Newport Beach
Corona Del Mar State Beach
A hidden gem, tucked away and off the beaten path. Unlike most beaches in Orange County that are accessible from Pacific Coast Highway, to get to Corona Del Mar State Beach you have to drive through small residential streets to get to. This makes it that much better because you don't have all the noise from vehicles driving along PCH and most tourists never even know about this spot. While this beach does get extremely crowded on hot summer weekends, it's usually pretty empty on weekdays and on cooler weekends.
What makes this beach so special is that it's very unique and has a lot to offer in a small area. Within a half mile, there are sandy beaches with waves, sandy beaches without waves, tide pools, restrooms, bonfire pits, natural arches, rock formations, and overlooks.
Big Corona Beach
This is the easiest beach to access and features a parking lot adjacent to the sand. This beach has waves that are usually very mellow because of the harbor jetty that partially protects this beach during most swell conditions.
Pirates Cove
If you want a nice, sandy beach with no waves, this is a really cool spot that is accessible from the same parking. It is not handicapped accessible as there is a huge natural rock formation that surrounds this beach. To access this beach, you'll need to walk up a set of stairs then walk across uneven rocky terrain, then down another set of stairs. This is a cove that is inside the protected harbor which means that it's protected from the waves. While the beach itself is pretty small, it is a very nice spot to swim while not having to worry about the waves. People also like to bring floaties to this beach as you can just float and not have to worry about any strong currents. This beach is where the pilot episode of Gilligan's Island was filmed.
Little Corona Beach
A cove that's difficult to find unless you know about it already. With only one steep pathway to access this beach and no signs, to tell you it's there, you'll need to seek it out to find it. This beach has a restroom, sandy beach, and tide pools which make for a nice visit. Because of the steep walkway to access this beach, it can be dangerous if it's wet and slippery. It is handicapped accessible but challenging because once you get down, you still have to get back up. Arch Rock is just to the south of this beach and is viewable from here, it makes for a cool backdrop. The tide pools are on the north end of this beach and is accessible during low tide but you'll want shoes since the rocks are jagged and hurt to walk on.
Lookout Point
A great place to watch the sunset from atop this bluff, you'll see the sun setting on the horizon from this angle. This is also a great little gem to relax and overlook the ocean and Newport Harbor.
Inspiration Point
A great vantage point from atop a bluff looking out over the ocean. From here you can see a natural arch rock as well as the beaches below. In February-April, you can sometimes see gray whales from here as they swim very close to shore. This spot is very easy to access since you can park on the street adjacent to this point. There is also a lower vantage point with more benches once you walk down the path.
102 Breakers Dr.
Corona Del Mar, CA 92625