On our recent Disneyland trip we decided to take a day off from the parks and have a beach day. It was honestly one of our best vacation decisions in a long time. We had no idea when we planned our trip we’d be there during such a crazy heat wave and escaping the Anaheim heat for a beach breeze was heaven. We had debated which beach to go to for awhile. I grew up in Orange County so I’m familiar with a lot of beaches down there. We finally decided to visit Seal Beach and I’m so glad because I was reminded why I love this beach town so much.

the history of Seal Beach

Seal Beach was first known as Bay City. However, there was already a Bay City located in Northern California. The town was named Seal Beach on October 25, 1915 after the seals that used to frequent the shoreline. Seal Beach has the second longest wooden pier in the state of California. It was originally built in the early 1900s but was rebuilt in the 1980s after a storm destroyed a portion of it. Although seals are rarely seen anymore, we saw one out in the water during our recent visit!

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Seal Beach is a quiet little beach town these days, especially compared to its popular neighbors to the north and south, Long Beach and Huntington Beach. However, back in the day Seal Beach was the place to be. In the early 1900s the town could boast of a roller coaster, bath houses, gambling ships, entertainment pavilions, and more! Today it’s the perfect place to go if you want a peaceful beach day with the family. The water there even earns an A+ rating from beachreportcard.org.

why you should visit Seal Beach

Seal Beach is far less crowded than many of the other beaches in the area. This means there’s ample parking and plenty of room to spread out on the sand. Just because it’s less crowded doesn’t mean it’s less safe though. There are lots of lifeguard towers across the short expanse of sand and they were fully manned even though we were there on a school day.

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If you are planning a visit to Seal Beach with kids you’ll be pleased at the amenities. Seal Beach has bathrooms, beach showers, and even a little playground area on the southside of the pier. We even noticed a beach gear rental box, similar to a vending machine but for essentials for a fun beach day!

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The location can’t be beat. Seal Beach is easily accessible to 405 Freeway and PCH (Pacific Coast Highway) runs right through town. Due to the small size of the beach community, it’s easy to walk to any shops or restaurants you want to visit. We paid for a full day of parking (only $10) and then walked down Main Street to one of our favorite Mexican restaurants in the area!

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The ocean at seal beach is perfect if you have beginner surfers in your group. It’s usually a little warmer than some of the other beaches in the area. The water also breaks close to shore so your little groms can easily ride the whitewater in on their boards. It’s a great spot for boogie boarding and body boarding too!

Have you ever been to Seal Beach, California?

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