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Travel & Experiences

Beaches: A Look Up and Down the SoCalCoast

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    Bruce Hooker takes Buddy, a surfing Jack Russsell terrier, wave riding at C Street--or California Street--in Ventura. "When he sees a set coming, he starts barking; he knows a wave is coming," Hooker says.

    California Beaches: Ventura

    A glimpse of Ventura’s Surfer’s Point, known for the waves and off-limits to swimmers. Allen J.

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    California Beaches: Malibu

    Malibu, that glamorous of all beach cities whose name resonates around the globe.

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    More than 20 years ago, Bill Howard helped turn a decrepit dumbell pit into a world-famous oceanfront workout spot: Muscle Beach. Bodybuilders, weightlifters and gawkers turned out in the 1950s to pump iron or just watch the show--all within view of the Pacific. Pretty soon the ongoing spectacles, along with the Santa Monica Pier and all the sand in between, became an iconic vacation stop for Southern California beach life. Scott Rogers, 20, of Boulder, Colo., performs a move while "slacklining" across a tightrope at Muscle Beach, south of the Santa Monica pier. For more in this series exploring Southern California's beaches, visit our Cruising the Coast page.

    California Beaches: Santa Monica

    A side from all the attractions on the Santa Monica Pier and Muscle Beach, there’s always the sand--and the sun.

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    The Palos Verdes Peninsula is about 23 miles south of downtown L.A. and includes four cities: Palos Verdes Estates, Rolling Hills, Rolling Hills Estates and Rancho Palos Verdes. The beaches, stretches of sand and rocky coast -- some of it difficult to access -- have avid local fans of all ages. The peninsula provides some of the most dramatic coastal terrain in Southern California, with ample tidepools and rocky cliffs. Misha Burton, 4, of Hawthorne collects rocks and seashells at Abalone Cove Shoreline Park, where there are tidepools, bluff-top pathways and access to a rocky beach. For more in this series exploring Southern California's beaches, visit our Cruising the Coast page.

    California Beaches: Palos Verdes Peninsula

    The Palos Verdes Peninsula is about 23 miles south of downtown L.A. and includes four cities: Palos Verdes Estates, Rolling Hills, Rolling Hills Estates and Rancho Palos Verdes.

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    Huntington Beach If you want to learn what waves mean to surfers, go no farther than Huntington Beach, which proudly claims the title Surf City. Here, the water isn't just a recreational pastime -- it's a lifestyle. The day begins and ends with glorious sunlight and endless rides, which is why roughly 11 million visitors come each summer to watch the show. The shadow of a fellow surfer falls across another surfer's long board beneath the Huntington Beach Pier. For more in this series exploring Southern California's beaches, visit our Cruising the Coast page.

    California beaches: Huntington Beach

    If you want to learn what waves mean to surfers, go no farther than Huntington Beach, which proudly claims the title Surf City.

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