Southern California is beautiful all year round, with magnificent beaches, Spanish colonial architecture, and great entertainment venues. But in major cities like Los Angeles and San Diego, you can also see great art and talented local artists if you know where to look.

Below are 6 of the most highly-rated galleries in Southern California.

1. Towns Burr Gallery: Nestled in the heart of Burbank, this gallery has been active since 2008. Bruce and Connie Towns Burr both share a gift and a passion for art--particularly for photography and watercolor painting--and developed this space to support local artists and enrich the culture of the Burbank community. The Burrs host a warm and inviting gallery, supporting such artists as Linda Ternoir and David Friend in the vicinity of Magnolia Park.

2. Wyland Galleries Seaport Village: San Diego is known for its impressive array of marine life, which shows in the artwork on display at the local Wyland Gallery. Located in the shopping center of Seaport Village, this gallery features several dozen paintings and sculptures of aquatic creatures. These lifelike and evocative pieces attract thousands of tourists each year, all held up to the standards of beauty set by gallery owner and marine life artist Wyland.

3. La Luz de Jesus Gallery: Art lovers with more alternative or underground tastes can find something that interest them at La Luz de Jesus Gallery on Hollywood Boulevard. Since 1986, art collector Billy Shire has been bringing countercultural artists here to put their passions on display, with paintings and sculptures that range from post-pop folk art to works with explicit religious and sexual themes. La Luz de Jesus has a reputation for establishing local artists like Manuel Ocampo and Robert Williams. New exhibitions open every Friday.

4. Shorelines Gallery: The finest local arts and crafts of San Diego can be found in this gallery in Coronado Village. Over 80 artists from across the United States have contributed to the collection of ceramics, bronze and metalwork, glasswork, and fine jewelry. Tourists interested in browsing its fine selection can find it just a few blocks away from the Hotel del Coronado.

5. LA Louver Gallery: Since 1975, LA Louver has been exhibiting the works of several talented creators, both Los Angeles locals and international artists. Just half a block away from Venice Beach, the gallery provides 8,000 square feet of museum-quality space for both emerging and established artists, including Joel Shapiro and Guillermo Kuitca.

6. The Hive: This 2005 establishment is a combination of an art gallery and studio, featuring monthly art shows and a quiet environment where local artists can come to hone their craft. The art you see on display here tends to be "neo-pop" illustration work, all of which is available for a low commission price. With 14 open spaces for artists to be displayed each month, the Hive is quickly becoming a cornerstone of the emerging art market in the Los Angeles Area.

Image by Lorena Cupcake on Flickr