Please help w/ beach suggestions....

[DisneyNic]

Our next Disney trip isn't until Sept 2009, but I am a little OCD when it comes to trip planning so I am already trying to get atleast ideas nailed down. We will be staying in Anaheim for 7 days, going to Disney for 6, and Universal for 1. On the day we go to Universal, we would like to stop off at a beach on the way back to Anaheim (yes, I know there aren't really beaches on the way, but we will make a little detour.) None of us are big swimmers so we are not going to swim, but my kids have never seen the ocean and I would like to take them to see it even for just an hour or so. I am looking for a relatively nice beach, doesn't have to have anything real exciting, just easy access and somewhere to put our toes in the sand and possibly the water. We have been talking a little about going to Santa Monica Pier but I still don't know. So, if anyone has been there, done that, or just has some suggestions, I would greatly appreciate it. And sorry this was so long.

 

[NatalieMT]

Santa Monica Pier is so much fun, it's absolutely gorgeous! Great beach, really clean, not too crowded. Some entertainment/shops on the Pier itself and some really nice restaurants nearby. Easy to get to aswell and a large car park very close by.

Here's some photos for you that I took when I was last there (August 07) -

At night overlooking the sea.

Looking down from the ferris wheel.

And again!

 

[Disneylvrforever]

Santa Monica is a really nice place to hang out & have fun. Lots of rides and games and such.
Venice is also cool bc of all the shopping, street performers, and the muscle men. lol.

 

[Easy2Putt]

To be honest I say skip SM Pier and get more local, and I thnk better "beach" vibe by heading just south of SM and check out Manhattan Beach and/or Hermosa Beach (just south of Manhattan). I'd say many of our SoCal friends would have to agree on this one.

I'm not a fan of Venice..just way too many unsavory types there nowadays..and the whole street vendor..or shall I say hippies/panhandlers looking to make a buck by selling their wares is getting old..and unclean..sorry just imho.

 

[Tigger girl]

You might want to look into Huntington Beach. It is a very nice beach with a pier and small mainstreet with cute surf shops, ice cream shops and restaurants. It is a very nice family beach.

 

[khmbug]

From Universal I would take the 101 to Sunset BLVD and head West. It is a long and windy drive but Sunset dumps off into Pacific Palisades a beautiful beach. Along the way, you can visit Beverly Hills, UCLA, see Santa Monica and then head back to Anaheim in the evening by taking Highway 10 to the 5 to wherever you staying If you leave LA in the evening after 8pm it will take about 45 minutes to an hour to get to Anaheim. If you leave LA earlier then it will take three time as long because you will hit LA traffic.
Also Huntington Beach is fun and close to Anaheim