Meeks Bay
Meeks Bay, CA
Meeks Bay is a long crescent of sand on Lake Tahoe's West Shore with two public sections: the Forest Service's Meeks Bay Beach and the Meeks Bay Resort beach, run by the Washoe Tribe. The shallows here are unusually wide for Tahoe, so the water warms faster than most West Shore beaches. A campground sits right behind the sand.
Wide, shallow, and sandy, the best family beach on the West Shore, but July weekends get crowded.
How we score beachesThe Meeks Bay trailhead into Desolation Wilderness is across the highway. Do a morning hike and cool off at the beach after.
Parking at the Forest Service day-use area and at the resort; check posted fees for each.
A short, flat walk from parking to wide sand.
Late July and August bring the warmest water on the West Shore here thanks to the shallow bay. The campground and resort close for the season in fall.
This isn't one entrance, it's a stretch with a few. Here's where locals actually meet up.
Meeks Bay Beach (National Forest)
The Forest Service day-use beach next to the campground, with restrooms and picnic tables.
Get directions →Meeks Bay Resort Beach
The resort beach managed by the Washoe Tribe, with views across the lake toward Heavenly and Cave Rock.
Get directions →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.