Jalama Beach County Park

Jalama is not on the way to anything, and that is the whole point. You earn it down about 15 miles of winding two-lane road that peels off toward the coast, and then the ocean just opens up in front of you. There are waves, tide pools to poke around in at low water, and sunsets that make the drive feel like nothing. The camp store is famous for the Jalama Burger, and yes, you should get one. Come ready for wind — this stretch of coast almost always has it, so pack a layer even on a warm day. There is a day-use fee to get in. It is remote, a little wild, and worth every mile of that road.