Garie Beach

what are some nice beaches in southern california?

My friend is moving to Santa Ana & some of her friends & I are helping her move. I dont know anything about california. i'm from the east coast. So we would like to know are some good beaches & if you like could you give us some ideas on some attractions thanks appreciate it.

Public Comments

1. It depends on what you want to do at the beach. Venice is nice for tourism and buying things, Huntington is good for hanging out, Laguna is nice for ambiance.
2. Huntington is the cleanest big, popular beach near LA. There are countless small coves that are more private. The best way to find those is to ask some people in a scuba dive shop. The will always not the cleanest, most calm, private-ish areas that are good for snorkeling. if you just like the big white sandy expanses with beach volleyball courts, etc then just go for Huntington.
3. Agree with zolkabir (above)... starting at Huntington Beach, and going South from there you'll find lots of clean beaches. A little further South Laguna Beach is really nice for swimming, snorkling and scuba diving. If you don't mind driving the San Diego beaches are really nice (La Jolla and the surrounding areas). The L.A. beaches (Santa Monica, Venice, Hermosa, etc.) are all fun and great for people watching (it can be quite a spectacle)... but the downside is these beaches get very crowded and the water isn't clear (to say the least!). A decent beach in-between LA. and Huntington Beach is Seal beach. Have fun!
4. Venice Beach. lol JK it's filthy, but has awesome entertainment. Lots of crazy folks there, but I swear every inch of sand will have a towel on it! If you're looking to go in LA I would recommend Redondo, Hermosa, and Manhattan Beaches. All are within about a 20 min drive down the same road. Redondo is laid back, Hermosa is 20 something partying college students, and Manhattan is the yuppy type. Santa Monica has a cool pier on their beach that has roller coasters, ferris wheel, and other stuff on it. Outside of LA I would recommend Huntington. It's a popular, relatively clean beach.