From the majestic redwoods and rocky shores in the north to the palm trees and wide, sandy beaches in the south, the California coast, is an area of unsurpassed beauty and diversity. This thoroughly revised and expanded 7th edition of the "California Coastal Access Guide" is an essential travel handbook for both new and seasoned visitors exploring California's majestic 1,271-mile shoreline. With up-to-date maps and information, it is an invaluable travel guide for all coastal visitors--beachgoers, hikers, campers, swimmers, divers, surfers, anglers, and boaters--detailing where to go, how to get there, and what facilities and environment to expect.
The 7th edition features:
--Information on more than 1,150 public access areas
--Descriptions of campgrounds, trails, recreation areas, and visitor centers
--Addresses, directions, and phone numbers
--Information on wheelchair-accessible trails and facilities
--Easy-to-read charts listing facilities and amenities
--More than 170 color maps showing roads, trails and topography
--More than 360 color photographs

Stretching from Malibu to the Mexican border, Southern California's coast is justifiably famous, yet, as this essential guide reveals, it offers more to see and do than even its greatest fans may realize. Easy-to-use, up-to-date, and comprehensive, "Beaches and Parks in Southern California "is the perfect companion for all visitors--sightseers, hikers, swimmers, surfers, campers, birders, boaters, and anglers--who want to explore this magnificent shoreline. In addition to well-known beaches of soft, golden sand, it describes rocky shores and tide pools, hidden pocket beaches, historic lighthouses, the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, and much more.
* More than 450 site listings include beaches, public access ways, parks, campgrounds, nature preserves, world-class aquariums, and museums
* 304 color photographs and 52 color maps show recreational sites, hiking and biking trails, topography, and other features of the region and state
* Easy-to-use charts list key facilities and features, open hours, food and beverage services, wheelchair accessibility, rules about dogs, and other practical information

Many of California's most alluring attractions are found along the coast from San Francisco Bay to Monterey Bay: Alcatraz Island, San Francisco's waterfront, Golden Gate National Recreation Area, Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, Monterey Bay Aquarium, and Point Lobos. This easy-to-use, up-to-date, comprehensive guidebook is the essential companion for visitors - sightseers, hikers, swimmers, surfers, campers, birders, boaters, and anglers - who want to explore California's fabulous shoreline. The book describes some 350 shoreline destinations, including every known publicly accessible beach along the coast of Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Cruz, and Monterey Counties. It also lists wildlife reserves, marinas, and public parks, and includes descriptions of plants and animals, places where dogs are welcome, nature centers, aquariums, and much more. The guide features: 53 color maps that show topography, roads, trails, bicycle routes, and other features; 299 color illustrations; sidebars on shipwrecks, railroads, aviation, and other aspects of California history; descriptions of geologic formations, wildflowers, tidepools, and beaches; information on recreational outfitters, whale-watching trips, surf shops; and, more.