Getting ready to plan your engagement session? Want to incorporate the beach in your photos? Here are top 5 California Beaches for your engagement photos in no particular order. Coming from photographers who have been there, done that.

California is world renowned for their beautiful beaches and amazing sunlight. If you head to the beach an hour before sunset, you will see just how incredible the light hits. We have been around the globe, and nothing compares to California sunsets.

Note: There are a few California beaches that do require photo permits to photograph at. (Like El Matador State Beach in Malibu for example.) If you do want to go this route, be sure you reach out to a trusted photographer and do your due diligence so you won’t get written up or even kicked off the beach during your session. We have heard countless horror stories of photographers, or even the couple, getting fined for not having the proper photo permits.

Butterfly Beach in Santa Barbara

The City of Santa Barbara has so much to offer. Santa Barbara is world renowned for their beautiful Spanish architecture as well as their broad white sandy beaches. It’s no wonder so many people travel from all over the world to soak in all the beauty that Santa Barbara has to offer. A couple of beaches come to mind when we think of Santa Barbara Beach locations. The first is Butterfly Beach, which is nicely nestled across The Four Seasons Resort, The Biltmore (It’s set to reopen in the Summer of 2024!) Butterfly Beach has stairs you have to use to get to, and the parking situation is a little weird. There is no parking structure nearby, so you must park on the side of the street. However, if you plan to incorporate your beloved dog(s) in your photos, Butterfly Beach is dog friendly as long as they are leashed.

East Beach in Santa Barbara

Another one of our favorite beaches in Santa Barbara is East Beach, which is situated right across Chase Palm Park. There are so many palm trees that surround East Beach. They have their own dedicated parking (paid of course) but you also have very easy access to the beach. Dogs are not allowed at East Beach. Have a look at the photographs below and see what you think!

La Jolla in San Diego

There’s a reason we included La Jolla (pronounced la HOY-a) among California’s Top 5 Favorite Beaches for engagement photos. What’s not to love about La Jolla? La Jolla is the jewel of San Diego and is considered to be one of the top beach destinations in the world. Depending on what exact area you’re in, dogs are allowed on leashes after 6pm. More specifically at Scripps Beach in La Jolla. But keep in mind, this also depends on the season. See all the beauty we captured for our V&S couple, Lexy and Anthony at UCSD’s Ellen Browning Scripps Memorial Pier in La Jolla.

Montana de Oro

Montaña de Oro State Beach (Montaña de Oro is Spanish for mountains of gold) is located 15 minutes from Morro Bay, California in San Luis Obispo County. Known for it’s beautiful coastal cliffs, tide pools, lush landscaping and wildlife. The beach itself is easily accessible if you park at the foot of the cliffs. There is also parking up above near the campground, but note that you will need to take the stairs down to the beach. Montaña de Oro is dog friendly as long as the dog is on a leash.

Cambria Moonstone Beach

And last but not least, we have Cambria Moonstone Beach. Cambria is a quaint and cozy little beach town, full of charming character. There are so many things we love about Cambria, perhaps its the artistic ambiance, or the vintage antique shops sprinkled throughout the town. We have so many amazing memories in Cambria with our families, which is probably why it’s so special to us. Cambria is all around a great place to relax and unplug. (There is hardly any reception here in Cambria, but disconnecting is part of the fun.) Cambria itself is very dog friendly, but Moonstone Beach isn’t. Thankfully, Shamel Park is located right in front of the beach which is dog friendly should you want to incorporate your beloved for legged friend. If you need any restaurant recommendations, definitely let us know. We have an extensive list specifically in Cambria that we frequent often.

So there you have it. Our Top 5 California Beaches for your Engagement Photos.

Ready to schedule your photos or have questions about beaches in general? Contact us here and let’s see how we can make your photo shoot dream a reality.