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Southern California: Discover golden shores in the Golden State
Follow the coast with this great SoCal beach trip. From San Diego to Malibu, there’s no shortage of stellar shores for beachcombers, surfers or scenery lovers.
Drive 156.1 miles, 2 hours, 36.1 minutes
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1. San Diego
Starting Point
Known as “America’s Finest City,” San Diego offers year-round sunshine, gorgeous coastline and pristine beaches that are wonders to explore. Mission Beach is the iconic California beach community, with plenty of sandy shores, boardwalks, shops and amusements. Coronado’s beach has been voted one of the best beaches in the world for family fun. La Jolla Shores is “the Jewel” of San Diego, with its gentle waves and exceptional views.
RECOMMENDED STOPOVERS
Santee Lakes Recreation Preserve
Santee, CA
(619) 596-3141
Campland On the Bay
San Diego, CA
(800) 422-9386
Mission Bay RV Resort
San Diego, CA
(877) 219-6900
Olive Ave RV Resort
Vista, CA
(877) 633-3557
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2. Newport Beach
90.6 miles, 1 hour, 15 minutes
Welcome to California’s oceanside retreat, with picturesque beaches, unspoiled coastlines, continuous sunshine and plenty of azure water. For fun-in-the-sun, Newport Beach has the largest recreational harbor on the west coast, with opportunities for swimming, surfing, bodyboarding, fishing, yachting, boating and kayaking.
RECOMMENDED STOPOVERS
Newport Dunes Waterfront Resort & Marina
Newport Beach, CA
(800) 765-7661
3. Malibu
65.5 miles, 58 minutes
This beautiful beachfront town, stretching more than 27 miles along the Pacific Ocean, is home to Hollywood stars, yoga-loving sun worshipers and world-class board riders. Surfrider Beach, designated as the first World Surfing Reserve, had a huge impact on the surfing culture of the 1960s and continues to be recognized as the best place in the world for summertime “point” surf.