Seal Beach is such a charming little beach town! We lucked out and stumbled upon a little market during our visit, which made the day even more fun. We grabbed banana pudding from Jar'd Up, and wow... it was absolutely delicious. Definitely one of the highlights of the trip! The beach itself is quaint, clean, and has such a relaxed, small-town feel that's a nice change of pace from some of the busier Southern California beaches. We also walked the pier, and I was surprised by how long it is - definitely one of the longest piers I've walked on! The views were beautiful the entire way. If you're looking for a laid-back beach day with cute local businesses and a welcoming atmosphere, Seal Beach is absolutely worth the visit! read more

Seal Beach - Beaches Near Me - Seal Beach, California

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One of the better and cleaner beaches I've been to, with a great pier and lots of shops and restaurants in the area. Although it had been a long time since I'd been here. There is a playground on one side of the pier. This beach also has restrooms which are well maintained and fairly clean, right by the pier. The parking lot is pretty small, but we did manage to find a spot right away today. There is also other smaller lots in the area as well as street parking. read more

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tbh I came across this beach when I took a wrong turn one time off PCH and what a lovely area and main street town. It's "away" from it all where you get the bigger beach vibe but not all of the hectic traffic and energy of some of the larger cities nearby. read more

This is likely the least crowded beach in Southern California - At least among the easy access beaches. This is especially true if you come to the north end of the beach, near first Street. I've come here a few times on weekends and it's consistently nice. Not too many people, easy parking, nice sense, and interesting views of wind surfers. Because it's less crowded, you have a lot of space between you other beach goers. The parking lot near this part of the beach is a bit small, and there is only one restaurant on the beach. There are many other eateries if you go out the pier area, just a bit further south. So if you like nice and quiet beach with not so many people, this (north end of Seal Beach) would be my recommendation! read more

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Seal Beach, Orange County is a beautiful area to visit, not only for the beach, but the shops along main street. I believe it covers around five or so blocks and is filled with restaurants, bars, eateries, ice cream shops, clothing stores, jewelry stores, etc. It has charm and seems to be in a very peaceful neighborhood. A friend and I took a stroll along Main Street last week, and it was very "cool." We stopped in at a lot of the stores, and we ate at the Hangout. Some of the places that I remembered were O'Malley's.., Hennessey's Grill, 320 Main, and the Abbey. They had a Cold Stone Creamery right on the ocean. I bought her a coat at Shara, and then we got dessert at Sweet Jill's Bakery. They also have a nice pier that extends out to see the beach. This is a very charming area with lots to do as well as hit the surf and sand. Enjoy! read more

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Been here a couple of times. The first time with a large group of kids on a nature trip. The second, with the family. The beach is fairly clean, no huge crowds, a small lot for parking but found space with no problem. We received a tour, a presentation on marine life and had a history lesson an out the surrounding area. The staff was really cool and helpful. read more

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Easy to find parking! Less crowds and fewer people. Nice spot to set up an umbrella and relax. read more

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One of the most underrated beaches in OC. Great beach, great vibes, lots of shops, decent restrooms, always parking, and it's clean water. 10/10 - Would recommend. :) read more

Seal Beach - Last Sunday of summer for the kids. - Beaches Near Me - Seal Beach, California

Seal Beach has that old school, coastal charm that never gets old. Main Street is the heart of it, classic shops, ice cream spots, some pubs and small-town vibes without the chaos of Huntington Beach's Main Street. It feels like what beach towns used to be before they got overhyped. Parking? Small lot and limited street parking, but honestly, that's part of the magic. Keeps the beach from getting too crowded, especially on weekends. You won't find party buses or massive beach setups here just families, locals, and a quieter crowd that actually came to enjoy the ocean. The pier is the highlight. Long walk, killer views, and if you know where to look crabs hanging between the posts where the water breaks below. It's one of those simple things that never stops being fun, no matter your age. The beach itself is clean and mellow, great for a relaxed beach day or just catching a sunset. You'll sometimes catch locals playing volleyball or kids boogie boarding when the waves cooperate. Growing up in my head it was always one side was for surfing and other had no surfers allowed after a certain time. Tip: grab a bite on Main Street before or after plenty of solid food options, and it's never too loud or overcrowded. Seal Beach might not make the "top beaches in SoCal" lists but that's exactly why we love it read more

This beach is less crowded than a lot of beaches I've been to. It's located at the end of Main Street in Old Town. There's parking on either side of the pier. There are restrooms and a small playground. For food you can take a short walk to Main Street. They also have lifeguards. Get here early for a good parking space. If you want a fire pit you will have to go to Bolsa Chica or Huntington. If you hate crowds this is a nice place. read more

The beach is nice, has a private parking lot.. but it's worth noting that you need to pay at the meter (register your license plate) for how many hours you want to be there. It's an easy to miss pay sign unless you researched it beforehand. I came when it was very windy so there was a lot of people with kites or were wind surfing! The sand is coarse due to pieces of shells. The walk from the cars to the sea however is also super long!! So much sand. Lol! It was quite tough so if you struggle walking a lot on sand (have ADA guests), keep that in mind! Especially if you are hauling items. The parking lot also reeked of toilet remains smell but that's because the bathrooms are right next to the lot Back to the sand, there are also sharp bits of shell in the sand, so with that experience and the paid parking, I'd have to give a 4 stars. A beach trip is always worth the visit in the summer though! I liked the amount of lifeguards stationed and actively watching, the cleanliness of the sand (no trash scattered), & the proximity of the bathrooms. read more

Seal Beach - View from the parking lot entrance - Beaches Near Me - Seal Beach, California

We love Seal Beach. Plenty of parking, and there is a place to rinse off afterward. It's family friendly beach. Love the view and it's nice and clean. I really like this place. My kids loved it!! read more

No seal spotting, sadly, but a lovely stroll on a Thursday night. Free parking at the beach lot, just south of the big peer. Some surfers, a few toddlers with parents, and a handful of teens smoking weed in their cars so it did smell like weed for part of the visit, but mostly like sea air. read more

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2nd time spending a long weekend in Seal Beach. Great walkabout community but not that dog friendly. Can't walk on the beach or the pier with your pet. Just a few restaurants with small patios that allow pets. We had to drive to Huntington Beach to walk the shoreline. Otherwise it's a great friendly community for a weekend visit. Lots of good expensive restaurants on Main Street. You will enjoy. read more

Clean, family friendly beach that I've enjoyed spending time at. I've gone swimming here and even run barefoot along the water. Since there's no breakwall like in Long Beach, there's more mixing and the water feels cleaner and I've also seen people boogey boarding here. There's a playground for toddlers near the pier as well. Definitely a hidden gem as far as SoCal beaches and cities go -- check it out, right past the LA County border into OC! read more

My dad always brought me here when I was young. Now that I am a parent, I also do the same thing with my girls. 4/15/23 beach day with the family. A tad bit windy and on the cooler side but the girls had fun with the sand and playground. read more

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Less crowded on a Tuesday afternoon and most shops were opened. I didn't want to pay for the parking nearby the beach so I parked my car in Seal Beach Center to get my massage at Yongping's Massage & Spa and then walked towards Main Street, stopped by red car museum and the Seal Beach Municipal Pier. The old town neighborhood was quiet and it was so nice to sense the breeze of ocean. read more

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Needed a great place to watch the sunset as a tourist and this was perfect. Can be a little crowded but overall clean and relaxing.

What's there to say but have a great day walking around, getting ice cream, buying gifts, sunbathing on the beach (water is warm right now), and enjoying the views from the pier. Amazing choice for an amazing day. read more

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Had to walk down Main Street and go window shopping before walking down the long stretch of pier. It's definitely one of the longest piers I've walked on. There were quite a few people walking on the pier, even though there are no shops or restaurants on it. What you do get is a great view of the water and ships on both sides, along with the occasional person fishing off the pier. It's a pretty nice beach to enjoy the day with the family. There's even a small playground, and the restrooms are well maintained. There is free two hour street parking down Main Street. It's Orange County, so 50% of the people walking around aren't wearing masks (during covid). read more

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The most anti-tourist beach in California aside from Malibu. It's an upper middle class neighborhood that acts like they live in Beverly Hills. Barely any parking for visitors and only a small, McDonald's size parking lot for the beach itself. You can tell that the residents here hate fisherman and people coming down for a beach day and do everything they can to keep anyone but locals from enjoying their precious city. Despite their efforts, the pier is still heavily overfished. If you're deciding on a beach to visit, don't pick seal beach. read more

This sunset at seal beach was breathtaking. So was the smell of the porta-potties outside the parking lot. read more

Seal Beach - Beaches Near Me - Seal Beach, California

My friend, who's lives out in LA, took me here. For starters, parking was no big deal to find. It's paid parking, but still accessible. The area is great for the boardwalk, but also boasts some cool little shops, cafes and restaurants. It's definitely a spot you can spend several hours at. We loved seeing the sunset from the end of the boardwalk. read more

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Great place with great views. The pier was a good walk and the beach was fun and well cared for. Cannot recommend this place enough. read more

Seal Beach - Beach - Beaches Near Me - Seal Beach, California

I'm from out of town, but I walked down to the beach one evening after work and I wasn't that impressed with this beach. There is a very steep slope next to the water, it was very crowded and hard to enjoy any peace, and the water seemed too dirty to swim in for my liking. I was close to the pier on the right side (facing water). Maybe I didn't walk far enough away from the pier to get a good spot. If I could find a quiet area, I would definitely sit here and read but I don't think I would swim. read more

Beware of the $64.00 parking tickets, they have an event and after 2 hours you get a ticket. We had friends come out for sidewalk sale. We spent a lot of money, we ate, drank, shopped, a d ate and drank some more. How can they throw an event and only allow you 2 hours to enjoy it? They have a car show coming up, if you plan on going, park by the pier. read more

Really nice view. Beautiful sunset. The photos are gonna be super aesthetic during sunset around 6:00 pm read more

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I always enjoy coming here to shop and pick out a restaurant. It is fun walking around and looking in the store windows. Tonight I had a burger at O'Malley's. Fries were crispy and delicious. read more

One of the best places to fly kites! We parked here on a Saturday afternoon around 5 pm at the lot off of 1st and Ocean- there's pay parking but also street parking just outside the lot if you can find it. You'll find kite boarders here; so beware of them bringing their equipment back in as they head back to their car. Restrooms are available but they were locked at 7:30 pm as we were leaving. Didn't go down to the water as we were busy with our kites, but I'd definitely come back to fly kites again. read more

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What's not to love? Clean beach. Everyone is friendly. Small community. I usually come here to get my feet wet. Free parking on the street. Good shopping on Main st. read more

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I wanted to see the coast while in the area and saw decent reviews on this beach so therefore I came here. There are a couple parking lots but according to the signs the charge is by license plate and I was driving a rental so I wasn't certain how that was going to work so I ended up pulling back out and parking along the street. During the daytime hours street parking is free for an hour so I set my alarm and headed for the beach. The area along the road is very nice. Clean and very aesthetically pleasing with flowers and palm trees however that does not extend down to the water unfortunately. The sand and water is filthy. I have honestly never seen anything like it and I've traveled a lot. There was all kinds of trash and grime washing up onto the sand. There was a tractor driving around with a grate attempting to scrape up the rubbish but he really had his work cut out for him. I also saw a couple girls wearing gloves and carrying trash bags trying to clean up some of the trash as well. There were a few nice shells and starfish that had washed up so I was able to make my sons dreams come true and I took him a few shells back home. There were several surfers out in the water waiting to catch the next big wave. There was a place to rent gear but I'm not certain how exactly that worked. They also had restrooms and a place to rinse the sand off of your feet before going back to your vehicle. I was glad I came but was sorely disappointed in the conditions of the beach itself. Before coming back here I'd probably check out a few other beaches up or down the coast. read more

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Came here to catch the sunset, and I have no complaints! The beach was clean and parking was easy. Bring a towel, your favorite drink, and some music and it's the perfect way to end the day. The sunset was absolutely gorgeous! We parked in a lot that took payment through the Passport Parking app.. v convenient! read more

Seal Beach - Beaches Near Me - Seal Beach, California

Love Seal! My peaceful place to be .. Small but beautiful town.... Miss you seal beach.. read more

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Seal Beach is a great family low key beach between Long Beach and Huntington Beach. Lots of barbcue, Surfing and volleyball fun happens here. Love taking dates and family gatherings here at Seal. Beach is always kept clean by the city volunteers. Great restaurants and coffee shops. Ice cream shops and much more. I will continue to keep coming to Seal Beach. read more

Seal Beach - Enjoying the beach with my love. - Beaches Near Me - Seal Beach, California

Yep 100 Challenge 2017 - # 31/100 One of favorite beaches in SoCal. Clean white sand, not too crowded, restrooms were clean when I visited then. I must say I don't get to visit Seal beach often nowadays. I miss those times of driving against traffic on my days off to laze on the warm sand getting my tan and driving back before the throng of office workers inundate the freeways. Summer is still a few months away. read more

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Seal Beach is one of the best beaches around. It's usually not very crowded because the main parking lot isn't that big and parking in the neighborhood is only for 1 hour. There's a great little Main Street too with cute shops and some restaurants. read more

Seal Beach - Beaches Near Me - Seal Beach, California

What a great place to get away from the big crowds like Santa Monica beach. We went on a Saturday morning and even then it started to get crowded but nothing compared to other beaches along the coast. The old town has its cute Main Street where all the cool shops, liquor store, restaurants, and bars are located. read more

Seal Beach - Summer time fun - Beaches Near Me - Seal Beach, California

It's a great beach for just a beach day..its a good spot that's not that crowded so it's my favorite beach. read more

Seal Beach - Beaches Near Me - Seal Beach, California

One of my favorite beaches in California. Well maintained pier to view the Seal Beach landscape, the Pacific Ocean and all that Mother Nature has to offer. Not dirty and well kept up! The main drag of shops is just across street for food and drink and shopping! For a relaxed time on a not so crowded or overused (or overhyped) pier, come to Seal Beach. From the pier you'll be able to see surfers doing their thing. Just off the pier, the shops and eateries of Seal Beach await you in the midst of a hometown feel rather than the usual bustling, mile a second ambiance of LA and Orange County. read more

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There aren't a lot of seals anymore at Seal Beach but don't let that detract you from the beauty of this serene location. There are a lot of people that go fishing on the dock and the sand and waves are a nice setting for a peaceful day near the ocean. There used to be a restaurant right at the end of the dock but after learning some history from my fabulous tour guide Kelley U. it unfortunately burned down but have no fear, there will be a new shop opening in its 'stead soon! We hung out here for a while on the pier taking in the surf and sand. Usually the skies are clear but it was really foggy which was OK with me since I think this is the first time I've been to the beach when there's a fine mist and fog around everything. Apparently it wasn't a good day for fishing but it still looked like people were having fun. The shops and restaurants around this area are very cool too so be sure to do some exploring around the area after your day at the beach! read more