Ranking California state parks: What’s best for your preferences?
There are so many great parks in California it can be daunting to narrow your adventure. Do you want a place exploding with desert wildflowers? A beach with mysterious tidal pools, a hike where your dog can happily pad around?
The California State Parks Foundation is here to help with its recent report, “Best of California State Parks 2025.” The nonprofit surveyed its membership and followers to learn which state parks do certain things best, whether that be hiking, birdwatching, entertaining children and more.
Two of the winners are inside the Bay — three if you count Monterey — one in Sonoma and the other by Mount Tam in Marin. Here’s the Top 10, and for explanations and runners-up check out the full report.
The California State Parks Foundation’s Best Parks of 2025
1 Morro Bay State Park, San Luis Obispo County (camping)
2 Mount Tamalpais State Park, Marin County (hiking)
3 Point Lobos State Natural Reserve, Monterey County (spectacular views)
Point Lobos State Natural Reserve on Tuesday, July 2, 2019. (Vern Fisher – Monterey Herald)
4 Salton Sea State Recreation Area (birdwatching)
5 Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, SoCal (wildflowers)
6 Natural Bridges State Beach, Santa Cruz County (kid-friendliness)
7 Torrey Pines State Beach, San Diego County (picnicking)
8 Crystal Cove State Park, Orange County (beach fun)
9 Santa Cruz Mission State Historic Park, Santa Cruz County (learning about history)
10 Sonoma Coast State Park, Sonoma County (dog-friendliness)
Ranking California state parks: What’s best for your preferences? News There are so many great parks in California it can be daunting to narrow your adventure. Do you want a place exploding with desert wildflowers? A beach with mysterious tidal pools, a hike where your dog can happily pad around? The California State Parks Foundation is here to help with…
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