The most surreal beaches in California.

This is a guide to some of California's oddest and most quirky beaches, which have purple sand, a cove characterised by multicoloured glass stones, and Hollywood stars.

Rockaway Beach, Pacifica

Rockaway Beach viewed from the coastal bike path

Even if the "chocolate sand" at Rockaway Beach isn't edible, the beach's description can sound incredibly Willy Wonka-esque. Due to the combining of limestone erosion and volcanic greenstone, the sand's brown colour gives this stretch of Pacifica shoreline a gorgeously eerie appearance.

Pismo Beach, Oceano

Pismo Beach pier on a sunny day

Visitors can enjoy Pismo Beach's towering sand dunes and scenic shoreline by riding a horse or riding an ATV across them. Additionally, vehicles are permitted to set up camp in their RVs directly on the sand and spend the night with a view.

Victoria Beach, Laguna Beach

The Pirate Tower at Victoria Beach

The Pirate Tower is without a doubt Victoria Beach's best feature. The tower, which rises 60 feet and has a spiral staircase in the form of a mediaeval stairway, was constructed in 1926 to provide the man who lived above the beach access to the sea from his clifftop home. The tower got its name because one of the tower owners used to disguise himself as a pirate and bury candy and coins for the neighbourhood kids amid the rocks. Oh, and Bette Midler formerly owned it as well.

Pfeiffer Beach, Big Sur

Pfeiffer Beach is one of the more secluded beaches in Big Sur

Pfeiffer Beach initially has an almost alien appearance, but it is definitely one of the most beautiful beaches you have ever seen. The nearby slopes' erosion produced manganese deposits on the beach, which gave the sand at Pfeiffer its metallic, purple sheen. And a breathtaking vista.

Glass Beach, Fort Bragg

Sea-smoothed, multicoloured glass pebbles at Fort Bragg

One of the most well-known dump sites in California used to be at Fort Bragg's Glass Beach. The beach has been reclaimed by nature decades after this practise was banned, and the sea has smoothed out the glass that was dropped on the shore, resulting in a vibrant, fantastical tiny piece of coastline.

Bowling Ball Beach, Mendocino

The bowling balls at Schooner Gulch Beach

Another of California's most bizarre natural sights, the "Bowling Balls" on the Pacific coast near Mendocino are a part of the poetically titled Schooner Gulch Beach. The mudstone that covered them started to dissolve, exposing compressed balls of much harder rock beneath, which is how the spherical, bowling ball-shaped rocks (nicely arranged along the shore) came to be. When the boulders are shrouded in mist and backed by a pink sky at sunrise, the sight is particularly eerie and fascinating.

Black Sand Beach, San Francisco

The Black Sand Beach is also a popular spot for surfing

The south-facing Black Sand Beach in San Francisco might seem like an odd place for nudists to sunbathe on black sand, but give it a try. Despite not being formally recognised as a nudist beach, many residents believe that Black Sand is a clothing-optional area. Considering the spectacular sea vistas, the urge to reconnect with nature is understandable. Although reaching there requires a trek up and down the cliffs, the black sand of this beach contrasts sharply with the Golden Gate Bridge.

Pexel photo