Every year, we rank our favorite and most scenic California half marathons. This year, we rated San Diego Beach & Bay, the OC Half Marathon, Santa Rosa Half Marathon, and the Surf City Marathon amongst our favorites.
California Half Marathons in October
Browse all California Half Marathons in 2026 and 2027 by month and by City below. For each race, you’ll find the history of the half marathon and the course, the most recent year’s course maps, elevation profiles, runner reviews, pricing, and how to sign up.
We dedicate hours every month searching for races to include in the California Half Marathons calendar. If you happen to see any half marathon not included, contact us at info@halfmarathons.net to submit your race.
Filter California Half Marathons
Race Size
Difficulty
Scenery
Type
Perfect For
Distances
Filter California Half Marathons
Race Size
Difficulty
Scenery
Type
Perfect For
Distances
Featured Race
November 8, 2026
1,000-10,000 runners
Coronado, California
- 5k, Half Marathon, Road
Featured Race
May 9, 2026
1,000-10,000 runners
Santa Ynez, California
- Half Marathon, Road
October 3, 2026
100-500 runners
Littleton, California
- 10K, 5k, Half Marathon, Road
October 3, 2026
1,000-10,000 runners
San Diego, California
- 5k, Half Marathon, Road
October 4, 2026
1,000-10,000 runners
San Jose, California
- 10K, Half Marathon, Road
October 4, 2026
100-500 runners
Modesto, California
- 5k, Half Marathon, Road
October 4, 2026
100-500 runners
Napa, California
- Half Marathon, Road
October 4, 2026
100-500 runners
Bakersfield, California
- 5k, Half Marathon, Trail
October 4, 2026
1-100 runners
Redding, California
- 10K, Half Marathon, Trail
October 10, 2026
1-100 runners
Auburn, California
- Half Marathon, Trail
October 11, 2026
1-100 runners
Susanville, California
- 10K, Half Marathon, Marathon, Trail
October 11, 2026
100-500 runners
Weott, California
- 5k, Half Marathon, Road
October 11, 2026
100-500 runners
Long Beach, California
- Half Marathon, Marathon, Road
October 17, 2026
100-500 runners
Agua Dulce, California
- 10K, 5k, Half Marathon, Trail
October 17, 2026
1-100 runners
Walnut Creek, California
- 10K, 5k, Half Marathon, Trail
October 17, 2026
1-100 runners
Coloma, California
- 10K, 5k, Half Marathon, Trail
October 17, 2026
1-100 runners
Cool, California
- 10K, 5k, Half Marathon, Trail
October 17, 2026
1-100 runners
Lone Pine, California
- 10K, Half Marathon, Trail
October 17, 2026
100-500 runners
San Diego, California
- Half Marathon, Marathon, Trail
October 18, 2026
1,000-10,000 runners
Santa Clarita, California
- 10K, 5k, Half Marathon, Road
October 18, 2026
100-500 runners
South Lake Tahoe, California
- Half Marathon, Marathon, Road
October 18, 2026
100-500 runners
Pasadena, California
- 10K, 5k, Half Marathon, Trail
Running in California
FAQ
What are the most popular California half marathons?
The three most popular California half marathons are the Rock ‘n’ Roll San Diego Half Marathon with over 10,000 runners, the Napa to Sonoma Wine Country Half Marathon with over 6,800 runners, and the Monterey Bay Half Marathon with over 6,300 runners.
What’s the best half marathons in California for beginners in 2026?
There’s a ton of competition for the best California half marathons for beginners. But, we most frequently recommend the OC Marathon & Half Marathon, the Napa Valley Half Marathon, the Rock ‘n’ Roll San Diego Half Marathon and the Surf City Half Marathon as well produced races with beautiful courses and big crowds. If you’re willing to travel, here’s our full list of best half marathons for beginners.
Which California cities have half marathons?
You can run California half-marathon events in Agua Dulce, Alameda, Angel Island State Park, Arcata, Auburn, Avalon, Bakersfield, Bass Lake, Berkeley, Big Bear Lake, Brentwood, Brisbane, Camarillo, Carlsbad, Castro Valley, Clayton, Cloverdale, Coloma, Coronado, Costa Mesa, Death Valley, Del Mar, El Dorado Hills, El Sobrante, Escondido, Eureka, Felton, Folsom, Fontana, Fort Bragg, Fountain Valley, Fremont, Fresno, Gilroy, Half Moon Bay, Huntington Beach, Inglewood, Irvine, Joshua Tree, La Jolla, Laguna Hills, Lone Pine, Long Beach, Malibu, Mendocino, Mill Valley, Modesto, Monterey, Morgan Hill, Napa, Nipton, Oakland, Oxnard, Pacifica, Pasadena, Paso Robles, Perris, Petaluma, Pinole, Placerville, Pollock Pines, Redding, Riverside, Roseville, Sacramento, Salinas, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, San Leandro, San Mateo, San Ramon, Santa Barbara, Santa Clarita, Santa Cruz, Santa Monica, Santa Rosa, Santa Venetia, Santa Ynez, Saratoga, Simi Valley, South Lake Tahoe, Stinson Beach, Susanville, Sutter, Tahoe City, Truckee, Vallejo, Ventura, Ventura County, Walnut Creek, Weott, Windsor, & Woodside.
What are the best California half marathons?
