Hidden gems of sand

Suzie Harrison, Elia Powers and Dave Brooks

There’s not much “secluded” about Orange County’s coast these days.

But those in-the-know can still find spots where the beach doesn’t

resemble the San Diego freeway at rush hour.

Laguna Beach is a coastline jewel of sheer cliffs, coves and

strands that spans six miles along the Pacific. It offers 30 public

beaches, each with its own personality.

North Laguna is home to a tiny cluster of sandy, secluded coves

nestled against rugged bluffs.

Shaw’s Cove is a place many divers prefer and is popular for

swimmers too. It’s located at the end of Fairview Street.

Fisherman’s Cove is a popular place to launch kayaks and

catamarans, though it’s not as swimmer-friendly because of rocks.

Nearby Diver’s Cove is a favorable family destination. Both are off

of the 600 block of Cliff Drive.

Rockpile Beach, though located below the ever-crowded Heisler

Park, has remained pretty much a locals-only spot. It’s also a

surfing favorite. Rockpile is located near Jasmine Street at the

south end of Heisler Park.

South Laguna’s beaches are less populated than central Laguna,

where most tourists go.

Arch Cove is beautifully situated with a natural arch at its south

end. The beach is about a half-mile in length and is a hot spot for

surfing, swimming, skimboarding and diving. It can be accessed

through many streets along South Coast Highway, including Agate

Street and Pearl Street.

Moss Point is a tiny, secluded cove favored by divers and locals,

just below Moss Street.

Table Rock Beach is a sandy cove in which divers delight. It’s off

Table Rock Drive.

NEWPORT’S PATH TO SEA LEVEL

In Newport Beach, the tough question is: How does one find a

hidden beach in a city known for its surf and sand?

One answer is to make a trip to a beach that is well out of sight.

At the Intersection of Pacific Coast Highway and Reef Point Drive,

near the border of Newport Coast and Laguna Beach, passersby might

notice a parking lot that offers a panoramic view of the ocean.

But, from the roadway, they are unlikely to notice a beach that

sits hundreds of feet below.

A concrete path runs parallel to the highway and is prime

territory for joggers and walkers. Corona del Mar resident Kathy

Schwarz takes her dog, Kasey, for a stroll every morning and waves to

familiar faces along the way.

“Everyone knows each other here,” Schwarz says. “It’s like a

community beach.”

The main path leads to another walkway, this one steep and framed

by flora, that goes down to sea level.

At the bottom of the hill, the views are sweeping and

unobstructed. The air is crisp and the sand is clean.

The beach stretches for miles and is open from 6 a.m. to sunset

year-round.

The Reef Point beach entrance is the most popular, according to

Eric Dymmel, lifeguard supervisor at Crystal Cove State Park.

“It’s hard to beat,” Dymmel says. “There’s virtually no other

place in the state where you can find this kind of view and an

undeveloped terrace area that overlooks the water. That’s one of our

major selling points.”

Still, the beach isn’t for everyone. There are no bicyclers or

in-line skaters down below; no food stands or surf shops along the

way. This is a beach without the bells and whistles.

Seaweed is sprawled across the beach like sunbathers, and a

collection of jagged rocks protrude from the sand.

At high tide, the water can reach all the way to the cliffs.

That’s why Costa Mesa resident Steve Maccharoli only comes to his

favorite beach spot during low tide.

He enjoys walking out onto the rocks and seeing the tide pools.

Starfish, octopi and crabs are among the sea life he has seen over

the past few months.

ANY SPOT LEFT IN SURF CITY?

In Huntington Beach, the challenge may be even more difficult.

With its eight miles of highway-side coastline, Surf City’s beaches

don’t hold too many hidden coves or private areas. Nearly every grain

of sand and surf can be seen from Pacific Coast Highway, its stretch

of beach almost level with the roadway and town built around it.

Without any dramatic cliffs or tidal inlets, Huntington Beach’s

sands are generally pretty similar across town -- it’s really the

crowds that change. Sure there’s plenty of room for everyone, but

with a little determination to walk, it’s easy to find an exclusive

area of the beach with nobody else around.

Cars rule Orange County, so generally the availability of parking

determines how crowded the beach is going to be. While that rules out

most of Huntington City Beach, the small six-block area stretching

from 17th Street to Goldenwest Street is less crowded than its

downtown counterparts. Parking in that area is relatively simple: If

you’re heading north on Pacific Coast Highway, turn right on 17th

Street and slowly roam the residential neighborhood until you find a

spot. Just be careful crossing back over the highway.

Of course this beach also borders Dog Beach. With its hundreds of

water-bound mutts chasing each other in the surf, it can be anything

but private.

When the dogs start to spill over into your private moment, grab

your stuff and head up a little farther north to Seapoint Avenue.

The beaches at Seapoint Avenue are almost always empty, but

there’s a reason: The abandoned oil fields and recovering wetlands

along the beach leave few parking possibilities. The closest parking

is at the corner of Seapoint Avenue and Cherryhill Lane -- flip a

u-turn at the stop sign and immediately look for the white patch of

curb on the right.

From that point, it’s a half-mile walk just to get to the beach

and then as far north up the coast as you can push yourself. Even on

the busiest summer days, the sands north of Seapoint Avenue are

practically barren.

If you can’t find parking at Cherryhill Lane, head all the way up

Seapoint Avenue until it dead-ends into the entryway to Overlook

Drive, a parking lot used as “lover’s lane” for Huntington Beach’s

romantically inclined. It’s about a mile walk to the beach from

Overlook Drive.