As a kid, dad used to take my brothers and me to any number of beaches to go fishing. We only visited reef point infrequently; parking was iffy on the highway with a walk down (you used to be able to park on the highway) and take a trail down the cliff to the beach.
Once there, the sandy/rocky shore was pristine. Nowadays, this beach (and so many others) have a lot more foot traffic and visitors. Still pretty, but shows the signs of increased use and occasional abuse.
Several years ago, the Laguna Coast was designated with marine protections for invertebrates; while low tides bring visitors here to scamper over the rocks to peer into tidepools at anemones, mussels, limpets, nudibranchs, and other intertidal creatures, the rocks are relatively devoid of living things compared to tide pool areas that see fewer visitors such as in central and Northern California. It seems even with the State Park and MPA protections, people still pocket critters here. Too bad.
All that considered, this is still a nice little spot to watch the sunset or have a picnic. The mix of rocks and sand can make swimming and wave-wimping potentially hazardous, so mind the ocean and her wily mood swings carefully. read more