These 8 California Beaches Are Even More Beautiful At Sunrise

California is one of the most beautiful places to wake up. Every morning, when the sun rises and fills the sky with pink, orange and purple hues, our landscapes could not get any more gorgeous – especially out by the coastline. Throw in some palm trees, curious seagulls, ocean waves & surfers and the scene becomes even more lovely. These are just eight of the many beaches that are worth getting up early for to watch the sunrise.

1. Huntington Beach

Huntington City Beach is a place for peace, quiet and golden sunrises in the A.M. You can wander out on the pier, or just lay back in the sand and watch the sun peeking through the palm trees. At the end of the pier, Ruby’s Diner opens at 7, serving omelettes and hot cakes just in time for breakfast.

2. Ventura Beach

Like most Southern California beaches, Ventura Beach has sand, waves and an old wooden pier that stretches out over the sea. It’s a heavenly place to go for a brisk morning walk and take in views of Pierpont Bay and the Channel Islands.

3. Malibu

Why just show you a pic of a Malibu sunrise when you can watch this short clip to experience the beauty in motion? Malibu is well known as a slice of California paradise, and that’s certainly no exception after the break of dawn. Want to see Malibu’s hidden beaches?

4. Oceanside City Beach

Both North and South Beach surrounding the Oceanside Pier are lovely in the morning. We recommend grabbing a spot on the north side (pictured above), spreading out a blanket on the sand and enjoying the warm hues over a breakfast picnic.

5. Avila Beach

Wide and sandy, Avila Beach stretches along San Luis Bay on the Central Coast. The wooden Avila Pier juts out into the water from the center of the beach, and makes for great photo ops all day – but especially combined with the brilliant colors at sunrise.

6. Laguna Beach

Laguna Beach greets every morning with a vibrant sunrise in Orange County. You can lay on the sand, stroll along the beach or take a walk down the boardwalk for picture perfect views. Take some time to search for the hidden Laguna tower.

7. Half Moon Bay

Half Moon Bay State Beach is four miles of pure sandy beauty on the waterfront of the town of Half Moon Bay. It actually consists of five different stretches – Elmar, Roosevelt, Dunes, Venice and Francis Beaches – with each one as dreamy as the last, especially in the morning when the sky becomes splashed with pink and purple sunrise colors.

8. Marshall Beach

Marshall Beach will give you more solitude than the famous Baker Beach, and at low tide, the sunrise views from here aren’t too shabby either. The shoreline runs between North Baker Beach and the Golden Gate Bridge, hidden just beneath steep rocky cliffs. Just note that the farther you venture north from Baker Beach, the more naked people you will find. If you are ok with that, check out this California nude beaches map.

You can’t really go wrong with an early visit to any beach in California. So tell us, where are some of your favorite places to see the sunrise?