If you’re planning a trip to Southern California with your family, hitting a beach should be on your to-do list! Southern California has some of the most beautiful and unique beaches in the country. With so many beach options available, it can be hard finding the best beaches for kids and families. Today, Megan Haveelar, photographer and mom of four, is here sharing her family’s five favorite kid-friendly beaches in Southern California. Each of these beaches has its own unique qualities and should be a bit less crowded than many other beaches, making them great for kids of all ages.
Summertime in Southern California
Yay, it’s summertime! And summer means fun in the sun and making memories with our loved ones! I’m sure many of you have some exciting summer travel plans. One popular destination happens to be Southern California. There are a variety of famous attractions that draw many people each year; from Hollywood to Disneyland, Sea World to Universal. There’s the the infamous Santa Monica Pier, Catalina Island, and the historic Pacific Coast Highway. The list could go on!
Nevertheless, the place that families want to visit most while they are here is our stunning beaches! Warm, soft sand, cool water, salty air, and beautiful views! There’s really not much better than a gorgeous sunny day at a southern California beach!
Best Southern California beaches for families
Today, I’m sharing my top 5 favorite kid-friendly family beaches in Southern California. Each of these beaches are a little less touristy, so you don’t have to battle the crowds, and have their own personality. These are beaches our family visits regularly and they each have a uniqueness to them that makes them fun in different ways.
If you’re looking for a beach to surf or boogie board, I got one for you! If you’re looking for a beach with beautiful crystal blue water and stunning views, I got one of those! Looking for a beach that offers more than just laying in the sand, I know of a beach with a beautiful hike up and down the seaside cliffs. As well as a beach named Pirates Cove and one named Treasure Island! I mean what kids wouldn’t want to visit a beach with a name like that! Whatever beach you choose, I highly recommend staying and watching the sunset at any of these locations, you will be so thankful you did!
Crystal Cove State Park
Crystal Cove is located in Orange County between Newport and Laguna Beach. It’s one of the largest remaining areas of open space and natural coastline in Orange County. It’s a huge stretch of beach running 3.2 miles long and also 2,400 acres of wilderness. Because the beach is inside a state park, the hours are sunrise to sunset and there are also fees for parking.
Crystal Cove State Park is definitely a must-see for any beach-loving family! From the seaside cliffs to the tide pools down below, this beach offers lots of space and fun for kids and families. The walk down to the beach can be long for little ones, but if you can make the hike, it’s so worth it. Crystal Cove also offers hiking and camping!
Visit their website to find out more http://www.crystalcovestatepark.org/
Corona Del Mar/Pirates Cove
The two beaches of Corona del Mar and Pirate’s Cove are definitely ones we visit a lot! They are connected by a rock jetty at the entrance to Newport Harbor in Newport Beach. While right next to each other, they have different features and personalities, so I’ll discuss them individually.
Corona Del Mar beach
Corona Del Mar is also a state park beach. It’s about half a mile long, at the base of a seaside cliff with cool rock formations at the bottom. The parking lot is located at the bottom, and there is a parking fee. However, as you’ll see there is a stunning neighborhood up top with street parking that’s free. You can easily walk down the path to the beach. We love using our boogie boards here and checking out the sea life on the rocks. If you enjoy some beach volleyball there are plenty of courts to get your serve on!
Pirates Cove
Pirates Cove is a very unique spot! Located just to the right of Corona Del Mar, it’s an amazing beach for kids and families. You can either park in the lot or park above in the neighborhood. You cannot see this beach from the parking lot, you must climb over what looks like a hill of large boulders! Once you climb up and are at the top you will see a staircase that leads you down to a very secluded beach that looks across the channel of Newport Harbor.
At Pirates Cove beach, you’ll find little caves to sit in and get out of the sun, as well as a giant boulder out in the water you can swim to and jump off. There is a lifeguard here during the summer months and they rope off the swim area so no one gets too far out into the channel. This is a fun place for kids to explore and swim! The water is very calm and shallow so it’s great for little ones! You can also watch the sailboats and yachts go in and out of the harbor.
Treasure Island
Treasure Island is a very beautiful, super unique spot that does require a bit of walking, but again, it’s so worth it! The beach is located at the bottom of the Montage Resort in Laguna Beach. It’s known for its crystal blue waters! There is a small parking lot located on the southwest side of the resort, or you can also park on the street for free. There’s a beautiful path with lots of flowers and greenery on top, just behind the resort, and there are different staircases and ramps that lead to different parts of the beach.
Our favorite part of this beach requires us to walk north all the way until we get to the little peninsula at the base of Goff Island. This is a great spot to snorkel and the sand here is so soft. The beach part is kind of rocky and gets deep quickly, so make sure your kids are good swimmers. My kids are between the ages of 7-11 and do just fine. Here you seriously feel like you are on a tropical island out in the pacific!
Torrey Pines
Torrey Pines is located in San Diego. There are so many great beaches located in San Diego, but this is one that my family and I really enjoy visiting. It’s located just north of La Jolla and downtown San Diego. Torrey Pines is a State Reserve as they are protecting the Torrey pine trees that are specific to this one area of southern California. There is parking close to the beach or you can drive up to the top of the cliff where the Torrey Pines Lodge is located which is now a visitor center and ranger station. There are some cool things to learn at the visitor center about the Lodge and the history of the area.
My family I like to park at the bottom in the beach parking and walk up the drive to the top, and from there we hike down to the beach. It’s a good way to get some steps in! I’ve done it with the small children and they do well, you might just need to take lots of breaks. The rocks hiking down can be slippery so be sure to hold onto those small hands. Also, if you go in the evening and catch the sunset on your way down…it’s breathtaking! We’ve also seen seals come right up to the beach here!
Newport Beach
The beach around Newport Pier is a great spot for surfing, boogie boarding, swimming, fishing, dolphin watching, and sand castle building! We enjoy Newport because the beaches are situated in neighborhoods so they don’t feel touristy, more like you’re around a bunch of locals. Parking is free on the side streets, but there is meter parking on the main street.
Newport Beach is a great spot for families, as you could spend all day and never get bored! There is no shade here, so I definitely recommend bringing an umbrella or shade tent. The tide here is great for kids and adults learning to surf, but if you really want to see some professional surfers just head down to the Wedge, located at pier W, just down the way from Balboa Pier. I also highly encourage walking down the pier to see if you can spot some seals or dolphins.
There is a boardwalk perfect for jogging, bike riding, skating, or walking. You can rent bikes and scooters at places around the pier. There are also a couple of playgrounds located right on the sand between Newport and Balboa Pier.
Best kid-friendly beaches in Southern California
Okay, so there you have my top five recommendations for some of the best kid-friendly beaches in Southern California! However, if none of these are in the area close to where you are staying in California, don’t worry, there are many more! Just visit the website below to find state beaches close to you and get some helpful information about beaches nearby and what each one offers. We enjoy state beaches over city beaches because they are usually cleaner and we like to support our state and the efforts they put into keeping our oceans and beaches protected and preserved! https://www.parks.ca.gov/
Which Southern California beach is your kids’ favorite?
About the author
Megan is a wife and a homeschooling mom of four. She is originally from Colorado, but has spent much of her life overseas. First in Eastern Europe, specifically, Hungary, where her first two kids were born. Secondly, in Ethiopia, where she and her husband adopted their second two kids. She and her family are now stateside, currently living in Southern California. She loves traveling with her kids, either on planes, road trips, or just in their local area! Most of her family’s outdoor adventuring includes water of some kind like beaches, lakes, rivers, waterfalls, or pools. They especially love paddleboarding, hiking, rock climbing, camping, and even just going to the local park to play soccer or basketball. Megan also has a passion for photography and loves to bring along her camera to document all their adventures!
Find more from Megan in the following locations:
Instagram: @meghavelaarphoto
RWMC posts: Megan Havelaar
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