Category Archives: Top Ten

Top Ten Beaches in Hawaii

Eternity Beach

This is where the couple in “From Here to Eternity” rolled around on the shore and kissed!

It’s a climb down to Eternity Beach which makes it exclusive. The colors of the water are glorious to behold as you walk the trail down, and you can’t wait to jump in the swirling water. Photographers love this beach for its colors: dark inky blue beyond the cove, and pale aquamarine within. Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr kissed passionately on the shore with the water surrounding them in the 1953 movie “From Here to Eternity.”

Royal Hawaiian Beach, Waikiki

Swim in front of a pink palace!

On a busy stretch of Waikiki Beach, you can swim in front of the Royal Hawaiian Hotel, like a pink palace built on the sand! The gentle curve of Diamond Head makes for gorgeous views in the distance. Soft, bouncy waves makes this swim memorable.

Three Tables Beach, North Shore

Calm waters at Three Tables Beach on the North Shore.

The North Shore is where the wild winter surf happens on Oahu, but in summer Three Tables Beach is calm and perfect. The black squares of rock contrast strikingly with the azure water. You can snorkel by the three flat table rocks. And there’s plenty of shade under wide trees.

Waimea Bay, North Shore

Waves swish up the sloped shore at Waimea Bay.

In summer, Waimea Bay offers a blast of a swim! The waves swish up the sloped shore, pulling you back and forth. Kids adore this, and grown ups do too! The sand at this beach is golden like in Australia. And the headland with church bell tower and coconut trees adds to the atmosphere. Watch out because even in summer, freak waves can take you by surprise.

Lanikai Beach

You couldn’t get a cuter view than this!

Lanikai Beach is about as perfect as a beach can be: white sand, turquoise water, and two little pointed islands off shore! What a cute view! You can kayak out to the islands (battling sharks and exhaustion!) or you can laze on the beach taking a dip when the urge comes. This is the windward side of the island so the weather is not as guaranteed as it is in Waikiki, but Lanikai Beach is more sheltered than its neighbor, Kailua Beach.

Hilton Hawaiian Beach, Waikiki

View of Hilton Hawaiian Beach from hotel room!

The great thing about resorts in Waikiki is that you don’t have to stay there to stroll around the resort or use the beach. The beach is for everyone! And what could be more wonderful than Hilton Hawaiian Village Beach in Waikiki? Calm, clear water for a swim, and plenty to do nearby, especially with kids. There is a playground, penguins and little birds to see, a walkway lined with hibiscus flowers, and the snack bar at the Hale Koa Hotel. I love to come here on a Saturday morning, buy a coconut popsicle, enjoy it on the beach, and then jump in for a swim! Waikiki is the place to be if you visit Oahu because it’s full of beauty, great energy, and things to do.

Kahalu’u Beach, Big Island

Snorkeling is easy at Kahalu’u Beach on the Big Island.

People of all ages can snorkel in the calm, sheltered waters of Kahalu’u Beach. In old Hawaii days, King Kamehameha built a seawall to provide a safe place for his family to swim, and now Kahalu’u Beach has exceptionally warm water teeming with colorful and unusual fish! What a joy to leisurely swim around observing the magical world below the sea! This beach can get crowded because it’s near the city, so come early.

Poipu Beach, Kauai

Poipu Beach is idyllic for kids. Photo by Juliet Fry.

Poipu Beach on Kauai is an idyllic spot for kids to swim, delighting in its little waves. While many of the beaches on Kauai have wild surf, Poipu Beach is shielded by offshore rocks. Kids can play in the clear, shallow water to their hearts content. There is shade from the many coconut trees.

Ke’e Beach, Kauai

Ke’e Beach, on the Na Pali Coast. Photo by Juliet Fry.

The most stunning area in the Hawaiian islands is the Na Pali Coast, where you can take a boat ride for views of the coastline flanked with dramatic ridged cliffs. You pass sea caves of deep blue-green. Another way to experience this coastline is to hike the Kalalau Trail. Two miles in you come to expansive Ke’e Beach. You feel lucky to have made it and fear the way back, on the slippery narrow trail at cliff’s edge.

Maluaka Beach, Maui

Maluaka Beach with its views of the islands. Photo by Juliet Fry.

Maui, with its hills cleared for farmland, is the least tropical of the islands, yet it has an intensity to its light that is beautiful in the early morning. It is also blessed with many great beaches for swimming, often with great views of the offshore islands of Molokai, Lanai, Kahoolawe, and Molokini. Maluaka Beach has wonderful snorkeling at the point, with crystal clear water, coral, turtles, eels, and fish of myriad colors, plus shade and soft grass beside the beach.

Ten Best Playgrounds in California

Howarth Memorial Park, Santa Rosa

Kids enjoy a summer splash at Howarth Memorial Park in Santa Rosa.

A visit to Howarth Memorial Park is magical because there is so much to do and you are surrounded by beauty. Tall pines tower above as your kids leap around in the splash park, visit the petting zoo, be a cowboy in the Old-West town, swing from curvy monkey bars, ride a pony, climb the rock wall, stand at the top of the space net, visit the lake, push their mini cars around the finger park, and take a train ride. What more could you ask for?

Dennis the Menace Park, Monterey

Dennis the Menace Park takes you back to your own childhood, with its retro play equipment.

Dennis the Menace Park is the most visited site on my website out of over 500 sites! That’s because this playground takes parents back to their own childhood with its retro climbing structures, swinging rope bridge, curvy slides, cement tunnels, and yellow arches. Kids adore the high roller slide. There is a skate park on the other side, plus paddle boats on the lake. But mostly it’s perfection to sit on the grassy hills while your child climbs the rock wall or runs about on the huge playground.

Dinosaur Caves Playground, Pismo

Speckled dinosaur eggs to climb inside at Dinosaur Caves Park.

Situated on a cliff high above Pismo Beach and its white caves is Dinosaur Caves Playground. Your soul lifts as you stand on the expansive lawn, with green green hills above, and listen to the ocean crash below. Sea stacks, a sea arch, and purple wildflowers add to the atmosphere. Kids delight in the playground, where sculptures of seals, a whale, dolphins, and a boat inspire their imagination. There’s a tire swing, baby swings, and best of all, speckled dinosaur eggs to climb inside. Big kids can skateboard around on the sidewalks. Sheltered by the hills, this park is warmer than most parks in Pismo.

Tidelands Park, Morro Bay

Take control as captain of the ship at Tidelands Park!

Another park full of atmosphere is Tidelands Park, at the end of the Embarcadero in Morro Bay. After eating seafood at one of the waterfront restaurants, stroll down to this chilly park where your kids can take charge as captain of the giant ship. They can climb on seals and a whale’s tail, tight rope along wavy walls, step on logs of all different heights, and bounce on a dolphin and whale bouncy. Best of all is the view of the estuary right beside you.

Avila Beach Playground

Colorful pirate ship at Avila Beach Playground.

If you have young kids you really need to get to know the San Luis Obispo area because it has so many nice spots for kids, including the Avila Beach Playground! After a play in the sand at the ocean’s edge, walk to the playground to extend the fun! There are usually plenty of new friends for your kids here and friendly parents too. Kids can climb the dolphin sculptures, run across the wooden bridge, stand beside the pirate with telescope at the top of the ship, swing, bounce on horse bouncies, and jump from boulder to boulder. After, visit the Sea Life Center for a jam-packed day!

Kidsworld Playground, Santa Barbara

Two-storey wooden castle playground in Santa Barbara.

In an oasis of palms, eucalyptus trees, and large old trees sits Kidsworld, your ultimate wooden playground. Kids can climb to the second storey and look out over Alameda Park (you should too because it’s beautiful!) Little monkeys adore the course of three monkey bars in a row, the tire bridge, tight ropes, cable slider, and tarzan ropes. There’s a giant whale and shark to climb, and little things to explore too like a marble maze. Walk across the street to see the turtles and ducks in glorious Alice Keck Park.

Chase Palm Park, Santa Barbara

Whales that spurt at Chase Palm Park.

Across the street from East Beach in Santa Barbara is a unique playground called Chase Palm Park. Here kids can climb on whales that spurt water, dig in the sand in a giant shell, jump on a huge spongy starfish, climb to the top of a ship, surf in socks down a wide slippery slide, duck under archways in a Spanish adobe village, and ride the carousel. There is also a little stream with ducks and grassy hills galore to run around.

Pirate Playground, Oxnard Beach

Head of the giant sea monster at Pirate Playground!

What an imaginative and beautiful playground! Oxnard Beach’s Pirate Playground gives kids the chance to run around a giant sea monster, spin on solo spinners, balance on the skull-and-crossbones see saw, swing from monkey bars, look through a telescope, make music, rock climb, and slide many a slide. Hundreds of palms fill the sky all around them! Bring a jacket because the air off the ocean is cold!

Lake Balboa Park, Los Angeles

Gemstone wall with frogs at Lake Balboa Playground!

Under huge shade canopies, Lake Balboa Playground has everything a child could dream of! Spinning wheels that make rain sounds, drum sets, wild bouncy things for four, swings galore, activity stations, slides, bridges, and even a space net keep your kids busy. Toddlers enjoy an imagination town with a Bait and Tackle Shop! After, you can steer paddle boats on the lake, fish, catch the ice cream truck, or have a picnic on the endless lawns under tall pine trees.

Polliwog Park, Manhattan Beach

Just one of many imaginative sections of Polliwog Park.

Polliwog Park in the town of Manhattan Beach has so many play areas you could never run out of things to do! There is an area with a stripey lighthouse, sand pit, and frog and turtle sculptures to climb. Kids can ride a modern see saw, play in a boat, bounce a seal bouncy, walk by the lake and ducks, roll down the sloped lawn, jump across stepping stones at the blue playground, and try out the workout area. This playground is not next to the beach but it’s a blast to explore.

Top Ten Beaches in California!

Coronado Beach, San Diego

The sand castle turrets of Hotel del Coronado.

Hotel del Coronado, or “The Del,” is like a real sandcastle on the fine, white sand of Coronado Beach. Walk the boardwalk then stroll around the hotel looking at the 1920s photos and imagine you were there with those carefree souls. Coronado Beach is on an island. The ride over on Coronado Bridge is a blast. Walk around the island enjoying the little gingerbread houses, mansions, and tropical flowers.

Laguna Beach, Orange County

Looking down on Laguna Beach.

Laguna Beach in Orange County is probably the loveliest beach of all! It has a tropical look with its vibrant blue-green water and abundance of palms. The steep cliffs that lead down to the beach are stunning. Make sure to walk along adjacent Heisler Park to look down the vertical cliffs at the water below. Have lunch at Las Brisas Restaurant, dipping corn chips in delicious salsa while you look down at the beach below!

Descanso Beach, Santa Catalina Island

View of the casino from Descanso Beach on Santa Catalina Island.

Check out the view of the graceful 1920s art deco casino from your pebbly spot on Descanso Beach. Here the water is crystal clear, unlike the water at any other beach in California. From out of the water you can see the orange fish swimming below the surface. Stroll under countless palm trees planted by the chewing gum magnate Wrigley’s son, beside the serpentine rock wall and past fountains. Walk through the white archway decorated with colorful Spanish tiles. This is the life! You must take a ferry from Long Beach to get to unique and yes, touristy, Santa Catalina Island.

Hermosa Beach, Los Angeles

Sand, sea, and pier at Hermosa Beach.

There are plenty of fun beaches to choose from in Los Angeles but Hermosa Beach is my favorite. When writers speak of a “summer playground,” this is what they mean! Year-round you find happy, young people playing beach volleyball, roller blading, bike riding, and pushing jogging strollers in this cheerful spot. The bike path on the sand runs south to Torrance Beach and north to Venice Beach and Santa Monica pier! In the pedestrian-only square that fronts the pier, there are cafes, some with balcony views of the beach! The sand at this beach is clean as can be and the water a luminous blue.

Paradise Cove Beach, Malibu

Looking down on Paradise Cove Beach Cafe and pier.

Tucked between cliffs is the secluded and magical Paradise Cove Beach, a private beach in Malibu. Here they have designed a cafe that is perfect for the chilly California beach air (cooled by the Alaska current). You sit behind sheets of plastic, under a roof of slats and tall, gas heaters that spread the heat around you rather than just on your head! Barrels full of colorful flowers surround you. After your meal, walk up the stairs by the parking lot for a great view of the crescent-shaped beach.

Santa Claus Lane Beach, Santa Barbara

Summer sandcastle at Santa Claus Lane Beach.

Beaches in California aren’t that great for swimming. The water never gets any warmer than 68 degrees. Even freshwater springs or mountain rivers are warmer than this! But if you must have a swim, Santa Claus Lane Beach near Santa Barbara is the place! Here the water is cleaner than at most beaches (there are no storm drains nearby) and the shallow, long entry to the sea warms the water a little. It’s fun to take a mid-summer dip here while looking up at the stunning mountains and the magical middle-eastern Isham poolhouse at the end of the beach. If you’re here from December to May, check out also Carpinteria Bluffs Beach where you can see pregnant mother seals and then later baby seals at the Carpinteria Seal Rookery.

Campus Point Beach, UC Santa Barbara

A starfish at Campus Point Beach.

Not all university campuses are on the beach, but University of California Santa Barbara is! Just a short walk from the eateries in Campus Center is Campus Point Beach, a fun spot for surfing and body boarding. Summer camps teach little ones to surf on the manageable waves. And when the tide is low you can see pink, orange, and purple starfish clinging to the rocks. There are always a few students at the beach, making for a lively atmosphere. Stroll atop the cliffs for gorgeous views galore!

Shell Beach, Pismo

View from the panoramic walk in front of Best Western Shore Cliff Lodge.

Things are starting to look more stormy and rugged as you head past Santa Barbara up the Central Coast. Shell Beach is your absolute dream as far as a beach with wild cliffs, rocks jutting up from the sea, and white and yellow cliffs below. Pelicans stand on rock ledges as the ocean swirls and crashes below. Brace yourself for the cold air and take a brisk panoramic walk along the edge of the cliffs. Then walk down to the beach below and enjoy the Pismo Dinosaur Caves.

China Cove, Monterey

China Cove in Point Lobos State Reserve.

China Cove, in Point Lobos State Reserve near Monterey, is about as pretty as a beach can get. Nothing is more adorable than a cove tucked between cliffs hung with flowers. The sand is white. The water is a shock of azure. The air, however, is biting! Monterey has an abundance of pretty beaches to explore- of all the towns in California it is the most unique and beautiful in its scenery. It looks like no other place I’ve seen. Come between August and December for the greatest chance of blue skies without fog.

Point Montara Lighthouse Beach, near San Francisco

Green headlands and pristine beach at Point Montara Lighthouse.

The beach at Point Montara Lighthouse Youth Hostel is heaven! This is a northern California beach at its most idyllic, with green headlands jutting out into the sea, golden sand, crashing surf, and salt in the air. Come here to feel alive again! It’s a 30 minute drive south from Ocean Beach in San Francisco to Point Montara. Continue south afterward to see more dreamy beaches like San Gregorio Beach and Poplar Beach in Half Moon Bay.

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