California Beaches - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

ravensjeff · 04-18-2012, 05:33 PM

Heading out to California June 9th for 2 weeks with 14 yr old son and am looking for some beach advice. We're staying in Palm Springs for a week and want to plan some day trips to beaches between San Diego and LA area.

I am disabled (Amputee with prosthetic leg), so I am looking for:

1) Beach with close parking. I have a device that I have to put over fake leg in order to keep it dry and would have to put it on in the car. Wife said it looks like I'm a cousin of the Creature from the Black Lagoon!! Can't walk too far, but once I'm in the water- no problems.

2) Beach that is on the calm side (wave-wise). Getting in the water with somewhat rougher waves is difficult.

Any advice is greatly appreciated. I already have planned on a ton of stuff to do/see throughout the whole state, as well as the Grand Canyon. Just looking for beach stuff to do Mon-Fri (If there is such a thing as a calm beach with close parking in California!).

Living in Maryland, I'm about 3 hours away to the Atlantic Ocean, but end up traveling 8 hrs or so to Emerald Isle-NC because it is much easier beach-wise to get in and out of water (Without drowning!!).

90503 · 04-18-2012, 05:37 PM

Huntington Beach has State Park Beaches...easy access, all nice and flat... plenty of parking, right on the beach...nice neighborhood. Enjoy!

Palm Springs is probably about a good 100+ miles from any beach area..

Sleez · 04-18-2012, 05:42 PM

2nd Huntington Beach, or Venice for the people watching.

count on 2 hrs plus to get to the beach from Palm Springs, beware of the time of day! haven't lived down there in the last 11 years, but i am sure the traffic isn't much better.

arod55 · 04-18-2012, 06:28 PM

If you are coming to San Diego there are a lot of beaches with great access, beaches like Coronado, La Jolla Shores, South Mission Beach. The only problem is that the water is not that warm for the average Californian like me. Enjoy the Left Coast.

midnighter · 04-18-2012, 06:30 PM

Visit Venice Beach.

ModBargains.com · 04-18-2012, 06:34 PM

Venice if you like to people watch with calm waves.

Huntington is good as well, waves are at times much larger, but most of the time they're fine.

Newport beach is great as well with calm waves.

Have fun on your trip!

Qbkeenan · 04-18-2012, 06:41 PM

Venice is definitely an eye opener, not for the faint of heart, as stated above Huntington is always a great choice

90503 · 04-18-2012, 06:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Qbkeenan

Venice is definitely an eye opener, not for the faint of heart, as stated above Huntington is always a great choice

From Huntington its a great drive on PCH either way...but go north through downtown Long Beach, if you're interested in seeing the Queen Mary...

Also, beach areas in SoCal during summer, wear sunglasses (for "people" watching) or your wife will be socking your arm all the time...lol

So Cal Camaro · 04-18-2012, 06:51 PM

Venice Beach the parking is not great if you don't get there early....But is great for watching people. And traffic will be an issue if you are planning to do Mon-Fri, it will take as others pointed out at least a few hours to get to any beaches from Palm Springs, and could take 3 hours or more to get back in afternoon rush hours from the LA/Orange county beach areas.

90503 · 04-18-2012, 06:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by So Cal Camaro

Venice Beach the parking is not great if you don't get there early....But is great for watching people. And traffic will be an issue if you are planning to do Mon-Fri, it will take as others pointed out at least a few hours to get to any beaches from Palm Springs, and could take 3 hours or more to get back in afternoon rush hours from the LA/Orange county beach areas.

Yeah, I'd say Venice if you're gonna check out Hollywood at all...

(Lived my whole life in greater LA area...never been to Venice Beach!..lol)

GunnyG · 04-18-2012, 07:33 PM

Oceanside, San Onofre Beach. Plenty of disabled parking right up on the water. A bit of a drive from Palms Springs though. Good luck, have a great trip.

bajamoon · 04-18-2012, 07:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 90503

Yeah, I'd say Venice if you're gonna check out Hollywood at all...

(Lived my whole life in greater LA area...never been to Venice Beach!..lol)

Me either lol. Huntington, newport, bolsa chica. Plenty of choices here. HB and Newport will be fine for what you are looking for. Good eating around as well.

Sleez · 04-18-2012, 07:54 PM

get some Wahoos fish tacos!!

jmaynard · 04-18-2012, 08:03 PM

OK, I'm gonna pis off a lot of people in Ca here, but here is my advise.

DONT LEAVE ANYTHING IN YOUR CAR!! The beaches are theft havens in Ca. I lost a couple grand in electronics and personal items and the local sherrif informed me that they get 20-30 calls a day for people visiting the beaches being broekn into. In my case they somehow got into my rental car without any effort. Came back to a locked car and an empty trunk. Only reason I knew at the beach is because the car alarm chirped 5 times when i opened the door. Looked in the trunk and everything was gone. Never seen it since.

Personaly I am not very found of Ca. beaches now.

04-18-2012, 05:33 PM	#1
ravensjeff 100% Chevy & Harley Man Drives: 2010 2SS: Blown LSX 376-B15 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Eldersburg,MD Posts: 2,211 View My Garage	California Beaches Heading out to California June 9th for 2 weeks with 14 yr old son and am looking for some beach advice. We're staying in Palm Springs for a week and want to plan some day trips to beaches between San Diego and LA area. I am disabled (Amputee with prosthetic leg), so I am looking for: 1) Beach with close parking. I have a device that I have to put over fake leg in order to keep it dry and would have to put it on in the car. Wife said it looks like I'm a cousin of the Creature from the Black Lagoon!! Can't walk too far, but once I'm in the water- no problems. 2) Beach that is on the calm side (wave-wise). Getting in the water with somewhat rougher waves is difficult. Any advice is greatly appreciated. I already have planned on a ton of stuff to do/see throughout the whole state, as well as the Grand Canyon. Just looking for beach stuff to do Mon-Fri (If there is such a thing as a calm beach with close parking in California!). Living in Maryland, I'm about 3 hours away to the Atlantic Ocean, but end up traveling 8 hrs or so to Emerald Isle-NC because it is much easier beach-wise to get in and out of water (Without drowning!!). __________________ LSX 376-B15, TVS2300 SC, Harland Sharp Rockers w/ Trunion Bearings, ATI Balancer/keyed, AR LT Headers/Borla Catback Exhaust, DSS 1400 HP Axles, DSS aluminum driveshaft, 3.70, Hotchkis Springs/Sway bars, Forgeline SO3P Aluminum Wheels (20x9.5 F/20x11 R)w/ Hidden Titanium Hardware, Nitto NT05 Tires (27540ZR20 F/31535ZR20 R), Billet LPE brake/gas pedals, Escort 9500ci Radar Detector Laser Jammer, Roto Fab CAI with Ice Silver box, Carbon fiber tube/MAF Housing Assy, LPE Aluminum coil covers, SS9 Sleeper Fiber Glass Hood (ACS), Carbotech 1521 ceramic brake pads, Elite catch can.

04-18-2012, 06:51 PM	#9
So Cal Camaro So Cal Race Team Drives: 2013 Camaro Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Sunny So Cal Posts: 3,584	Venice Beach the parking is not great if you don't get there early....But is great for watching people. And traffic will be an issue if you are planning to do Mon-Fri, it will take as others pointed out at least a few hours to get to any beaches from Palm Springs, and could take 3 hours or more to get back in afternoon rush hours from the LA/Orange county beach areas. __________________

04-18-2012, 07:33 PM	#11
GunnyG Da WHALE Drives: 2014 Stingray, 2015 Panamera 4 Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Oceanside, Ca - Originally from KCMO Posts: 8,867 View My Garage	Oceanside, San Onofre Beach. Plenty of disabled parking right up on the water. A bit of a drive from Palms Springs though. Good luck, have a great trip. __________________ Project MantaRay...Underway

04-18-2012, 05:37 PM	#2
90503 Drives: 2011 2SS/RS LS3 Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Torrance Posts: 14,563	Huntington Beach has State Park Beaches...easy access, all nice and flat... plenty of parking, right on the beach...nice neighborhood. Enjoy! Palm Springs is probably about a good 100+ miles from any beach area..

04-18-2012, 05:42 PM	#3
Sleez Drives: 2010, 2LT, RS, 6M, ABM (#1893) SOLD Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Willits, CA Posts: 1,437 View My Garage	2nd Huntington Beach, or Venice for the people watching. count on 2 hrs plus to get to the beach from Palm Springs, beware of the time of day! haven't lived down there in the last 11 years, but i am sure the traffic isn't much better.

04-18-2012, 06:28 PM	#4
arod55 AROD55 Drives: 1955 Chevy Bel Air Hardtop Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Bonita, Ca. 91902 Posts: 1,862 View My Garage	If you are coming to San Diego there are a lot of beaches with great access, beaches like Coronado, La Jolla Shores, South Mission Beach. The only problem is that the water is not that warm for the average Californian like me. Enjoy the Left Coast.

04-18-2012, 06:30 PM	#5
midnighter Account Suspended Drives: nothing Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: a hole Posts: 17,904	Visit Venice Beach.

04-18-2012, 06:34 PM	#6
ModBargains.com Drives: Widebody 2013 Mustang GT Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: 1721 E. Lambert Rd. Unit C, La Habra, Ca 90631 Posts: 2,845	Venice if you like to people watch with calm waves. Huntington is good as well, waves are at times much larger, but most of the time they're fine. Newport beach is great as well with calm waves. Have fun on your trip!

04-18-2012, 06:41 PM	#7
Qbkeenan Drives: 2010 Black 2SS LS3 Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Long Beach California Posts: 21	Venice is definitely an eye opener, not for the faint of heart, as stated above Huntington is always a great choice

04-18-2012, 07:54 PM	#13
Sleez Drives: 2010, 2LT, RS, 6M, ABM (#1893) SOLD Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Willits, CA Posts: 1,437 View My Garage	get some Wahoos fish tacos!!

04-18-2012, 08:03 PM	#14
jmaynard Account Suspended Drives: 2012 Camaro SS2 Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Garland Tx Posts: 452	OK, I'm gonna pis off a lot of people in Ca here, but here is my advise. DONT LEAVE ANYTHING IN YOUR CAR!! The beaches are theft havens in Ca. I lost a couple grand in electronics and personal items and the local sherrif informed me that they get 20-30 calls a day for people visiting the beaches being broekn into. In my case they somehow got into my rental car without any effort. Came back to a locked car and an empty trunk. Only reason I knew at the beach is because the car alarm chirped 5 times when i opened the door. Looked in the trunk and everything was gone. Never seen it since. Personaly I am not very found of Ca. beaches now.