As a senior I spend a lot of time walking at this park. They recently replaced the old pay stations that were user friendly for all. Beware the new Pay Stations do Not take cash or credit cards. You must download this app to pay. Make sure you download prior to entering the park. Numerous people have been ticketed while they wait for the app to download. The big problem is, if you are a tourist or a senior without a smart phone, this new machine does not take cash or credit cards. If you don't read English you will have a problem. There is No other option to pay unless you buy a year pass. Very poor planning on the States part. I will walk at the Harbor instead. read more

Doheny State Beach - Pay Station Problems. - Beaches Near Me - Dana Point, California

We Really enjoyed the beach this weekend just for the temps if nothing else..... but there was plenty to enjoy... it's a great park..... On the beach everyone tried to social distance but there were so many people out trying to stay cool because of the heat wave. Thankful for the escape from IE area at least 20 degree difference in temps. One of things I did find funny was how many surfers were in the water at one time, it absolutely looked like they were sitting on each other. The park is well kept, clean bathrooms and nice big day camp area....There is also a Place to rent bikes, boards & more. I have to say the food at the food shack was pretty good, the place is clean and all the workers were very friendly & helpful. You can sit on the roped off patio area and order a bucket of beers or your favorite wine. It does get really busy here on weekends so come as early as you can...... read more

Doheny State Beach - Beaches Near Me - Dana Point, California

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Great beach for beginning surfers or longboard surfing with slow, gentle rolling waves. Personally, I prefer a bit more speed and power as it adds to the adrenaline rush and excitement of surfing. There are bike paths, plenty of picnic tables, and also restaurants/shopping within walking distance. read more

Doheny State Beach - Beaches Near Me - Dana Point, California

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Absolute incompetence...I do not know how else to describe those who staff the kiosk at the entrance. They are inconsistent in their applications of policies, make concessions for people at whim and point fingers to absolve their own inability to manage customer questions, concerns or complaints. The state park is beautiful and has many perks, including the RV park and Doho Cafe. Experiences could be 10x better if they had effective customer relations skills and the ability to right wrongs, in real time. Being told to call the State to file a complaint is not helpful. read more

We love this beach! And just FYI - if you turn right at the light, there's a free parking lot just a few feet away.. As anyone who's from the area will tell you - this is the place to be in Dana Point. And we swear by it. As you drive in, your gps will tell you to take a left towards the gates of the beach. But if you're conservative like us, you can take a right at the light. There's a completely free parking lot just a few feet away. And there's ample free street parking as well. The beach itself is just absolutely beautiful. There's several barbecue and picnic areas along a nice crosswalk. Lots of sand and several volleyball nets. The water is usually serene, but no matter the weather you'll find at least a few people on their surfboards catching some decent waves. On the right, there's a beautiful photogenic area with black shiny rocks lining the ocean. And of course who can miss the majestic palm trees swaying in the wind that fill the area with love and wisdom. Overall a great place to hang out with friends, walk your cute dog, or take some great pictures. It's got something for everyone.. And its beauty is truly unmatched! read more

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Came here on Memorial Day and had an amazing time! It wasn't as crowded as some other beaches, parking wasn't too bad, and it was easy to find our way around. There's also a place to buy burgers, soda, etc., right on the sand. There are park areas, grills, and picnic tables for family events and parties. I'd definitely go again! read more

Doheny State Beach - Doheny State Beach! - Beaches Near Me - Dana Point, California

I really want to give this place a bad review so not as many people go. It's great for novice surfers, volleyballers , and BBQers . We love it, but you have to get there early to find a parking space and picnic table Great for a day out with the kids and friends read more

Doheny State Beach - Beaches Near Me - Dana Point, California

Amazing place but yes rats at night. So not just in middle of night but at 8pm. Shadows of rats. And trust me. Not squirrels or rabbits or moles or gophers but rats coming at dinner time to pick up your scraps. Now is this worse than bears. Maybe but maybe not. Because many more rats than then bears in other places. And you know what. Five stars but dang please set some rat traps. I know for a fact because I looked at their tales. So what did I do to fix it. I threw away our trash and cleaned up our dinner. So I won't blame the rats but damn kind of sucks. I mean I guess I would expect raccoons but yeah know raccoons feel cuter than rats. Rats make you feel icky. Raccoons make you annoyed. Five stars. Steps away from the rat beach. I need to clarify. I have no dumpsters around me. Just normal campsite and a crap load of rats. I live in the mountains so I am somewhat used to rats in that environment but we came to beach to escape the winter. So wasn't expecting this. read more

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Return beach goer Pros: -close to freeway access -flat road no hills like Salt Creek or The Strand -fairly easy accessible parking (meter hourly or daily rate) -bathrooms, showers and snack bar (during the summer time) -tide pool area for the explorers (bring your water shoes so you don't cut up your feet on the rocks) -waves are mild not too crazy during the morning/early afternoon -life guards on duty Cons: -pay for parking -like most OC beaches, parking gets full quickly (after 11 am) -the water is super dirty and lots of trash debris that stays near the tide pool area -rocks small and large on the shore and at the white wash -waves get a little more crazy after 2/3 pm the kids were getting tossed around so we decided to leave after getting to the beach at 9 am. -found a lot of dead washed up sea slugs and crabs read more

Doheny State Beach - Half dead/alive sea slug that was dragging along the rocks on the shore. - Beaches Near Me - Dana Point, California

Parking nightmare for anyone requiring ADA parking. The site 'rangers' are not accommodating for people with ADA parking needs. Visited a friend in the campground, ada parking was available in the campground, i was not allowed to pay and park in the campground, inspite of space being available. Do better guys. read more

Beautiful Beach! Super nice picnic area and also camping spot. Problem is construction at this time. We used to drive right in and now you have pay for day parking. read more

Super chill beach(at least in the winter time). Had plenty of parking and nice views of the coastline. The only thing I can complain about is every time I had to use the restroom there was some sketchy people locking themselves in them and doing who knows what in there and taking a century to come out. Other than that I had a relaxing time watching the sunset here. read more

We love to stay here. It's fun to go over to the marina and have lunch and go shopping In all of the cute shops. It's our favorite beach camping spot. There's a lot happening here. read more

Not a surfer but enjoyed watching them. Seaweed everywhere. It was not a clean beach in that regard. Handicapped, still had to pay, yet half price. No life guard seen. Disappointed. 1 small place to eat. Didn't eat there. They did have bathrooms, outdoor rinse station, picnic tables, lawn area. read more

Another State Beach we recently visited. It's a good one, although not as impressive as Crystal Cove, Bolsa, HB, or our local Sunset Beach. However there's a HUGE plus to this beach that I love. It's set up as such where it's central parking lot is only a 10 second (literally!) walk to where one would set up shop on the sand. No long walks or treks here. It's very convenient. Only negative was even at low tide, these waters are quite rough for children to swim in. read more

My husband and I came here primarily to walk and enjoy the ocean. First time visit. We were hoping for a good walking trail but the trail seemed to go down San Juan Creek which is really just an empty flood channel when we were here. Not really the most scenic walk as we have been to many beautiful beaches and trail hikes in south Orange County. You can walk along the bike trails down to San Clemente from here. The beach was nice but not the most beautiful coastline views we've seen. There are nice picnic areas for BBQing and lots of picnic tables so I imagine during peak summer season this place is packed. Most tables are not protected from the sun( at least in March ) so bring some umbrellas you can attach to the tables. I'm not sure I would pay to come to this beach but since we have a state park pass it was a good stop. Maybe we will bring our bikes the next time and ride down to San Clemente. read more

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I've been going to doheny since 1972. Seems to be a mess these days. Some old creep followed my 16yr old daughter around taking pictures of her but when she called the police the park ranger showed up and did NOTHING !!!! I was parked today at the end of the road on this busy Saturday and a park ranger came out on the beach asking who's truck is this. I said mine he rudely said move your truck because your not in a spot. I asked where's the lines ? They are not anywhere to be seen. No parking lot maintenance!!! I even parked so two cars could fit in but where he wanted my truck only one would now fit ??? Smart move. Lolllll the park is a mess it's extremely dangerous because there are no pedestrian walking areas especially where the camping section is. People have to walk in the street. Very dangerous and very stupid. Someone will get hurt bad and law suits will follow. Why do you post signs prohibiting campers over 25 feet aren't allowed behind the campgrounds but they are always there. They usually take two spots each or more ??? Also it's pathetic that when I went to buy a year parking pass you wouldn't even take my cash ? Is this America ? Are you a government entity ? Then take our legal tender. What are you leaning tword communism ? Come on. Take our beach once in a while please. I don't know who is the main person or manager here but I'd fire him immediately. read more

Easy to get to and loved the restaurant. Only thing is parking there were a lot of RV's suggest to come early.

I love California beaches. The calmness and the gorgeous sunsets and this place is no exception. I've always wanted to visit here partly because I've always took notice when driving down to San Diego. Lots of campers visibly and bonfires galore. During the time I visited, this still holds true. Upon closer notice, yes parking can be a grip. Bathrooms were a bit far away. Firepits were close than expected. (Could a good or bad thing). But for some reason, this beach reminded me of my child hood with lots of kids running around. The Amtrak runs close by but I don't believe it stops here. Otherwise, this would make for a perfect stop for a weekend vacation. read more

Doheny State Beach - Beautiful here and cold - Beaches Near Me - Dana Point, California

Stayed two nights on the group campground with a family and friends. The area was very spacious and could easily fit 10-12 large tents. There are plenty of picnic tables and two large grills. Pros: almost private area. Large and spacious Close to the beach Clean Cons: drop off is not direct (bring a wagon to haul your stuff) Bathrooms can use more cleaning and soap Shore is full of rocks ( bring water shoes) Shower station is not working. read more

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Came here with the family for a day at the beach. Parking is convenient and restrooms too but the sand is not great and the shoreline and water is full of seaweed. Lots of surfers so I assume it's good for that but not for a family looking for a day at the beach. read more

Doheny State Beach - Beaches Near Me - Dana Point, California

I do not know why everyone is saying the campsites are so tiny. Where are THEY normally camping? Ours was big enough for the tent, a large picnic table and the fire ring. (Spaces 42 and 44) We could have squeezed in one more tent. The cars are parked in a large space big enough for 2. We were right next door to our friends and it was 3 families total in 2 spaces with 4 cars. One of us had a pop-up. No probs. The bathrooms are the cleanest of any campground I have been too. Not smelly. And the showers are HOT, excellent pressure, and cost 50 cents for like 5 minutes which is plenty, because you are, after all, CAMPING. There is no other S. Cal campground that I know of that is steps to the sand. Steps.... like 10-20 steps from your tent. The kids can go run off and play. Its safe. Yes Doheny itself is near a runoff creek, which is gross if you think about it, but just don't let the kids play in the creek and don't go camping when it raining. And don't think about it. Have another beer. You're CAMPING! The stars at night, the waves crashing lulling you to sleep... I'd say it ain't bad. read more

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Doheny is a beautiful park with great access to the beach. It's also within walking distance of plenty restaurants.

I love this location! It's not too far from home and it's pretty easy to get to. This is surely a family friendly place to camp. Plenty of children riding their bikes, scooters and skateboards in the area. They have privacy showers and bathrooms available. They also have outdoor shower stations. They also have beach rangers on the premises, this is good to know and see. From what I heard this place books up quickly, so book in advance! There are places to go out and eat not to far from the park. I can't wait to camp here again. read more

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Doheny State beach, Festival of the Whales.... and bathroom cleanings at 10:00am on a Saturday? Come on we can do better!!!

Great beach! Recently found out about it when I started coming out here to learn how to surf :) You'll need a state park parking pass or pay $15. The only bad thing about this beach is that they're conserving water so the showers don't work and the shoreline between the sand and waters has a bunch of huge rocks on the ground. It's really rocky and hard when you're holding a longboard and trying to avoid scratching it. Plenty of families here doing huge picnics and chillin. The waters aren't too bad and actually pretty warm, or maybe cause I have been wearing a wetsuit? lol. LOTS and lots of surfers here! The waves are more calm compared to HB and easier for beginners. However, there was a day here and caught a really good wave. Pushed me pretty far and took a while to walk back. The surfers are pretty friendly here and respect each other. There were reports of sharks a couple of years ago, but luckily I didn't encounter any! The bathroom here is kept clean and pretty big. I like that they have about 4 changing stations inside and lots of stalls. read more

Doheny State Beach - Calm waves - Beaches Near Me - Dana Point, California

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First time camping here so here is my experience 1. Location: easy to find. You can park two cars at the camp site so it's very convenient to unload and unload. If you need anything alberson is only 5 mins away so you can get whatever you need. 2. Bathroom: we stayed at camp 37 so it's about 2 mins walk from the camp to the bathroom. I was supposed to see how clean it is. No soap though so bring a small bottle of soap just in case. Bathroom smells just fine and there are three stalls 3. Camp: spacious for two families to set up 2 tents, ez up. They have a table for you to you. However there are so many ants so bring your ant repellent, clean the tables before putting anything on it. Spray the legs of the table to prevent ants from crawling on it 4. Beach: very rocky. Wave is strong and it comes hard with lots of rocks so it's not a perfect spot for little kids that are younger than 5. Overall: it was an ok experience for us. read more

Ouch, ouch, ouch! I felt like a princess walking out on that beach...until. Not kidding -- I had set up a gorgeous site and, prepped with sunblock and a cute suit (one I have had for ages, and feel lovely wearing), set out for the beach. There, you will find lots and lots and lots of small stones. Consider wearing water shoes. Ah, but the beach was lovely. It is a strong draw for families, surfers and folks on paddle boards. Up from the beach is a wonderful party area where you will find sizable groups grilling and playing games. Nice atmosphere. And the lifeguards patrol regularly. Bathrooms are tidy with an open ceiling, which is pretty sweet. And this particular beach also offers RV and tent camping. I didn't have a chance to check that out though. read more

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On September 8, 2024, my spouse and I made a one-night reservation for lot 98 at Doheny State Beach. We arrived at about 5:30 pm because of the warm weather. Around 8:30 p.m., a female camp host informed us that we were using a generator, which was not permitted at night. We said that our campervan, like all others newly produced by Coachmen, comes with a Lithium battery and doesn't have a generator. She thought the noise was the generator, but it was an AC unit that was a standard install on a 2024 Sprinter Coachmen. She looked satisfied with the explanation and left the lot. Then, 15 minutes later, a male camp host raised the same worry about having a generator during prohibited hours. He realized right away that the noise was coming from the AC unit and not from a generator. He looked satisfied with his evaluation and left the lot. Another fifteen minutes later, a policeman showed up at our lot, expressing the same worries as the 2-camp host about leaving a generator on when it was forbidden. Still, he soon discovered that the source of the problem wasn't the generator but rather our air conditioner. According to the officer, "If the sound is like a generator, then it's a generator." When I inquired if it sounded like a generator to him, he replied that it was not up to him but to the camp host next to you. We left the campsite right away, feeling targeted and disrespected, and headed home. I have never experienced this before, and we have used many campsites, including all CA gov locations. read more

!!!BEWARE!!! The website says the campsites are specific sizes and some AREN'T especially if your someone like me and had a toy hauler or anything other than a tent or back of your truck. It's ok to sleep like homeless ppl but not ok if your actually have the right trailer that actually is liveable. No where on the website says there is a generator hours of operation. Here it's from 8pm to 10am the camp host that is a yes man just knocked on our door and told us when nobody told us. There are campers parking over night in the parking lot next door with no reservation but that's ok. Fuck this place, and they have the nerve to tell you don't park on the dirt with the camp spot are very limited. Also campsites can have multipe people staying there and that ok with different outlander vehicles but a family of 4 with a trailer that is worth a fuck can't have their generator on and is very limited space in their campsite. Don't come here!!! read more

Very nice and clean beach. Went with my family and was glad to see they have plenty of parking and right in front of the shore. The only thing that sucked was that at the parking pay machines doesn't give out change so instead of paying 15 I ended up paying 20 so make sure you have the exact change. I would definitely go back to hang out but not to get in. This beach has a lot of rocks so it's hard to get in all the way because walking on the rocks hurts and there are even big rocks that wash up on shore, one of them hit the back of my ankle, ouch! But overall nice day and very nice and friendly people, and my kids had a ton of fun! read more

Doheny State Beach - Beaches Near Me - Dana Point, California

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Great place for friends/Family/Relaxation/DayUseParking/R.V Overnight parking and camping/Tent camping just stayed here a week just got back home great times great people very friendly and family like environment read more

Easy parking and walk to the water, the line up gets SUPER crowded after like 9 or 10am and people here definitely don't understand priority or look if anyone else is already on the wave. 100% a newbie surf spot. Tiny easy waves, I surfed here up until 38 weeks pregnant and we take our son out on our boards since he was 14 months with no fear, until the crowd comes in- they're definitely more dangerous than the waves. read more

Picked a perfect day based on the weather! What a beautiful setting! Definitely couldn't give high marks because it's not very clean... otherwise a beautiful setting read more

Doheny State Beach - Lunchtime on a Friday - Beaches Near Me - Dana Point, California

My visit here was brief, maybe an hour. I was killing time before meeting up family for breakfast. There is a convenient machine by the guard/ranger shack at the entrance, where you can purchase hourly parking. The minimum fee was $6. It's a little pricey, but if part of that money truly goes to the upkeep of the beach, I'll willingly pay. The beach has a snack shack and bbq grills and benches/tables available for anyone. The surf appeared to be too strong for lazy swimming/floating, but it was prime time for surfing. The day I went, there were maybe 20 surfers out and a few paddle boarders too. I've noticed in Hawaii, there is definite surf etiquette that must be followed. I don't think Doheny Beach is like that, but maybe the surfers I observed were fairly new and didn't know about floating into another surfer's potential path. I digress........ I like this beach; it seemed to be well taken care of. I was here on a Friday morning, so I don't know how busy this beach gets during peak visiting times. If the weather had been warmer, I might have been tempted to take a dip, even if the water is frigid. read more

If you looking for soft sand for the kids to play in don't come here. Tons of trashy seaweed that has fish bones in it. Tons of Little Rock's at the water line. Kids can't play. read more

Doheny State Beach - Beaches Near Me - Dana Point, California

This is the first time we camped here and it will be our last. This is one of the worst campgrounds we have stayed in yet for a few reasons which I have listed below: 1. The man working at the gate was not only the slowest moving individual but also had no knowledge of any kind in regards to questions about the camp sites. For example one of the questions we asked was if any spots had hookups to which his reply was "what is hookups? I am unsure". How do you have the person responsible for checking guests in and providing them park information not even know if the park has hookups!? Absurd. Turns out .. there are no hookups which leads me to the number 2 reason of why Doheny is a NOheny for us. 2. The generator (noise) hours are 10am-8pm. We have two young children. One is almost three and the other only 6 months old. We begin our mornings at 6:30am on most days and the kids need breakfast. 10am? Who the hell sleeps until 10am while camping!? What I really find interesting is that the rangers are patrolling around in the morning making sure no one has any noise on prematurely but no one seems to be checking in on if the bathrooms have been cleaned yet from the day before which now leads me to number 3. 3. The bathrooms are absolutely horrendous every morning and normally don't start getting cleaned or restocked with toilet paper until after 10am. If you are a dirty rat lazy human who enjoys nasty toilets and sleeping in until after 10am then Doheny may be for you. 4. It is expensive. $60 a night with no hookups is steep. To make matters more irritating ... some sites are big and some sites are half the size of what a site should be yet you pay the same. Our site was so small that we couldn't fit our car and had to park in the day use lot which is a super convenient 10 minute walk away from the site. The camp host told us you get lucky with a bigger spot or you don't. I'm paying the same as others and I guess I didn't get "lucky" this time. Adding to the frustration of this ... having two young kids means you have a lot of stuff to unpack. Twice while unpacking our car as quickly as we could while also getting the kids out, we were told to move the car because we were blocking 1/4th of the road. *insert major eye roll here* *also, fuck off* 5. The beach is full of rocks and the waves crash hard so not great for the kids. 6. There are no designated recycling bins. I'm no hippie but camping involves a lot of paper and plastic and aluminum in most cases (plates, cans, etc) and this is a state park, a state park of California in fact, and it is 2019. Get with the times Doheny. 7. At the end of the day, there are just so many other beach campgrounds that I would rather go spend my money at. BYE DOHENY. SEE YOU NEVER. read more

It was our first time visiting this beach. This is a very rocky beach. Even the sand in the water is very painful to walk on. While standing in the water, a rock hit my child's toenail and caused it to bleed. Kids said they don't want to come here again:( read more

This really is a beautiful beach! You can camp, have lunch, or just rent bikes and ride around. I took pictures of the bike rental place and the before you rent sign along with the costs. read more

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The view was amazing the one thing that got me was that there was not enough fire pits and the campsites seem to be a little to overly crowded for myself. All in all seems like a good place to hang out for the day. read more

Doheny State Beach - Sunset - Beaches Near Me - Dana Point, California