2 Bay Area beaches made USA Today’s best beaches in California

When you think of a classic beach excursion in California the mind turns toward SoCal, land of endless sun and Saharan amounts of golden sand.

But there are a few gems to enjoy on the Central Coast and in the Bay Area, according to USA Today’s “Coastal gems of California: 10 best beaches that have it all.”

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A panel of travel experts chose their favorite beaches and the paper’s readership voted on the winners. Santa Cruz’s boardwalk beach with all carnie amusements ranked for being an “urban beach at its finest,” while Pismo Beach made the list for its “panoramic coastal vistas, wide sandy shores and laid-back California charm.”

And closer to home? That’d be the beach at Crissy Field, where visitors can kite-surf and watch sea lions frolic in the Bay. “As a favorite destination for outdoor enthusiasts and nature lovers alike, it’s known as one of the best beaches in the area,” asserts the paper.