Marathons in California

California is home to 16 marathons in our database in United States, spread across cities including Big Sur, Calistoga, Carlsbad, and Huntington Beach, and more. Los Angeles Marathon is the largest race in the lineup, typically drawing around 23,000 finishers, while the full spread offers everything from fast urban courses to scenic regional events. Browse the races below for course maps, elevation profiles, typical weather, and practical race-day detail to help you choose your next start line. Plan by month on our marathon calendar or filter by country and region.

Big Sur, California, United States🇺🇸

Big Sur International Marathon

The Big Sur International Marathon is widely regarded as America's most beautiful marathon, drawing about 4,500 runners each April on a point-to-point along California's Highway 1. The course passes the iconic Bixby Bridge at mile 13, McWay Falls viewpoints, and the rugged Big Sur coastline. It is not a personal-best course — the hills and cliffside scenery are the reward.

Next race: Sunday, 25 April 2027

Carlsbad, California, United States🇺🇸

Carlsbad Marathon

The Carlsbad Marathon draws approximately 1,800 finishers each January on a scenic coastal road in Carlsbad, United States. Ocean scenery and winter timing make it a popular California destination marathon. The route passes lagoon edges, Pacific viewpoints, and inland neighborhoods before returning to the coast. Lagoon edges, Pacific viewpoints, and inland neighborhoods climb before returning to the coast on this popular California destination marathon each January.

Next race: Sunday, 3 January 2027

Newport Beach, California, United States🇺🇸

HOAG OC Marathon

The HOAG OC Marathon draws approximately 2,800 finishers each May along Orange County's Pacific coastline from Newport Beach to Costa Mesa. The course passes the Balboa Peninsula, Corona del Mar cliffs, and the Pacific Coast Highway with ocean views throughout. May's mild Southern California spring and flat coastal roads make it one of the West Coast's most scenic destination marathons.

Next race: Sunday, 2 May 2027

Long Beach, California, United States🇺🇸

Long Beach Marathon

The Long Beach Marathon draws about 4,000 finishers each October along the Southern California coast in Los Angeles County. The course passes the Queen Mary, the Shoreline Village marina, and the Long Beach waterfront on flat coastal terrain. October mild Pacific weather and a flat beachfront profile make it a popular autumn California marathon.

Next race: Sunday, 4 October 2026

Los Angeles, California, United States🇺🇸

Los Angeles Marathon

The Los Angeles Marathon is one of the world's largest marathons, drawing approximately 23k finishers on an urban road in Los Angeles, United States. The course starts at Dodger Stadium and finishes at the Avenue of the Stars in Century City. Net downhill overall, though with rolling sections through Hollywood.

Next race: Sunday, 21 March 2027

Ventura, California, United States🇺🇸

Mountains 2 Beach Marathon

The Mountains 2 Beach Marathon draws approximately 1,750 finishers each April on a point-to-point road in Ventura, United States. Southern California's premier spring Boston qualifier — a distinct April event from the winter Ventura Marathon, with a spectator-friendly Ojai loop and roughly 700 feet of net descent. The April point-to-point route loops East Ojai at the start, passes Meiners Oaks countryside, the Ventura River basin, the paved Ventura River bike path, downtown Ventura, and a final mile along the Pacific. It is a separate spring race from the February Ventura Marathon (https://www.marathonfocus.com/marathons/united-states/ventura-marathon), which uses a shorter Ojai start and the Ojai–Ventura bike path without the opening loop. The route is net downhill overall.

Next race: Sunday, 4 April 2027

Calistoga, California, United States🇺🇸

Napa Valley Marathon

The Napa Valley Marathon draws approximately 2,500 finishers each March on a point-to-point road in Calistoga, United States. It is one of the most famous wine-country marathons in the world and stays intentionally low-key despite strong demand. The course passes vineyards, winery estates, and quiet Silverado Trail miles backed by low hills. Vineyards, winery estates, and quiet Silverado Trail miles backed by low hills make March's point-to-point race one of the world's most famous wine-country marathons.

Next race: Sunday, 7 March 2027

Oakland, California, United States🇺🇸

Oakland Marathon

The Oakland Marathon draws approximately 1,700 finishers each March on an urban road in Oakland, United States. Its course showcases Oakland's different districts more fully than most Bay Area races do. The route passes Lake Merritt, Jack London Square, and eclectic East Bay neighborhoods with bay-side views. Lake Merritt, Jack London Square, and eclectic East Bay neighborhoods roll with bay-side views across a course that showcases Oakland's districts.

Next race: Sunday, 7 March 2027

Redlands, California, United States🇺🇸

REVEL Big Bear Marathon

The REVEL Big Bear Marathon draws approximately 1,837 finishers each November on a point-to-point road in Redlands, United States. Runners chase PRs and Boston qualifiers on one of Southern California's premier net-downhill marathon courses. The 2023 edition drew 1,837 marathon finishers; the race was cancelled in 2024 and 2025. The course drops through mountain highways and foothill roads with pine forests and Inland Empire views on the descent. The route is net downhill overall.

Next race: Sunday, 1 November 2026

San Jose, California, United States🇺🇸

Rock n Roll San Jose Marathon

The Rock 'n' Roll San Jose Marathon attracts approximately 2,200 finishers each October through the capital of Silicon Valley. The course passes the SAP Center, Santana Row, and the Guadalupe River park with views of the Santa Cruz Mountains. October's mild Bay Area autumn and flat South Bay terrain make it Northern California's largest marathon.

Next race: Saturday, 24 October 2026

Sacramento, California, United States🇺🇸

Sacramento Marathon

The Sacramento Marathon — universally known as the California International Marathon (CIM) — draws approximately 4,000 finishers each December on a fast point-to-point road from Folsom to downtown Sacramento. The net-downhill course drops roughly 103 metres through the Sierra Nevada foothills before finishing on Capitol Mall in front of the California State Capitol. Cool early-December weather and a USATF-certified profile make it one of the most reliable Boston-qualifier races in the western United States.

Next race: Sunday, 6 December 2026

San Diego, California, United States🇺🇸

San Diego Marathon

The San Diego Marathon draws approximately 4,800 finishers on a scenic coastal road in San Diego, United States. The course starts and finishes in Balboa Park. Mostly flat with gentle rises inland from the coast.

Next race: Sunday, 6 June 2027

San Francisco, California, United States🇺🇸

San Francisco Marathon

The San Francisco Marathon draws approximately 5,000 finishers on an urban road in San Francisco, United States. The course starts and finishes along the Embarcadero. The route crosses the Golden Gate Bridge, passes the Presidio, Golden Gate Park, and the Haight. Hilly throughout, with the steepest climbs in the Presidio and through Golden Gate Park.

Next race: Saturday, 25 July 2026

Santa Rosa, California, United States🇺🇸

Santa Rosa Marathon

The Santa Rosa Marathon draws approximately 1,600 finishers each August on a wine-country road in Santa Rosa, United States. Its summer date works because the race begins early before Sonoma County heat builds. The route passes vineyard-lined roads, rural bike paths, and shaded stretches along Santa Rosa Creek. Vineyard-lined roads, rural bike paths, and shaded stretches along Santa Rosa Creek make August's early-start Sonoma County race workable before summer heat builds.

Next race: Sunday, 2 August 2026

Huntington Beach, California, United States🇺🇸

Surf City Marathon

The Surf City Marathon draws approximately 3,500 finishers each February along the Pacific coast of Huntington Beach, California — 'Surf City USA.' The out-and-back course follows Pacific Coast Highway with ocean views, the Huntington Beach Pier, and the Bolsa Chica wetlands. February's mild Southern California winter and dead-flat pavement make it a popular early-year destination race.

Next race: Sunday, 7 February 2027

Ventura, California, United States🇺🇸

Ventura Marathon

The Ventura Marathon draws approximately 1,500 finishers each February on a point-to-point coastal road in Ventura, United States. It targets winter Boston qualifying as a separate February event from Mountains 2 Beach, with a faster-feeling ~900-foot descent and no opening Ojai loop. The February course drops about 900 feet from Ojai through citrus groves and the Ojai–Ventura bike path to a downtown festival finish. It is a different winter race from the April Mountains 2 Beach Marathon (https://www.marathonfocus.com/marathons/united-states/mountains-2-beach-marathon), which adds a six-mile East Ojai loop and typically sells out months earlier. The route is net downhill overall.

Next race: Sunday, 7 February 2027

Nearby Marathons

Other races closest to California.

Las Vegas, Nevada, United States🇺🇸· 432 km away

Las Vegas Marathon

The Las Vegas Marathon draws approximately 4,800 finishers on an urban road in Las Vegas, United States. The course starts on the Strip and finishes at the Festival Grounds. The route runs the length of Las Vegas Boulevard past the major casinos. Mostly flat along the desert floor.

Next race: Sunday, 8 November 2026

Las Vegas, Nevada, United States🇺🇸· 432 km away

REVEL Mt. Charleston Marathon

The REVEL Mt. Charleston Marathon draws approximately 1,707 finishers each April on a point-to-point road in Las Vegas, United States. It is one of the fastest Boston-qualifier courses in the West thanks to a sustained net descent of roughly 5,000 feet. The net-downhill course drops from Mt. Charleston through mountain roads with sweeping views before descending toward the Las Vegas basin. The route is net downhill overall.

Next race: Sunday, 4 April 2027

St. George, Utah, United States🇺🇸· 589 km away

St. George Marathon

The St. George Marathon is one of America's fastest marathons, drawing about 5,000 finishers each October on a net-downhill point-to-point from Pine Valley to St. George, Utah. The course drops through striking red-rock desert scenery in southwestern Utah with cool October desert mornings. It is a premier Boston qualifier and destination race for speed-focused runners.

Next race: Saturday, 3 October 2026

Phoenix, Arizona, United States🇺🇸· 750 km away

Phoenix Marathon

The Phoenix Marathon draws approximately 2,372 finishers each December on a desert urban road in Phoenix, United States. Organizers of the Mesa Marathon launched this December sibling race, which exceeded 2,300 marathon finishers in its first edition. The course runs from South Mountain through the Salt River trail corridor, downtown past the Arizona State Capitol and ASU Downtown, Hance Park, and midtown streets. South Mountain descents, Salt River trails, and downtown streets past the Arizona Capitol carry December's desert marathon through Phoenix on a largely flat route.

Next race: Sunday, 6 December 2026

Phoenix, Arizona, United States🇺🇸· 750 km away

Rock n Roll Arizona Marathon

The Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Marathon draws approximately 3,500 finishers each January through the Phoenix-Scottsdale metropolitan area. The course passes Camelback Mountain views, Scottsdale's resort corridors, and Tempe Town Lake on flat desert-city roads with live music stages. January's perfect Arizona desert weather makes it one of the Rock 'n' Roll series' most popular winter events.

Next race: Saturday, 16 January 2027