Best Beaches In & Near Long Beach

By The Beach Guide | Last Updated: August 25, 2023

Map featuring Long Beach beaches. Click on pins to view beach details

1. Torrance County Beach

Travel time from Long Beach: approx 0.5 hrs

Nestled between Redondo Beach and Malaga Cove, you may hear the locals refer to this stretch as RAT Beach - as in, Right After Torrance or Redondo & Torrance.
The soft white sands here sit at the bottom of a picturesque cliff, so snapping some Insta-worthy photos is a breeze.
When it comes to amenities, you'll find loads of parking spaces close by, lifeguards on daily duty, and restrooms and showers right… read more »
2. Long Beach

Greg Gjerdingen

Travel time from Long Beach: approx 0.5 hrs

You'll find this golden stretch of sand along California's southern coastline, just a 30-minute drive away from Los Angeles.
All the essentials are in place here, including lifeguard posts, showers, restrooms, and lots of parking spots nearby. And there's a promenade backing on to the beach that is particularly popular with cyclists and skaters.
As for the beach itself, there's usually plenty of elbow room as this isn't the busiest of… read more »
3. Belmont Shore Beach

Sergei Gussev

Travel time from Long Beach: approx 0.5 hrs
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4. Seal Beach

Monacat

Travel time from Long Beach: approx 0.5 hrs
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5. Huntington Beach

© James Kim

Travel time from Long Beach: approx 0.5 hrs

Nicknamed "Surf City USA", Huntington Beach is a popular resort destination for locals and international tourists. This 121-acre state beach has a long pier and a beautiful sandy beach with dunes sheltering many bird species.
Facilities include parking lots (open until 10pm), bathrooms, showers, lifeguard HQ and fire rings for bonfires. It is ideal for sunbathing, walking, fishing and watching pro surfers.
There are sandbars at the south end of Huntington Beach… read more »
6. Cabrillo Beach

Sergei Gussev

Travel time from Long Beach: approx 0.5 hrs
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7. Surfside Beach

Karen Fasimpaur

Travel time from Long Beach: approx 0.5 hrs
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8. Sunset Beach

Lars Plougmann

Travel time from Long Beach: approx 0.5 hrs
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9. Venice Beach

Travel time from Long Beach: approx 1 hr

When thinking of Los Angeles it is hard not to picture the city's iconic Venice Beach. Whilst many beaches are exactly that, and nothing else, Venice Beach is much more than that; a beach, cultural institution, vibrant community and international tourist destination to name a few. What goes on along the beach front is as important to Venice beach's character as the sand,ocean and palms trees that physically define it.
… read more »
10. RAT Beach

305 Seahill

Travel time from Long Beach: approx 0.5 hrs
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11. Redondo Beach State Park

ChildofMidnight

Travel time from Long Beach: approx 0.5 hrs

This 1.5 mile-long stretch of shoreline is jam-packed with activities and facilities, which keep visitors coming back time and time again.
At the far north of the beach you'll find the magnificent pier. It's a great place for a spot of fishing, and there are plenty of bars, shops and restaurants here too, with plenty of variety on the menus. Naturally as you'd expect, there are plenty of fresh seafood places… read more »
12. Lunada Bay Beach

tiarescott

Travel time from Long Beach: approx 0.5 hrs
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13. Palos Verdes Estates Shoreline Preserve Beach

Dave Proffer

Travel time from Long Beach: approx 0.5 hrs
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14. Hermosa Beach

Travel time from Long Beach: approx 0.5 hrs

Hermosa's two-mile swathe of golden sand is one of the most popular stretches in Los Angeles County.
With 94 acres of beach to stretch out on and top-notch conditions for surfing, it attracts visitors of all ages.
At the heart of the beach is the historic pier, which has had pride of place for more than 50 years. If you fancy doing a bit of fishing then this is the perfect place… read more »
15. Laguna Beach

© Joe Belanger

Travel time from Long Beach: approx 1 hr

Located midway between Los Angeles and San Diego, Laguna Beach is the archetypal Southern Californian beach town. This is one of the most fashionable seaside towns in Orange County and as such has attracted the wealthy and famous for many years. Laguna Beach has a long established reputation as a cultural hotspot and is home to any number of art festivals, most notably the Pageant of the Masters.
But it is… read more »
16. Laguna Beach

© Diosthenese / CC BY

Travel time from Long Beach: approx 1 hr

Located midway between Los Angeles and San Diego, Laguna Beach is the archetypal Southern Californian beach town. This is one of the most fashionable seaside towns in Orange County and as such has attracted the wealthy and famous for many years. Laguna Beach has a long established reputation as a cultural hotspot and is home to any number of art festivals, most notably the Pageant of the Masters.
But it is… read more »
17. Newport Beach

Mitch Barrie

Travel time from Long Beach: approx 0.5 hrs

Home of the biggest recreational harbor on the west coast, the classic California surf town of Newport Beach offers sandy beaches, water sports, and incredible views of the sunset. This is a place you will never run out of ways to fill your day, and you can experience a real slice of Southern California beach life.
The sand stretches for 10 miles at Newport Beach with the central Municipal beach… read more »
18. Santa Monica State Beach

Travel time from Long Beach: approx 1 hr

Just west of downtown Los Angeles, Santa Monica State Beach stretches for an astonishing 8 miles of soft sand. Cleaned and raked on a daily basis, it will host the beach volleyball competition of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
The archetypal West Coast beach town, Santa Monica State Beach has a pier with an amusement park that contains a carousel dating from 1922 and is listed as a National Historic… read more »
19. Dockweiler State Beach

Alistair McMillan

Travel time from Long Beach: approx 0.5 hrs

This vast beach, which sits just three miles away from Los Angeles' international airport is a near-four mile stretch of soft golden sand on California's south east coast.
Its proximity to the airport makes it a top spot for seeing the aeroplanes take off, but there's a lot more to this beach than plane spotting.
Among the many amenities here, you'll find fire pits, picnic facilities, showers and restrooms, and there… read more »
20. Little Corona Del Mar Beach

Kdelaney7

Travel time from Long Beach: approx 1 hr
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