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Anaheim, being the home of Disneyland and Disney California Adventure, is a top destination for families visiting California every year. If you are visiting these theme parks and want to take your family to the beach too, then we have some suggested beaches for you.

The Los Angeles area, including Orange County, has many fine beaches that are family-friendly. This list includes beaches with excellent tide pools, endless sand to play in, and others have sites to see like fishing piers, shops, and fun beachside restaurants.

Long Beach, Newport Beach and Huntington Beach are the closest cities on the ocean near Anaheim. Each of these cities is about a half-hour drive depending on traffic. All the beaches on Santa Monica Bay and on the shores of Laguna Beach and Dana Point aren’t much farther. The main beaches in these areas have standard facilities and watchful lifeguards. Several beaches even have rentals shops that offer surfboards, boogie boards, bikes, skates, chairs, and umbrellas.

If you want to explore tidepools with the kiddos, head to Abalone Cove or Little Corona Del Mar.

Beaches with piers and gorgeous urban views include Balboa Pier Beach, Huntington City Beach, Hermosa Beach, Redondo Beach, and Manhattan Beach (this one has a small aquarium too). If a beach has a pier, it usually has several restaurant options nearby which is nice if you plan to spend the day at the beach.

For playing safely in the water consider Alamitos Beach and Mothers Beach in Long Beach. Always check water quality at beaches on California especially those on bays and estuaries before going swimming. Lifeguards should be helpful with this information if they are on staff when you get there. In general, after rainy periods or after long hot dry spells the water can have too much bacteria for swimming.

Below is a list of our suggested beaches near Anaheim that are the best for families. They are ordered by the approximate driving time from Anaheim.