Pacific Ocean Beaches

Pacific coverage runs the full US West Coast — San Diego's warm-water beaches (La Jolla, Coronado, Pacific Beach), Orange County's legendary surf (Trestles, Huntington, Doheny), Los Angeles's iconic strands (Santa Monica, Venice, Zuma, Manhattan, Hermosa), Santa Barbara and the Central Coast (Pismo, Avila, Cayucos), the Bay Area (Stinson, Half Moon Bay, Ocean Beach SF), Oregon's rugged coast (Cannon Beach, Ecola, Newport), and Washington's Long Beach Peninsula and Olympic coast. Water runs cold north of Point Conception and rough year-round — the Pacific is a working ocean, not a wading pool.

Average water temperature: 67°F

Across 82 monitored stations on the Pacific Ocean.

When to Go

Southern California: year-round, peak June–October. Central/Northern California: July–September for the warmest water (still chilly without a wetsuit). Oregon/Washington: late July through September for the warmest days, though the water rarely climbs out of the 50s.

Watch Out For

Rip currents are constant — only swim at lifeguarded beaches and obey flag warnings. Sneaker waves on the Oregon and Northern California coast are deadly; never turn your back on the ocean. Water is cold enough year-round that hypothermia is a real risk without a wetsuit north of Santa Barbara.

All California beaches →

Glass Beach (Fort Bragg)

Mendocino County, CA
84

Ideal for a beach walk.

75°F air 5 mph wind

Carpinteria State Beach

Santa Barbara County, CA
81

Ideal for a beach walk.

87°F air 5 to 10 mph wind

Natural Bridges State Beach

Santa Cruz County, CA
81

Ideal for a beach walk.

88°F air 3 to 9 mph wind

Moonlight Beach (Encinitas)

San Diego County, CA
79

Ideal for a beach walk.

73°F water 82°F air 0 to 5 mph wind

Cardiff State Beach

San Diego County, CA
79

Ideal for a beach walk.

73°F water 82°F air 0 to 5 mph wind

Zuma Beach

Los Angeles County, CA
78

Great day for a beach walk.

75°F water 83°F air 10 to 15 mph wind

Oceanside Beach

San Diego County, CA
77

Ideal for a beach walk.

73°F water 85°F air 5 to 10 mph wind

Huntington Beach (Surf City USA)

Orange County, CA
77

Great day for a beach walk.

72°F water 88°F air 5 to 10 mph wind

Hermosa Beach

Los Angeles County, CA
77

Ideal for a beach walk.

75°F water 86°F air 10 mph wind

Point Dume State Beach

Los Angeles County, CA
77

Great day for a beach walk.

75°F water 88°F air 5 to 15 mph wind

Doheny State Beach

Orange County, CA
76

Great day for a beach walk.

73°F water 89°F air 5 to 10 mph wind

Baker Beach (San Francisco)

San Francisco County, CA
76

Ideal for a beach walk.

61°F water 80°F air 5 to 12 mph wind

Bolsa Chica State Beach

Orange County, CA
74

Great day for a beach walk.

72°F water 91°F air 10 mph wind

Morro Bay (Morro Strand State Beach)

San Luis Obispo County, CA
74

Great day for fishing.

65°F water 92°F air 5 to 10 mph wind

Redondo Beach

Los Angeles County, CA
74

Great day for a beach walk.

75°F water 86°F air 10 to 15 mph wind

Santa Monica State Beach

Los Angeles County, CA
73

Great day for a beach walk.

75°F water 90°F air 5 to 10 mph wind

Santa Cruz Main Beach

Santa Cruz County, CA
73

Great day for a beach walk.

93°F air 6 mph wind

Capitola Beach

Santa Cruz County, CA
73

Great day for a beach walk.

93°F air 5 mph wind

Pfeiffer Beach (Big Sur)

Monterey County, CA
72

Ideal for a beach walk.

65°F water 84°F air 6 to 9 mph wind

Crystal Cove State Park

Orange County, CA
71

Great day for a beach walk.

72°F water 91°F air 5 to 10 mph wind

Carmel Beach

Monterey County, CA
71

Ideal for a beach walk.

59°F water 83°F air 7 mph wind

Ocean Beach (San Francisco)

San Francisco County, CA
71

Ideal for a beach walk.

61°F water 77°F air 5 to 10 mph wind

Leadbetter Beach

Santa Barbara County, CA
69

Great day for a beach walk.

94°F air 5 to 10 mph wind

Refugio State Beach

Santa Barbara County, CA
69

Great day for a beach walk.

92°F air 5 to 15 mph wind

Imperial Beach

San Diego County, CA
68

Great day for a beach walk.

72°F water

Pismo Beach

San Luis Obispo County, CA
66

Great day for a beach walk.

65°F water

Cayucos State Beach

San Luis Obispo County, CA
65

Ideal for a beach walk.

65°F water 83°F air 5 to 10 mph wind

Newport Beach

Orange County, CA
64

Ideal for a beach walk.

72°F water 81°F air 5 to 10 mph wind

Stinson Beach

Marin County, CA
64

Ideal for a beach walk.

61°F water 77°F air 1 to 7 mph wind

San Onofre State Beach

San Diego County, CA
64

Great day for a beach walk.

73°F water 83°F air 5 to 10 mph wind

Will Rogers State Beach

Los Angeles County, CA
64

Ideal for a beach walk.

75°F water 87°F air 5 to 10 mph wind

La Jolla Shores

San Diego County, CA
63

Ideal for a beach walk.

71°F water 83°F air 0 to 10 mph wind

La Jolla Cove

San Diego County, CA
63

Ideal for a beach walk.

71°F water 80°F air 0 to 10 mph wind

Torrey Pines State Beach

San Diego County, CA
63

Great day for a beach walk.

71°F water 87°F air 0 to 10 mph wind

Leo Carrillo State Park

Los Angeles County, CA
63

Great day for a beach walk.

75°F water 85°F air 5 to 15 mph wind

Ocean Beach (San Diego)

San Diego County, CA
63

Ideal for a beach walk.

71°F water 80°F air 5 to 10 mph wind

Venice Beach

Los Angeles County, CA
62

Ideal for a beach walk.

75°F water 86°F air 5 to 10 mph wind

El Matador State Beach

Los Angeles County, CA
62

Great day for a beach walk.

75°F water 85°F air 5 to 15 mph wind

San Clemente State Beach

Orange County, CA
61

Ideal for a beach walk.

73°F water 86°F air 5 to 10 mph wind

Pacific Beach

San Diego County, CA
60

Great day for a beach walk.

71°F water 87°F air 5 to 10 mph wind

Carlsbad State Beach

San Diego County, CA
59

Great day for a beach walk.

73°F water 89°F air 0 to 5 mph wind

Seal Beach

Orange County, CA
59

Great day for a beach walk.

72°F water 88°F air 0 to 15 mph wind

Coronado Beach

San Diego County, CA
58

Ideal for a beach walk.

72°F water 85°F air 0 to 10 mph wind

Del Mar Beach

San Diego County, CA
58

Great day for a beach walk.

73°F water 89°F air 0 to 10 mph wind

Mission Beach

San Diego County, CA
56

Great day for a beach walk.

71°F water 90°F air 5 to 10 mph wind

Laguna Main Beach

Orange County, CA
54

Great day for a beach walk.

72°F water 91°F air 0 to 10 mph wind

Pacifica State Beach

San Mateo County, CA
50

Ideal for a beach walk.

61°F water 78°F air 7 mph wind

Long Beach (Alamitos Beach)

Los Angeles County, CA
49

Great day for a beach walk.

72°F water 95°F air 10 mph wind

Half Moon Bay State Beach

San Mateo County, CA
49

Ideal for a beach walk.

61°F water 84°F air 7 mph wind

Monterey State Beach

Monterey County, CA
47

Ideal for a beach walk.

59°F water 79°F air 5 to 8 mph wind

Avila Beach

San Luis Obispo County, CA
39

Great day for a beach walk.

65°F water 98°F air 10 to 15 mph wind
All Oregon beaches →

Jessie M. Honeyman Memorial State Park

Lane County, OR
85

Ideal for a beach walk.

76°F air 5 to 9 mph wind

Gold Beach (South Beach Park)

Curry County, OR
85

Ideal for a beach walk.

77°F air 6 mph wind

Yachats State Recreation Area

Lincoln County, OR
83

Ideal for fishing.

70°F air 7 to 10 mph wind

Heceta Head Beach (Devils Elbow)

Lane County, OR
79

Great day for a beach walk.

71°F air 6 to 10 mph wind

Cape Perpetua Scenic Area

Lincoln County, OR
79

Great day for a beach walk.

70°F air 6 to 9 mph wind

Cannon Beach (Haystack Rock)

Clatsop County, OR
78

Great day for a beach walk.

70°F air 10 mph wind

Seaside Beach (Oregon)

Clatsop County, OR
78

Great day for a beach walk.

70°F air 10 mph wind

Bandon Beach (Face Rock)

Coos County, OR
76

Great day for a beach walk.

69°F air 14 mph wind

Ecola State Park

Clatsop County, OR
75

Great day for a beach walk.

67°F air 8 to 12 mph wind

Pacific City Beach (Cape Kiwanda)

Tillamook County, OR
75

Great day for a beach walk.

Rockaway Beach

Tillamook County, OR
73

Great day for a beach walk.

68°F air 7 to 13 mph wind

Cape Lookout State Park

Tillamook County, OR
71

Great day for a beach walk.

65°F air 7 to 15 mph wind

Nehalem Bay State Park

Tillamook County, OR
66

Great day for a beach walk.

66°F air 9 to 16 mph wind

Hug Point State Recreation Site

Clatsop County, OR
63

Great day for a beach walk.

65°F air 12 to 16 mph wind

Harris Beach State Park

Curry County, OR
63

Ideal for photography.

65°F air 5 mph wind

Manzanita Beach

Tillamook County, OR
62

Great day for a beach walk.

66°F air 12 to 18 mph wind

Nye Beach (Newport, OR)

Lincoln County, OR
58

Great day for a beach walk.

55°F water 68°F air 9 to 15 mph wind
All Washington beaches →
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