If you didn’t know it was there, you might just drive right on by it. But for those who make the 0.5-mile walk (or bike ride) to the wooden stairway leading to Cowell Ranch State Beach, the reward is sinking your toes into one of the best beaches in Northern California.

Often overlooked, Dillon Beach in Marin can be magical in fall when the mist lifts to reveal a 1-mile swath of wide and sandy terrain backed by dunes and dotted with picnic tables.

Whiskeytown National Recreation Area is surrounded by miles of trails for hiking and mountain biking, beaches for lounging, and waterfalls. It’s also home to some of the best mellow paddling in the state.

Wind-sculpted sand dunes, serrated golden cliffs, and artwork as irreverent as Banksy’s all feature into this easygoing 1.5-mile scenic beach stroll at San Francisco's Fort Funston.

Just west of the Golden Gate Bridge in Marin is one of the Bay's most-accessible secluded beaches. Kirby Cove is accessed by hiking or biking a 1-mile fire road down to the beach, where the reward is an all-time classic Golden Gate view.

A lot of places in Point Reyes National Seashore don’t allow dogs, but Limantour Beach has split the difference, offering ample dog-friendly space that’s bluffing beautiful.