For a really beautiful beach camping experience, check out the campgrounds at Manresa State Beach near Santa Cruz. The campsites are perched on a bluff overlooking the ocean, and a short trail leads down to a lovely little beach where I once spent several hours watching a pod of dolphins hunt fish through the water. The campgrounds have restrooms and showers and are easily accessible, combining the best aspects of car camping with, on the beach, the isolation of packing it in. Well worth a trip.