How to visit the best beaches in Southern California
Where to find all the best beach spots along the Southern Californian coastline for swimming, surfing and snacking!
There are so many beaches along Orange County’s coastline, and each has something unique to offer! Below I’ve laid out some tips on where to visit, where to park and the best parts about each spot.
Laguna beach
This is probably my favourite stretch of beach in Orange County. It’s not one beach, it’s more like a series of coves, so if you find a quiet one it can feel more like a private beach! Make sure to visit the small artsy town at the north end and try to find the pirate tower.
The Best Spots
There are few places in Laguna Beach that can’t be missed.
The first is the iconic pirate tower. It can be hard to find as a lot of the beach access pathways are private and lots of roads lead to nowhere. There is a secret pathway which leads straight to the tower, but the easier way is to get off the trolley at Treasure Island Park and walk along the sand. You’ll have to hop over some rocks and watch for the tide, but it’s a lot easier to find your way out than in if your path gets cut off. Because it’s hard to find, and away from the main beach, this can also be a nice spot to sit in the summer without it being too busy.
Just a little walk away from the town along some pretty trails, you can reach Heisler Park. This is a lovely park with sculptures, plants and ocean views. Definitely a must see addition to your day in Laguna.
At certain times of the year, you can also go and visit the Sawdust Art Festival. They hold summer and winter festivals with art from local artists, food, classes and live music. Keep up to date with the Sawdust Festival here.
It would take a long time to visit each and every cove, but my favourites are Thousand Steps Beach (which when I counted only had about 230 steps!) and Woods Cove as they both have the amazing Laguna Beach bays and are quieter than Main Beach.
Where to eat
There are plenty of options in the city by main beach, and cafes stretch pretty far down. If you find yourself at the far end, Penguin Cafe is great place to start the day with some pancakes. Ruby’s Diner is an iconic American diner experience, decorated inside like it’s the 1950s and serves burgers and milkshakes. There’s no shortage of fish tacos and ice-cream to be found in the city, so my best advice is to explore!
Where to park
Parking can be hard to find and expensive with hourly meters. BUT, the city puts on a free trolley year round which can take you from Laguna all the way to Dana Point. You can check timetables on their website here. All you have to do is find a free parking spot. Luckily, I have found some great options.
Option number one is street parking along the 1. If you’re early enough, you should be able to find some, but it’s a busy road and there’s limited sidewalks.
As part of the trolley scheme, the city has made lot 16 free to park at weekends. It’s a little way out of town, but the trolley will pick you right up and take you anywhere you want along the coast.
The third option, and my favourite, is parking at the Mission Hospital. This is only free at the weekend, but almost no-one knows about it so the parking lot is almost always empty. It’s also right opposite one of the best beach spots: Thousand Steps Beach.
Make sure to keep up to date on the trolley schedule here.
You can visit Laguna Beach over and over again and the sights will never grow old. However, if you do feel the need to explore another beach, continue reading for my recommendations!
Crystal cove
Crystal Cove is a State Park and State Beach, so it’s more wild than Laguna. There’s no real town attached, but that doesn’t mean there’s nothing to see, far from it!
What to see
There’s no better way to start the day than with a hike through the park. Crystal Cove is almost split into two halves. On the southern half, there are longer hiking trails which start by the Moro Campground and the routes crisscross across the State park. The parks service has a good map you can check to pick out one that’s suitable for you as the trails vary in difficulty. There’s no shade, but you do get the sea breeze. If you’re there in the mornings, you might also get sea mist crawling up Moro Canyon.
On the other side, there’s shorter trails, but these are more maintained and more accessible. Also on this side is the historic district where you could stay in one of the iconic beach cottages, or grab a bite to eat as you watch the sunset.
Where to eat
Once you’re done with hiking and sunbathing for the day, head down to the historic district for some food. You can visit the Beachcomber cafe which is right on the sand and does food and cocktails.
If that seems a little out of your price range or you’re not feeling a full meal, there’s also the Shake Shack right up the stairs opposite. They have so many different flavours of shakes, plus fries and burgers if you’re hungry. You can sit right on the edge of the cliff here and watch the sunset.
Where to park
There are several options for parking depending on your plans. Lower Moro parking has more space and is right next to the start of the bigger hiking trails. There’s a tunnel under the highway to get to the beach and it’s decorated by local schools. You can also use Reef Point for this area.
On the other side for beach and the historic district, Los Trancos or Pelican Point is your best bet. I like Los Trancos because it’s bigger than the other lots, and it’s only a quick 2 minute walk to get to the beach and historic district via a tunnel.
Both options are operated by the State Parks service, so there’s a $20 fee to park on weekends. However, once you’ve parked in one, you can move your car between them if you choose to. Find out more and keep up to date on parking here.
BUT I highly recommend getting a California Library Card. Why is this relevant right now? With a card, you can check out a State Parks Pass for two weeks which lets you park for free in over 200 State Parks across California, including Crystal Cove! Check out my guide here.
California Library State Parks Pass
In an effort to make the outdoors more accessible for all, the California Library brought out State Park passes for anyone to use. I’ve both used them, and I worked in a library, so I can tell you all about them and how to use them!
Newport Beach and Harbor
Newport Beach is a real hub of Southern California beaches. It gets busy, but there’s so much going on!
What to see
This is the place to go if you want boat adventures. Several companies run whale watching tours; I’ve used Davey’s Locker and while I never saw whales, I did see hundred of dolphins!
I’m not a huge fan of the beach here. It’s very crowded and the sand has been packed so tight by people it barely feels like a beach. There also isn’t much of a view. If you’re wanting a relaxing beach day, I would suggest one of the others on this page or Corona Del Mar just across the bay. However, I have been to Newport Beach multiple times to enjoy the restaurants, whale watching tours and to take the boat to Catalina Island.
Where to Park
Parking in Newport Beach is a nightmare and the traffic will delay you. Unless you arrive very early, the parking lot will be full and your best bet is to head out to the residential area in Balboa Peninsula and take the twenty minute walk back up to the beach.
Huntington Beach
Huntington Beach is huge with tons of parking. There’s not a lot to see, but there’s a lot of space, fire pits are available to use, and it’s a popular area for surfing. It’s great if you have a group and want to barbecue while watching the sun go down.
This is also a State Beach, so you can use the California Library State Parks Pass here too to park for free.
San Clemente
San Clemente may actually be in San Diego County, but I include in my list because it’s too good to miss!
Where to park
This is special one. For San Clemente, I actually reccommend getting the train! Depending on where you start from, there will probably be a train that will take you straight from Riverside, San Bernadino, or Orange county and deposit you literally on the beach. I’m not kidding! You can watch the sea go past from the train, and then once you’re off you can either cross the tracks and be on the sand, or head into town.
You can check the metro link website for schedules and prices and buy at the station. A weekend pass is just $10 and the trains are clean and I’ve never struggled to get a seat. They even have space for bikes and surfboards, but double check as you have to pre-book these spaces.
Best Spots
There are so many options to choose from in San Clemente. Right next to the station are a few ice-cream shops, but if you are willing to make the walk up to the town, then there’s lots to see. Tons of little cafes and restaurants, antique stores, surf shops, boutiques, and more.
Back by the sea, there’s also the pier where you can see people fishing and surfing. The beach can get busy in the summer, but there’s plenty of beach to walk down to find a spot.
Dana Point
Dana point has a lovely harbor and is a nice area to walk around.
Doheny State Park is an excellent place for beginner surfers as the waves are easy and everyone here is a beginner, so no-one minds too much if you get in the way! Remember to bring your California Library State Parks Pass here to park for free.
Strands Beach parking, as well as parking, has great views and is the beginning of a great trail across the bluff and down to the sand.
You can also catch a whale watching tour from here too with parking around the harbor.
I hope this can make your adventures through California easier when you’re looking for the best beaches around. Any beach in Orange County is bound to have beautiful waves and soft sand, but these are my favourites, and places I have been back to over and over again.
If you have any other hidden gems, feel free to leave a comment to help others discover their new favourite spot!