Just an hour south of Los Angeles, Laguna Beach has some of the best cove beaches in California – think sun, stretches of golden sand, huge waves to body-surf on, clear, turquoise water to scuba dive and snorkel in for some fish, lobster and octopus spotting, and that treasure we’re here to tell you about – rocky outcroppings hiding vast communities of tide pool residents.
Some of those tide pools are easier to get to than others. Beaches like Thousand Steps and Rockpile require a steep descent and a muscle burning climb up afterwards, while the easily accessible Diver’s Cove and Crescent Bay provide a more comfortable rock shelf to explore at low tide, with pools packed with all your favorite sea critters – anemones, sea stars, hermit crabs and more!
These special marine ecosystems are part of California’s Marine Protected Environment and thrive so well because they are protected from fishing, touching and harvesting. You can’t take anything away from a Laguna Beach cove but photos and memories – come, see, watch, learn and enjoy, and leave nothing behind you but your footsteps.
Before we begin exploring Laguna Beach, let’s take a look at what a tide pool is for those new to the term, what exactly you can expect to see in them at the Laguna Beach coves, and how to keep you and the tide pool inhabitants safe.
What Is A Tide Pool?
Tidepools are dips or gaps in rock, or spaces between them, that hold seawater when the tide retreats from the coast – a time called low tide. Tide pools are divided into various habitat zones, the most important to you while exploring being the “spray zone” which is sometimes out of the water, in which creatures such as barnacles, snails and crabs thrive, and the “low tide zone,” which is always underwater, ideal for sea urchins and fish.
What Can I See In The Laguna Beach Tide Pools?
The Laguna Beach tide pools offer shelter to a plethora of fun and strange creatures, from mussels, limpets, crabs, snails, sea slugs, and barnacles, to sea cucumbers, anemones, urchins, colorful sea stars and even octopuses. You’ll also find a lot of different types of seaweed, kelp, and small fish like sculpins, blennies and gobies.
And don’t forget to look up during your exploration – not only to keep a wary eye out for the tide turning, but also for Laguna Beach’s other residents – herons and egrets, seals, and if you’re lucky – whales and dolphins on the horizon.
When Is The Best Time To Explore Tide Pools In Laguna Beach?
Arrive one hour before low tide and give yourself an hour to explore before getting out of Dodge – high tides can be dangerous and you can get dragged out to sea or stranded if you don’t pay attention.
The best months are November to March, when the tides are extremely low and you can walk further out on the rocky shelves that line California’s coast. Further out, you might come across pools containing abalone, chiton, eels and lobster.
Tide Pooling Safety Tips
Its tide pools bring thousands of people to Laguna Beach every year, and we always ask that if you are among them, you go there with education and respect as your goal. Wear shoes so as not to cut yourself on sharp rocks, and watch where you tread in those shoes, so as not to crush or hurt the critters you are there to see. Look but don’t touch – if you take the animals from their homes, or move the rocks they are sheltering under, they will be exposed to both predators and the hot sun. We must treat tidepools with care and respect so that others can enjoy them too. Before we share Laguna Beach’s top tide pool beaches with you, check out our useful safety tips:
- Enjoy watching the tide pool inhabitants, but don’t touch – Some of them are delicate, and others might pinch or stab you. And no, they don’t need to be rescued or taken back to the sea – nature has them exactly where they are supposed to be!
- Watch the tide – waves can sneak in on you fast. Far too many careless tide poolers have lost their lives to the power of the Pacific.
- Don’t wear flip-flops. Choose tennis shoes, surfer boots, or sports shoes with a good grip so you don’t slip or cut your feet on the rocks.
- Dress for the weather. It can get cold and you will get wet!
Now, let’s get exploring Laguna Beach’s best tide pools.
1. Diver’s Cove
The 300 feet long Diver’s Cove is well-named, offering the best scuba diving and snorkeling opportunities on the Laguna Beach coast, being somewhat sheltered from the worst of the swells. It’s not only popular with divers, though, as parents love to come here and have a splash or tide pool exploration with their little ones.
Don’t Miss…
- Body surfing
- Bodyboarding
- Scuba diving and snorkeling – you might spot garibaldi, sea stars, lobster, kelp bass, stingrays and leopard sharks.
- Kayaking
- Swimming
Good To Know
Open year-round from 6am – 10pm.
There are metered parking spots on Cliff Drive at the entrance to Diver’s Cove, and along Cliff Drive near Heisler Park.
There is wheelchair access to the beach via a ramp to the south, at Picnic Beach.
Dog-friendly. June 15 – September 10, dogs are allowed before 9am and after 6pm, September 11 – June 14, dogs are allowed during regular beach hours. Dogs must be kept on a leash of 6 feet or shorter.
2. Main Beach
Main Beach is something of an icon at Laguna, largely due to its made-famous-on-TV 1937 lifeguard tower. There are also volleyball and basketball courts which have known a few famous players to grace their surfaces, a grassy park begging for a picnic spread, public art to appreciate, and a boardwalk.
Its popularity means it can get very crowded, and if this is something that might put you off, try to aim for early mornings on weekdays for your tidepooling adventure.
“The ultimate California beach experience, and views that are unrivaled on the West Coast.”
– Dana, Los Angeles
Don’t Miss…
- The basketball and volleyball courts
- The children’s playground
- Body surfing
- Bodyboarding
- Scuba diving and snorkeling
- Kayaking
- SUP (Stand-Up Paddling)
- Swimming
- Whale-spotting
Good To Know
Open year-round from 6am – 10pm.
Available metered parking along Pacific Coast Highway (PCH), and all-day paid parking available at Lot 11 in downtown village.
Lifeguards are on duty.
Restrooms and showers are available at both ends of the beach.
Hungry? There are plenty of restaurants around, as well as food vendors.
Dog friendly. June 15 – September 10, dogs are allowed before 9am and after 6pm, September 11 – June 14, dogs are allowed during regular beach hours. Dogs must be kept on a leash of 6 feet or shorter.
3. Crescent Bay Beach
The views are what sells Crescent Bay, enveloped as it is by palm-topped cliffs, a crescent of golden sand between them.
When the waves go wild, brave body surfers come here to do what Laguna residents call “body whomping” – body surfing in on huge waves that dump them directly onto the sand. Sounds painful, but pros make it look like great fun! When the waves are gentler, though, Crescent Bay becomes a snorkeling and tidepooling haven.
Don’t Miss…
- Body surfing
- Bodyboarding
- Skimboarding
- Surfing (soft top, no fins)
- Scuba diving and snorkeling
- Kayaking
- SUP (Stand-Up Paddling)
Good To Know
Open year-round from 6am – 10pm.
There is metered parking on Pacific Coast Highway, just a short walk away, as well as some limited parking in the neighborhood.
This beach is wheelchair accessible.
Restrooms and showers are available.
Hungry? There are lots of restaurants within walking distance.
Dog-friendly. June 15 – September 10, dogs are allowed before 9am and after 6pm, September 11 – June 14, dogs are allowed during regular beach hours. Dogs must be kept on a leash of 6 feet or shorter.
4. Rockpile Beach
While swimming is prohibited here, the coastal side of Heisler Park, Rockpile Beach offers plenty of sand to play on and boulders and tidepools galore, perfect for adventurers of all ages to scrabble around on at low tide. It’s also a popular surfing destination during the swell.
Don’t Miss…
- Surfing
- SUP (Stand-Up Paddling)
- The plant life and views in the park
- Sunset
Good To Know
Open year-round from 6am – 10pm.
Metered parking is available along Cliff Drive near Heisler Park.
Accessed via a scramble down the rocks, or steep but wide stairs.
No bathrooms – go to Picnic Beach or Main Beach.
Hungry? There are restaurants nearby.
Dog friendly. June 15 – September 10, dogs are allowed BEFORE 9am and AFTER 6pm, September 11 – June 14, dogs are allowed during regular beach hours. Dogs must be kept on a leash of 6 feet or shorter.
5. Thousand Steps
While closer to 250 than a thousand steps, it will feel like a thousand on the way back up, so only go down if you have the time and fitness level to climb back up afterwards!
Sandstone cliffs border this gem of a beach, which offers waves adored by body surfers and skimboarders (if you’re one of them, ask the lifeguard where the submerged rocks are before you venture out!), and a rocky area perfect for tide pool exploring.
To the south is Laguna’s famous sea cave, which connects Thousand Steps with Totuava. Don’t go there when the tide is turning, as both Totuava and the cave get cut off at high tide.
Don’t Miss…
- Body surfing
- Bodyboarding
- Scuba diving and snorkeling
- Kayaking
- SUP (Stand-Up Paddling)
- Swimming
Good To Know
Open year-round from 6am – 9pm.
Metered parking is available along the Pacific Coast Highway, and there is some limited parking in the neighborhood.
Access the stairs just north of 9th Street.
A lifeguard is usually on duty.
Watch out for the seagulls – they will dig in your bag and steal your lunch!
The waves and undertow are very strong, so young children and weaker swimmers need to be careful.
6. Treasure Island
Jointly managed by Montage Resort and Laguna City, the long Treasure Island beach has nothing to do with pirates and everything to do with clean, well-kept natural beauty.
Head south for a wonderful stretch of sand that leads you to Aliso Creek, while to the north are large rocks that protect the cove and make for a crystal clear snorkeling and tidepooling spot. Cross those rocks to explore Middle Man’s Cove, a hidden beach (also accessible from Goff Cove).
There are long walking ramps on each side of the Montage Resort that lead to the beach. The one further north often has seals sitting on it sunning themselves.
Don’t Miss…
- Snorkeling
- Swimming
- Dolphin and seal-spotting
- Sunset from the grassy cliff-top
Good To Know
Open year-round from 6am – 10pm.
There is paid metered parking at Lot 8 off Wesley Drive, as well as at Lot 7, next to the Montage Resort.
The beach is ADA compliant and has a paved space for those in a wheelchair. A ramp leads down to the sand from Treasure Island Beach Park.
There are restrooms.
There are benches all along the water and grassy areas for picnics.
Dog-friendly. June 15 – September 10, dogs are allowed before 9am and after 6pm, September 11 – June 14, dogs are allowed during regular beach hours. Dogs must be kept on a leash of 6 feet or shorter.
7. Shaw’s Cove
The sandy beach makes a great family destination for its long stretch of sand, but Shaw’s Cove is most popular with pro scuba divers and snorkelers for its numerous underwater swim-throughs, and with tidepoolers for the many low-tide nooks to explore on the rock shelf at the north end of the beach.
Don’t Miss…
- Body surfing
- Bodyboarding
- Scuba diving and snorkeling
- Kayaking
- SUP (Stand-Up Paddling)
- Swimming
- A picnic on the beach
Good To Know
Open year-round from 6am – 10pm.
Metered parking is available along the Pacific Coast Highway, and there is some limited parking in the neighborhood.
There are restrooms nearby.
Dog-friendly. June 15 – September 10, dogs are allowed before 9am and after 6pm, September 11 – June 14, dogs are allowed during regular beach hours. Dogs must be kept on a leash of 6 feet or shorter.
8. Woods Cove
Small, local, and nicely secluded, Woods Cove is a family beach with tons of sand to run, build and play in, and a beautiful tropical vibe in summer with the turquoise blue water.
At low tide, head north, where, at the end of the cove, the critter-packed tide pools of Cactus Point are- a rocky area also home to a blowhole. South is for snorkeling and skimboarding during a swell. Note that, at times, during high tide, this beach gets totally submerged.
Don’t Miss…
- Body surfing
- Bodyboarding
- Scuba diving and snorkeling
- Kayaking
- SUP (Stand-Up Paddling)
- Swimming
- Spotting the former home of Bette Davis
Good To Know
There is some limited parking in the neighborhood.
Access Woods Cove by coming down Diamond Street until it hits the stairs.
Dog-friendly.
The Takeaway
Laguna Beach has some great tidepooling opportunities to offer avid sea life seekers, with thriving communities of all your favorite critters tucked into numerous coves and rocky outcroppings. You may have to climb down a few steps to get to them, but, with the surf, sand and brilliant sunsets coming as part of the package, it’s well worth the extra leg work!
Tide Pool Rules
Don’t touch the sea life! Picking up the tide pool creatures or putting them in buckets even for a few minutes can hurt them or cause stress that might kill them. They may also be affected by bacteria or chemicals (from sunscreen, for example) on your skin.
Never try to pull off sea creatures stuck to the rocks, or try to open closed shells.
Don’t move rocks, as this may hurt the creatures trying to hide underneath.
Tread carefully as you move around the tide pools, trying not to step on the plants or creatures living there.
Take a trash bag with you to pick up any litter you find – and always pack out what you pack in!
What Else Can I Do In Laguna Beach?
Check out the wildlife as you hike the Laguna Coast Wilderness Park. Culture vultures will enjoy the art festivals and Laguna Art Museum, with its exhibition of California artists. The streets also have lots to offer – whether you’re just window shopping or looking for something to add to your collection, there’s plenty to tempt you in Laguna Beach’s quaint streets. Want to discover more about tide pools in CA? Check out our articles on tide pools at Half Moon Bay and Bodega Bay and get exploring!
Disclaimer
While we at Traxplorio do our very best to give you the most up-to-date information, we always recommend you do your own research before you travel to a particular area, and check conditions with official sites. Thanks for understanding, and enjoy your adventure!
