Seal Beach, California

Address:Seal Beach, California

Known more for its superb sculpting sand than for its occasional seal, Seal Beach on the Southern California Coast is refreshingly quaint. Every fall at the Seal Beach Sandcastle Festival more than 50,000 visitors pile onto Orange County's Seal Beach to watch amateurs and experts transform the wide, flat shoreline into a three- dimensional fantasyland. Unlike its flashy, seashore neighbors to the north and south, the scene at Seal Beach is quiet, family-friendly, and straightforward. Once billed as "A Beach Without an Undertow," Seal Beach is a comfortable swim. Long-boarders, windsurfers, and kitesurfers choose Seal Beach for its layed back atmosphere and respectable waves. Fisherman tell their buddies tales of favorite fishing spots on Seal Beach Pier, the second-longest in the state. For those looking for a calm, coastal haven to hang their towel, Seal Beach is a solid choice.

Located at the mouth of Alamitos Bay, Seal Beach is an entry point for boats and yachts who wish to pass from Huntington Harbor into the open Pacific. If you are ready to ride the waves without the protection of a hull, Seal Beach offers a range of surfing options. Windsurfers and kitesurfers generally launch from the area near the River's End Café and surfers tend to gravitate toward the north side of the Seal Beach Pier for a range of stormier waves. For the highest waves, expert surfers head to the south side of the Seal Beach Pier in winter. But bring your wetsuit as the wintry winds can be cruel. To enjoy Seal Beach Pier without getting wet, many folks favor fishing. Anglers usually reel in halibut, herring, grunion, queenfish or croakers, and as always, the bigger the bait, the bigger the catch.

Out on the sea, swimmers enjoy the oversight of lifeguards on duty, and slightly less hubbub than some of the other Orange County beaches. And should you work up an appetite swimming against the (generally) gentle current, Seal Beach offers snack bars near the shore and casual restaurants on the pier and Main Street. Metered parking is available along Main Street as well as neighboring side streets, a short walk from the shore. As with any Southern California beach, parking is less of a problem for the early rising beach bums.

When it comes to Seal Beach, the shore's low-key atmosphere, pleasant swimming, and solid surfing and fishing, are what seal the proverbial deal.