Orange County, California: A Local's Guide to the Best Beaches & Hikes
Introduction to the OC
Orange County is perfectly nestled between Los Angeles and San Diego, making it the ideal location for a day trip, weekend trip, or even multi-week trip any time of the year. Each city has unique things to do, sights to see, and things to eat. So put your sunscreen on and hop in the car for an adventure around the OC.
Must-See Beaches
Treasure Island, Laguna Beach
If you're looking for a picturesque beach full of coves, tide pools, and beautifully-landscaped picnic spots, look no further than Treasure Island. Located on the southern end of Laguna Beach and the site of the famous Montage Hotel, Treasure Island offers much more than a typical beach. Stroll through the gardens filled with benches, overlooks, and grassy areas to lay out a picnic blanket. Then walk down one of the many staircases and find a spot in the sand.
Treasure Island is perfect for spending the afternoon and staying for sunset. There is a small paid parking lot along the beach, a larger paid parking lot at Lang Park across the street, and free street parking in the neighborhood. The Aliso Creek shopping center on the other side of Pacific Coast Highway also has multiple restaurants, perfect for grabbing to-go and enjoying at the beach.
Crystal Cove
Crystal Cove offers one of the largest continuous stretches of sandy beach in Orange County. Part of Crystal Cove State Park, the beach itself spans from Pelican Hill Golf Course to the famous Crescent Beach where all the iconic photos of Pacific Coast Highway are taken. Because the beach is so large, you are sure to find a spot for yourself.
There are a few paid parking lots available throughout the State Park, the most convenient being Los Trancos and Reef Point. From Los Trancos parking lot, you can walk through a tunnel that goes under PCH and leads directly into the quaint Crystal Cove Village, or you can take the free trolley. Make sure to walk up to the iconic Shake Shack that overlooks the water for a burger, fries, and milkshake.
If you're visiting in the winter, Crystal Cove Village sets up a Christmas tree and holiday decorations right on the sand for a classic California winter photo op.
Salt Creek Beach, Dana Point
Right at the start of Dana Point, Salt Creek Beach offers stunning cliffside shorelines and a large grassy park where locals love to picnic and watch the sunset. Salt Creek is a popular surf spot and is great for the whole family, plus there's way less crowds than the larger Laguna, Newport, and Huntington beaches.
There is a large parking lot with a short walk to the beach. Make sure to bring your snacks, blanket, and chairs to watch a gorgeous California sunset at any time of year.
Seal Beach
For less crowds but a similar vibe to Newport and Huntington Beach, check out Seal Beach. In northern Orange County, Seal Beach has a pier, main street with shops and restaurants, and plenty of parking. It is frequented by local surfers and has a small town feel with all the same amenities as the more crowded, larger beaches.
A few blocks from the shoreline, there is a long greenbelt that goes through the city and is great for riding bikes, skateboarding, roller skating, etc. The beach itself is much smaller than its neighbors, but you are sure to find a spot along the water.
The nearby Long Beach Marina is also lined with restaurants and stores and is the perfect place to rent a Duffy boat or pedal boat for sunset in the marina.
Corona Del Mar
The locals' favorite, Corona Del Mar in Newport Beach, is a gorgeous stretch of beach with plenty to explore. Climb over a few rocks to Pirate's Cove for a more secluded experience or walk down to Little Corona del Mar via Ocean Blvd to go tide pooling. Corona Del Mar also offers grassy areas and benches, as well as bonfire pits.
There is a large paid parking lot as well as plentiful free street parking along Ocean Blvd and throughout the surrounding neighborhood. Make sure to walk along Ocean Blvd to see the cerulean waters from above.
Thousand Steps, Laguna Beach
One of the most popular spots in Laguna, Thousand Steps is tucked away in a neighborhood and accessible by walking down a few hundred (luckily, not 1000) steps. Thousand Steps features the unique California sea cliffs and has some of the clearest water in the area.
On the south end of the beach, there is a rock arch a few yards from the shore where daring swimmers can sometimes be found cliff jumping. If you keep climbing south over the tide pools during low tide, you can access natural swimming pools that have formed in the rocks. Be sure to research low tide, as this area is inaccessible at most times and heavily monitored by lifeguards during the summer months.
Newport Beach
If you're looking to surf in Orange County, Newport Beach is the place to go. Newport is a very long stretch of continuous sandy beach, but rock jetties and piers break up the water. The waves are larger here than in Laguna and Corona Del Mar because it's less protected, so it's ideal for surfing, boogie boarding, etc. The popular areas for surfing are at the southeastern part, like The Wedge and near Balboa Pier.
There are multiple paid parking lots that line Balboa Peninsula, metered spots along both sides of Balboa Blvd, and miles of neighborhoods that you can park at for free. The whole stretch is also lined with restaurants, ice cream shops, and surf shops, so it's a perfect place to spend an afternoon. Make sure to try an iconic Balboa bar on a hot summer day.
Huntington Beach
Huntington is broken up into the State Beach, City Beach, and Dog Beach. The City Beach is the center portion that boasts a wide sandy beach, as well as grassy areas and a sidewalk to run, bike, or rollerblade on. If you want to light a bonfire in the evening, the State Beach has dozens of first-come-first-serve fire pits.
There are large parking lots right off Pacific Coast Highway. The City Beach and State Beach are right across the street from Main Street in downtown Huntington and Pacific City, a complex of stores and restaurants. Locals particularly love Philz Coffee, Banzai Bowls, and Bear Flag Fish Co., as well as Jack's Surfboards for coastal clothing.
Doheny State Beach
If you want to spend a day being more active, Doheny is the place to go. It's great for beginner surfers, renting a bike, or going for a run. Doheny is less crowded than the other main beaches and although the shore is a bit more rocky than other spots, it's a great place for being active in any way you prefer.
Throughout the year, there are tons of events and festivals held at Doheny, so make sure to check out their schedule of events online. There are large parking lots and campgrounds for an extended stay.
Best Hikes
Dartmoor/Boat Canyon, Laguna Beach
This hike is my top recommendation in OC, featuring gorgeous coastal views from the hills of Laguna Beach, a glimpse at the sprawling canyon, and very other few people. Park for free in the neighborhood and walk through the well-marked pedestrian gate to immediately see the ocean. The initial climb is a bit challenging, but a quick look over your shoulder will remind you that there is no better place to hike.
Once you reach the top of the first hill, you can go right for a stunning hike through the canyon or go left for a quick ascent to a viewpoint of the bay below. I recommend doing both, since the trails are relatively short. On the canyon path, you can go as far as you want before turning back, and can even connect to more trails that lead to Crystal Cove or the canyon below. Plan to walk about 2-3 miles total – a short but breathtaking hike.
The way back to your car is the best part of the hike, as you'll have views of the beaches and beautiful homes the whole way down. This hike is gorgeous all-year-round, although it's a bit more green in the spring and early summer.
Crystal Cove El Moro Canyon Loop, Newport Beach
If you only have one day in OC and want to both hike and relax at the beach, definitely go to Crystal Cove State Park. The El Moro Canyon Loop is 5 miles and offers the best views in the park for the distance. The first few miles climb about 800 feet, but the rest of the trail is downhill or flat.
Park at El Moro Visitor Center and hike clockwise for the best views of the ocean. There is a fee for parking, but if you're a California resident, you can get a Library State Park Pass from your local library for free parking. Or you can park at the Crystal Cove State Park lot (2nd location linked) and can walk through the tunnel to reach the beach without having to move your car.
Dreaded Hill & Whiting Road Loop, Lake Forest
To really get away from the crowds and explore a canyon landscape of Southern California, head to Whiting Ranch Wilderness Area. The Dreaded Hill & Whiting Road Loop is 4.9 miles long with 830 ft elevation gain up the trail's namesake: Dreaded Hill. In the spring and early summer, the trail is filled with yellow mustard flowers and many other species of wildflowers.
Once you reach the top of Dreaded Hill, the descent guides you past Red Rock Canyon, where you can get a great overhead glimpse of the red rock formations that look like they're from Arizona.Â
The trail is well-marked, but be sure to follow directions from AllTrails for this loop because there are a lot of trails that converge along the way. You can park for free in the shopping centers the trail goes through.
Red Rock Canyon, Lake Forest
To see a closer look at the Arizona-esque Red Rock Canyon, take Borrego Canyon trail in Whiting Ranch. The easy out-and-back 4 mile trail is shaded for the first half and mostly flat. The views of the Red Rock at the end truly feels like you've left California and is a great place to explore.Â
There is a small parking lot with a $3 daily fee. The trail is well-marked with full directions linked below. You may spot some wildlife and be sure to be careful at the Red Rocks, as climbing can lead to erosion.
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