This Calif. Beach Made ‘Best Beaches In World’ List

LONG BEACH, CA – In a list of the 14 best beaches in the world – yes, world – compiled by TIME, Long Beach is the only Golden State beach to make the list. The calm water is now more suitable for recreational swimmers and children, according to the magazine, and also allows for water sports like kayaking and kite surfing.

There are plenty of walking and biking paths along the beach, and if you didn't bring a bike there are plenty of rental options. Shoreline Village has a variety of dining and shopping that overlook the Rainbow Harbor, with both upscale restaurants like Queensview Steakhouse, or classic snacks like hot dogs at Tugboat Pete’s, TIME reported.

There's an arcade and carousel at Pelican Pier Pavilion, and just across from Shoreline Village is the Aquarium of the Pacific, the largest aquarium in Southern California – it has over 50 exhibits and 11,000 sea creatures including sharks, penguins, and sea otters, according to the magazine.

The average flight to Long Beach is $301, the average hotel night is $178, and the cost of a week stay in Long Beach for two people is $2,508, according to TIME.

Some of the other beautiful beaches that made the list include: Pompano Beach, Florida; Asbury Park, New Jersey; Sag Harbor, New York; Bali, Indonesia; Mallorca, Spain; and Crete, Greece.

Do you have a favorite beach that didn't make the list? Let us know in the comments.

To read the complete list, visit TIME's list.

TIME's Methodology:

To find the beach destinations that deliver the best value, MONEY considered more than 3,500 data points for more than 250 of the most popular beach destinations worldwide. For both U.S. and international beach cities, we ranked the seven that scored highest on overall cost factors, giving the most weight to the price of airfare, lodging, and food, as well as the biggest year-over-year price drops. We also considered the number of beaches each city offered, as well as tourist activities and experience factors like low crime rates and pleasant weather.

Image via Patch staffer Renee Schiavone