Top 5 Family Friendly Beaches in the OC

One of the best parts of living in Orange County is being close to so many amazing beaches. It was hard to pick our top 5 family friendly beaches in the OC for this post, but we picked ones that have better parking options than most, have bathrooms and are not party central.

I would also like to add the tip that if you plan to go on a weekend or warm sunny summer day, plan to get to these places early. I say no later than 11am for most beaches, if it’s a holiday, even earlier!! Parking lots fill up fast, so don’t delay.

Let’s lets get to our top 5 family friendly beaches in the OC…

1. Salt Creek beach (Dana Point)

Address: 33333 Pacific Coast Hwy. Website: ocparks.com/beaches/salt

Pro’s: Parking is only $1 per hour and if you get there before 11am there is usually plenty of spots. Huge grass area for kids to play and trees to climb, bathrooms, snack shack and a great trail for walking or riding bikes.

Cons: Walking back up the hill with all your stuff can be a bit of a pain. There is a shuttle for a buck or two if you are desperate, so pack light!

2. Aliso Creek Beach (Laguna Beach)

Address: 31131 S. Coast Hwy. Website: orangecounty.net

Pro’s: Right off of PCH there is a large parking lot. The beach is just steps from the parking lot, inexpensive metered parking, bathrooms and play-equipment.

Cons: The waves can get pretty large here, so kids may not want to go too far out for boogie boarding or swimming.

3. Treasure Island Beach (Laguna Beach)

Address: 30801 S. Coast Hwy. Website: lagunabeachcity.net

Pro’s: This beach is located right at the gorgeous Montage Resort. You can walk the pathways with your dog or have a picnic on the grassy area overlooking the ocean (much like Salt Creek). There are stairs or a ramp that lead you to the sand/beach area and from there, depending on the tide, you can walk to a few separate beach areas.

Con’s: Laguna Beach can be a tricky beach city with its one way streets and limited parking. There is a VERY small parking garage off of PCH, but if you are not there early, you will have to park on the street (metered parking) and walk across.

4. Crystal Cove (Newport Beach)

Address: 8471 N. Coast Hwy. Website: crystalcovestatepark.org

Pro’s: Quaint, small town vibe, great tide pools, the best restaurant in town called the Beach Comber (but you need to make a reservation in advance or plan to wait at least an hour), bathrooms. Large parking lot off of PCH (a little more expensive than other beach parking).

Con’s: Parking is across PCH, so you either have to take a shuttle for a few dollars or walk about 10-12 minutes down a path. I suggest walking down and taking the shuttle back up, pack light!

5. San Clemente Pier Area

Address: 622 Avenida Del Mar. Website: parks.ca.gov/?page_id=646

Pro’s: The kids love watching the trains pass by, parking lots are not far from beach and don’t cost much, restaurants close by, bathrooms and fire pits available. There is also a great trail for bike riding called the San Clemente Beach Trail.

Con’s: You may have to walk a bit from the actual pier to find a less crowded spot on the sand.

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Honorable Mentions:

“Baby Beach” Dana Point Harbor (Dana Point)

Address 34571 Golden Lantern Street. Website: danapointharbor.com

Pro’s: No waves, kids can swim around, bathrooms, good for paddle boarding and a decent amount of metered parking.

Con’s: The water is not the cleanest since it’s near where all the boats dock.

Strands Beach (Dana Point)

Address: Dana Strand Road. Website: visitdanapoint.com

Pro’s: FREE parking, bathrooms, great walking trail with stairs for exercise. I often go without the kids and do a loop or two for a great workout.

Con’s: LOTS of stairs to get to beach, you have to pack light!

Marina Park (Newport Beach)

Address: 1600 W. Balboa Blvd. Website: newportbeachca.gov/marinapark

Pro’s: Nice park for kids to play, bathrooms, beach and water just steps from metered parking and play area. No waves to worry about, kids can swim out a bit. Good area for paddle boarding.

Con’s: The water is not the cleanest because it’s on the bay side and there are no waves. Traffic getting onto the Peninsula in summertime can be a bit of a hassle.

Have you ever been to any of these beach spots? Looking for more Orange County locations? Check out this post on our favorite parks, or this one on our favorite indoor places to play.