people.  Universal Studios Hollywood,  Los Angeles Zoo, Port of Los Angeles Cruises, Getty Museum,  Studio Tours, Rodeo Drive shops, Hollywood sign.  LOS ANGELES  Created 1850. The words los angeles  mean "the angels".  co.la.ca.us   Historical Landmarks    Los Angeles County Cities-Beaches (Gray link -No Beach) Agoura Hills Altadena Arcadia Belmont Shore Beverly Hills Burbank Calabasas Carson Catalina Island Culver City Dockweiler Beach Glendale Hermosa Beach Hollywood Inglewood Long Beach Los Angeles Malibu Manhattan Beach Marina del Rey Monrovia Naples Norwalk Palos Verdes Estates Paradise Cove Pasadena Playa del Rey Pomona Rancho Palos Verdes Redondo Beach Reseda Rodeo Drive San Marino Santa Monica San Pedro Sherman Oaks Signal Hill Silver Lake Torrance Universal City Venice Beach West Hollywood Westlake Village Watts Wilmington Hotels AGOURA HILLS ARTESIA AVALON BEVERLY HILLS BRENTWOOD BURBANK CALABASAS CANOGA PARK CATALINA CERRITOS  CITY OF INDUSTRY CLAREMONT  COMMERCE CULVER CITY HERMOSA BEACH CULVER CITY DIAMOND BAR DOWNEY DUARTE EL SEGUNDO GARDENA GLENDORA HOLLYWOOD INDUSTRY LANCASTER LONG BEACH  LOS ANGELES MALIBU MANHATTAN BEACH MARINA DEL REY MONROVIA MONTEBELLO MONTEREY PARK PALMDALE PASADENA POMONA REDONDO BEACH SAN DIMAS SAN PEDRO SANTA MONICA STUDIO CITY TORRANCE VENICE WALNUT WEST HOLLYWOOD WESTLAKE VILLAGE   MARIN was created on Feb. 18, 1850. The origin of its name was was possibly derived from Chief Marin of the Licatiut tribe of Indians who inhabited that section and waged fierce battle against Spanish explorers. www.co.marin.ca.us Corte Madera Dogtown Sausalito Point Reyes Station Tomales Hotels CORTE MADERA Hotels LARKSPUR MILL VALLEY NOVATO SAN RAFAEL SAUSALITO TIBURON MENDOCINO was created on Feb. 18, 1850. The county seat is Ukiah. Its name honors either Antonio de Mendoza, Viceroy of New Spain or Lorenzo Suarez de Mendoza, Viceroy from 1580 to 1583.  www.co.mendocino.ca.us Beach Vacations: Fort Bragg Albion Anchor Bay Boonville Elk Gualala Little River Point Arena Mendocino Willits Hotels FORT BRAGG LITTLE RIVER MENDOCINO UKIAH   MONO COUNTY Lee Vining (Mono Lake) Mammoth Lakes MONTEREY COUNTY is 3rd in state for agriculture. Big Sur, Monterey Bay Aquarium & Cannery Row, Steinbeck Museum, Pebble Beach Golf, Art are attractions. MONTEREY  Created 1850. Historical Landmarks From  the Spanish words monte and rey, it means "king of the forest." Named by Sebastian Vizcaino in 1602, in honor of the Conde de Monterey, Viceroy of New Spain.  co.monterey.ca.us Ragged Point Gorda Springs Limekiln SP Lucia Big Sur Nepenthe Bixby Creek Carmel-by-the-Sea Pebble Beach Pacific Grove Monterey Seaside Sand City Marina Soledad Salinas Castroville Moss Landing Hotels BIG SUR CARMEL CARMEL VALLEY KING CITY MARINA MONTEREY PACIFIC GROVE SALINAS SEASIDE SOLEDAD   NAPA was created on February 18, 1850. Napa is of Indian derivation and may be derived from the Patwin word napo meaning house. Known as California Wine country, along with Somona County. (707) 253-4421  www.co.napa.ca.us  American Canyon Calistoga Napa Rutherford Yountville Hotels CALISTOGA NAPA RUTHERFORD SAINT HELENA YOUNTVILLE   NEVADA COUNTY   Grass Valley Hotels GRASS VALLEY ORANGE COUNTY is home to Disneyland - Anaheim, Knotts Berry Farm, Wax Museum -Buena Park, Mission San Juan Capistrano, South Coast Plaza, Performing Arts Center -Costa Mesa, ORANGE  Created 1889 and named for  extensive orange groves.  www.oc.ca.gov Historical Landmarks   Orange County Cities & Beaches  Aliso Beach Anaheim Balboa Island Little Balboa Island Bolsa Chica SB Buena Park Corona del Mar Costa Mesa Crystal Cove Capistrano Beach Dana Point Doheny Beach El Morro Fullerton Fountain Valley Garden Grove Huntington Beach Irvine La Habra Lake Forest Laguna Niguel Laguna Beach Los Alamitos Mission Viejo Newport Beach Orange Placentia Rossmoor San Clemente San Juan Capistrano Santa Ana Seal Beach Stanton Sunset Beach Surfside Trabuco Canyon Westminster Yorba Linda   Hotels ANAHEIM  BREA  BUENA PARK CAPISTRANO BEACH COSTA MESA CYPRESS DANA POINT  FOUNTAIN VALLEY FULLERTON GARDEN GROVE HUNTINGTON BEACH IRVINE LAGUNA BEACH LAGUNA HILLS LAKE FOREST LA PALMA MISSION VIEJO NEWPORT BEACH NEWPORT COAST ORANGE PLACENTIA SAN CLEMENTE SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO SANTA ANA SEAL BEACH STANTON SUNSET BEACH WESTMINSTER YORBA LINDA PLACER COUNTY Auburn Dutch Flat Loomis Roseville   Hotels AUBURN ROSEVILLE  RIVERSIDE -  7,243 square miles of land. 3rd largest for population with  1,522,900 people. Aerial Tramway-Palm Springs, Mission Inn- Riverside, Los Angeles County Fair-Pomona RIVERSIDE  Created 1893 and derived its name from the City of Riverside.  www.co.riverside.ca.us Historical Landmarks   Riverside Corona Hemet Idyllwild Palm Desert Palm Springs Perris Temecula Cathedral City Blythe Banning Beaumont Calimesa Canyon Lake Coachella Desert Hot Springs Indian Wells Indio LaQuinta Lake Elsinore Moreno Valley Murrieta Norco Rancho Mirage San Jacinto Hotels CATHEDRAL CITY CORONA HEMET INDIAN WELLS  INDIO MURRIETA NORCO PALM DESERT  PALM SPRINGS  PERRIS RANCHO MIRAGE RIVERSIDE TEMECULA    SACRAMENTO COUNTY, home to California State Capitol and Historic Old Town Sacramento, Train Museum, Sutter's Fort, State Indian Museum.  SACRAMENTO created in 1850; signifies "Sacrament" or "Lord's Supper." www.co.sacramento.ca.us Historical Landmarks   Fair Oaks Freeport Galt Rancho Cordova Sacramento Hotels ELK GROVE FOLSOM GALT RANCHO CORDOVA SACRAMENTO WEST SACRAMENTO SAN DIEGO COUNTY shares a border with Mexico.  San Diego is California's top beach vacation destination. Historic Old Town, Balboa Park, Sea World,  Zoo, Wild Animal Park, Mission, Point Loma Lighthouse, Star of India, Tijuana, Scripps Aquarium, La Jolla, Legoland.  SAN DIEGO- Created 1850. Named in honor of San Diego de Alcala de Henares. Historical Landmarks  co.san-diego.ca.us    Alpine Borrego Springs Cardiff Carlsbad Chula Vista Coronado Del Mar Encinitas Fallbrook Imperial Beach La Jolla Leucadia Mission Beach Ocean Beach Oceanside Pacific Beach San Diego Silver Strand  Solana Beach Swami's Beach Tourmaline Beach Windansea Beach BORREGO SPRINGS CARLSBAD CHULA VISTA CORONADO DEL MAR EL CAJON ENCINITAS ESCONDIDO LA JOLLA LA MESA  OCEANSIDE POWAY SAN DIEGO SANTEE SOLANA BEACH VISTA   SAN BERNARDINO - largest land mass, 20,164 square miles. Recreational Hiking, Skiing, Mountain Biking, Camping and Sports in Mountains    SAN BERNARDINO  Created 1853. Saint Bernard is the patron saint of mountain passes. The name Bernardino means "bold as a bear." www.co.san-bernardino.ca.us  Historical Landmark Baker Barstow Big Bear Lake beach @ lake Calico Fawnskin beach @ lake Hesperia Running Springs San Bernardino Valley Wells Victorville Yermo Hotels ADELANTO BIG BEAR CITY Hotels BIG BEAR LAKE CHINO FONTANA ONTARIO RANCHO CUCAMONGA TWENTYNINE PALMS VICTORVILLE SAN FRANCISCO Created 1850. The sixth mission in California was established by Padre Junipero Serra on October 9, 1776, and was named Mission San Francisco de Asis a la Laguna de los Dolores (Saint  Francis of Assisi at the Lagoon of Sorrows). The mission is now known as "Mission Dolores."  Web Site:ci.sf.ca.us  Historical Landmarks San Francisco Hotels SAN FRANCISCO SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY County seat, Stockton. Created February 18, 1850. Named for San Joaquin River. (meaning Saint Joachim) Lathrop Lodi Stockton SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY on Central Coast California with 3,326 square miles. Hearst Castle -San Simeon, Elephant Seals -Piedras Blancas, wineries, Cambria, shopping. SAN LUIS OBISPO  Historical Landmarks Created 1850. Name comes from the mission. SLOCounty.org   San Luis Obispo County Cities & Beaches Arroyo Grande Atascadero Avila Beach   Baywood Park Cambria Cayucos Grover Beach Halcyon Harmony Los Osos/ Morro Bay Nipomo Oceano Paso Robles Piedras Blancas Pismo Beach San Luis Obispo San Simeon Shell Beach Templeton Whale Rock Reservoir   Hotels ARROYO GRANDE ATASCADERO AVILA BEACH CAMBRIA GROVER BEACH MORRO BAY PASO ROBLES PISMO BEACH SAN LUIS OBISPO SAN SIMEON   SAN MATEO COUNTY contains San Francisco International Airport, wealthy communities, Silicon Valley influences and pristine beaches with giant 60-foot surfing waves at Mavericks. San Mateo County Devil's Slide Half Moon Bay Hillsborough Moss Beach Pacifica Pescadero Beach Pigeon Point Rockaway Beach South San Francisco San Carlos San Mateo County Woodside Hotels BELMONT BRISBANE  HALF MOON BAY PACIFICA PESCADERO SAN MATEO SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO SANTA BARBARA COUNTY is located on the Central Coast. 2,745 square miles. Historical Landmarks Missions, wineries, Danish -Solvang, Sand Dunes Split Pea Soup -Buellton. SANTA BARBARA   Created 1850. Named after Mission Santa Barbara.  co.santa-barbara.ca.us   Ballard Buellton Carpinteria Casmalia El Capitan Gaviota Goleta Guadalupe Lompoc Los Alamos Los Olivos Orcutt Oso Flaco Rincon Point Santa Barbara Santa Maria Santa Ynez Solvang Summerland Surf Beach Vandenberg Hotels BUELLTON CARPINTERIA  GOLETA LOMPOC SANTA BARBARA SANTA MARIA SOLVANG SUMMERLAND SANTA CLARA "Silicon Valley," comprises 1,316 sq. miles. Santa Clara County created 1850 and named after Mission Santa Clara established in 1777. The mission was named for Saint Clara of Assisi, Italy. The name Clara means "clear" or "bright."  www.santaclaracounty.org  Historical Landmarks Gilroy Morgan Hill Palo Alto San Jose Stanford Hotels CAMPBELL CUPERTINO GILROY LOS ALTOS Hotels LOS GATOS MILPITAS MORGAN HILL MOUNTAIN VIEW SAN JOSE SANTA CLARA SARATOGA SUNNYVALE SANTA CRUZ  created 1850, named  Branciforte, then changed to Santa Cruz. Santa Cruz Mission destroyed by earthquake in 1857, rebuilt in 1931. Santa Cruz means "holy cross."  Monterey Bay Marine Sanctuary is popular surfing spot. co.santa-cruz.ca.us  Historical Landmarks SANTA CRUZ COUNTY  Beach Vacations: Santa Cruz Aptos Capitola Davenport Felton Henry Cowell Redwoods Natural Bridges SB New Brighton SB Opal Cliffs -Privates Beach Sand Hill Bluff Santa Cruz Scotts Valley Seabright Beach Waddell Beach Walton Lighthouse Watsonville Hotels APTOS CAPITOLA SANTA CRUZ SCOTTS VALLEY WATSONVILLE SHASTA  was created February 18, 1850 and was named after Mount Shasta, the English equivalent for the name of an Indian tribe that once lived in the area.  County seat is Redding. Population of Shasta County is: 169,200. The form of government: General Law.  www.co.shasta.ca.us   Historical Landmarks Anderson Burney O'Brien Redding Shasta Shasta Lake Hotels REDDING  SOLANO COUNTY mid-way between San Francisco & Sacramento, bordered by Napa, Yolo, Sacramento and Contra Costa Counties. Formed in 1850. County seat, Fairfield. General Vallejo named county for Chief Solano, ruler of tribes.  co.solano.ca.us  Benicia Dixon Fairfield - Jelly Belly Rio Vista Suisun Vacaville Vallejo - Mare Island Hotels FAIRFIELD VALLEJO SONOMA COUNTY Population: 472,7000 Historical Landmarks Bodega Bay Cloverdale Cotati Duncans Mill Fort Ross Guerneville   beach on river Johnsons Beach  beach on river Marshall Monte Rio   beach on river Petaluma Santa Rosa Sea Ranch Sebastopol Sonoma Hotels BODEGA BODEGA BAY CLOVERDALE HEALDSBURG PETALUMA ROHNERT PARK SANTA ROSA  SONOMA WINDSOR  STANISLAUS - Population: 459,864 1,521 Square Miles  Created 1854. The word Stanislaus derives from an Indian chief who led a band of Indians in a series of battles against Mexican troops. Westley       SUTTER- Created 1850, it was named after General John Augustus Sutter, a Swiss native, with a land grant from the Mexican government. In 1841, Sutter established a stock ranch where he retired in 1850 when gold seekers deprived him of most of his holdings at Sacramento. Yuba City   TEHAMA COUNTY Historical Landmarks Corning TRINITY  TRINITY. County seat, Named for Trinity River in 1845 by Major Reading, Hayfork Junction City Weaverville   TUOLUMNE COUNTY was created in 1850. The name is of Indian origin.  Historical Landmarks Gold Country Tuolumne Hotels GROVELAND MOKELUMNE HILL SONORA VENTURA features Channel Islands National Marine Park, Perry Mason, mission, factory outlets.  VENTURA Landmarks Created in 1782 when Mission San Buenaventura was founded. Buenaventura means "good fortune." www.ventura.org Beach Vacations: Ventura or Oxnard Camarillo Channel Islands La Conchita Mussel Shoals Oxnard Point Mugu Port Hueneme Ventura Hotels CAMARILLO FILLMORE OJAI  OXNARD PORT HUENEME VENTURA SIMI VALLEY THOUSAND OAKS YOLO COUNTY POPULATION: 176,300 , INCORPORATION DATE: 1850 YOLO. County seat, Woodland. Created February 18, 1850. In the original act of 1850 the name was spelled "Yola, which is an Indian tribal name Yo-loy meaning "a place abounding in rushes".   Davis - Mondavi Center West Sacramento Winters Woodland Hotels WEST SACRAMENTO WOODLAND YUBA COUNTY Marysville