Just Outside Of California's Victorian Ferndale Village Is A Tucked-Away Park With Miles Of Pristine Beach

You're never too far from a beautiful beach in California, which gets a surprising amount of money from its coastal enclaves. You can visit the hotspots, such as this beach town sandwiched between Santa Monica and Long Beach. Or you can find more secluded beaches that let you truly appreciate the California coastline's vast and rugged nature. Centerville Beach County Park, tucked away in Northern California, only a 10-minute drive from Ferndale, is one such beach. With 9 miles of soft sand meeting the white-froth waves of the Pacific Ocean on one side and tree-topped sandstone cliffs on the other, it epitomizes Cali's untamable side.

Centerville Beach is part of the Lost Coast, which has managed to avoid development, unlike the more built-up beaches of Southern California. Instead of fairgrounds, piers, shops, and restaurants, here you'll find windswept hillsides, rocky peninsulas, crashing waves, rugged headlands, and secluded bay beaches like Centerville. Instead of the sound of cars on the highway, you hear the waves breaking along the shore intermingling with the mooing of dairy cows grazing on nearby farms. It's incredibly pretty to look at, but it may not be the best place for a dip, considering the powerful waves and currents that can quickly turn dangerous.

Depending on the tide, you can enjoy a lovely stroll or picnic along the sand. It's not uncommon to see people fishing from the shore or playing fetch with their dogs. It's also a great spot for seeing wildlife, with various species frequenting the area throughout the year, including harbor seals. Birdwatchers can spot pelicans, sandpipers, and cormorants most days, while tundra swans can be seen around the nearby Eel River between November and March. Between January and May, you'll want to keep your eyes on the ocean in search of migrating grey whales.

Centerville Beach's wide and long stretch of sand makes it ideal for ATVs, four-wheel drives, and horses. All are allowed on the sand without a special permit, but you'll need one if you want to fish for night smelt, a popular fish only found along the Pacific Coast. Although you can't camp on the beach, it's open to the public between 5 a.m. and midnight. People often gather here at night to sit around a bonfire and enjoy music and festivities beside the toiling ocean.

If you don't have a vehicle you can take onto the beach, you can park in a dedicated area where Centerville Road reaches the coastline. The bluffs just south of Centerville Beach are one of the best places to spot whales during their migration. You can drive or walk to these headlands along Centerville Road. Slightly further south, about a 10-minute drive from the beach, is Guthrie Creek Trailhead. This popular hiking area may be closed due to cliff erosion risks, but if it's open, it leads you to spectacular vistas up and down the Lost Coast, which is also home to California's majestic twisted giants.

Centerville Beach County Park is 5 miles from Ferndale, a quaint village with a beautifully preserved Victorian-era downtown. You practically step back in time while strolling past the 19th-century shopfronts. The Golden Gait Mercantile is a charming general store selling nostalgic sweets and trinkets, while Ferndale Repertory Theatre is the town's rich art culture hub, putting on plays and concerts. You can stay at one of the five kitschiest motels in California or make the day trip from a nearby city, such as Fortuna or Eureka (20-40 minutes' drive). Bigger cities with international airports, like Sacramento and San Francisco, are about five hours away.