You probably won't need a bikini and flip-flops for this week's beach, but for its beauty and solitude, Crescent City Beach is the beach of the week. Crescent City is located on Highway 101 in extreme northern California. It's on a lovely curve of beach that provided the town with its name, and is the only incorporated city in Del Norte County. This quiet town of about 7500 is in the heart of California's redwood country and both Redwood National Park and Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park are an easy drive. The beaches include Crescent Beach and Enderts Beach, both just south of town, and South Beach, at the Crescent City Harbor. Just 8 miles north of Crescent City is Kellogg Beach, while Hidden Beach, with the head of an 8-mile hiking trail through the redwoods, is 20 miles south of town. Only South Beach has amenities like restrooms and concessions, but if you choose Crescent Beach or Enderts Beach, you'll probably have the sand all to yourself.

Crescent City definitely has a north coast climate. With 75 inches of rain a year, you can count on green year-around, but you can't count on a sunny day: they're as beautiful as they are rare. The average daytime high in January is 53 degrees Fahrenheit, and in August just 67 degrees, so you will want a jacket, and maybe a sweater under it. You'll also want a pair of convertible pants, so you're ready if it warms up, and a pair of hikers, because you can't visit Crescent City and not visit the redwoods.

Beaches here are for strolling, searching for shells, agates, and other treasures from the sea, and watching the tide pools brimming with sea life. From the beaches, you can see historic Battery Point Lighthouse, one of the first lighthouses in California. Whale-watching is great here too and the best months are between November and February, then between March and April.

Accommodations range from moderately-priced motels to pleasant bed-and-breakfasts. There are also plenty of restaurants with fresh seafood, which is their their specialty. But amenities aside, Crescent City beaches will soothe your spirits.