Marine Park
Long Beach, CA
Marine Park is a calm, sheltered swimming beach on Alamitos Bay that locals often call Mother's Beach, not to be confused with the beach of the same nickname in Marina del Rey. Play equipment sits on the sand, and the adjacent Jack Dunster Marine Biological Reserve protects a small tidal marsh worth a short walk.
A genuinely calm, safe swim spot for young kids with a bit of real nature next door at the marine reserve.
How we score beachesAsk for it as "Mother's Beach" if you're asking a Long Beach local for directions, that's the name most people actually use.
Metered parking is available near the beach.
Dogs are not allowed on the beach or in the swimming area at Mother's Beach (Marine Park), per posted park rules and the city's beach ordinance.
Sheltered bay water warms up earlier in the season than the open ocean.
More Pacific Coast beaches

Zuma Beach
Malibu, CA · Pacific Coast
A wide stretch of sand backed by the Santa Monica Mountains, with reliable swells that draw surfers year-round and plenty of room to spread out even on busy weekends.

Huntington City Beach
Huntington Beach, CA · Pacific Coast
Known as Surf City USA, with a mile-long municipal pier, consistent breaks for surfers of every level, and a laid-back boardwalk scene along Pacific Coast Highway.

Main Beach
Laguna Beach, CA · Pacific Coast
Tucked between rocky headlands, with tidepools to explore at low tide, calmer coves for swimming, and an arts-town backdrop of galleries and cafes just steps from the sand.
