Best Family Beaches Near Mission Viejo

Newport Coast · Beaches & Coast

Tide pools, a historic beach cottage district, and bluff trails. The district's 46 rustic cottages, built as a seaside colony around Los Trancos Creek in the 1920s-40s, earned a spot on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979, and several are now restored for public overnight stays. Time low tide and the kids will find crabs and anemones in the coves below the bluffs.

Dana Point · Beaches & Coast

Gentle waves, a grassy picnic lawn, and tide pools make this the classic easy beach day for families with little ones. Donated for public use in 1931 by oilman Edward L. Doheny, it became California's first state beach, and the surf break here was immortalized in the Beach Boys' "Surfin' USA" as "Down Doheny Way." A small visitor center adds a touch-tank tide pool and ocean-life exhibits for extending the visit.

Newport Beach · Beaches & Coast

Soft sand framed by rocky jetties and tide pools, with fire rings for a sunset cookout. One of OC's prettiest family beaches. The 1,673-foot east jetty, built in the 1930s to make Newport Harbor's entrance navigable, tames the swell here, while the tide pools around the point at "Little Corona" hold anemones, starfish, and the occasional octopus at low tide.

Laguna Beach · Beaches & Coast

Clifftop gardens above protected coves with some of the most accessible tide pools in OC, plus a marine-life refuge. The park is named for Howard Heisler, whose Laguna Company bought this stretch of coast from the Irvine Company in 1905, and it now sits within a protected marine reserve where touching or collecting sea life is prohibited. Look for hermit crabs, anemones, and the occasional octopus in the rocks below the bluffs.

Free (paid street parking)

Dana Point · Beaches & Coast

A grassy bluff-top park rolls down to a wide surf beach with tide pools — great for kite-flying, boogie boards, and picnics. Surfers have ridden the offshore reef here since the 1940s, and the beach only opened to the public in the 1970s after a hard-fought "Save Salt Creek" campaign against private development plans. Today the seven-acre bluff park anchors what's considered one of Orange County's best surf breaks.

Huntington Beach · Beaches & Coast

Walk the iconic pier to watch surfers, dig in the wide sand, and grab a bite at the bluff-top Pacific City shops. Today's 1,856-foot pier, rebuilt in 1992, is the longest recreational pier on the West Coast, following a line of piers here dating back to 1904. Hawaiian surf legend Duke Kahanamoku rode waves alongside an earlier version of it in the 1920s, helping cement Huntington's "Surf City" reputation.

Free (paid parking)

Laguna Beach · Beaches & Coast

Manicured bluff gardens and a ramp down to a gentle cove with rich tide pools — accessible, beautiful, and free to enjoy. The beach takes its name from the 1934 film adaptation of "Treasure Island," which was filmed on this stretch of coast, and it now sits just below the Montage Laguna Beach resort. Tide pools here hold starfish, hermit crabs, and sea anemones, though collecting anything from them is prohibited.

Free (paid garage)

Laguna Beach · Beaches & Coast

A flat, sandy cove with a creek mouth kids love to dam and splash in, plus fire rings and a playground steps from the water. Aliso Creek runs across the sand into the surf here, though the water can carry runoff after rain, so it's best for dam-building rather than swimming. The city added wood-burning fire rings on the sand in recent years, making it a popular sunset bonfire spot too.

Laguna Beach · Beaches & Coast

Downtown Laguna's central beach — sand volleyball courts, half basketball courts and a playground right on the boardwalk, steps from the shops and restaurants on Forest Ave. Since 1955, it's hosted the Laguna Open, the oldest beach volleyball tournament in the world, and the playground's climbing structure is modeled after the city's landmark lifeguard tower next door.

Dana Point · Beaches & Coast

A grassy bluff-top park rolls down to a wide surf beach with tide pools — great for kite-flying, boogie boards, and picnics. Surfers have ridden the offshore reef here since the 1940s, and the beach only opened to the public in the 1970s after a hard-fought "Save Salt Creek" campaign against private development plans. Today the seven-acre bluff park anchors what's considered one of Orange County's best surf breaks.

Laguna Beach · Beaches & Coast

Clifftop gardens above protected coves with some of the most accessible tide pools in OC, plus a marine-life refuge. The park is named for Howard Heisler, whose Laguna Company bought this stretch of coast from the Irvine Company in 1905, and it now sits within a protected marine reserve where touching or collecting sea life is prohibited. Look for hermit crabs, anemones, and the occasional octopus in the rocks below the bluffs.

Free (paid street parking)

Dana Point · Beaches & Coast

Gentle waves, a grassy picnic lawn, and tide pools make this the classic easy beach day for families with little ones. Donated for public use in 1931 by oilman Edward L. Doheny, it became California's first state beach, and the surf break here was immortalized in the Beach Boys' "Surfin' USA" as "Down Doheny Way." A small visitor center adds a touch-tank tide pool and ocean-life exhibits for extending the visit.

Newport Coast · Beaches & Coast

Tide pools, a historic beach cottage district, and bluff trails. The district's 46 rustic cottages, built as a seaside colony around Los Trancos Creek in the 1920s-40s, earned a spot on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979, and several are now restored for public overnight stays. Time low tide and the kids will find crabs and anemones in the coves below the bluffs.

San Clemente · Beaches & Coast

A laid-back pier, a flat beachfront trail past the train tracks, and gentle sand — easy, free, and quintessentially SoCal. Built in 1928 by city founder Ole Hanson as part of his "Spanish Village by the Sea," the pier has been knocked down and rebuilt twice by major storms, most recently in 1985. The Beach Trail runs the length of town alongside the rail line, with a weekend Metrolink stop right at the pier, so a passing train is part of the scenery.

Free (paid parking)

Newport Beach · Beaches & Coast

Soft sand framed by rocky jetties and tide pools, with fire rings for a sunset cookout. One of OC's prettiest family beaches. The 1,673-foot east jetty, built in the 1930s to make Newport Harbor's entrance navigable, tames the swell here, while the tide pools around the point at "Little Corona" hold anemones, starfish, and the occasional octopus at low tide.

San Clemente · Beaches & Coast

A bluff-top state beach south of the pier with picnic areas overlooking the coast — cross under the active train tracks through a tunnel to reach the sand below. Built by the Civilian Conservation Corps between 1934 and 1937, the park sits on bluffs roughly 150 feet above the water, with picnic areas taking in sweeping ocean views before the trail drops down through the tunnel to the beach.

Newport Beach · Beaches & Coast

Ride the tiny three-car ferry across the harbor, then stroll Marine Ave for frozen bananas and Balboa bars. A classic cheap thrill. The ferry has run continuously since 1919, when the first car crossed for a dime, under a franchise granted to the Beek family in 1922 that still operates it today.

Newport Beach · Beaches & Coast

Watch the dory fishing fleet, walk the pier, and rent bikes or surreys along the boardwalk — quintessential easygoing beach-town fun. Founded in 1891 at the base of the original McFadden Wharf, the Dory Fleet is the last beachside fishing cooperative of its kind in the country, with fishermen still rowing out each morning to sell their catch straight off the sand. The current pier dates to 1940, rebuilt after the original wharf was destroyed by a hurricane the year before.

Free (paid parking)

Huntington Beach · Beaches & Coast

Two miles of state beach with fire rings and a bike path, running from Beach Boulevard to the Santa Ana River. Parking is cashless — card only. The Magnolia and Brookhurst entrances are usually calmer than Beach Blvd.

Huntington Beach · Beaches & Coast

Walk the iconic pier to watch surfers, dig in the wide sand, and grab a bite at the bluff-top Pacific City shops. Today's 1,856-foot pier, rebuilt in 1992, is the longest recreational pier on the West Coast, following a line of piers here dating back to 1904. Hawaiian surf legend Duke Kahanamoku rode waves alongside an earlier version of it in the 1920s, helping cement Huntington's "Surf City" reputation.

Free (paid parking)

Huntington Beach · Beaches & Coast

A mile and a half of off-leash dog beach on PCH between Goldenwest and Seapoint. The two parking lots are card-only.

Free; metered beach parking

Huntington Beach · Beaches & Coast

A 3-mile stretch of sand with an 8.5-mile paved beach path for walking, biking, or a stroll — calmer and less crowded than Huntington City Beach just south of it. The state acquired and cleaned up the land in 1961, and today the beach borders the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve, one of the largest remaining coastal wetlands in Southern California. More than 200 fire rings line the sand for evening bonfires.

Seal Beach · Beaches & Coast

The wooden municipal pier and wide sandy beach sit at the foot of Main Street, with the Marine Safety headquarters at 888 Ocean Ave. The city runs a Junior Lifeguard program and lifeguard hours change by season, so swim near a tower.

Free to enter; paid parking nearby (see city)

Long Beach · Beaches & Coast

A calm bayside beach in Alamitos Bay with shallow water and almost no waves — the reason locals bring toddlers here rather than to the open coast. Play equipment and grass behind the sand.

Long Beach · Beaches & Coast

A tidal saltwater lagoon with a sandy swimming beach, a playground for two to twelve and a marine science education centre. Check before promising a swim — the season is not published and there has been channel construction on site.

Oceanside · Beaches & Coast

One of the longest wooden piers on the West Coast, great for strolling, fishing, and beach play below. The current pier, dedicated in 1987 at just under 2,000 feet, is the sixth built at this spot since 1888 — each of its predecessors was eventually lost to storms or fire. A 2024 fire damaged the far west end, but about 90% of the pier remains open.

Free; food and rentals extra

Carlsbad · Beaches & Coast

Wide sandy beach with a seawall promenade, gentle surf, and tide pools at low tide. The paved promenade here is part of a roughly 4-mile seawall walkway running along Carlsbad's coastline from the village down to Cannon Park, popular with joggers and cyclists as much as beachgoers. Also known as Tamarack Beach, it's a longtime local spot for surfing, kayaking, and stand-up paddleboarding.

Carlsbad · Beaches & Coast

Three miles of blufftop state beach south of the village, with stairway access down to the sand, a large campground, and tidepooling at low tide.

Encinitas · Beaches & Coast

Family-favorite cove beach with lifeguards, a playground, volleyball, fire pits, and easy facilities. The name dates back to early Encinitas residents who gathered here for moonlit picnics on the sand, and today it serves as headquarters for the city's year-round lifeguard service and Junior Lifeguard program. The coastal-themed playground includes climbing structures shaped like sails and surfboards.

Avalon · Beaches & Coast

A protected marine area and the island's best easy snorkeling. The entry is rocky, so bring water shoes; the Wet Spot rental booth is a three-minute walk away.

Free (gear extra, e.g. snorkel set ~$15 for 2 hrs at Wet Spot)

Avalon · Beaches & Coast

A marine protected area off the Casino with marine-rich water right in town, better for confident swimmers. Rentals are available at Catalina Divers Supply.

Free to snorkel; gear and guided tours extra

Avalon · Beaches & Coast

A rental booth at the Boat Landing, a three-minute walk from Lover's Cove. All rentals include life vests and instruction; online bookings have a two-hour minimum.

Avalon · Beaches & Coast

A private beach facility just past the Casino with a full-service bar and restaurant, cabana rentals and calm water. Outside food and drink are prohibited.

Avalon · Beaches & Coast

Avalon's public beaches (South, Middle and Step Beach) run free along Crescent Ave; alcohol, animals and smoking are prohibited. The pier houses ticket booths for tours, parasailing and dive rentals.

Avalon · Beaches & Coast

At 5 Saint Catherine Way, the entrance to Descanso Beach Club: rent kayaks, paddleboards and snorkel gear, or join a guided paddle listed separately.

Avalon · Beaches & Coast

Guided paddles from Descanso Beach Ocean Sports. Willow Cove is a half-day trip of about 2.5 miles each way with snorkel gear and lunch included — a long day for young kids; ask about age minimums when booking.

Cardiff-by-the-Sea · Beaches & Coast

Mellow beach known for beginner surf, tide pools, and the famous "Cardiff Kook" statue nearby. The bronze sculpture, officially titled "Magic Carpet Ride," was installed near Cardiff Reef in 2007 and quickly earned its nickname from local surfers who mocked its awkward pose; it's since become a favorite target for costume pranks, dressed up as everything from Zorro to Uncle Sam. The beach sits flanked by San Elijo State Beach to the north.

Torrance · Beaches & Coast

County-run beach between Redondo Beach and Malaga Cove with restrooms, showers, a concession stand, volleyball nets and a bike-path connection. It has a beach access mat and beach wheelchairs, and ramps lead to the sand. The main lot is at 387 Paseo de la Playa.

Free entry; paid parking in the county lot