The best place to paddle board in Laguna Beach is the string of small coves in North Laguna, from Divers Cove up to Crescent Bay. Divers Cove has the easiest beach launch, and Crescent Bay is the most scenic paddle. If you’ve never stood on a board, though, Laguna isn’t the place to learn alone: book a lesson, or start on the flat water of Dana Point Harbor or Newport Harbor first.
Laguna works for paddling because the coast is a run of rocky points and sandy pocket beaches, with clear water and kelp just offshore. Almost all of it is inside state marine protected areas, so the fish, kelp and tide pools are thicker than on most of the Southern California coast. The trade-off is that every launch here is open ocean: there’s no harbor or bay, and conditions change with the swell.
Quick answer
- First time on a board: a guided lesson or tour, or a day on flat water at Dana Point Harbor before you try Laguna.
- Easiest launch on your own: Divers Cove, on a small-surf morning.
- Most scenic: Crescent Bay to Shaw’s Cove along the North Laguna cliffs.
- Close to downtown: Main Beach, outside the summer swim season and on small days.
- Experienced paddlers only: Aliso Beach in South Laguna, which has a strong shore break.
The best places to paddle board in Laguna Beach
Divers Cove and Fisherman’s Cove
Directions
Best for: your first paddle in Laguna, snorkel-and-paddle days. Open ocean, but sheltered.
These two neighboring coves sit below Cliff Drive at the north end of Heisler Park. Rocky reefs on either side break up the swell, so the water at the sand is often calmer than at the bigger beaches. As the name suggests, it’s a favorite entry point for scuba divers and snorkelers, which tells you how gentle the entry can be on a good day.
Where to launch: The public access to Divers Cove is at 623 Cliff Drive, with a stairway down to the sand. Fisherman’s Cove has its own path a few steps away. Street parking on Cliff Drive is limited (only a handful of spaces at the Divers Cove access), and there’s more along Heisler Park and in the North Laguna neighborhood. Carry your board down the stairs, so an inflatable or a light board is easier here.
What to avoid: Watch for divers’ surface floats and snorkelers in the cove, especially on weekend mornings, and paddle wide around them. The rocks at the edges of both coves are shallow at low tide.
Rentals and lessons: La Vida Laguna (1121 Glenneyre Street) runs beginner SUP lessons and guided ocean paddle tours along the Laguna coves, with boards and gear included.
Good to know: This stretch is part of the Laguna Beach State Marine Reserve. Look, don’t take: no fishing, collecting shells, or disturbing the tide pools.
Shaw’s Cove
Directions
Best for: clear water and reef views on calm days. Open ocean.
Shaw’s Cove is a small, reef-sheltered beach between Divers Cove and Crescent Bay. Its rocky reef runs offshore to about 20 feet deep, which is why it’s one of Laguna’s best-known snorkel and dive spots. From a board on a calm, clear day you can often see the reef and kelp below you.
Where to launch: Access is by a stairway from the street above the cove. There’s no dedicated lot; park free on the residential side streets nearby and follow the posted signs.
What to avoid: The reef at the edges of the cove sits close to the surface at low tide. Launch from the middle of the sand and paddle straight out past any small waves before turning along the coast.
Good to know: Shaw’s is inside the marine reserve too, and its tide pools are protected. Keep your board off the rocks.
Crescent Bay
Directions
Best for: the most scenic paddle in Laguna, for paddlers with some ocean experience. Open ocean.
Crescent Bay is the northernmost of the North Laguna coves, a curved sandy beach between two rocky points. Paddle out and around the point, and you get the cliffs, kelp and the North Laguna coastline all the way to Shaw’s Cove and Divers Cove, a short paddle along the shore.
Where to launch: Reach the beach by the stairways or the paved access road from the street above. Parking is on the surrounding streets and fills early in summer. The middle of the beach, where the paved access road meets the sand, is usually the easiest place to get through the shore break.
What to avoid: Crescent Bay is better known as a bodyboarding and bodysurfing beach than a calm launch. When there’s any real swell, the shore break is powerful; save it for small, glassy mornings and give the surf zone a wide berth. Stay at least 50 yards from sea lions and seals, as NOAA recommends.
Good to know: Crescent Bay is inside the Laguna Beach State Marine Reserve, so all marine life here is protected.
Main Beach
Directions
Best for: a downtown launch on a small-surf day, outside summer. Open ocean.
Main Beach is Laguna’s busiest and best-known beach, right where Broadway meets the coast downtown. It has restrooms at both ends, showers, a boardwalk and lifeguards, and Visit Laguna Beach lists stand-up paddleboarding among the activities here. Heisler Park and its coves are a short paddle north.
Where to launch: Park at the metered spaces on Pacific Coast Highway, in the downtown metered lots, or in the all-day paid lot (Lot 11). The beach is open 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.
What to avoid: Main Beach is primarily a swimming beach, and the city does not allow surfing here in summer. In summer, check with the lifeguard tower before you put a board in, and stay out of any area they’ve marked for swimmers. The city notes the surf can be large, with rip currents and a heavy shore break, so pick a day when the waves are small.
Good to know: Dogs on leashes (6 feet or shorter) are allowed, but from June 15 to September 10 only before 9 a.m. and after 6 p.m.
Aliso Beach
Directions
Best for: experienced ocean paddlers and SUP surfers only. Open ocean with a strong shore break.
Aliso Beach in South Laguna is a wide sandy beach with a big parking lot, restrooms, showers and a playground, which makes it one of Laguna’s easiest beaches to get to. It’s also famous for skimboarding, because the waves break hard and close to the sand. That same shore break makes launching and landing a paddle board tricky.
Where to launch: The beach is run by OC Parks at 31131 South Coast Highway, with a metered lot (about $3 an hour at the time of writing) open 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.
What to avoid: The skimboard area near the shore. From June 15 to September 15, part of the beach is marked surf-only from noon to 6 p.m., so check the lifeguard flags and boundaries before you launch.
Good to know: Aliso sits inside the Laguna Beach State Marine Conservation Area, which, like the reserve to the north, bans taking any marine life.
When to go
You can paddle Laguna year-round, but the water is cool. There’s no NOAA station in Laguna itself; the nearest ones, Santa Monica to the north and La Jolla to the south, average about 58–59°F in January and about 68°F in August.
- Late summer to fall (August–October): warmest water and often the clearest. Summer crowds and lifeguard zones are the trade-off.
- Winter and spring: cooler water and bigger swells, with fewer people. A wetsuit makes sense. Our wetsuit check tells you what to wear for the water and air temperature.
- Time of day: go early. Mornings are usually glassy, and the afternoon sea breeze makes the paddle back to your cove harder.
- Check the swell: with no sheltered water, the surf forecast decides your day. Small, long-period swell is fine; anything big makes every cove launch hard.
Planning a paddle from cove to cove? Our Trip time calculator estimates how long it will take at your pace.
Rules and safety in Laguna Beach
California treats a paddle board like any other human-powered vessel. According to the state’s Division of Boating and Waterways:
- Life jacket: every vessel must carry a US Coast Guard–approved life jacket for each person. Children under 13 must wear one while underway. See our pick of the best PFDs for SUP.
- Sound device: carry a whistle.
- After dark: carry a white light, such as a bright flashlight, ready to show in time to prevent a collision.
Laguna’s own rules and habits on top of that:
- Marine protected areas: the whole Laguna coast is covered by the Laguna Beach State Marine Reserve (Abalone Point to Goff Island) and the Laguna Beach State Marine Conservation Area (Goff Island to Table Rock). Taking any marine life is banned in both, and the city says it’s illegal to injure, damage, take or possess anything from the tide pools. Paddling and looking are fine.
- Lifeguard zones: in summer, the lifeguards mark separate swimming and surfing areas. Stay out of swim zones, and follow the flags. When the surf is dangerous, lifeguards can stop kayaks and paddle boards launching from swimming beaches.
- Wear a leash. In surf, a loose board is a hazard to swimmers.
- Give wildlife space: 50 yards from seals and sea lions.
- Know your exit. Every launch here is a beach, and some have shore break. Read our guide to how to paddle board in the ocean before your first Laguna paddle.
FAQ
Is Laguna Beach good for beginner paddle boarders?
Only with help. There’s no flat, sheltered water in Laguna, so true beginners should take a lesson or a guided tour, or learn on the flat water of Dana Point Harbor first. Once you can stand and turn comfortably, Divers Cove on a calm morning is the easiest place to launch alone.
Do I need a permit to paddle board in Laguna Beach?
No permit is needed to launch a paddle board from Laguna’s public beaches. You do need to follow lifeguard zones in summer and the marine protected area rules year-round.
Can I paddle board at Crescent Bay?
Yes, on small-surf days. Launch from the middle of the beach, paddle out past the shore break, and stay well clear of bodyboarders. If the shore break looks heavy, go to Divers Cove instead.
Can I bring my dog paddle boarding in Laguna Beach?
Dogs on a short leash are allowed on city beaches, but from June 15 to September 10 only before 9 a.m. and after 6 p.m. Read how to paddle board with a dog before your first trip together.
Is there anywhere similar nearby?
Yes. For flat water, Dana Point Harbor is a short drive south; see our guide to where to paddle board in Dana Point. Newport Harbor is just up the coast; see where to paddle board in Newport Beach. Not sure what board suits ocean paddling? The Board Fitter can help.
