01
Best overall pick
Main Beach
Downtown Laguna • Central Social Beach With Promenade • Iconic Hub For First-Time Visitors
If you only have time for one stop, Main Beach gives you the classic Laguna mix of sand, surf, and people-watching in the heart of town.
Stretching out where Broadway meets the ocean, Main Beach is where locals bring visiting friends to show off Laguna in one snapshot. Volleyball courts, a long boardwalk, and easy access to coffee, tacos, and galleries make it ideal if you want to bounce between the sand and town. It does get busy, but that energy is part of the charm, especially at golden hour around the lifeguard tower.
02
Best coastal views
Treasure Island Beach
South Laguna, Near Montage Resort • Scenic Resort-Framed Cove • Best For Easy-Access Coastal Scenery
Treasure Island pairs a broad, soft-sand cove with manicured bluff-top paths and some of the best ocean views in Laguna.
Tucked below the Montage Laguna Beach, this cove feels polished without being off-limits to the public. A paved path along the bluffs offers wheelchair-friendly viewpoints, landscaped lawns, and plenty of benches to linger over the coastline. Head down to the sand for tide pools at low tide, then climb back up to watch the sun drop behind offshore rocks and kelp beds.
03
Best hidden-feel adventure
Thousand Steps Beach
Far South Laguna, Residential Stretch • Steep-Access Adventure Beach • Great For Active Days And Bodysurfing
Despite the name, the staircase isn’t quite a thousand steps, but it’s steep enough that the wide, wild-feeling beach below stays pleasantly uncrowded.
Once you commit to the long stairway down, you’re rewarded with a big, open strip of sand framed by tall cliffs and lively surf. This is a favorite for bodysurfers and strong swimmers on smaller-swell days, with room to spread out away from the downtown crowds. Pack light, bring water, and remember the climb back up feels longer at the end of the day.
04
Best for calm water days
Crescent Bay Beach
North Laguna Residential Bluff • Sheltered Local Cove With Headlands • Top Pick For Calm Water And Snorkeling
Crescent Bay’s horseshoe-shaped cove and rocky points create a more protected feel that locals love for swimming and snorkeling when conditions are right.
Set below a quiet neighborhood at the north end of town, Crescent Bay feels more like a community beach than a tourist stop. The curved shoreline helps knock down some of the swell, and the rocky edges attract fish and kelp forests that reward mask-and-snorkel types on clear days. Bring a chair and plan to linger; the headlands on both sides frame especially pretty sunset views.
05
Most photogenic spot
Victoria Beach
South Laguna Neighborhood Cove • Photogenic Tower Beach With Mellow Surf • Most Instagram-Ready Shoreline
Home to the storybook-style “pirate tower,” Victoria Beach blends a neighborhood cove vibe with one of the most recognizable scenes on the coast.
Access is via narrow residential streets and a discreet staircase, which keeps this cove feeling more local than its online fame would suggest. Once you’re down on the sand, you’ll find a relatively gentle shorebreak, pockets of tide pools, and the beloved stone tower tucked into the cliff. Aim for lower tide if you want to walk around the rocks safely and explore the shoreline without getting pinned by waves.