Southern California beaches that locals love, some off the beaten path

When readers shared their favorite Southern California beaches with us, the majority of their recommendations were for beaches that made our recent top 50 list. Picking the best beaches out of the roughly 200 in Southern California was an ambitious task, and it’s gratifying to be in alignment with so many beach lovers.

That said, locals recommended other treasured beaches with us too, some of which we considered but didn’t make the cut. Here you’ll find a sampling of those suggestions in alphabetical order. A few are harder to get to than ones we prioritized in our guide, which tends to highlight beaches with easy access and special amenities. Note: Some of these don’t get regular water quality tests, but you can check Heal the Bay’s online report card for updates.

Broad Beach

Claire Weglarz of Hollywood put it simply: “Broad Beach is just a pretty beach with less people.” This Malibu spot doesn’t have amenities such as restrooms or a parking lot. Also, at high tide, there’s little to no sand to walk on. You enter through a staircase that’s between homes; this is one of those Malibu beaches that looks private but isn’t.

There are tide pools to the north near Lechuza Beach, which also didn’t make our list but did get a shoutout.

Capistrano Beach Park

Leslie McGee of Los Angeles suggested Capistrano Beach Park in Dana Point because it’s “not too crowded and [is] family-friendly.” There’s easy access to this beach from the parking lot, and fishing is permitted, according to the Orange County Parks Department. In July, 20,000 cubic yards of sand were added along the north end.

El Pescador State Beach

Jonathan Palmer of Los Angeles said he likes secluded El Pescador State Beach because of its “quiet, natural beauty.” This pocket beach is near El Matador State Beach, which did make our list. El Pescador is often less crowded than El Matador, which is a popular spot for photo shoots.

Hermosa Beach

Several readers gushed about Hermosa Beach. Volleyball and surfing are popular here.

Clarke Mallery of Hermosa Beach said it’s a wide, sandy beach that’s clean, charming and casual with “loads of dining and entertainment on Pier Plaza.” Mallery pointed out the nearby Lighthouse Cafe, a beloved jazz venue that was a filming location in “La La Land.” (It also made our guide to best jazz spots.) Shelby Forier, who grew up in Hermosa Beach, said: “I love this beach with my whole heart, and I’d love to share it with everyone!”

Hueneme Beach Park

Andrea Massion of Port Hueneme, a small beach town in Ventura County, recommended Hueneme Beach Park, which she described as “a quiet middle-class family beach with pier and a cafe.” The beach also has volleyball courts, barbecue pits, picnic tables and walking paths.

Lunada Bay

This Palos Verdes Estates beach kept popping up in my inbox. Multiple readers said they liked to surf at Lunada Bay, describing it as a pleasant, secluded beach.

But there is some sordid history here: The Lunada Bay Boys surf clique has harassed outsiders for decades by throwing rocks, cutting leashes and blocking beach access. In 2016, two surf-loving attorneys sued the city of Palos Verdes Estates and group members. Since then, more than a dozen individual defendants have settled — some agreeing to stay away from the beach for a year or more, others paying monetary settlements, the highest being $90,000. As of this writing, two defendants remain: an individual and the city of Palos Verdes Estates. (The city manager’s office didn’t respond to requests for comment as of publishing.)

A jury trial is slated to begin next week. One of the attorneys, Kurt Franklin, said Lunada Bay may be beautiful, but it isn’t always inviting to all. Just this winter, he received complaints of people being bullied, noting it’s worse during surf season, which is October through March.

Mandalay Beach

Linda Gorman recommends all the beaches in her hometown of Oxnard, specifying Mandalay Beach and Silver Strand. She said they’re quiet and offer beautiful views of the Channel Islands.

Mandalay Beach, also known as Oxnard State Beach, has sherbet sunsets over its dunes. A 900-foot paved loop provides wheelchair access to the beach. Behind the dunes are a playground, bike, skating and jogging paths, and volleyball courts that are part of the similarly named Oxnard Beach Park, a.k.a. ’Olol’koy Beach Park. Locals who like to surf and kayak tend to hit Silver Strand.

Oceanside City Beach

Dawn Renee of Vista loves Oceanside City Beach because it has nice sidewalks along the strand, fire rings, beach wheelchairs and playground equipment. You’ll find people fishing and surfers in the water, she said.

“I thought perhaps we got left out due to our current wound, the pier fire remnants,” she said, noting that she enjoyed her first senior discount “while watching dolphins frolic from the windows at now-shuttered Ruby’s.”

Indeed, when we were researching our guide, we cut this beach from the short list because of the April fire that closed the pier. Some of it has reopened since, but a full reopening isn’t expected until 2027.

Pirate’s Cove Beach

Elena Moore of Huntington Beach nominated this secluded beach that’s connected to Corona del Mar State Beach, which did make our top 50 list.

One must ascend a wall of smooth rocks to get to this spot of sand with views of pricy homes and boats making their way out to sea. Moore recalled spending countless days as a teen at Pirate’s Cove with her friends. One time she made a bet that she could swim across the channel’s choppy water. She was the only one who made it and won lunch at Ruby’s Diner and ice cream from Dairy Queen. She still visits Pirate’s Cove now and then. “Each time I do, I stand at the water’s edge, stare across the channel and smile from ear to ear [and] then suddenly get a craving for a Ruby burger and ice cream.”

Redondo Beach

Carla McCue of Los Angeles described Redondo Beach as “scenic, clean.” She shouted out the playground, restaurants on the pier and nearby Veterans Park, where she and her husband attend Memorial Day services. It’s also a “great hangout for picnics,” she said.

To the south, Torrance Beach made our list with a mention of Redondo Beach, particularly for a special night scuba dive experience that happens here December through March: the squid run.

T-Street Beach

Chris Duncan of San Clemente gushed about his hometown beach, noting that it’s frequented by “some of the best surfers in the world.” He also emphasized that there’s a train station near the pier. Service to the train station resumed in March after stopping in January following a landslide; it was the fifth time in three years that erosion closed this stop.

This palm-tree lined beach is indeed a popular spot. Given all he shared, Duncan asked: “How could you omit it?” T-Street was considered if that counts for anything.

Westward Beach

This one, tucked off Pacific Coast Highway, is “less busy and quieter than most beaches,” said Kimberly Maxwell of Reseda, who loves the view of Santa Monica Bay, Santa Monica Mountains and Zuma Beach. “The Sunset restaurant is also a treat after a long walk,” she added.

Also known as Free Beach, Westward got a mention alongside Point Dume State Beach.