How can you leave Avila Beach off that list?

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I'll be what I am
A solitary man

My dog, Riley, can vouch for Carmel Beach. We're there almost every weekend. However, the city has now banned bonfires on the beach :(

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Chris
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“Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming "Wow! What a Ride!”
― Hunter S. Thompson,

San Gregorio may be a great beach on the one day of the year that it isn't overcast or blowing 30+ mph. But based on the few times I have been there, I wouldn't name it the best beach in California.

The disgusting Santa Monica beach should not be on that list.....

Some of these suggestions in the article are beautiful stretches of coastline but not what I think about when you talk about beaches. A great beach needs warm sun, which tends to be in short supply once north of San Luis Obispo County.

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I'll be what I am
A solitary man

True, Moonstone Beach is not what I think of when I think of a "best beach." It's not bad. I was just surprised to see it there. It is a nice place to sit on a log and enjoy a bottle of wine at sunset though.......

But even then I run out of fingers really fast when counting the beached south of SLO that are better than the pit of humanity that is Santa Monica beach (and pier surrounds)

I would call Moonstone more of a shoreline with a few patches of sand. ;-)

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I'll be what I am
A solitary man

Are you from/live in California? I see a comment like this and just chuckle. Stayed with a buddy of mine in Santa Monica a year ago and couldn't believe how incredible the beach was, absolutely massive, good sand, it blew my mind. But I'm from Boston, where our beaches are tiny, hard-packed sand, rocky.

I guess it's all in what you know, your perspective. But from my viewpoint the Santa Monica beach is INCREDIBLE (this is obviously not comparing it against other CA beaches, just responding to the idea that it's 'disgusting').

Amen. Avila was my favorite beach growing up. As I got older, I would play golf at the Avila Beach Golf Club. Even hit the hot springs. What a great area.

Native now transplanted in Virginia. Santa Monica is nice for tourists but I have seen kids sandboxes that are better beaches

Not listing Trestles negates the validity of this article

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All I Wanted Was A Pepsi, Just One Pepsi

Team Zoot, Team Zoot Mid-Atlantic

Born and raised and going to Santa Monica beach since I was 5.... If you think heavy PCH traffic, high parking costs, trash on a crowded beach and homeless dudes living under the pier makes a best beach the east coast must suck. Or you didn't go to a single other beach in California

Yeah Santa Monica!!!!!!! /pink http://smdp.com/...olluted-state/148763

I've been lucky to have visited a few of these.

Salt Creek Beach for the longest time was my "Home Beach" when I was in So Cal - I had family living in the Laguna Hills area in the 1970's and 1980's. Visited there many times.

In the late's 70's and early 80's you could run on trails from the the Interstate, roughly parallel to Crown Valley Parkway, but higher up, from the #5 to Salt Creek Beach and back, all on trails the wound through open grazing land that was still part of the Irvine Ranch - occasionally dodging some live cattle! Back then it was one of my favorite long runs, and where and when I learned to really push myself on long runs.

Of course this is completely built over now! :(

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Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog

None of my top 10 are on that list, for which I'm grateful.

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Civilize the mind, but make savage the body.

- Chinese proverb