If you're looking for one of the most beautiful beaches in Laguna Beach, Crescent Bay Beach is definitely worth a visit. Located at Crescent Bay Drive & Cliff Drive, Laguna Beach, CA 92651, this picturesque cove is known for its crystal-clear water, rocky shoreline, and abundant marine life. If you visit during low tide, you'll find plenty of tide pools where you can observe small sea creatures, making it a great spot to slow down and appreciate nature. Parking, however, can be a bit of a nightmare. I was lucky enough to visit with someone who lives in the area and knew all the different places to check for parking. Without her, I honestly don't think I would have found a spot. We ended up parking farther away than I would have preferred, and the walk to and from the beach included some pretty steep hills, but once we arrived, it was absolutely worth the effort. The scenery is stunning, the beach feels peaceful despite its popularity, and it's a wonderful place to relax, explore the tide pools, or simply enjoy the beautiful California coastline. Just plan ahead for parking, wear comfortable shoes, and give yourself a little extra time to get there. read more

Crescent Bay Beach - Beaches Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

Crescent Bay. This is my all time favorite beach. The summers suck because all the outsiders come. The beach turns into a disaster, as trash and junk is left behind. During the off season, this is the place to be. With certain conditions, the brakes allow for great body.Surfing. this is also one of the places if I come too daily for a long swim.to main beach The tide pools are gone, just like the abalone that used to thrive here. Beautiful sunsets and different fishes, dolphins, and sea lions still make this.My favourite beach on the planet. read more

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Possibly romantic and beautiful with the magical timing of warm breezes, finding this tiny sand strip empty, and watching the sun sink into the west, but for my vacation solo adventure on the windiest and coldest February, well, not quite. I do like the tidy suburban hideout but again, if you are with more than two people, find a bigger beach! read more

Crescent Bay Beach - Entry - Beaches Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

I've been diving here for years and can't believe I have never left a review, but just know if you want parking you gotta get there early because us scuba divers get there ass-early to get the closest parking, and once that spots are filled up, it remains that way the entire day so you will just have to drive around stalking for a spot or park further away. The place is always kept clean and whether you're spending your day on the beach or checking out the tide pools or snorkeling or scuba diving, this is a great little nook of the ocean to spend your time. There are public restrooms, but they don't always open on time, so don't plan on that being the case if you really gotta go! You will have a great day out in nature, though, and there are plenty of other little coves nearby. read more

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This is a remote, clean beach. Neighborhood parking at the top located on Cliff Drive and PCH with available metered parking on PCH. Make sure you're ready for the steep short trek to Crescent Bay Beach with a sturdy handrail. Surrounded by Laguna Beach homes and cliffs, you can chill on the sand or explore the tide pools. Seems to be the spot for body surfers and intense ocean swimmers. There are bathrooms. read more

Beautiful beach on a beautiful Stripes of the ocean get out and walk and pick up some rocks and shells and see some sea life. Take off your shoes and experience the ocean walking barefoot for a little while or the whole day. read more

Crescent Bay Beach - Beaches Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

Literally the prettiest views driving there and being there ! Please me mindful this is a community please clean up after urself and be kind to the neighbors & please do not touch the marine life in the tide pools ! Other than that I recommend this beach to come and relax ! read more

Crescent Bay Beach - My favorite beach - Beaches Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

Local beach which is also a protected tidal pool area. Lifeguard available: the park has a no dogs on the beach till after 6 pm policy, so I had to wait maybe half an hour to get to the beach since I had my dogs. Picturesque view had many people posing and posting selfies, I would have walked around the rocky shore to get to the tidal pools but I was barefooted, probably not advisable. I spotted a very large seal bobbing quite close to shore so just remember to stay mau feet away is they are on shore! Lots of space for sunning and relaxing , protected cove looked like calmer waters. No one was surfing while I was here but I saw people with their boards. Lots of young kids, and that's the beach life! read more

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It's a beautiful and picturesque beach. Although it's beautiful,l there is a lot of seaweed near the shore which seems to attract bugs. read more

Used to be a great spot, but it is now overcrowded and no longer serene. Not a location I would recommend anymore. Other spots further South would be good for families visiting the area. read more

Most beautiful, clear blue waters. Nice tidepools. Street parking on weekdays pretty easy. There are bathrooms.

Too hard to get too and way too crowded. Very little beach to lay out and enjoy. The waves were very rough... couldn't get in the water only on the shore. read more

Great beach for little kids. Has a playground, bathrooms and little tidepools. There were even people there to teach about the ecosystem!

It was so beautiful to see such clear water and such a clean beach. There where lot of friendly people and amenities! With a place to rinse your body and feet, and even bathrooms!!! This beach was phenomenal, I'll be coming often, the surf was amazing! read more

Crescent Bay Beach - Beaches Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

Very unsatisfied with my visit, I came here with my family for the 1st time. We solely came to have fun and enjoy our day. Two members including myself were given a citation and fined $100 each by a beach patrol officer for consuming alcohol which we had no idea was prohibited. The rules and regulations were made small and very hard to notice which is why we were unable to see them. Mind you a lot of people around us were breaking the rules that day. We noticed some smoking, drinking and doing other things that are prohibited and no one was prosecuted. Since this was our first time we could've gotten a warning instead of a fine but the patrol officer was not kind enough to do that for us. My family and I were left feeling targeted and uncomfortable. We believe this was a racial matter. We do not tolerate racism this is unacceptable. Therefore we will not be returning to this beach after what we experienced. read more

The water was nice and blue and the rocks were stunning. Typical California Vibes. Great place to sunbathe.

The pictures really say it all - very quaint little beach just north of the main laguna sandbar. It has a very private feeling since it juts out of a residential beachy neighborhood. Tide pools here can be a nice family fun option for water safe kids. Come here for a relaxing read or post engagement pictures, not necessarily a big party scene here. Cons - park rangers are very uptight here and are anti 420. read more

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I went a few times and there is a pool of what smells and looks like raw sewage that no one is taking care of. This beach is extremely overhyped by everyone I talked to. Also, there were a lot of stingrays (!!!) and didn't feel safe in the water. The sand was really coarse and unpleasant. There are too many people and no place to breathe...hello social distance much??? NOT COVID friendly at all. Also, the city doesn't take care of this beach. DO NOT RECOMMEND! read more

Crescent Bay Beach - looks and smells like raw sewage - Beaches Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

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Came here at night to see the bioluminescent algae in April, but joke was on me because they weren't there. This beach is a little hidden and in a tight neighborhood so good luck finding parking, but it's well worth it. It's almost secluded since it's not a huge stretch of beach but it's definitely a local spot. It looks like a private beach, but it's public and the homes on the cliff makes it feel fancy. read more

I call this the wildlife cove. I always see seals, stingrays, fish, crabs, anemones, dolphins etc when I'm here. It's a small clean cove and the water is so clear! read more

Beautiful secluded beach you generally don't have to pay for parking if you park in the nearby neighborhoods great place to just adventure on the rocks this is my favorite beach in SoCal read more

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I love this beach.. I moved out of California but this will be forever my favorite beach spot to visit

parking is impossible here. if you want to chill here, you must get up super early and be there before the sun.

Beautiful yet somewhat hidden beach. Surrounded by the beach houses and isn't packed, but there were enough people that it looks sufficiently full. There are restrooms, but were SO dirty as if no one bothered to maintain it. The waves weren't too wild so no one was able to surf here. One-star off due to parking. The beach seemed to be for the neighborhood residents so you have to be lucky to find a spot somewhere. Fun fact: This beach was one of the scenes for Soarin Over CA at Disney's CA Adventure theme park! There are many beaches in Laguna so I'll probably won't come back, but it was nice for my first time! read more

Crescent Bay Beach - Beautiful! On my way to the beach! - Beaches Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

A nice little cozy beach nestled in Laguna Beach! Park in the adjacent neighborhood (earlier you go the easier it is to find parking) .. a short easy walk down. Kids had a great time here and the view is absolutely gorgeous! I recommend this beach if you're looking for something low key & quaint as compared to the popular Main Beach down the street. Enjoy! read more

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This is one of Laguna Beaches best kept secrets. A small beautiful beach hidden below a steep pathway, it makes for a perfect day getaway. The waves here are huge and great for body surfing and boogie boarding. The sandy beaches are great for catching some sun or playing frisbee. My only hesitation in writing this review is that the secret may now get out. This place is a must see. read more

Crescent Bay Beach - Beaches Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

Crowded but cute. Tide pools in the far corner. Perfect for a picnic. Many photo oops. Watch out for birds, although there aren't too many.any families. read more

No complaints! THE GOOD: Beautiful somewhat isolated beach, majestic views and a picturesque sunset. Everything is clean from the water to the restrooms! THE BAD: Now more people are going to know about this amazing beach. If it weren't for a fellow Yelper telling me about this place, I wouldn't be writing this. Eh, I'll be in Chicago soon so you guys enjoy it for meeee!!! THE UGLY: Parking!! Okay okay to be fair parking is fair and it's free (street) just be mindful of the signs and blocking driveways! read more

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This is the best place in socal for snorkeling, diving, free diving. Enough said, please look at my videos if you want to snorkeling or free diving here! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZNsWHYjVGc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RiQtLQGYHk4 read more

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Posting this public review is probably not a good idea, but this beach is too good to hide! Unlike the ridiculously crowded Laguna Beach, this somewhat hidden beach has the perfect amount of crowd that isn't too small to feel isolated or too big to feel overwhelmed. Most importantly though, the view is absolutely stunning and the water feels so cool! If you are ballsy, you can even do some rock climbing for even more beautiful views! Just be sure to wear sunscreens beforehand though, because you may be too entranced by the view to realize you are sunburned before it's too late! read more

Crescent Bay Beach - Beaches Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

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This beach was a great find thanks to yelp! We were down in the OC area and wanted to find somewhere to just sit and relax for a few hours. Finding this beach was a little difficult, but it's so worth the trouble. When we went, we were lucky enough to find a lot of parking on the residential streets. Some spaces are metered and others aren't. We found the stairs down to the beach fairly quickly. There's even a bathroom at the bottom! So convenient. We ended up napping on the beach for about an hour or two. Definitely wasn't that crowded. I would have liked to explore the beach and maybe go out into the water. We'll be back! read more

This a truly stunning beach - get your iphone ready to take some gorgeous pics! With the aquamarine water, rocky cliffs and palm trees up on the bluff - you won't find a view any better unless you head over to Hawaii. The water clarity is amazing and the sand is very clean. The waves break pretty close to shore but they aren't ON the beach so that's nice when you have little kiddos. I came here with my teenager who had lots of fun swimming and my 2 year old son who thoroughly enjoyed playing in the sand. It wasn't overly crowded and there are decent bathrooms, but no snack bar so bring your own grub. It's a rather cozy bay and the crowd dynamic that comes here seems pretty mellow and family friendly. The parking is the only issue....you have 3 options: 1) if you're lucky enough to snag a little spot that is immediately nearby the trail entrance you don't have to pay a dime- or quarter 2) park in metered parking along one of the many many neighborhood streets or along PCH (I think it's $1.50/hr? I could be wrong but I remember I definitely had no where near enough quarters for a 4 hour stay) 3) park across PCH to the right of the gas station where they have a few non-metered parking spots. Also, it is a rather steep trail - but it's paved so if you have to bring a stroller or need to use a wheelchair it is accessible. I had my son in a carrier on my back, a backpack on my front and a large beach bag in hand and I had to use the arm rail to keep from toppling over lol. read more

Crescent Bay Beach - Beaches Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

I love this beach! It's a quaint little gem of a beach located in the middle of a residential area, so secretly situated amongst a myriad of crowded surrounding beaches and restaurants just a few streets down. There's little steps that lead you down to the beach, which may be hard to spot - that's why it has this secretive charm to it! It's like finding a discreet and super exclusive amount of treasure. Coming down, all you see is shimmering blue water and soft sand. To the right further down are where the tidepools are. The tidepools here are absolutely amazing and so full of life. Sea creatures galore! It's so cute seeing all the little kids get excited when they find a "baby hermit crab", mussels, clams, and little fishies. Beautiful beaches like this are exactly the reason why I would never want to leave Southern California. It captures the essence of OC so well! read more

Absolutely stunning. I hope that no one reads these reviews because I don't want a vaginormous amount of people to be here the next time I go. I hadn't been in years, and being that I was (until a couple weeks ago) retired, I thought "what a perfect way to end the summer..." It was during that explosive heat wave we experienced last month that I decided I was going to rent a car for the day (you can trash them with sand and I am a fan of new car A/C), and drive up to Crescent Bay - relax, search the tidepools, take in the crazy break, and drink a 12 pack of refreshing icey beer under the summer sun, facing the ocean breeze without a care in the world... I went on a Monday at about noon. Parking on Cliff Drive was a charm and care was taken not to disturb the residents as you make your way down the windy walkways and stairways to the sand... it is in a residential area, which adds to its flavor - absolutely LOVE the homes out there... one day. So I get there. Not a lot of people on the beach. Lots of sitting. Eating a burrito from Taqueria de Anda. Poured aforementioned refreshing beer into small cup and sipped while the breeze (which took at least 10-15 degrees off the heat) pushed up against my face... miss that feeling. I watched the skimboarders, the stoney surf hippies, and parents with their kids. There are amazing small stretches of sand and shell beaches hidden throughout Crescent Bay, and you have to climb/tread over the reefs and tidepools in order to get to them. So many cool animals in the tidepools. Pretty shells. Urchins. Anemones. Crabs. Old lobster parts. The pictures I posted kinda sum it all up, so have a look. Didn't leave until 7. I did not want to get up. There were a few points in the day where I had the entire stretch of a shell beach all to myself. I laid under a cliff awning and read my book - the waves crashing in the background. Seriously, stunning and hard to forget. Respect this place! read more

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Is a haiku review enough to pay tribute to this immaculate beach? Hell if I know but here goes nothing: Any beach where I Don't have to worry about Syringes is tops. [PIC: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/2AK4Xxny9tUWyQm5fR9PHw?select=RWC896br0Af1fqWraS-MOg] read more

Crescent Bay Beach - The rainbow umbrellas make this photo. - Beaches Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

What an awesome beach. Beautiful views all the way around with plenty of room to explore. It is a bit of a hidden beach, definitely a good thing to keep it from being over crowded. I'm not the type to lay out on the beach, I want to go on adventures! That is what makes this beach so fun, is that there are different things to see here. You will definitely want your GoPro fully charged because you won't want to set it down. All of the tide pools are a great sight to see. I definitely don't disturb any marine life when i'm there, but I do love to see the beauty of it. Not to mention the cliffs, the clear water, the rock climbing. It is awesome. I would suggest bringing some water hiking shoes because it can be tricky to do all the rock climbing in flip flops. I was bare foot and I was fine, but if you're a Sally, take some shoes because it will get a little rough. The shorebreak looks like a lot of fun here whether you bodyboard or skim. It's a bit busy here to surf, I wouldn't want to peg a kid in the head. Definitely looks like a good place to snorkel or free dive too! Overall, a great sight to see when you're in Laguna Beach. The parking can be tough because the main entrance is in a neighborhood with a lot of the red curbs and driveways. Just find some neighborhood parking across the PCH and you'll be fine. read more

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Gorgeous beach but it can get pretty crowded so it is best to arrive early! Palm trees, rocks, sand, and surf are the quintessential beach experience. The nearby parking is metered unless you want to park much farther and walk so make sure you bring quarters. The walk down is slanted so be sure to watch for slippery sandy spots. Best to have sure footing. read more

The most BEAUTIFUL beach I have ever been to on California. The water is so clear. The sand is so soft. Little tidepools on both sides of the beach (PLEASE do not take anything though!) There are also people that goes snorkeling, kayaking, & paddle boarding here too. The water seems pretty steep too pretty early on once you walk into the water from the shore. I didn't go too far in though. Nice little private beach w/ million dollar homes along the top. read more

Crescent Bay Beach - Beaches Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

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I can say 5* because I got the best parking spot this place had to offer. Other reviewers say this is a 'secret' little place but the truth is that it is packed. The fact there are clean restrooms and the walk is very short to and from the car though is a great benefit. Also, this place is not for kids. We watched a guy get carted off by EMTs because he was knocked unconscious by a wave. We say dozens of other people who were pulverized by the waves. I wrote the first two paragraphs and forgot to say what I liked about the place - oops. Great sand, beautiful water, no seaweed, etc.. Some of the most beautiful water in OC read more

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What can I say...I love this beach. It really makes me feel like i'm getting away. The access is a steep stairwell and ends at some fairly new bathrooms and a shower. There are often seals on "seal rock" and we get a dolfin show almost every time we are there. The only problem is the parking. You have be willing to park across PCH but you can drop your stuff off at the top of the stairs, park then come back for your stuff and go enjoy the beach. There are lifeguards too. read more