Heading to California for your Beach Vacation?

Where ya headed in California?

If you already know where you're going to have your California beach vacation, skip ahead. Otherwise:

• Take this 250 city tour of California beach vacation cities! This is a super site- basically an online travel encyclopedia, and includes a link to a Hotel Search.
• Check out WilderNet's California Recreation Guide which includes lots of the California State Beaches.

California State Beaches - Click for Bigger View

Where are you staying during your California Beach Vacation?

You aren't planning to sleep on the beach, are you?

• California Beach Houses: Search for your California beach house at BeachHouse.com. Choose your price range, the size of the house, bathrooms, bedrooms, etc.
• California Beach Houses: Find more vacation rentals at 4BeachNuts.com
• California Beach Houses: Yet another California rental search engine in case the others don't work out.
• California Beach Hotels: VacationIdea.com has California Hotels - use the search box to enter the city you're looking for.
• California Beach Camping: Going on the cheap? Saving your money for something else? If you want to camp on or near the beach, go to California Beach Vacation Camping at TotalEscape.com.

Area-Specific Guides to Creating Your California Beach Vacation

Click to jump down to:

• The Los Angeles Area
• Orange County (yes, the "OC")
• The San Diego Area

Looking for a Los Angeles, California Beach Vacation?

Whether you're visiting family, heading to Disneyland, touring Hollywood, or just checking out one of the most famous cities in the world, you can find your bed breakfast southern California from one of these links:

• Hollywood
• Long Beach
• Santa Monica
• Venice
• Other Los Angeles area Beaches

Thinking About an Orange County, California Beach Vacation?

• Map of Orange County, California Beaches
• Capistrano Beach
• Laguna Beach Travel - If you love being outdoors, there will be so much for you to take in on the seven miles of beach that is Laguna Beach. Travel to this area will be a unique experience full of beautiful sights that are not quite like anything else you’ve ever seen.
• Newport Beach
• Other Orange County Beaches

But let me tell you about one of the coolest places to visit in Orange County, Balboa Island! Part of Newport Beach, Balboa Island is man-made. You have to take a ferry to get there, and you can take your car on some ferries. Other than the great shops and restaurants, and super-friendly people, their biggest "big deal" is the Christmas Parade they've put on since 1908. What more could you want?

• For general info, check out balboa-island.com, beachcalifornia.com, or Tales of Balboa Island.
• Where to stay? The Balboa Inn, I know from personal experience, is one of the nicest and most romantic places in the area. Another place to stay is the Doryman, and regardless, check out 21 Oceanfront for your best dinner in months.
• There's sort of a bed breakfast there: the Bay Shores Inn.

How about a San Diego, California Beach Vacation?

• Coronado is a unique area not to be missed... it's a classy island and community unto itself off the coast of San Diego, and you can get there via the marvelous and curvy Coronado bridge, or the old-school route via the ferry. You may also be interested in the infamous Hotel Del.
• Del Mar is perhaps the most affluent coastal community in San Diego, a beautiful, relaxing place to visit, and one of my favorite places in the area. Try Epazote's blackened fish taco if you decide to do your beach vacation here!
• Encinitas, ah, the ocean, the sun, the hippies... well thank goodness for the breeze! But seriously folks, Encinitas has some really nice restaurants! Plus there are some neat farmers markets on the weekend. If you decide to have your California beach vacation in Encinitas, and you like Italian, try Vigilucci's. You won't be disappointed.
• La Jolla, like Del Mar, is an upscale, affluent oceanside community. La Jolla has a lot better shopping, and more restaurants, though. If you don't mind a few crowds at times (though much less than in Ocean Beach or Pacific Beach!), it's nice place for your California Beach Vacation (see picture below). If you're there on a Tuesday evening, check out my public speaking group (more fun than TV!), Toastmasters of La Jolla.