Sunset Beach art program for kids has them painting the town. They actually paint banners that appear on the light poles along the main drag, Pacific Street north and south. There are some fun banners with lots of sand, surfing and santas to bring festivity the the quaint community of over 1,000 folks living on a mile-long stretch of sand bordered by an old-fashioned water tank house. No joke. It was a water tower but now it's a house. 

As the shacks get old, they come down and the buildings become more luxurious, larger and really nice. There's hardly a place with better views of the ocean...right on the sand. Wow. Have a sandy holiday in Sunset Beach, California, named for its gorgeous sunsets.

Just in case you'd like to spend the night, try Ramada or EconoLodge. They aren't exactly 5 Diamond Hotels (sorry about that) but they are affordable and they also are a few of the hotels you'll find on the ocean side of Pacific Coast Highway between Newport Beach and Sunset, nearly a 12 mile stretch of prime property.  (Huntington Beach beaches next door to Sunset don't have any hotels right on the beach.)

Hotel Reviews
Econo Lodge 
Ramada Ocean