California beach weekend getaways include over 500 choices in hotels, over 1000 miles of coast and weekend vacations so diverse as sunbathing and shopping or art collecting and history walks.

California beach weekend getaways- My late, great grandma (Ethel Stock), used to tell me that the world is your oyster, Debbie. How could she have known that I would gravitate to the warm Pacific Ocean from the Midwest (where nary an oyster can be found), forgoing the fast track to move to California and become a beach bum. I didn't actually become a beach bum. I worked harder in California than any other place, which leads me to the revelation about the need for California beach weekend getaways.

Many of you who own your businesses can comprehend how challenging it is to go on vacation, even for a weekend. I worked hard to create a business model that minimized on-location services because it constantly put me at the beckoning call of my best clients, especially on weekends.  I have been there and done that for over 20 years.  Any time I thought I had the contingencies handled, something still managed to invade my treasured getaway and chip at my peace of mind.

The beach weekend getaway represents the best that California offers. While weekend getaways in California can range from mountain skiing to desert exploring, a chili cook-off or wine tasting, there's a special interest and passion for the beach. Why? Weather, scenery and esthetics.  If you think beaches aren't popular, just look at the numbers. Less than one-fifth of the contiguous United States land area, beaches, account for over half the nation's population and housing supply. While you may think that living along the coast would not inspire you to take an a beach vacation, the opposite occurs. The tantalizing Pacific Ocean, beaches of Mexico and Virgin Islands all beckon Californians who love the beach and have made it a way of life.

But our incomes and high cost of living have also chipped away at the middle class worker's ability to relax and take a vacation. Trends over the past several years for travel in the USA show that over half of domestic travel is two days or less, according to TIA (Travel Industry Association). I am among those who feel very nervous leaving on 7 to 10 day trips.  What occurs during that time, however, is what Disney marketing has recognized. If you can get people to commit to at least three days on a vacation, you've gotten them into a time frame where vacationers begin to relax and enjoy themselves.

Still we get only one or two or three days max to take a California beach weekend getaway. So how can you make the most of those time increments?  To get from one end of the state to the other in such a short period is not an enjoyable experience when driving because it takes over 12 hours to get there. Fortunately there are numerous airports near the California Coast, all offering beaches within 20 minutes of landing. Such places with easy accessibility include Eureka/Arcata, San Francisco, Monterey, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, Orange County and San Diego.  With at least seven airports covering the 1,000 mile turf, even the beach dwellers can visit other beaches by flying and renting a car or in cities such as San Francisco, taking public transportation.

Weather plays a factor in weekend getaways to beaches.  Winter sees a drop in interest to the beaches, though destinations such as San Diego that recognize and capitalize on the Disney model (three days to relax), offer enough to do that it keeps their winter season strong and lively compared to most.

Our favorite beach weekend getaways in California are numerous, and take into account the distance to get from our starting point (Los Angeles) to wherever we want to go. 

If you are seeking great getaways, whether they be weekends, or any old time, this California travel guide can help you find your dream--California dreaming style.