There are two small parking lots, so parking is convenient. The hiking route is relatively short,…read moremaking it perfect for a relaxing walk. From here you can overlook the Pacific Ocean and Highway 1. If you come around sunset, the view should be especially beautiful.

There are gorgeous views of the ocean from the trail. We were there in the early afternoon on a…read moreNovember day in the mid-70's. The ocean breeze felt great and kept us cool enough for light sweatshirts. But my sister who lives in a nearby community says it can get very hot in the late Spring through early Fall. Id like to try it out for trail running, though I can see how it might be slick, with its coarse sand trail on wood ties for stairs; it's metal stairs in other places.

Great fully paved hike. We started at the south end of the hike, which was a gradual decline for…read morethe most part. Definitely felt the gradual incline on the way back! Finding the trail entry was a bit of a search, I'd recommend parking at Ave Salvador and Calle Monserrat. There's a green and yellow sign for the start of the trail and plenty of neighborhood parking. Would highly recommend for a nice day outdoors.

So, paved paths are my favorite find considering I have to tote my 18 month around in a stroller &…read moreI easily get bored with sticking to the beach trail/seeing the same view every day. There are definitely some not so very stroller friendly parts of this trail unless you're looking for a hardcore leg workout! We ended up ditching the stroller at the bottom of the hill with the benches so we could get up the steep incline to absorb the view. My 18 month old did better than I did walking up this monster...good lord I am out of shape. Beautiful view though all around though! It's a nice little getaway from city life while being able to observe the city below you. Don't follow the vague directions listed on the SoCal hiking website that say to park at the end of Calle Cordillera unless you like being confused, worried about all of no trespassing signs, & lost like me. However, if you're like me & you're already frustrated trying to find a trailhead after following the above directions: pass the gates clearly marked private property/utility access road (you daredevil) and FOLLOW the winding paved road all the way up. You will come across an "intersection" of the trail going through this utility road. You should see a water tower standing in front of you as well. If you make a right, it's a short hike to the top where the benches are. If you make a left, I'm assuming there are more trail options. Looking at google maps, it seems you can park at the end of La Pata around the Richard Steed Park and reach it from there as well. Oh and don't forget to say hi to the friendly people and their dogs! I got a nice little doggie kiss from a friendly Golden Retriever this morning

I like walks on the beach. Or more like, by the beach. A favorite of beach trails that I've enjoyed…read morecoming to - lots to see and explore with vibrant flowers, the horizon of the ocean, the sounds of the Amtrak and Metrolink trains passing by. All of it is just amazing. And the best part is, there's so many ways to just have a good time and a good workout on this trail. The Beach Trail is about 2.3 miles long in total, but it can feel like a pretty long walk. AND that's only one-way. Coming back, you have to do another 2.3 miles, if you're returning to the beginning of your route. But you'll really see everything. Love the Beach Trail!

This is a nice little beach walk going from North Beach to Calafia. Its only 2.3 miles. The scenery…read moreis beautiful. You are steps away from the ocean. Every so often an Amtrak, Metrolink, or BNSF train will pass by. Its a well kept trail and perfect for all walkers. There was a detour and I had to walk on the beach. Good thing it was low tide. You had to time yourself between the waves. Today was the first Saturday of the month and there were two beach cleanup crews. The Surfriders were by the pier, and at Calafia Orange County Coastkeeper were working. This group also does cleanup on the 2nd Saturday at Huntington Beach tower 9 at Magnolia st. from 9:00 to 11:00. I got there late or I would have helped.. I already signed up for Huntington next week. Every time I come to San Clemente I enjoy walking the trail. After eating its a nice way to burn off a few calories.

No tickets needed, it's free. It is an amazing view. It's one of my fav places to visit, read a…read morebook, chill, party, or hangout with some friends. Also very romantic for a date spot. Watch out for mountain lions at night!

Came here with my daughter and her friend, went on hiking trails, this place is absolute to go…read moreplace for a walk, hiking and there also has a small park where you can take kids to play. This place has an amazing view and lots of trails for you to go walking and hiking as well. Theres plenty of parking, rite next to the park and it has restroom as well. It's a free parking. Some places you can park on the street and hike up.

Beautiful! The way it was easy but I found the way back more challenging haha probably because I…read morewas tired. The sky was beyond beautiful the day I went and it is now a core memory. Towards the end, there were beautiful wildflowers that I was not able to capture due to low storage on my phone :|

Great trail! We came out on a Sunday, and we were shocked that it wasn't too crowded! We saw plenty…read moreof bikers, runners, walkers, and a good amount of dogs! Definitely a dog friendly trail. This area was nice because there was a larger loop, but many trails within that loop where you could branch off to another trail. We did las Ramblas to the patriot trail, with the flag on top. I would say this is a very easy hike, but beautiful scenery!

It only took me 31 years of living in CA to make my way to San Onofre…read more This is my favorite SoCal beach yet. There's something about this beach's vibes that transports you straight to the 80s. It's pretty inconvenient to visit and that might be the beauty of it. San Onofre is in the middle of nowhere, expensive to enter, and they only allow a limited number of cars in the parking lot at once. We actually waited over an hour to park. Because of the difficulties to enter, this beach feels like a protected oasis. It's a major hub for van-lifers and surfers. In fact, you might feel peer pressured to buy a van after your first visit. There's bathrooms and showers onsite, but otherwise it's a bit of a raw space. Most people seem to come early and set up their site for the entire day. Never change, San Onofre.

A slice of heaven. Huge state beach with plenty of solitude. A paid lot with lots of spots. Dogs…read moreroam free at lot 1 entrance. Thousands of crystals to adore, tiki huts to occupy or build, beach life and habitat to appreciate and much needed relaxation.

Oops my secret is out! This is probably one of my most favorite spot to go for a walk or a mini…read morehike! Even better, if you're there when it's sunny because the ocean views are breathtaking!! This is also dog friendly since there are poop bags provided at intermittent part of the trail. Please keep in mind that this is in a neighborhood so there will be houses really close to the trail (almost like we're in their backyard) and private property that you can't enter. There are signs to guide you so just stick to the signs and you'll be ok.

Hidden gem in LN. Quick hike around the area to the park area to see the interesting…read moregeology/history. Hike also wraps around the mountain side, giving you a view of the ocean.

1000 Steps Beach in Laguna Beach (off PCH and 9th) is absolutely worth the visit! First off, don't…read morelet the name intimidate you, the stairs are not literally 1000 steps one way or even round trip... unless you decide to go up and down a few times, then yeah, you'll definitely hit that number!! We went on a Monday and it was pretty busy lots of college-aged people, maybe even some high schoolers, but the beach itself still felt pretty secluded, and there were hardly any kids around maybe like a handful of them. It was overcast when we went, which actually made it perfect, not too hot and super comfortable. Parking is street parking only, just make sure to read the signs carefully. Once you head down, you'll find restrooms and showers right at the bottom of the stairs, which is super convenient. The restroom is clean earlier in the day (before noon), but like most beach spots, it gets a bit wet as the day goes on. There's plenty of space to set up and relax. One thing to watch out for--seagulls! They will go after your food, so definitely cover it with towels if you're hopping in the water. The stairs themselves are pretty narrow, and people usually stick to one side going down and the other going up, so just be mindful and take your time, they tend to also get wet as the day goes on so it's a little slippery.

Thousand Steps Beach feels like a hidden gem... if you're willing to earn it…read more The walk down is definitely a workout, though it didn't feel anywhere close to 1,000 steps. Still, the stairs are steep, so caution is needed both going down and coming back up. After spending the day at the beach, that climb somehow feels like 2,000+ steps and hits way harder than expected, so it's best to pace yourself. The beach itself is nice, calming, and clean, which makes the effort worth it. It's a great spot to relax once you're finally down there. Pro tip: pack light. If you bring every single beach "necessity," you will regret it on the way back up. I'm giving this place 4 stars, and the main reason it's not 5 is the parking situation. Parking is honestly horrifying. Parking lot is limited, and street parking is competitive, and mildly stressful before you even touch the steps. Amazing beach, great vibes, killer workout... just come prepared and patient.

This hike is moderate because it is short. It's about a mile round trip but the stairs can be…read morebrutal, especially if you are short. The views are worth it. There is only bench at the top.

this was steeper than I expected but so rewarding at the top! it's a short hike with lots of…read moreelevation, definitely got my heart rate up. there's a bench at the top where you can catch your breath while admiring views of the coastline + nearby golf course!

I go to this place a lot. Not always to lay out at the beach, but to run the stairs. The beach…read moreaccess or beach trail access is by stairs from the above residential street up on the top of the cliff. Running or walking the stairs is an excellent workout. I stop halfway sometimes (there are benches on both sides, so you can get out of the way of the stairs) and do some extra exercises by the benches. Beautiful view! A lot of people also go surfing here and usually go halfway done the stairs to check the surf out. It has direct access to the beach trail that goes along the San Clemente coast line. The shore is not very long, so at high tide sometimes it may be hard to lay out or you might get swept out to sea - you can't say I didn't wan you! haha.

This is one of the best and most hidden beaches in San Clemente! For many reasons one of them being…read moretheres FREE parking on the street above! The surf is generally pretty good here I mostly believe that it's due to the fact that there is a small reef not to far from the beach. Keep in mind that the tide here is usually pretty high this is not the type of beach to bust out the lawn chairs at unless you wanna go swimming for them! The name 204's some will say it comes from how many steps there are but I believe it's deprived from the sign on the train tracks that says 204 not sure what its meaning is to the trains but the name has definitely stuck over the years. I've spent countless days on this beach over my years of growing up in San Clemente and every time it's been fun I will keep coming back to this beach because of the location it's beautiful and a great place to just chill and ease your thoughts or to catch some waves! Ride On!