
#266 Gaviota State Park
Gaviota State Park or 'Seagull' in Spanish is an impressive park on the Santa Barbara Coast. Hiking trails wind through sculpted canyons of the Santa Ynez Mountains covered in Spring wildflowers. Sandy beaches lie next to sea stacks to create an unforgettable rocky coastline that drops from mountain to sea. An historic railroad trestle soars above Gaviota Creek at 811 feet. It opened in 1901 and became a regular service route between Los Angeles and San Francisco.
#262 Corona del Mar
Corona del Mar State Beach is one of the hidden treasures of Orange County. Meaning 'Crown of the Sea' in Spanish, this stretch of coast certainly lives up to its name. The beach is separated by dramatic cliffs into 'Big Corona' and 'Little Corona'. Big Corona offers white sandy beach perfect for sunbathing while Little Corona offers stunning rocky coves, tidepools and arches.
#250 Garrapata State Park
Garrapata State Park is one of the most beautiful spots along Highway 1's Big Sur Coast. Two miles of stunning coast are preserved with trails that climb from the rocky coast to redwood forest. The park is a great spot to watch whales, seals and sea otters while hidden coves are perfect for solitude.
#245 El Matador State Beach
El Matador State Beach is one of the Jewels of Malibu. Its iconic rock formations, sea caves and coves make for an unforgettable coastal escape. This beach is a favorite among photographers with its limitless shore and winding bluff to sea trail.
#237 Cabrillo National Monument Tidepools
Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo landed here on September 28th, 1542 and became the first European to set foot on the West Coast. Cabrillo National Monument preserves this legacy as a National Park in San Diego. The tidepool trail reveals rocky shores and hidden coves that look just as they have for thousands of years. It the perfect way to spend an afternoon on the coast.
#232 Flat Rock Point
Flat Rock Point at Palos Verdes Estates Shoreline Preserve is a must see along the Los Angeles Coast. Trails take you from the bluffs down to hidden rocky coves while beautiful views of the coast stretch all the way to the Santa Monica Mountains.
#214 Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park
Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park on Big Sur's Highway One is a jaw-dropping stretch of coastline. Julia Pfeiffer Burns was a pioneer woman of Big Sur and provided early tourists with food and lodging. The 80 foot McWay Falls drop directly to the beach and is one of the most photographed spots on the Pacific Coast.
#208 Jalama Beach County Park
Jalama Beach County Park is a secluded beach in Santa Barbara County named after the Native American Chumash who lived here. The mountains and cliffs that drop to the ocean offer jaw-dropping coastline views. It is the perfect getaway with its sandy beaches & rocky coves and an atmosphere full of solitude.
#188 Spooner's Cove
Spooner's Cove in Montaña de Oro State Park is a stunning cove on the Central Coast. Alden Spooner moved here the the late 1800's and established a farm of dairy and hog. At its peak, his ranch contained 9,000 acres and 6 miles of beautiful coastline. He built a ranch house as well as several barns and warehouse to load ships to deliver. The original house still stand as well as the 100-year-old-flooring purchased from a Sears Roebuck and Co. Catalog. The inviting cove features beautiful sand as well as dramatic rock formations.
#169 Santa Cruz Island
Off the Central Coast lies Santa Cruz Island, the largest of the Channel Islands owned by the National Park Service and Nature Conservancy. Inhabited by Chumash Native Americans for at least 10,000 years, they called the island 'Limuw' meaning 'in the sea'. Legend has it that the Chumash found a priest's staff left behind from the Spanish Portola expedition of 1769 and returned it. The island was then named 'La Isla de Santa Cruz' or 'Island of the Sacred Cross' from this friendly gesture.
Santa Cruz Island is the largest island in California and contains 77 miles of varied coastline from sandy shores to rocky coves. More than 600 plant species dot the island while eight grow nowhere else on Earth. A highlight to the island is spotting the curious Island Fox. Hikes for every skill level can be explored in this marvelous place for solitude.