India, May 31 -- If you're at a place in your life where you're ready to purchase a vacation home-either as an investment property or a getaway you can call your own-you have options. Even if you've narrowed down the search to the West Coast, you still have to decide if you want beach or mountains, lake or desert, big city or small town.

To help guide your search, we tapped a few real estate experts with years of experience in the matter. Below, they're sharing their picks for the best places to buy a vacation home on the West Coast. Spoiler: California destinations dominate the list.

01 of 10 Ventura County, California A coastal path lined with palm trees and greenery with a person walking in the distance near the shoreline A person o...