Travel»21 Best Beaches

21 Best Beaches

Get ready to dig your toes in the sand: From white strands to secret coves, we've found the ultimate spots by the shore, plus fabulous lodging so you can stay as long as you like.|By Joe Yogerst

Van Damme Beach, Mendocino Coast, California

Photo: DeeDee DeGelia & Brent Winebrenner & DeGelia/moodboard/Corbis

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Van Damme Beach

Mendocino Coast, California

Three hours north of bustling San Francisco is the lush and serene Van Damme State Park. Follow towering redwoods down to the quiet gray-sand shoreline to explore sea caves by kayak, dive for abalone, poke through tide pools, or commune with sea lions.

Hotel Recommendation: Stay at the Little River Inn. Read our review.