Singers and scribes have waxed poetic for decades about the best beaches in California—here, find our favorites.

Venice Beach’s Ocean Front Walk is the second most-visited destination in Southern California ... “needles,” tranquil ...

some of California's most famous beaches, including Venice and Santa Monica; and world-class art institutions, such as the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the state-of-the-art Getty Center.

But up and down the coast, many beach cities, like San Clemente in Orange County, are facing a growing problem: their sand is disappearing. Many federal workers in California are suspicious of the ...