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When you think of visiting one of California’s beaches, what comes to mind?
In all likelihood, you could easily circle them on a map as neighboring counties stretching from San Diego to Orange County and ending somewhere around Santa Barbara.
Truth be told, there are many underrated beach towns in the state, and what you may not know is that you can fly right in without ever stepping foot in one of the Golden State’s major cities.
Let’s cover the map and unveil one lesser-known beach town in Northern, Central, and Southern California all with their own airports – including one opening to the public for the first time in years as American Airlines will launch a new flight this winter.
Monterey: Northern California’s Coastal Paradise
It doesn’t take Al Roker to tell you the further north you go, the colder the weather becomes this time of year.
Despite the nippy weather, you can still enjoy the coast during the day, with splendid temperatures consistently in the 60s in winter.
Monterey is a relatively small city, home to just 30,000 residents. But don’t let size matter here as there’s plenty to do and see.
Perched along California’s ‘Central Coast’ of nearly 100 miles of scenic shorelines, it’s safe to say Monterey is actually NorCal as it’s less than 2 hours from San Francisco and nearly dead even with Fresno on the map.
A popular surf spot and fishing community, the beach is best experienced through decadent seafood, blissful sunset strolls, and aquatic life displayed at the famous Monterey Bay Aquarium ($65 entry), second largest in the world.
The reason is that swimming can be dicey with common shark sightings and unpredictable currents.
Good news is there are ample beach towns nearby for lounging in the sun and safer conditions, including California’s fairytale beach town of Carmel, or you can enjoy a whale watching tour 4 hours out to sea as low as $75.
Getting to Monterey is easy with nonstop flights from major airports across the nation, including popular hubs such as Seattle, Dallas, Las Vegas, Denver, and Phoenix.
San Luis Obispo: Arguably California’s Best Kept Secret
If you’ve ever taken a road trip through California, you may have passed through what’s known as ‘SLO’.
The town itself is brimming with surprises as one of California’s most charming towns with welcoming locals, historic Missions, and underrated wineries that will have you forgetting all about your Napa plans.
The wine scene may seem like more of a spring through fall escape, but winter is still a great time to visit with far less crowds at such vineyards as Biddle Ranch Vineyard or even wine bars with perfect ratings on google like Region.
But San Luis Obispo serves as a great gateway to some of California’s most underrated beach towns, at least in the Central region of the state.
Pismo Beach may be the claim to fame but Morro Bay is a surprising festive escape this winter with events like the Lighted Boat Parade December 7th and fun community tree lighting.
Moreover, nearby is one of California’s best European-esque Christmas markets in Cambria.
But where Morro Bay really shines is its natural beauty such as the otherworldly Morro Rock, a volcanic plug reminiscent of St. Lucia’s famous Pitons along with seasonal wildlife sightings like whale and monarch migrations.
No matter how you choose to experience this treasure trove of hidden gems, there’s no need to fly into another city and make the trek here.
SLO has direct flights from major hubs like Dallas, Los Angeles, Seattle, and Phoenix.
American Airlines Giving Carlsbad A Chance To Shine
It’s no secret San Diego is one of the most beautiful beach cities in the country, no matter the season, but what’s not commonly known is that the landscape of air travel in the region is about to change.
American Airlines is launching its first flight from Carlsbad (CLD) February 13th from Phoenix – and it’s a game changer!
After this pristine beach town’s multiple failures at providing a secondary airport to San Diego to the likes of which Long Beach, Burbank, and Ontario serve LA, a major player has now entered the chat.
American and Carlsbad are both hoping the new flight will be a domino effect to attract more vacationers to San Diego’s beautiful north side home to ritzy resorts and less-crowded beaches.
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This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com
Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
