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Aliso Beach
Categories: Active Life Parks Active Life Beaches Parks, Beaches [Edit]
31131 S Pacific Coast HwyLaguna Beach, CA 92651
(949) 923-2280
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
25 reviews for Aliso Beach
25 reviews in English
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Review from Sam L.
Monterey Park, CA
4/20/2012
Best beach I went to for a while, everyone here is cool and laid back. Just the way things should be. I also like to walk around the downtown area, got some cool shops to go to.
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Review from Frankie C.
Laguna Beach, CA
3/8/2012 1 Check-in Here
I just got back from the Drum Circle that happens ever Full Moon. If you have not been yet....GO! It's truly a nice way to just get away from it all and just..... Be.
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Review from Sylvia K.
8/31/2011 1 Check-in Here
I LOVE THIS BEACH!!! It's definitely smaller and less populated than surrounding beaches...Parking is $2/hour, so bring change and prepare ahead of time. The parking is steps from the beach so you don't have a far walk while lugging all your beach items..
It's so beautiful here and has great areas for BBQ'n and bonfires! Came here for both with some family friends and had a great time hanging out all day.
Great for skimboarding since the waves break so close to shore.. and there's a nice rock area to climb/walk... just be cautious because it can be slipppery. -
Review from Michellea D.
Ladera Ranch, CA
2/2/2012
This is my favorite beach to take my daughter. It has a playground next to the beach. Also there are fire pits. Get there early to get a firepit in the summer.
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Review from Darren T.
7/7/2011 1 Check-in Here
I came here for the 4th of July. We came for a bonfire. Woke up at 4 am to grab a pit. Stuff went down early as a couple parties were fighting for the pits... but there was a bit of calm after.
The beach is not cleaned until around 6-7am... but it's cleaned very well. The bathrooms were relatively clean for a public area, and the trash were mostly taken out.
The parking situation sucked -- again, 4th of July. Some of my frineds had to park an hour away... in that hot hot heat... what we do to celebrate Uncle Sam, right?
Overall, a great beach. -
Review from Alex D.
6/28/2011
No doubt one of the most beautiful coastal spots in Southern California, Aliso Beach is conveniently located along Pacific Coast Highway between San Juan Capistrano and Laguna Beach.
Clean, never crowded, with plenty of $2/hr parking and restrooms, it's a great choice if you're looking for a somewhat secluded location with plentiful wildlife only minutes away from full-fledged shopping plazas and the sleepy cafes of Laguna Niguel.
When you stop by, be sure to also check out the excellent picnic grounds and mermaid sculpture at nearby Treasure Island Park, and take a moment to climb the Rock for a 360 degree view of the coastline. -
Review from Edward O.
San Diego, CA
10/24/2011
This is a great family beach. There is a playground right next to the beach. The parking lot is right on the beach so you don't have to walk for miles. Parking is cheap at $1/hour. The beach and playground are kept clean and well maintained. No gang bangers.
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Review from James L.
Aliso Viejo, CA
1/18/2011
Beautiful beach especially since the demise of the ugly cement Pier. Aliso beach was once the stage for many Gidget movie's boy if I didn't just age myself!! remember Von Zipper!! Oh well the beach is well kept and is one of few County Beach's with fire Pits 10 Pm its lights out Its also a non alcoholic beach and we mean it. One con is that it rates a #2 in bacteria levels due mostly in part to those inland folk's,doggies poop and lawn fertilizer and of course the sewage treatment plant just out of sight on Aliso Creek is a nice added attraction illogically it's neighbor is a boy scout camp although I have never seen a boyscout near the camp. Enjoy the beach and fire pits get there early if you want one and the Beautiful Romantic sunsets. Just one thing
"Stay out of the water"
ALISO RANGER -
Review from Rho L.
8/29/2010 3 photos
We ventured this beach today, arrived at around 11am and parking was a breeze. Didn't have to scour the land for a teeny spot in front of some resident's house (who probably hates beach visitors for that reason). . Parking is by the hour here, which is great especially since you're actually just paying for the amount of time you spend here.
It's a smaller, less populated beach, unpretentious and beautifully simple. The shore is steps from the parking lot. So you'll save yourself the trouble of walking miles and miles of asphalt.
This is a skimboarders beach, not sure if surfers come out here although I highly doubt it. Lot of families come around here to picnic, or bonfire, or just to have a hassle free beach day.
One thing that stood out to me, and that I really liked were the bathrooms. Most of the time, beach bathrooms are dreadfully dirty and unkept. The bathrooms here were the exact opp...
I think I found a new favorite local beach.....Listed in: I'm not ALWAYS eating you…
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Review from Sean W.
Aliso Viejo, CA
8/19/2010 3 Check-ins Here
The good:
Beautiful location surrounded by cliffs
(Usually) clean turquoise water
The birthplace of skimboarding- still one of the best locations in the world if you skim
Easy access- convenient parking lot just steps from the sand. No long walks from your car to the beach here. (looking at you, Salt Creek)
Playground with jungle gyms/slides/swings for the kids
The not so good:
Not a lot of sand real estate here. Can lead to VERY crowded conditions.
Poor swimming conditions. The currents are very strong and the waves are all shore-breaks. Particularly dangerous for young kids who want to get in the water.
Unpredictable Aliso Creek. Aliso Creek empties in to the Pacific in the middle of this beach. Problem is...the river basically cuts through the sand and is constantly carving a new and natural path to the ocean. All of this means that the usable sand space is constantly shifting and you might have to walk through the wet sand or creek if you want to get to the North side of this beach. Also, if it has rained recently, the creek can become contaminated and thereby contaminating the beach.
Overall, a great beach- especially if you are a skim-boarder. Get here early, leave your boogie-boards and surfboards at home, and have a good time.Listed in: Laguna Beach
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Review from Jose L.
Fontana, CA
8/9/2010
This right hurrr is what I imagine most California beaches to be like. Just south of the green pedestrian bridge along the Pacific Coast Highway, Aliso Beach has plenty of sand and water, but the lush grass, swaying palm trees, immense hillside homes along the PCH, red cliffs on either side and large protruding rocks out in the water a la Pirates of the Caribbean gives this place character. It's a swell place to film a small scene or do a photo shoot.
TAG YOU'RE WET
Signs are posted indicating that swimmers stay on the north side whereas skimboarders stay on the south side. I didn't see any surfers so it's probably best to surf elsewhere. The waves are too close to everyone anyway. Enjoy the sand. It's not white or fine, but it's soft and relatively clean - definitely beats the ouchy rock beach along the French Riviera. Sacre bleu! I saw a few dolphins out there during the day and a large pelican combing the Pacific as the sun was setting. Yeah, it was THAT cool.
CROWDS SCHMOWDS
There were younger people chilling, playing volleyball and sunbathing closer to the south end and more families towards the north end. It's a mix of locals and out-of-towners and different cultures. It was definitely crowded or it seemed that way because it's a smaller beach. It started dissipating around 6 or 7 PM probably because parents have to work; that, or the high tide came in waaaaay too close for comfort considering how short the distance is from the sidewalk-sand line to the sand-ocean line. Umm... locals probably have different names for that. Also, the distance between the parking lot and the sand is just a few steps away for the lazy at heart.
GUARDING LIFE ONE LIFE AT A TIME
I only noticed one lifeguard and he was proactive. He told some kids not to bodysurf (probably because of the strong waves), told us that we can only grill in the pits (after seeing us attempt to cook near the grass), and patrolled the shores regularly. He seemed to have a few lifeguard friends hanging out with him though. It's a safe bet that all Aliso Beachgoers lived that day. Now if it was a hot female lifeguard instead, I would've purposely swam out to change that numberless statistic.
HUNGRY? THIRSTY?
There's a small cafe at the southeastern end that sells coffee, water, juice, energy drinks, snacks, chicken fingers, burgers, sandwiches, and ice cream, to name a few. Go ahead. Your body's sexy enough and buffed enough to earn yourself a few things to eat and drink.
BEES' KNEES
There are plenty of bees ready to buzz on your sweet food and sodas so watch out. Interestingly, none of us got stung and none of the strangers around us as well. It's nothing a smokey fire pit can't cure.
REST-aaahh-ROOMS
The toilet stalls are adjacent to the cafe and are hit or miss with regards to cleanliness and odor. There are a couple sinks outside and a couple public showers/foot showers to rinse yourself of sand you dirty beachgoer you.
PITS
Square bonfire pits are plentiful, but are snatched up quickly. Fortunately, there are friendly people who are willing to give you theirs if you're lucky. ...and by "lucky" I mean if you're "an attractive girl...or two or three." Just kidding. Make friends and stay close to a bonfire pit Gollum hoarder, or just ask around like a few losers did. Just kidding again. Seriously, be cool.
PARK THAT THING UP
I believe parking is $1 per hour. Park first, then pay at one of the many stations, located throughout its private lot and display your paid ticket on your dashboard.
We got there around 11:30 AM Sunday (yesterday) and there were plenty of parking spaces. We went out exploring for a bit (aka getting lost) and got a bite to eat. We got back at 1 PM and circled the parking lot several times looking for parking. Luckily, I got free hilly parking along the south east side of the PCH. Even those get packed quickly. Watch out for the red zones. I dared to cross the dangerous PCH with the help of that two-way left turn lane/median. Whew!
I'm only telling you this because I like you and want this to be our secret... or so Buddha help me. -
Review from Juliee D.
Orange, CA
9/7/2011 1 Check-in Here
A little escape from the main beaches, just minutes drive pass laguna beach going towards Malibu. Easy street parking if you don't want to pay to park in the lot. There plenty of restrooms!!! It's a little farther and away from the main beaches so there are less people, a perfect spot for peacefulness under the sun!
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Review from Sam N.
8/9/2009
What an amazing beach! I wish I could have taken photos and uploaded them! The water is clear, the rocks are amazing and there is even a little hiking trail. Its so small, and not many know of this place..but those who do are among the lucky few! If you ever visit Orange County in the summer, please make sure you visit this place! I was so inspired today! Even wrote some new poems, Enjoy!
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Today
Today I saw you
walking quite quickly
as my eyes tried
to follow just as quickly
I watched you run
and you were running to...
A place where part of me
tried to follow you...
and I saw you slightly turn your head
and then you stopped
and you gave me a pause
I didn't get a good look,
yet I caught a glimpse
I didn't come closer
bu here and now, there it is..
I didn't see your face
I didn't see your eyes
I didn't see your feet move
I didn't see your head turn
Today you gave me a pause
and in that moment
I saw eternity
--------Listed in: Poetry anyone?
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Review from Gretchen L.
El Mirage, AZ
8/22/2010
- Parking was plentiful and decently priced at $1/hr
- Short walk from the lot to the water
- It wasn't crowded, at all
- The waves started out mellow then got aggressive during our last hour or so
- Restrooms, drinking fountains and a burger stand were in very close walking distance
The only not-so-great was the rocky sand. My kids had no problem with it. I felt very exfoliated by the time we left, but still really, really liked this beach a lot. -
Review from Marissa L.
Los Angeles, CA
9/15/2008
Seriously the best beach I've ever been to. It has everything. Beaches, rock promontories, tide pools, chaparral. A little store on a destroyed pier for ice cream, cement rings for bonfires (rare!), a playground, a parking lot literally 5 feet away from the sand, great diving...and excellent waves for skimboarding. It's like everything you'd expect to find at an ocean front, minus a harbor, in one location. And it's small, and very few people know about it, so--at least when I've been there--it's NEVER crowded. Depending on what day of the week you go, you might even find yourself completely alone there.
There's a picture above of the rocky part of the beach, where you can check out tidepool life. Told you the place was empty. Part of this may be attributed to the fact that the next beach down (not this one) is filled mostly with scantily clad men. 0_0
You can actually see the sunset from this beach, and it's beautiful. Seriously, it's the best beach in Southern California. The sand is sloshy and rich.
I find I'm pretty happy and at peace when I go here. Hooray for Aliso Beach! -
Review from Zachary S.
Lakewood, CA
8/12/2011 1 Check-in Here
Small beach lots of families there in the middle of the week. waves crash in on shore to close but if you are a skim boarder good place to go.
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Review from angela k.
Laguna Beach, CA
1/12/2011
This is by far the best beach in Southern Cali, I love that it has everything from marine life in the rocks, great sand and beach, bathrooms, playground, fire pits, and a burger stand. Also has it's own parking lot only $1 hour 5 ft from the beach. This type of structure is never found. Great for family, friends, or alone time. Never to busy!
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Review from Ian M.
Davis, CA
1/12/2010
Wow, this beach is fantastic. It's bounded on the east side of PCH by a small park and a parking lot and you walk under a tunnel to get to the actual beach itself.
This is a great place to lay out a towel and spend the day. Sure, there tend to be a lot of people, but it's a lot of fun to just relax in the sun. For the more adventurous among us, you can climb in the hills or play on the playset.
Also of note, for the arachnologist in all of us, this is one of the few places in SoCal to find Argiope argentata. Look in the bushes around the tunnel in the summer and fall. -
Review from Heather J.
Waterloo, IA
10/18/2009 1 photo
Beautiful little public beach with secured private paid parking. Great place to relax, lay on the beach, walk/run, or explore rock formations.
Decent public restrooms, outdoor showers to slake off the salt, rings to have bonfires, and plenty of space to just enjoy. -
Review from Katherine N.
Aliso Viejo, CA
5/10/2011
Love this beach.
Clean beach, decent bathrooms, food onsite; and it's super easy to keep up with the kids here. It even has a little play structure for the kiddies to get the wiggles out. -
Review from L A.
Northern, CA
6/26/2010
3 stars because it was crowded at 11:30 AM on a Friday, and the water wasn't right for boogie boarding, although that's probably not how it is usually so I'm biased.
The fire pits were all taken so get there early if you want one. People were bbqing near the pits. You have to pay to park by the hour and the lot is super close to the beach which makes it nice if you're lugging chairs etc...
Lots of families, kids playing.
TIP: If you want a more relaxing time with way smaller crowds, and don't mind sharing the beach with perfect looking local teens, AND don't mind tempting fate by crossing the PCH (running across it), or walking down/up 200+ steps, then check out Thousand Steps beach down the way on 9th. It's super close. -
Review from Tam Rae L.
Foothill Ranch, CA
11/29/2011 1 Check-in Here
love the Aliso Creek Park !!!! kids love it too !!!
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Review from M S.
Laguna Beach, CA
10/15/2011 6 Check-ins Here
Another great laguna beach!
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Review from Bryan W.
4/25/2010 1 Check-in Here
Found a spiritual connection to the Pacific Ocean at this beach sitting on the tidepool rocks watching the irregular pattern of waves wash among the craggy rocks.
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Review from Kimi B.
Laguna Niguel, CA
6/5/2010
Love this beach. My husband and I come here all the time to relax. It's a great place to just enjoy the salty sea and take the beauty of OC in. Love it!
