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Top 10 Beaches in Orange County, California

Orange County sits between Los Angeles and San Diego in the massive state of California. In my opinion, Orange County has, without a doubt, the most picturesque beaches in the state, and some might argue, the world. Orange County consists of 34 different cities, but only six of them are on the coast. Each of these coastal cities has its own unique vibe. So, sit back as I take you through them and the top 10 beaches they have to offer.

Orange County in Southern California boasts excellent year-round weather, and most of the county has a suburban, upper-class feel. Another unique characteristic of Orange County is that each city and town, no matter how big or small, is completely different from the others. I have traveled almost the entire coast of California, and I can easily say that, in my opinion, the best beaches in the state can be found right here in Orange County. With so many beaches to choose from along the 42 miles of Orange County coastline, these are my 10 favorites.

1. Huntington Beach

Starting from north to south, the first beach is Huntington Beach, one of the biggest and most expansive on the list, stretching nine and a half miles along the west coast. Huntington Beach has a population just north of 200,000, making it the most populated beach city in Orange County. Nicknamed “Surf City USA,” people from all over the world come here for the year-round activities, the laid-back surfing vibe, the long and wide beach path, and the all-around beach culture.

You’ll find most of the action around the pier and the several blocks surrounding Main Street downtown. There is far more to do here than just go to the beach, and you’ll find some of the best nightlife in Orange County. The Huntington Beach Pier is the largest in Orange County and one of the longest piers on the west coast, jetting out 1,850 feet into the Pacific Ocean. Huntington Beach consists of five different beaches that all blend together in one long stretch of sand. If you’ve never been here, I would definitely put it on your list.

2. Newport Beach

Newport Beach is just south of Huntington Beach and is located on the small, narrow chunk of land known as the Balboa Peninsula. The peninsula consists of three main beaches that stretch along the three-mile coast. There’s also a bike path that extends almost the entire length. The area between the Newport Pier and the Balboa Pier is loaded with amenities, along with ample public parking; however, these lots are usually full by 10 AM on weekends.

The majority of bars and nightclubs can be found at the McFadden Square area next to the Newport Pier. The second pier is at Balboa Park, which has a lot more open green space and a park-like setting. The Wedge, known for its gnarly waves off the harbor entrance break wall, is located at the end of the peninsula with only limited neighborhood parking available. I did a whole video on Newport Beach a few months back. If you haven’t seen it and want to, I’ll link it in the description so you can watch it later.

3. Corona del Mar

Located within the city of Newport Beach, just on the other side of the harbor entrance, this beach has just about everything, including some really cool multi-million dollar houses that overlook the area. At the bottom of the hill, you’ll find a large paid parking lot, clean public restrooms, and loads of other great amenities. There are two large rock formations to explore on the northwest side of the parking lot, with two small secluded beaches behind them.

The southern end also has some rock formations sticking out of the sand next to the steep ramp that leads to the observation landing and Inspiration Point. If you get here early enough, you can park for free on the street at the top, but you will have to walk up and down the steep hill. Like most beaches in SoCal, this beach can get pretty crowded during the summer months, but there’s plenty of room to spread out.

4. Laguna Beach

Laguna’s Main Beach sits directly in the middle of the Orange County coastline and is the most artsy and eclectic city within the county. With just over 22,000 residents, Laguna Beach is the smallest coastal city within Orange County but is probably the coolest. Laguna’s Main Beach is one of only two beaches that has flat terrain because most of the small beaches here sit within different coves. The Main Beach is spread out across the small downtown area and has just about every amenity, including the iconic lifeguard tower.

Unfortunately, parking for this beach isn’t the best because there’s no dedicated parking lot, and you’ll have to find street parking somewhere or a small parking garage by the library. You can also access the scenic cliffside Heisler Park by the ramp to the north side of the beach.

5. Treasure Island

This cluster of beaches consists of five different areas and is probably the most scenic of all the beaches. There’s Hobo Canyon on the northern end past the park, which is kind of hidden and not well known. A giant climbable rock sits at the point of Gulf Island and connects two small cove beaches. Just after the coves is Cave Beach, which isn’t much of a beach but is known for its tide pools and a giant chunk of rock with a hole in it. Just past all of that to the south is the Main Beach. This is a great area and beach to explore because it offers so much.

The whole area has a professionally landscaped walking path that leads around the Montage Hotel. There aren’t many amenities in this area; however, the Montage does have some restrooms that are open to the public. There’s a small paid parking lot under the Treasure Island Park, but that fills up fast, so you’ll probably have to park across the Pacific Coast Highway and walk over.

6. Aliso Beach

If you keep walking south from Treasure Island, you eventually wander onto Aliso Beach. This beach does have a nice large paid parking lot with a huge overflow lot across the street. There are other great amenities here as well, like the large playground and the Lost Pier Cafe, which is a nice little oceanfront place to grab a bite to eat. This is the only other beach within Laguna Beach that has flat terrain without any bluffs or cliffs to navigate.

On the south side past the cafe is Aliso Point. It’s best to explore this area when the tide is out, and most of the time you can walk along the rock formations and around the corner to West Street Beach. I’ve always liked the little mountains behind this beach with the houses stacked all the way up overlooking everything. It’s got to be a pretty cool view from the top.

7. Salt Creek Beach

Salt Creek Beach is located in Dana Point and is flanked to the north by the Monarch Beach Golf Course. At the southern end is the swanky Ritz Carlton that sits on top of the massive cliff overlooking the entire beach. There’s a large paid parking lot at the top right off of PCH, but to get to the beach, you’ll have to walk down a long steep hill. There is a stretch golf cart that is usually running that will bring you up and down, but I’ve never actually used it, so I’m not sure if it’s free.

There’s a huge hillside park that overlooks the entire beach as well, and there are picnic tables and charcoal grills peppered throughout, along with a single hoop basketball court. In between the park and beach, you’ll find a small shop to rent beach gear and a little food shack with public restrooms and showers. You can also park inland and ride your bike on the two-mile-plus Salt Creek Trail that ends right at the beach.

8. Doheny State Beach

This mainly locals’ beach is located in the heart of Dana Point and sits right next to the Dana Point Harbor. Back in 1931, the 62 acres of donated land became California‘s first state beach. Fun fact and possible Jeopardy question: this beach park is also known for its large dry campground located at the southern end, along with all the other amenities spread throughout the area. You can catch the six-mile-long San Juan Creek Bike Trail here as well.

There is a lot of green space between the parking lot and the beach, and you’ll even find tide pools at the northern end when the tide is out. Parts of this beach are a little rocky, but this is a great beach if you want to learn to surf or try it for the first time.

9. San Clemente

This cozy beach along the train tracks can be a challenge to find parking at during the summer, but once you’re here, you can stay until sunset. The large wooden pier is great for fishing or a long scenic stroll and also houses the Fisherman’s Restaurant Bar at the base. Just south of the pier is T Street Beach, which is a popular surfing spot for locals.

You can get some pretty good views of the pier and beach from the top of the T Street overpass as well as the two small parks on either side of the pier. There is also a long dirt beach path that runs the entire coast along the train tracks. I just did a whole video on San Clemente, and it is such a great little beach city worth checking out. The link for that video will also be in the description.

10. Calafia Beach

This beach is the southernmost on the list and is just down from the San Clemente Pier. The San Clemente State Beach and Campground are essentially connected to this area. There’s a nice little park that sits on top of the bluff just up from the beach, and there’s a concrete sidewalk and steps that connect it to the parking lot. There’s a little cafe for food and drinks in the parking lot along with the public restrooms. You can only access this beach at one point, and that’s after you cross the railroad tracks. This beach is wide and long, so you shouldn’t have any problem finding your own personal spot.

Well, that’s going to wrap up this look at my Top 10 Beaches in Orange County. If you think I’ve overlooked one or a few, let me know in the comments.