Doheny State Beach

again, I'm not your typical reviewer who gives out 5 stars like free bottle water... it must meet all categories for a park to be considered superb. 1. ample parking! and also for motor home and trailers 2. Great walk paths within the park and extending south to capristrano beach, in and put of the water canal trails leading to mission viejo. for all bikers, Joggers runners and walkers. 3. a great eatery thats seeves beer and drinks and local plates right on the besch front. 4. tables and grills are widely available 5. life guard stations manned and ready 6. break water that's accessible and provides extraordinary views sounds and resting points. 7. for all ages, kids adults and for seniors. 8. surfing, paddling, swimming and sunbathing 9. downtown area provides places to grab some grub siteseeing , and window shopping 10. couple hours of entertainment for the family or by yourself a strong 4.5 to 4.75 missing... beach firepits, water fountains and more shower spots closer to the beachfront .

We stopped there during our morning walk to the beach, and while used to the coastline beaches, we really enjoyed our time here. Besides being conveniently located within Dana point, it has a decent surf spot, highly frequented though and a few good amenities (picnic area, toilets…) - there is also a large paid parking in case you drive down there.

This is such a beautiful beach, and park. Great camping amenities. My favorite thing about it is the covered picnic areas with grills, and fire pits. I attend 12 steps meetings here and absolutely love the energy with the ocean in view, it's a wonderful location to focus on recovery.

Beautiful beach. Chill and great waves too!

Beautiful and relaxing beach along the CA coast. We stayed in February so naturally it was chilly, however the trade off was no large crowds or lines. Plenty to do in the area and a nice mix of the beautiful views and large relaxing sandy beach.

First time camping and spending the night on the beach close to the ocean hearing the “POWERFUL” waves crashing onto the shores as it comes and goes back into the ocean is an experience that you can relive over and over. The sunset amazing. Watching the surfers out in the ocean waiting for that perfect wave is an amazing sight to see. At night as you stargazing and reconnect yourself with Father God, the Creator, it is a way to cleanse your spirit and soul.

Its a beautiful state park. The camp site is steps from the beach. The day use area was very nice as well.

My family's #1 beach choice. Rookie to novice surfers. Plenty of parking spaces based on time you arrive and easy payment methods.

This beach used to have a huge problem with the homeless which leads to them discriminating against normal people who might look the part but are actually disabled. I have an immune disorder that's caused me to lose almost all my hair aside from a few patches. I drive a newer but dented Subaru. I'm dressed nice in shorts and a collared shirt. I am a young woman. I don't drink, do drugs or anything of that nature. When I got to the gate, I showed my disabled veteran access pass and instead of being waved through like at all the other state parks- they tried getting me into another lane to "verify" because I had a reprint (since my card got lost and had to be sent to me via mail) There was one staff member there who was obviously more seasoned and she waved me through once she realized what her co worker was doing. I have used a reprint at other parks before and most the time they don't even scan the barcode .... When I visited in march (right before I lost all my hair) they didn't do it then either. I get to my parking spot and spent hours cooped up in my car because people were staring me down and giving me dirty looks anytime I got out of my car to get my fishing gear. The ranger and other staff drove by my car multiple times and stared me down .... Probably looking for something to kick me out over because people think I'm a nasty person.... I drove 2+ hours to fish for the day and instead I felt like a criminal even though I wasn't doing anything wrong aside from having a scraggly looking head. I went across the street to fish the island near the yacht club and the people patronizing that area seemed much nicer than the state beach. The staff and the people.

A nice state beach to visit especially after Labor Day or before Memorial Day. Otherwise it is crowded, dumpy, and not fun at all to visit. Do you like hearing shrieking toddlers every other second and trash flying everywhere? Don't tell me I didn't warn you ahead of time. During Autumn and Winter, this is a much quieter and pleasant to place to swing by. Better if you have the state park pass. Otherwise you will have to pay for parking and I hope it stays that way for population and debris control. I also wish the picnic tables and paved paths gets pressure washed every once in a while. Due to the trash management problem, it attracts a lot of birds and everything is covered with white bird shit. Really gross knowing some people walks around barefooted right on it.

The beach is lovely. There are many volleyball courts. The reserve picnic area is good. There are huge bomb fire pits. The ocean water was clean. The restrooms were clean in the morning, but they got horrible and smelled bad later in the day. I recommend you go early in the morning to get parking, or else you are screwed. Parking on the weekend for the day pass is $20. Overall rating: 4.7

For a State Beach, I have to give 4 stars. Its not as clean as other State beaches especially the restrooms. It's still a nice place to come and spend the day. You can BBQ, picnic, surf, or just kick it and relax. On one end there's a campground. There's also a snack bar. They have plenty of parking.

It's always enjoyable to walk here and check out the waves and today, 8/17/25, there are tons of families and friends gathering here like a utopian society.

This is a beautiful beach, not crowded as other's the entrance goes fast, parking available and close to the beach. Affordable price. Very nice view, I highly recommend this place.

Always love it here. Nice beach and sand. The distance from parking to the beach isn't too far compared to with Huntington Beach.

Spent the last few days at Doheny celebrating our kid's birthday right before the school year starts. Overall had a great time. Parking for the day is about $15, with in and out privileges. There are QR codes located throughout to scan and pay, so there are no lines getting into the beach. Plenty of parking. Beware: The beach itself though is VERY rocky. My son and I happened to wear our water shoes and boy am I glad we did. The rocks on the beach will hurt your feet if you aren't wearing some kind of protection. My husband who does not have water shoes did not last long on the shore, and ended up heading back to the sandy area after a short while. I still give the beach 5 stars for all the amenities it has. Restrooms were clean, with changing areas and outside showers to wash off the sand. There are picnic tables throughout, some shaded some not. Volleyball nets, and of course the Doho Cafe area, where you can get snacks, food, drinks, and rent anything from a bike to a surf board. Overall a great beach, just wear water shoes.

No lights in the bathroom, plenty or parking. Near the shoreline there was a lot of rocks. We got to see dolphins!! Which was a delight to see! We went around 4pm to 7 on Friday there was not a lot of people which was nice.

I don't surf so while some people have pointed out that this is a good beach to learn to surf at, that's not what I am looking at when I look at this beach. Doheny can be a very popular beach so if you want to spend the day here, especially during the summer or holidays like Independence Day, plan on getting here early (especially for the 4th of July) as the lot can fill up. Also, because this is a state beach, yes. You will have to pay for parking. The beach itself is kinda no frills. It's a wide beach so there is plenty of sand to enjoy the day, but if you get late, you might be a bit further back from the shore. There is also a large creek run off area that can either be nothing or raging depending on if there was a storm recently. If there was a storm recently, that also means it is going to be throwing a lot of trash and other unknown stuff around the runoff area so be mindful of that (& the potential smell). I think Doheny is a nice family beach. If you have little kids that might be more in to playing in the sand than the water, then it might be a good beach for you. However, I personally feel like there are better beaches in and around the area.

What an amazing place if you are lucky enough to get a campsite here. There are very few campsites actually on the beach. The sites are generally small as the try to cram a lot of of them into this location. 88 by far is the worst one right next to the restroom with little privacy as people walk by I was fortunate to get there for a night. The restrooms are old but functioning you need to get tokens for showers and they have their own tokens. They have a cafe. When there are events they can be a long line to get in. Dana Point in general is a beautiful place with the harbor with visiting lots of nice restaurants and friendly people. Creekside dog park is close by. Coffee shop restaurants, and other facilities are a few minutes away from this park.

Officially the first California State Beach, Doheny has become one of the most popular and accessible state beaches. Conveniently located in Dana Point, there is ample paid parking in an area surrounded by hills of wealthy homes with breath taking views. There is an entrance fee and parking fee for day use. Overnight parking is in the form of camping fees for both ground and RV usage. The areas are separated along the length of the beach and adjacent available parking. Signage will detail fees and usage guidelines. Restrooms and showers are adequately maintained within each of the camping areas and patrolled by state authorities. RV size will limit access to half the park due to the size of your vehicle and/or trailer. This state beach is frequented quite somewhat. It's popular among day users, campers, and surfers. With that comes a certain amount of cleanliness and trash. Speed limits are posted everywhere for vehicular traffic and enforced strictly, especially on weekends and holidays. There are many pedestrians and bicycle traffic to watch out for. Day usage in many areas has parking right next to the sand with the shallow shoreline, making vehicle and RV picnicking quite easy and enjoyable. Early arrival may be necessary to secure a favorable spot. The main beach area is very popular for longboarders. The breaks here at this beach are ideal for beginners and families. There is an equipment rental station and snack bar serving good food and alcohol.

Love this beach. Not to many kids and has a lot of great walking. They have tables and fire pits. Some bathrooms are open and only 1 or 2 shower/feet cleaners work. Mostly clean because of locals. Great place to spend the day or just ride bikes. Love the harbor too!

again, I'm not your typical reviewer who gives out 5 stars like free bottle water... it must meet all categories for a park to be considered superb. 1. ample parking! and also for motor home and trailers 2. Great walk paths within the park and extending south to capristrano beach, in and put of the water canal trails leading to mission viejo. for all bikers, Joggers runners and walkers. 3. a great eatery thats seeves beer and drinks and local plates right on the besch front. 4. tables and grills are widely available 5. life guard stations manned and ready 6. break water that's accessible and provides extraordinary views sounds and resting points. 7. for all ages, kids adults and for seniors. 8. surfing, paddling, swimming and sunbathing 9. downtown area provides places to grab some grub siteseeing , and window shopping 10. couple hours of entertainment for the family or by yourself a strong 4.5 to 4.75 missing... beach firepits closer to the water, water fountains and more shower spots closer to the beachfront .

Round 2: Campsite 93 & 94 Our friends arrived a day earlier than us and happened to pull into what looked like was a birthday party at the site we rented. The individuals quickly packed up and moved as soon as they could. The campground is open so just except individuals wondering around. Bathrooms were kept. Don't really have much of a problem with access. I'm sure we'll be returning soon again!

If I could give no stars,that should tell you. The water is full of seaweed, the sand full of big and small rock. The beach it self Full of wood. The only thing I can say about Dena point, they have nice restrooms

Doheny State Beach provides one of the best protected beaches on the Pacific Ocean in Orange County. There is easy access being just south of PCH (CA-1) in Dana Point. It's a great spot for surfing and swimming. An added attraction is the fresh-water lagoon formed by San Juan Creek. The ocean views from here are great.

Went on a weekend and it was extremely crowded. Days earlier we had gone to Baby Beach which had nice soft sand. There was soft sand on this beach but then there was also many branches and things brought up by the tide. There were nice waves that would come onto the shore. There were numerous covered pavilions with grills as well as multiple restrooms. There were 4 sand volleyball courts which was really nice as well. The parking lot takes payment by yodel app. You can pay for the day or by hours. Overall it was pretty nice minus the many debris in the sand.

We usually take our trailer and hangout at the beach all day. We like to arrive first thing at 6am and stay until sunset. We like the fact that we can backed the trailer up to the sand. The last couple times was okay because there were a lot of rocks instead of sand. Overall, it's always beautiful there. Beats trying to book a campsite at the campground.

Beautiful beach that is well maintained. There are places to camp with your tent or RV - reservations required. Lots of grill areas, tables, play areas and sidewalk trails for bikes, scooters and double bikes. Beautiful and relaxing beach vibe. Family oriented. Parking is by mobile app. You can pay hourly or get a day pass. Day pass (as of today) was $15. Not too bad for all you get. Bathrooms too.

My comment today is about Marilyn, the State Parks Host. If I could give her 10 stars, I would! She was the best part of our trip. She took time to give our kiddos Jr. Park Ranger stickers and was beyond kind to them... she gave words of wisdom and made us laugh and smile. Super thankful for her and her kindness!!! There should be more people like her in this world! Thank you Marilyn!!!!

I love this beach very much because we ate hotdogs, s'mores, played games, and threw a frisbee also. also, the beach is here.

For a campsite in Dana point I expected much better. First of all the check in was an absolute disaster. Lines were so long and the person that was checking in was super slow. We went to another campground the day before and the process was just so much smoother. Second the camp sites are really not worth it unless you have one of the ones that face the beach. All the middle campsites are so cramped on top of each other. There's barely room to put your tent in at some of the sites and you will be subjected to hearing all the noises from neighboring sites. Also lots of owners that think their precious dogs don't need to be on leash (a good number of pit bulls too) and I assume it's because there's no enforcement. We didn't feel safe with our toddler and little dog that was being eyed by the neighbor's off leash dog. The waves at the beach were nice and little for kids to play with but a lot of pebbles so definitely would want water shoes. We won't be coming back to this campground and will just utilize the day beach.

Loved the grounds for Ohana Festival. A must got experience. I went in late September.

Camped here over the summer. Stayed in the group site. The group site is very large lots of tables a fire pit and very close to the water. The only downfall is there is a Porta Potty in the site and an open shower that everyone that visits the beach uses. So we had so many strangers on our site the whole weekend. All the other sites are very small very tight. I would not recommend. I only recommend the group site if you're OK with strangers walking by and using the shower..

Lots of surfers, great for beginners... But also dangerous because they aren't aware of the rules or how to not hit people. Lifeguards can be a pain in the ass sometimes too but they're generally great.

This is a great beach that isn't crowded during the weekdays. The sand is very clean, but there are quite a few rocks that will hurt your bare feet! It's absolutely GORGEOUS here! You do have to pay for parking, but it's worth it. There are outdoor "showers" beside the parking lot to rinse off the beach water, and so you don't get sand in your car. This is one of my favorite beaches!

Very clean, waves are perfect. Seems like this is the spot if u wanna learn how 2 surf, or paddleboard. Waves are relativity small. Does hve a strong rip current. No lifegaurd on duty rn either. 1x coming here n I really liked it. There's a cafe on the beach, picnic tables. Bathrooms were really clean. Will def come back.

Visited Doheny over the holiday break and enjoyed the beautiful beach views and amenities. Folks usually bike, rollerblade around the park and there are ample space for everyone. There are ample grills, picnic tables and green spaces for everyone. Obviously, visiting during winter may be low season (despite the 68 degree weather), but the beach was overall clean and easy to get to. Parking cost $15 I believe if you enter the park. There is another parking lot after the beach park entrance that has hourly parking as well. Not sure what the parking rates are but in general, parking will cost $. If you walk, bike etc into the parking, it's free.

Perfect day at the beach. We usually either go to Salt Creek Beach or Doheny State Beach. Doheny State Beach has better wave for surfing. It's a bit crowded, but everyone here really respect each other and not too many marijuana smoking crowd like in Torrance Beach because most of the patrons here are families with children. So if you do have kids, head out here to enjoy. Parking is plenty, you could buy the day pass for $15 or hourly for 2 hours for $6. Took enough picture, so you know what it looks like.

I mean, what can you, absolutely gorgeous and classic beach. I grew up in Southern California and am familiar with many beaches and this is one of the good ones: lots of space, framed by hills, and no immediate oil apparatus. I imagine this to be the type of beach that out-of-staters would find to be part of a quintessential California vacation.

Yall we had not been to this beach for about 5 yrs and wow ... it is the worst beach in the area I would say. It felt so dirty ... rocky, sand was gross, water looked murky. There were sidewalks and a bike rental but the aesthetics of the sand/water were wayyyy below par. I love the Dana Point Harbor but not much worth heading south of that unless you skip Doheny imo. Please do not judge SoCal based on this beach.

I like that the parking lot is right by the beach. Makes taking a wagon and carrying your stuff with kids easy. The water is clean and so is the sand. We went on a Friday morning and at a glance the beach looked super busy. We were able to find a spot and socially distance but I probably won't be back until after the pandemic. Parking was $2 for 2 hours.

My husband and other dad friends take the kids camping here every year and always have an amazing time. The site is so close to the beach and has all they need for a successful camping trip. Campsites get booked fast and are competitive so it's not always easy to get a spot.

I think some people are a little too picky. We had camp site #4. This site is the closest row to the street. We had a great time! Friendly neighbors & very clean site. The bathrooms are a very short distance & were always clean, the beach is about a 10 second walk. This site had trees that go around to give you more privacy. Almost every site I've camped at has close neighbors, so I'm not sure why people are surprised. We did hear the metro late at night, but to me it's not awful enough to not come back again.

Absolute incompetence...I do not know how else to describe those who staff the kiosk at the entrance. They are inconsistent in their applications of policies, make concessions for people at whim and point fingers to absolve their own inability to manage customer questions, concerns or complaints. The state park is beautiful and has many perks, including the RV park and Doho Cafe. Experiences could be 10x better if they had effective customer relations skills and the ability to right wrongs, in real time. Being told to call the State to file a complaint is not helpful.

Super chill beach(at least in the winter time). Had plenty of parking and nice views of the coastline. The only thing I can complain about is every time I had to use the restroom there was some sketchy people locking themselves in them and doing who knows what in there and taking a century to come out. Other than that I had a relaxing time watching the sunset here.

Doheny State Beach is the best to hammock at, no doubt about it. I was asked out on a date and the two of us decided to use my double hammock and drink ciders while getting to know one another! We set up the hammock along the palm trees by the restrooms and hopped right in. I'm so glad I brought blankets because it got very chilly when the sun went down. The lifeguards and security were doing a great job that night patrolling the area. I went to the bathroom halfway through the date and found a homemade soap bottle, that made me laugh. Normally drinking alcohol on beaches is prohibited but at this specific location it's allowed! Just need to get a waiver that's signed by the state beach! We had a couple ciders while sharing horror stories about his high school students and the interesting guest from my hotel. It was a wonderful date and we'll definitely be enjoying more hammock dates in the future! Now shhh... don't be sharing my fav hammock spot!

One of the many beaches in California that charge you to park. Expect long walks to and from your car to wherever you set up on the sand. Very busy area. We visited back in December and it was for another beach cleanup event with Ryan's Recycling. It's much bigger than San Clemente and Laguna Beach. Not as many scenic photos backdrops either (in case you're scouting for rocks or beach backgrounds). We filled several buckets full of trash! So many activities in the beach area. Beach Volleyball available; bike paths and public restrooms not too far from the shore. The area is a ways away from most of the restaurants and shops. On the opposite end of where we did the cleanup- there are more restaurants and parks. There's an ocean center as well. Many picnic spots. The harbor is cool! Lots to explore.

$15 for day use parking .. pay at the kiosk machine. Bathroom is clean , shower stall outside only . Between tower 12/ 13 closes to the wood plank walk way right to the sandy beach.

As a senior I spend a lot of time walking at this park. They recently replaced the old pay stations that were user friendly for all. Beware the new Pay Stations do Not take cash or credit cards. You must download this app to pay. Make sure you download prior to entering the park. Numerous people have been ticketed while they wait for the app to download. The big problem is, if you are a tourist or a senior without a smart phone, this new machine does not take cash or credit cards. If you don't read English you will have a problem. There is No other option to pay unless you buy a year pass. Very poor planning on the States part. I will walk at the Harbor instead.

Great beach for beginning surfers or longboard surfing with slow, gentle rolling waves. Personally, I prefer a bit more speed and power as it adds to the adrenaline rush and excitement of surfing. There are bike paths, plenty of picnic tables, and also restaurants/shopping within walking distance.

Amazing place but yes rats at night. So not just in middle of night but at 8pm. Shadows of rats. And trust me. Not squirrels or rabbits or moles or gophers but rats coming at dinner time to pick up your scraps. Now is this worse than bears. Maybe but maybe not. Because many more rats than then bears in other places. And you know what. Five stars but dang please set some rat traps. I know for a fact because I looked at their tales. So what did I do to fix it. I threw away our trash and cleaned up our dinner. So I won't blame the rats but damn kind of sucks. I mean I guess I would expect raccoons but yeah know raccoons feel cuter than rats. Rats make you feel icky. Raccoons make you annoyed. Five stars. Steps away from the rat beach. I need to clarify. I have no dumpsters around me. Just normal campsite and a crap load of rats. I live in the mountains so I am somewhat used to rats in that environment but we came to beach to escape the winter. So wasn't expecting this.

We Really enjoyed the beach this weekend just for the temps if nothing else..... but there was plenty to enjoy... it's a great park..... On the beach everyone tried to social distance but there were so many people out trying to stay cool because of the heat wave. Thankful for the escape from IE area at least 20 degree difference in temps. One of things I did find funny was how many surfers were in the water at one time, it absolutely looked like they were sitting on each other. The park is well kept, clean bathrooms and nice big day camp area....There is also a Place to rent bikes, boards & more. I have to say the food at the food shack was pretty good, the place is clean and all the workers were very friendly & helpful. You can sit on the roped off patio area and order a bucket of beers or your favorite wine. It does get really busy here on weekends so come as early as you can......

Came here on Memorial Day and had an amazing time! It wasn't as crowded as some other beaches, parking wasn't too bad, and it was easy to find our way around. There's also a place to buy burgers, soda, etc., right on the sand. There are park areas, grills, and picnic tables for family events and parties. I'd definitely go again!

Parking nightmare for anyone requiring ADA parking. The site 'rangers' are not accommodating for people with ADA parking needs. Visited a friend in the campground, ada parking was available in the campground, i was not allowed to pay and park in the campground, inspite of space being available. Do better guys.

We love this beach! And just FYI - if you turn right at the light, there's a free parking lot just a few feet away.. As anyone who's from the area will tell you - this is the place to be in Dana Point. And we swear by it. As you drive in, your gps will tell you to take a left towards the gates of the beach. But if you're conservative like us, you can take a right at the light. There's a completely free parking lot just a few feet away. And there's ample free street parking as well. The beach itself is just absolutely beautiful. There's several barbecue and picnic areas along a nice crosswalk. Lots of sand and several volleyball nets. The water is usually serene, but no matter the weather you'll find at least a few people on their surfboards catching some decent waves. On the right, there's a beautiful photogenic area with black shiny rocks lining the ocean. And of course who can miss the majestic palm trees swaying in the wind that fill the area with love and wisdom. Overall a great place to hang out with friends, walk your cute dog, or take some great pictures. It's got something for everyone.. And its beauty is truly unmatched!

I really want to give this place a bad review so not as many people go. It's great for novice surfers, volleyballers , and BBQers . We love it, but you have to get there early to find a parking space and picnic table Great for a day out with the kids and friends

I've been going to doheny since 1972. Seems to be a mess these days. Some old creep followed my 16yr old daughter around taking pictures of her but when she called the police the park ranger showed up and did NOTHING !!!! I was parked today at the end of the road on this busy Saturday and a park ranger came out on the beach asking who's truck is this. I said mine he rudely said move your truck because your not in a spot. I asked where's the lines ? They are not anywhere to be seen. No parking lot maintenance!!! I even parked so two cars could fit in but where he wanted my truck only one would now fit ??? Smart move. Lolllll the park is a mess it's extremely dangerous because there are no pedestrian walking areas especially where the camping section is. People have to walk in the street. Very dangerous and very stupid. Someone will get hurt bad and law suits will follow. Why do you post signs prohibiting campers over 25 feet aren't allowed behind the campgrounds but they are always there. They usually take two spots each or more ??? Also it's pathetic that when I went to buy a year parking pass you wouldn't even take my cash ? Is this America ? Are you a government entity ? Then take our legal tender. What are you leaning tword communism ? Come on. Take our beach once in a while please. I don't know who is the main person or manager here but I'd fire him immediately.