What are the Best Beaches near Anaheim?

[jillmason7]

Originally Posted by ocexpo

Seal Beach is a fun beach to take older kids to. It has a great, fun downtown, a nice pier, and it is a really nice, clean beach.

I wouldn't recommend Huntington Beach. It can get VERY crowded. It is also more of a place for 20's or late teens where kids don't go with their parents. If you do plan to take kids to HB, make sure there isn't an event going on in Downtown. Traffic and crowds are horrendous when there are events.

I absolutely LOVE Doheny Beach. It is a beautiful beach (in Dana Point) and its a bit of a drive, but well worth it. Its not uncommon to see dolphins jumping in the afternoon at Doheny.

These are some good suggestions near Anaheim, but I would try Victoria Beach in Dana Point, not too crowded but very nice.

-jill

[Fontucky]

Originally Posted by jillmason7

Victoria Beach in Dana Point

Dana Point or Laguna Beach?

[IloveOC]

When we were kids - many years ago - we used to go to Newport Beach. We also would launch our boat in the back bay area - I think called Newport Dunes. Is Newport not a great place to go now? I liked the area by the pier and we would go into the little stores. I used to get the best plums that were so sweet down there. But like I said - that was a long time ago. I am just curious. I took my kids there when we visited.

[Wurzig]

Originally Posted by Fontucky

Dana Point or Laguna Beach?

You took the words right out of my keyboard, Fontucky....I think she meant Laguna...

Huntington Beach is huge...plenty of room for all ages......shops across PCH...a few restaurants along the pier area.....surfing is decent, volleyball tournaments, etc....

None of these are right by Anaheim, but I thought I'd give some input anyway because they are not that far away:

If you want to park in the town of Laguna and walk a block or two to get down to the water, Main Beach is nice and long...(is below lots of homes)....bathrooms are on the main entrance to the beach...has tidepools for the kids on the northern end.....and it's right across the street from ice cream shops, pizza, etc., for the kids....

Nowadays, Doheny is too rocky, pebbly, whatever....not pretty sand....but you pay to get in, so it's clean...decent picnic tables, camping, etc.....and a walk around the harbor is nice....safe, too...plenty of restaurants by the harbor area....tidepools at the end of the harbor and several bathrooms along the grass....can pick up boat for Catalina at the harbor...and whale watching excursions....

Crystal Cove, at the north tip of Laguna, is my all time favorite.....you can't park your cars very close, but it's a beautiful beach....pay to get in...must bring your own food....tidepools at the far end.... Haven't been there for awhile, but no food when I was there....however, back on PCH, there is a tiny hamburger place, (can't think of the name)....famous for date shakes.....

The small beach right below The Montage Hotel in Laguna is very nice...reminds me of Hawaii.....there are a couple of protected coves...and the walk back up to the bathrooms is just a few minutes, on a nice sidewalk and not strenuous....the parking lot is small, but you can also park along PCH and walk in....it's not a bad walk....just pay a meter for parking...bring your own food....or cross PCH and go north a bit and take the kids to Ruby's....(look for the 50's collector cars out front)...

Salt Creek, in the southern part of Laguna, is nice...bathrooms are right there.....ample parking.....snack bar unless it's closed now due to no funds....(just not sure)....

[Coldjensens]

The beach in Corona Del Mar is probably the best family beach. The surf is low, the water is shallow for a good distance, the beach is not popular with the crazed 20 somehtings and teens. There are some little caves to explore. They have fire pits. It is a great beach for families and teeens and tewnties hat eit becuase "It is all families with little kids"

There is no place to go so it is difficult for kids to get lost. The beach is backed by steep bluffs and it is kind of cresent shaped so it takes a big effort and a lot of time to get off of the beach. There is nowhere to go if you do get off the beach. The area is entirely residential. There is a breakwater for the entrance to Newport Harbor on one side (thus the mild wave action). It is not that well known, so it tends to be somewhat less crowded most of the time.

There are no stores shops or houses on the beach. There is a little snack bar place and bathrooms.

It is a favorite for church groups with young families. Obviously, you still have to watch your ids withthe water, but it is a fairly contained area that can help minimize potential problems, especially with large groups of kids.


My favorite family beach is the tide pool beach just outside of Laguna. It is not much of a swimming beach, but it has rocks along the beach that maintain tide pools as the tide goes out. If you are observant and patient, you will find Star fish, sea slugs, octopi, those part plant part animal thingies, Sea stars (similar to star fish), sea cucumbers, fish, crabs, and loads of other neat sea dwellers in the tide pools. However this is not a good beach to swim, fly a kite etc. It is too narrow and too rocky.

Dog beach in Huntington is really neat too. Just stay alert for mean dogs. Usually the dogs are well behaved and fun to play with. Most owners are happy to allow you to wear out their dog playing surf fetch, so even if you do nto have your own dog, it can be fun.

[CAVA1990]

If I were in Anaheim, I'd probably take them to Newport. The Balboa Fun Zone is an entertaining diversion if they get tired of the sand and surf.

Fun Zone Homepage

If you just want beach and are willing to drive a bit further south I'd also recommend Salt Creek. It's pretty much got all the elements of a great beach, assuming you'll be bringing your own provisions (it's a drive to eat or shop from there). Waves are good, sand quality is excellent (some beaches like Aliso have real pebbly sand where as Salt Creek is fine, white sand). Sufficient rocks border the beach for good tide pool observation. Doheny is too rocky and you have to walk a long ways on them to get to the waves.

[Coldjensens]

Originally Posted by IloveOC

When we were kids - many years ago - we used to go to Newport Beach. We also would launch our boat in the back bay area - I think called Newport Dunes. Is Newport not a great place to go now? I liked the area by the pier and we would go into the little stores. I used to get the best plums that were so sweet down there. But like I said - that was a long time ago. I am just curious. I took my kids there when we visited.

The back bay is pretty disgusting. I would not swim in it. Balboa Pier/beach and Newport Pier/Beach are still both fun lively places. Newport is much more adult oriented. Balboa has the fun zone with silly rides and arcades as well as the normal bars resturaunts and T-shirt places. However they are better for families with kids in the 12 and older range. They are crazy crowded places with lots of swearing, oggling, drinking (and somtimes vomiting), smoking, itsy bitsy teenie weeny yellow polka dot bikinis, and loud comments about body parts etc. To some, these are normal beach things, but not really what you want your young children paying in. Family oriented beaches tend to be more moms in conservative beach wear and young kids playing together. (I think that the dads are mostly off oggling, drinking and swearing at the other beaches, do not see all that many dads at the family oriented beaches - some, but not as many as moms).

[CAVA1990]

Here's a trivia question for Newport old-timers: What was the original name of Linda Isle? Hint - there's a yacht club named after it. You know this one Fontucky?