13 Best Northern California Beach Towns That Are Perfect for a Coastal Escape

At the northern tip of California, Crescent City is the largest city on the Redwoods Coast and a perfect base for exploring the state’s towering redwoods and rugged beaches. As the gateway to Redwood National and State Parks, it offers access to protected forests, beaches and grasslands, home to the region’s ancient coastal redwood ecosystem.

There are miles and miles of hiking trails that wind through the majestic, towering trees, while Roosevelt elk can often be seen feasting in the meadows at Elk Prairie. Enjoy a scenic drive along the Pacific, visit lighthouses, watch for whales at the Enderts and Crescent Beach overlooks, explore tide pools filled with marine creatures at low tide, or enjoy activities like horseback riding and kayaking.

Local Tip: In town, you can learn more about the region at the Del Norte Historical Museum and sample the tasty food and drink, including craft brews enjoyed with the fresh catch of the day. If you like cheese, don’t miss a visit to the retail shop at the Rumiano Cheese Company which has a viewing window where you can watch the cheesemaking process.

Nestled along the Lost Coast—one of the state’s most remote and breathtaking stretches—Shelter Cove is a small residential and resort community. It offers access to two main beaches and serves as a gateway to Lost Coast hikes and the expansive King Range Conservation Area. Nearby, Black Sands Beach stretches over 20 miles along the Lost Coast Trail, while Shelter Cove Beach is driveable at low tide and a popular spot for launching boats.

Local Tip: There isn’t much in terms of tourist amenities, but the main reason to visit Shelter Cove is for a more tranquil beach experience. You will find a charming general store with gifts, souvenirs and all the supplies you’ll need for picnics and the like. There are several eateries offering everything from light breakfasts and coffee to oceanfront dining.

The Fort Bragg/Mendocino area is where I spent the most time during my youth. Fort Bragg tends to be more family-friendly, home to several of the region’s top attractions, including MacKerricher State Park. One of the best activities here is strolling the boardwalk, which leads to sandy coves with tide pools and wildlife sightings, including seals. A highlight is the famous Glass Beach, where colorful sea glass—remnants of a former dumpsite from 1906 to 1967—now sparkles along the shore. Over time, the glass has been naturally tumbled into smooth pieces in shades of blue, green, amber, pink and the occasional red or orange.

Local Tip: In town, there are many local shops and restaurants where you can enjoy dining on the waterfront, with Noyo Harbor a favorite, especially for fresh fish. There are also brewpubs, museums, wine-tasting venues and even a cooking school.

Just 10 miles south of Fort Bragg, Mendocino is a beautiful Victorian village and an artist colony that was established in the 1850s, attracting many romance-seeking couples. It’s one of the most picturesque you’ll find on the coast with saltbox cottages and Victorian-style homes and buildings, many of which host bookshops, art galleries, fashion boutiques, antique stores and restaurants.

Local Tip: Walking is one of the best things to do here with the village surrounded on three sides by scenic trails that wind along the coast. Enjoy breathtaking ocean views, discover blow holes and hidden sea caves and spectacular rock arches. Van Damme State Park is just a few miles south offering more trails, including some that will bring you through a lush forest to waterfalls. Kayaking is popular here too, with rentals and guided tours available.

Jenner is a tiny hamlet in Sonoma County, perched on cliffs where the Russian River meets the Pacific at the northern end of the 17-mile-long Sonoma Coast State Park. This stretch of coastline features a series of secluded beaches separated by grassy headlands. From March to July, Jenner serves as a breeding ground for hundreds of Pacific harbor seals, while pelicans, cormorants and gulls soar over the vast ocean. During seal pupping season (March through May), binoculars and scopes are set up on the beach for close-up views of the pups.

Local Tip: Despite its small size, Jenner offers a handful of dining options, including a cozy café known for lattes and Dungeness crab sandwiches. River’s End Restaurant & Inn offers fine dining with stunning views of iconic Goat Rock and the Russian River as it meets the Pacific.

There isn’t much of a town at Dillon Beach, but it has plenty of reasons to linger. Founded in the 1880s, the village has remained largely unchanged, aside from a residential area built in the 1970s and ’80s. At its heart is Dillon Beach Resort, the area’s only business, offering everything needed for a peaceful retreat. The resort features ocean-view cabins, a weekend café and a general store stocked with beach toys, local wine, artisan cheeses, s’mores kits and groceries for DIY meals. Behind the counter, you’ll find soft-serve ice cream and kombucha is even available on tap.

Local Tip: Beyond the village, you can explore sand dunes while spotting endangered terns and snowy plovers, watch for deer, peer into tide pools teeming with tiny fish, hermit crabs and starfish, or snap a selfie with the pirate statue.

You may not think of San Francisco as a “beach town,” but there are some beautiful beaches here. That includes Bakers Beach which is one of the best vantage points for views and photos of the Golden Gate Bridge and the Marin Headlands. The mile-long stretch sits below the rugged cliffs along the western shores of the Presidio and is an ideal spot for picnics while watching for harbor porpoises that frolic in the waves. Speaking of surf—expert surfers might head to Ocean Beach next to Golden Gate Park for a thrill.

Local Tip: The city offers many other attractions beyond its shores, from the famous Pier 49 and Alcatraz to the Francisco Zoo and California Academy of Sciences with a natural history museum, aquarium and more. You’ll find plenty of fresh fish and seafood, including the city’s famous clam chowder served in sourdough bread bowls.

Less than 30 miles south of San Francisco, Half Moon Bay is a place where I spent much of my childhood weekends and continue to return frequently today. There are miles of sandy beaches popular for everything from strolling to body-boarding and surfing. It’s particularly famous for nearby Mavericks just north, offering the biggest surf on the West Coast, attracting surfers from across the globe. While it’s far too dangerous for most, it’s always fun to watch the experts ride.

Local Tip: Walking, jogging and cycling can be enjoyed along the path that runs along the bluffs, while watching for gray whales between December to May, with the peak time January through March. The town of Half Moon Bay offers plenty, including art galleries, boutiques, bakeries, breweries and ocean-view restaurants.

If you’re looking for a tranquil oceanside town with historic charms, Pescadero is sure to fit the bill. Little has changed here since the mid-19th century when most of the New England-style buildings were constructed. The Pescadero Community Church dates back to 1867 and is a registered historical landmark. Duarte’s Tavern is an iconic spot and popular gathering place that opened its doors in 1894, serving the local catch along with its famously fresh-baked olallieberry pies.

Local Tip: Pescadero State Beach is the crown jewel with big dunes, sandy coves and tide pools. Just south is Pigeon Point Light Station Historic Park with a picturesque lighthouse, the tallest on the California coast at 115 feet tall.

About a 30-minute drive south of Pescadero and 15 minutes north of Santa Cruz, tiny Davenport is a 19th-century town perched on the coastal bluffs. It’s the perfect place to avoid the big crowds that the city beaches attract in the summer while still providing access to beaches hidden from the highway. That includes Shark Tooth Beach, named for the towering sea stack that rises from the waves just south and Greyhound Rock Beach, about five minutes north requiring a short but steep descent. Elephant seals can occasionally be spotted here while Greyhound Rock itself provides the perfect vantage point for watching whales.

Local Tip: Davenport may best be known for the Davenport Roadhouse, originally built in 1906 and rebuilt in 1977 after a devastating fire. It’s a popular gathering place for locals with free live music on Friday through Sunday evenings.

The quintessential California beach town, Santa Cruz is famous for its waves, drawing surfers from across the globe, but there are many other things to do here too. The main beach is right in front of the Santa Cruz Boardwalk with rides, a huge arcade and carnival games. It’s a long, sandy stretch for sandcastle building, volleyball, strolling, sunbathing, body-boarding and more. The Santa Cruz Wharf is here too, offering fresh seafood to-go and in many ocean-view restaurants. Plus, you can watch the sea lions that hang out in the rafters below.

Local Tip: A three-mile walking and biking path following West Cliff Drive along the coast is nearby, providing some of the area’s best views and the chance to see the skilled surfers at Steamer Lane.

Only six miles from Santa Cruz, Capitola is often ranked among the state’s best beach towns. It’s one of the most charming on the coast with beautiful sands, including the family-friendly Capitola City Beach popular for swimming, surfing and kite-flying. In the village itself, colorful buildings house quirky boutiques and funky eateries.

Local Tip: Fun festivals are often hosted here, including the Capitola Art & Wine Festival in mid-September featuring exceptional wines produced at over 20 different Santa Cruz Mountain wineries, works by talented artists, live music and street performances. The Capitola Beach Festival takes place on the last full weekend of September with a boat parade, paddleboard race, fishing derby and more.

Technically, Monterey is in Central California, but for many of us who grew up in the area, the dividing line was always the Big Sur Coast, which begins just south in Carmel. So, I’m including it here as a bonus beach town. Monterey offers a variety of beaches, from wide, sandy stretches to hidden coves tucked into picturesque landscapes. The city’s famous Cannery Row, once lined with sardine canning factories, is now a lively waterfront district filled with shops and restaurants.

Local Tip: Monterey is also one of the best beach towns for whale-watching tours, with boats departing from the wharf for a chance to spot humpbacks, orcas, blue whales, gray whales, minke whales and several dolphin species. For more wildlife viewing, Fisherman’s Shoreline Park overlooks the marina and offers a prime vantage point for spotting harbor seals, sea lions and flocks of pelicans.