Photo: Jengod, CC BY-SA 4.0
#1 · Aquarium · 28 min south
Aquarium of the Pacific
Sea lions, sharks, jellyfish and a lorikeet forest in Long Beach.
- 2-3 hrs
- Year-round
- See the official site for current fees
Heads-up: Reserve online for busy days.
Day Trippin' › California › From Los Angeles › Best beaches and lakes
Best Beaches & Lakes near Los Angeles
Our picks for the best beaches and lakes within 3 hours of Los Angeles: 52 places, 16 under an hour away, 24 between 1 and 2 hours and 12 between 2 and 3 hours, counted by road time from ZIP 90012.
We put first the places with a real photo, a well-known name, a family-friendly note and an official site, then list the rest by drive time. The closest is Rancho Los Cerritos, 26 min south of Los Angeles.
Map: beaches and lakes within 3 hours of Los Angeles
Under 1 hour 1 to 2 hours 2 to 3 hours
Our top 15 beaches and lakes near Los Angeles 52 in all
Photo: Don Ramey Logan, CC BY-SA 3.0
#2 · State park · 49 min southeast
Crystal Cove State Park
Beach, tide pools and coastal bluff trails with historic cottages.
- Half day
- Year-round
- See the official site for current fees
Heads-up: Reserve cottage dining ahead (confirm before you go). Open with some service restrictions; day use 6am to sunset; parking fee.
Photo: shadowhound, CC BY-SA 2.0
#3 · Small town · 1 hr 26 min east
Lake Arrowhead Village
A lakeside village with shops, restaurants and a pretty mountain setting. Good for a relaxed lunch.
- Half day
- Year-round
- Free to visit
Heads-up: The lake is private, so public swimming is limited. Winter roads may need chains.
Photo: Blervis, CC0
#4 · National park · 2 hr 2 min southeast
Cabrillo National Monument
A historic lighthouse and tide pools at Point Loma with a big view over San Diego bay.
- 2-3 hrs
- Year-round
- See the official site for current fees
Heads-up: Tide pools are best at low tide. Check for any closures.
Photo: Thcipriani, CC BY-SA 4.0
#5 · Landmark · 29 min south
Queen Mary
A grand ocean liner moored at Long Beach, open for tours, dining and events. Her 90th year is 2026.
- 2-3 hrs
- Daily (confirm before you go)
- See the official site for current fees
Heads-up: Hours and tours vary by date (confirm before you go).
Photo: Don Ramey Logan, CC BY-SA 3.0
#6 · Beach · 51 min southeast
Laguna Beach Main Beach
A pretty cove beach in a classic art town with basketball and sand volleyball.
- Half day
- Year-round
- Free; parking is paid
Heads-up: Parking fills early on weekends. City beach in a marine protected area; metered parking.
Photo: H.G. Judd, CC BY-SA 3.0
#7 · Lake · 1 hr 41 min east
Big Bear Lake
A mountain lake with boating, fishing, paddleboards and a lively village. Snow play in winter.
- Full day
- Year-round
- See the official site for current fees
Heads-up: Roads can need chains in winter. Check Caltrans before you go. Wildfire closures are possible in summer and fall.
Photo: Rhododendrites, CC BY-SA 4.0
#8 · Beach · 1 hr 50 min southeast
La Jolla Cove
A sheltered cove with sea lions, snorkeling and sea caves, with cliff views above.
- 2-4 hrs
- Year-round
- Free; parking is metered
Heads-up: Parking is hard on weekends. Strong swells at times. Sea lions are wild, keep away.
Photo: William Henry Jackson, Public domain
#9 · Beach · 2 hr 2 min southeast
Coronado Beach and Hotel del Coronado
A wide sandy beach in front of a famous Victorian hotel, with calm water and tide pools.
- Half day
- Year-round
- See the official site for current fees
Heads-up: Parking can be tight in summer. Hotel visit info; public Coronado Central Beach next door; parking is limited.
Photo: Don Ramey Logan, CC BY-SA 4.0
#10 · Island · 2 hr 12 min south
Catalina Island Avalon
A ferry ride to a car-free island town with beaches, glass-bottom boats and golf carts.
- Full day
- Year-round
- See the official site for current fees
Heads-up: Book ferry ahead. Weather may cancel trips.
Photo: Cbeekman, CC BY-SA 3.0
#11 · Family fun · 44 min southeast
Irvine Regional Park
Old oak trees, a small zoo, pony rides and a pond for paddle boats.
- Half day
- Year-round
- See the official site for current fees
Heads-up: Check zoo and ride hours (confirm before you go). OC Parks; fall/winter hours 6am to 6pm.
Photo: Raph_PH, CC BY 2.0
#12 · State park · 1 hr southeast
Doheny State Beach
Wide beach, tide pools, and surfing, with picnic spots and campground.
- Half day
- Year-round
- See the official site for current fees
Heads-up: Check water quality advisories.
Photo: Myrna Litt, CC BY 2.0
#13 · Beach · 1 hr 23 min west
Carpinteria State Beach
Calm, family beach with tide pools and a nearby seal rookery in winter.
- 2-4 hrs
- Year-round
- See the official site for current fees
Heads-up: Dogs allowed on leash in some areas (confirm before you go). Sunrise to sunset; no dogs on beach
Photo: Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
#14 · Small town · 1 hr 23 min southeast
Carlsbad Village
A beach town with a lively village, shops, cafes and a long coastal walk.
- Half day
- Year-round
- Free to visit
Heads-up: Summer crowds. Parking is metered.
Photo: Original uploader was Ohnoitsjamie at en.wikipedia, CC BY 2.0
#15 · Small town · 1 hr 33 min southeast
Encinitas
A surf town with beaches, a famous yoga garden area and a lively main street.
- Half day
- Year-round
- Free to visit
Heads-up: Beach parking is tight in summer. City beach rules: no dogs, alcohol, glass or grills; Moonlight Beach has free parking.
More beaches and lakes near Los Angeles, by drive time
Rancho Los Cerritos (26 min), Long Beach Shoreline Village and Rainbow Harbor (28 min), Cabrillo Beach and Marine Aquarium (30 min), Terranea and Palos Verdes Coastal Trails (32 min), Malibu Lagoon State Beach (34 min), Huntington Beach Pier and Downtown (41 min), Newport Beach and Balboa Pier (49 min), Heisler Park and Tide Pools (51 min), Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park (54 min), Leo Carrillo State Park (55 min), Ventura Pier (1 hr 6 min), Lake Elsinore (1 hr 10 min), Yucaipa Regional Park (1 hr 12 min), Lake Perris State Recreation Area (1 hr 13 min), Silverwood Lake State Recreation Area (1 hr 15 min), Lake Gregory Regional Park (1 hr 17 min), Downtown Ventura (1 hr 18 min), East Beach Santa Barbara (1 hr 31 min), Torrey Pines State Beach (1 hr 41 min), Birch Aquarium at Scripps (1 hr 46 min), Belmont Park (1 hr 53 min), Mission Bay Park (1 hr 54 min), Refugio State Beach (1 hr 55 min), Ocean Beach Pier (1 hr 56 min), Lake Cachuma (1 hr 59 min), Cougar Crest Trail (1 hr 59 min), Mission Trails Regional Park (2 hr), Sunset Cliffs Natural Park (2 hr), Imperial Beach Pier (2 hr 9 min), Cuyamaca Rancho State Park (2 hr 31 min), Mooney Grove Park (2 hr 44 min), Trona Pinnacles (2 hr 49 min), Anacapa Island Day Trip (2 hr 51 min), Santa Cruz Island Day Trip (2 hr 51 min), Lake Isabella (2 hr 52 min), Pismo Beach Pier and Monarch Grove (2 hr 57 min), Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area (2 hr 58 min)
Questions about beaches and lakes near Los Angeles
What are the best beaches and lakes near Los Angeles?
Our top picks are Aquarium of the Pacific (28 min), Crystal Cove State Park (49 min), Lake Arrowhead Village (1 hr 26 min), Cabrillo National Monument (2 hr 2 min) and Queen Mary (29 min). The page lists 52 places in all.
How many beaches and lakes are within 3 hours of Los Angeles?
52: 16 under an hour away, 24 between 1 and 2 hours and 12 between 2 and 3 hours, by road from ZIP 90012.
What is the closest of these to Los Angeles?
Rancho Los Cerritos, about 26 min south of Los Angeles.
Are any of these free?
19 need no pass or fee, including East Beach Santa Barbara, Pismo Beach Pier and Monarch Grove and Trona Pinnacles. Fees change, so check each place.
Are these beaches and lakes open all year?
45 of the 52 list themselves as open year-round. Places with a season say so on their card; check hours before you go.
More about Los Angeles
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Drive times are by road on a typical day from ZIP <class 'zip'> (OpenStreetMap data with the OSRM route planner); places under 25 minutes away count as in town. Facts checked against official sites; passes and hours change, so check before you go.