Southern California is often criticized for its high cost of living, but as the saying goes, “You get what you pay for.”

It’s especially true when you look across the region’s stunning coastline.

A team of LA Times reporters spent months visiting the 50 best beaches from Santa Barbara down to San Diego, uncovering some of the most scenic and enjoyable spots you’ll want to hit this summer.

Brittany Levine Beckman, a features editor at the LA Times, shared insights on some of the top beaches worth visiting and joined us on “LA Times Today.”

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Watch "LA Times Today" at 7 and 10 p.m. Monday through Friday on Spectrum News 1 and the Spectrum News app.