Heal the Bay Report: Best and Worst SoCal Beaches
Headed to the beach this weekend? You may want to reconsider which beach you’re headed to. Not all beaches are the same. Some are more family-friendly and cleaner than others. Heal the Bay just released its 34th Annual Beach Report Card and here’s how some of your favorite SoCal beaches stacked up.
Looking for fun family activities this summer? Sign up for our newsletter and get it all delivered to your inbox, or check out our events calendar.
Heal the Bay Beach Report Card
The 2023-2024 Heal the Bay Beach Report Card was just released and water quality took a dip thanks to the rain.
First the good news: Nearly 90 percent of the California beaches assessed by Heal the Bay received an A or B grade during summer 2023. The winter months is when things take a turn. Just 66 percent of the 501 monitored beaches scored perfect water quality grades year-round, well below the average. You can thank all that rainfall for the lower scores. As Heal the Bay explains, heavy rainfall flushes bacteria and other pollutants through storm drains into the ocean and caused numerous sewage spills this winter, which dramatically impacted water quality.
The Best SoCal Beaches According to Heal the Bay
Several South Bay beaches made top grades all year round, including Redondo State Beach and Hermosa City Beach. Nearby Dockweiler Beach and Venice Beach also performed well year round.
Among the other top beaches are several popular Orange County Beaches, like Dana Point, Huntington City Beach, and Newport Harbor, as well as some San Diego beaches like Point Loma Lighthouse and Encinitas.
The Worst Los Angeles Beaches
While there are many options when it comes to clean, family-friendly beaches, according to the beach report card two of the most popular beaches in L.A. County are among the top ten most polluted beaches in California. Both Mother’s Beach in Marina del Rey and the beach at the Santa Monica Pier continue to show up as repeat offenders on the list. These beaches both have some of the highest levels of harmful bacteria in the ocean compared to the rest.
Joining them among the worst grades this year was Cabrillo Beach, which was closed during the winter due to a massive sewage spill.
You can check out the full beach report card here. Conditions are constantly changing so it’s always a good idea to get updated pollution reports on local beaches here.
You can also help keep our SoCal beaches clean by volunteering with Heal the Bay. Their monthly Nothin’ But Sand clean-up events are a great way that the whole family can get involved. Learn more about how to sign up here: healthebay.org/events/category/heal-the-bay/nothin-but-sand/
Stay in the know by signing up for our newsletter, joining our Facebook group, and following us on Instagram.
RELATED STORIES:
Guide To Southern California Zoos & Aquariums
The Best Botanical Gardens In Southern California
Summer Evenings Just Got Better South Coast Botanic Garden’s Sunset Series Returns
