Main Beach is in the heart of town, it is a central location to many bars, restaurants and shops. It has an iconic lifeguard tower in the center of the beach, basketball courts and great swimming. PRO TIP: This beach will be extremely busy in the summer, it is great to walk to if you are in the area and want to catch a sunset after dinner, but for a relaxing beach day away from crowds we recommend other beaches across town.
Very close to Main Beach, Heisler Park has numerous walking paths, scenic views and beach access that has tide pools to explore during low tide. Definitely recommend coming here if you are in the area!
Victoria beach is a secluded beach known for a "pirate tower" that was built in 1926, and a big concrete pool that is in the ocean. Lots of tide pools, snorkeling, and skim boarding here. Access the beach via a narrow stairway located near 2713 Victoria Drive.
This is a beachside, outdoor bar/lunch spot right on the sand at Aliso Beach. There is a parking lot at this beach, and multiple beaches connect to this one if you want to go on a scenic beach walk. Freshly caught fish tacos and margaritas!
For those of you staying in Dana Point, we highly recommend checking out Dana Point Harbor! If you wanted to rent a paddle board and cruise around the harbor with sea lions, walk to the ocean institute and check out the aquarium, or even book a whale watching tour, the harbor is your place. Note: a big part of the harbor is under a big renovation currently, but you can still do mostly everything listed above. Highly recommend it here if you want to experience the relaxed SoCal vibe of Dana Point.