Shaws Cove

Quiet place, especially near eve hours. during low tide, it is great to see life on the corals like purple sea urchins and crabs 🦀 stayed a couple of hours to relax from a long drive. parked in neighborhood and residents were friendly.

Amazing snorkeling spot in Laguna Beach! Shaws Cove and Fisherman’s Cove are reef-protected, so the waters stay calm, clear, and safe for beginners, but still full of excitement for experienced snorkelers. I saw stingrays, leopard sharks, and tons of Garibaldi in the reef canyons — the marine life here is incredible. Easy access with stairs at the end of Fairview Street, and the swim between the coves makes this one of the best snorkeling spots in Southern California. Even when other places are rough and unclear this place stays pretty clear, great options for rough days 🙌 We showcased these underwater spots on YouTube @hikebtes showing step by step access points, and a guided virtual underwater tour of the reef system with tips to stay safe. Highly recommend for anyone looking for clear visibility, calm waters, and tons of sea life.

Nice little beach with lots of tide pools to explore, short drive from Irvine/Anaheim area. No designated parking, it's best to park on residential streets to the north, then take find the stairway that leads you down to the beach. Best to visit at low tide. It's fun to watch tide come in as waves crash through the network of rocks.

Shaw's Cove utterly captivated me from the moment I arrived. Just a stone's throw from the bustling activities of the coast, this beach felt like my own private haven. The first thing that struck me was the clarity of the water; it was like gazing into a turquoise gem. The gentle waves were perfectly inviting, making it an ideal spot for snorkeling, swimming, scuba diving and boogie boarding! However, this beautiful beach has a couple of potential downsides. One hiccup was the lack of bathroom facilities on-site, which I found a bit inconvenient. Furthermore, the descending steps to the beach ran alongside a sewage pump building — not the aromatic welcome I had in mind! However, a little whiff of reality didn’t detract from my beach day too much. I truly appreciated the quieter atmosphere, especially during the weekdays when the beach was notably less crowded. The rocky coastlines and tide pools were an absolute thrill to explore! There’s much to see if you choose to stay topside as well, from unique rock formations to those delightful tide pools teeming with life. Parking was no hassle! I parked for free along the street in the nearby neighborhood, a pleasant perk that added to the convenience of my visit. Overall, Shaw’s Cove is an absolute gem for those seeking a day filled with adventure and stunning views.

GOD is perfect and Shaws Cove is glimpse of GOD’s perfection. ✨🙏🏼🤩❤️🌎🌟☝🏼

Tide pools and deep water (20+ ft) snorkeling to the right. Small snorkel-able kelp forest also to the right, about 30 feet past the rock outcropping in 15-20 feet deep water.

Love going to my grandmothers house.! It's the best view and love to enjoy the scenery. This was Xmas dinner from above Shaws Cove.

Beautiful beach! The water is clear and the waves weren’t too rough. There aren’t any bathrooms which is unfortunate, although the steps down to the beach smell like it since you pass a sewage pump building. It’s a bit too busy to be considered a hidden gem, but it wasn’t overly crowded. Exploring all the rocks and tide pools was really cool, there’s plenty of marine life to be found if you look close enough. Free parking is available on the street in the neighborhood near the stairs.

Snorkeling at Shaw's Cove was such a blast. You enter the water on the right side along the shore, and while there's an underwater arch you can swim through, that's more for the confident or better equipped snorkelers & divers. Visibility was pretty solid, and we spotted several fish cruising around. The waves were calm and totally manageable, which made it relaxing instead of stressful. There's also a vigilant lifeguard on duty, which adds a nice layer of peace of mind. Even if you're not snorkeling, it's a great spot to hang out and sunbathe. Seaweed was around but not overwhelming, definitely not like swimming through a kelp jungle.

I fail to understand reviews that talk about the beach being picturesque! Yes, its secluded so its not as crowded as laguna beach, however, this beach doesnt have much of a beach. It has rocks (which is ok) but the beach area is very little. It doesnt seem any prettier than some of the other beaches along pch. It has no restrooms. Definitely nothing to come back for.

Best beach in Laguna for sunrises! Easy to access and park and always completely empty in the AM. Love this beach, as someone born and raised in Orange County, this beach is a "secret gem" most tourists and people do not overcrowd.

Found a place where each wave brings in a new blanket of shells, rattling together like a skeleton dancing. Nice tidepools and scuba divers in the water. Small and intimate.

Sunset is the opening music of the night -- Mehmet Murat ildan A lovely little area of Laguna with great sunset views, rocks to explore, and crashing waves to capture on camera. Highly recommended for now while it is still a hidden gem :-)

This a hidden gem in Laguna and beats the main beach crowd. Get here early during summer peak season. Slice of heaven!

This is a very beautiful and peaceful beach spot. Get here early parking fills up super fast The lifeguards offer Wendy peppercorn level of life saving ability!

Nice place, good place to spend time with kids, especially when it is nice weather. Many things to explore around

A nice little beach to sit and chill for a bit. Can walk your dog but be careful of the rocks. I came during a weekday morning and there was parking but mind and respect the residential area. Finding the steps that lead down to the beach can be tricky so keep a lookout for the stairway.

I love this place! You have to really come and see it for yourself. And if you have children, it's extremely educational. You go down the stairs from the street to get to this beach. The first thing I noticed was that the water is a clear bluish-green. If you walk to the right, that's where you'll find the tide pools, overflowing with marine life. You have to be careful because every step you take could be on something living. The tide obviously gets really high because some of the stairs on the back of the houses have been washed away. Definitely don't step in anything that looks like a donut because these are sea anemones waiting for the tide to come back in. There are sea anemones and mussels everywhere. You could easily nickname this place mussel beach. There are also so many interesting rock formations and miniature caves created naturally from the tides. This place also appears to be the perfect place for scuba diving because I noticed a handful of scuba divers preparing to go in. There's plenty of free street parking. Of course you are parking in front of someone's house, since this is a residential area.

Shaw's Cove is a truly spectacular location and one of the high points of all of the Laguna Beach coast line. What you will find here is a vast array of tide pools and ocean rock formations that run along the coast line. There is also a beach area for those people who want to prepare for their scuba dive, snorkeling, a dip in the water, or to simply sunbath on a warm summer day. It is very easy to get to Shaw's Cove. You simply need to turn off of the Coast Highway onto Fairview and proceed West. At the end of the street, there you are. There's a staircase that will take you straight to the water. There are many things to see at Shaw's Cove. Certainly, the tide pools are a high point. There is a vast array of ocean sea life that live in these tide pools. It is a great place to watch the ocean waves crashing giving life to all of these living creatures. Overall, a very beautiful location and a truly great place to experience the Southern California oceanscape.

Shaw's Cove is a series of beautiful, tiny cove beaches in Laguana Beach, CA. Walking distance from Diver's Cove, Fisherman's Cove, Rockpile Beach, Heisler Park, etc., unlike the other landmarks, Shaw's Cove is a treasure neatly tucked away in a residential neighborhood. The cove beaches are all really tiny (in terms of area) so you will be squeezed on a tiny strip of sand along other beachgoers. The coastline of the cove beaches tend to be more jagged than normal beaches. The geography also leads to incredible waves so you never feel completely safe from being splashed. I love the cove beaches for their beautiful shorelines, stunning cliffs, caves, and picturesque waves. Parking: There is metered parking near Heisler Park that is ~20 min walk to Shaw's Cove. (Good place to park if you intend to visit other nearby coves.) There is also a bus that will take you to Shaw's Cove. I'm not confident about the state of nearby residential street parking since I walked to Shaw's. Tips: * On low tide, you can walk over to Fisherman's Cove. This is a huge shortcut back to Heisler Park. * There is a lifeguard on duty * This is walking distance from Heisler Park, Main Beach, Fisherman's Cove, etc. If you are a tourist, I recommend budgeting 3+ hours and visiting more tnearby landmarks.

Nice small beach with tide pools. Parking is hard to find of course so my sisters and I street parked across PCH and walked over. Knocking a star off because there are no restrooms.

Love this cove. Street parking isn't too bad. Bathroom walking distance if needed. The stairs down aren't terrible l, just be prepared for them.

Beautiful cove to relax with friends and family. There were people enjoying the sunset, taking walks, people watching, tide-pooling, and scuba diving. Parking can be tough, but the stairs are not too steep to access the cove which makes this a top stop for us.

Gorgeous spot with amazing tide pools . Best of both worlds , relaxing on the beach and climbing around rocks and seeing the anemones and crabs .

This is such a beautiful area in Laguna Beach, I'm surprised that it does not get busier here! There are rocky areas to explore, as well as a sandy beach area to lay out and relax and enjoy the waves crashing. Very clean and serene, this is one of our favorite areas in Laguna Beach! I deal for small children as it does not get very busy here. Highly recommended!

Laguna Beach has arguably the best diving conditions close to LA (my area) and Shaw's has a very simple entry and the underwater features and wildlife to make it an fun and interesting dive location. Due to the ease of entry, this is a hotbed of scuba training, which I turn means crowds. In the summer though, those crowds quadruple down in size and if you aren't there by 7am, your humping it a long way of full gear. Conditions always fluctuate between sites, so it's nice that there are several close-by options to quickly (in the off season) switch to if one is less than stellar.

A small beach, but very striking, with rocks, tidepools, on the other side of the palm trees on the buff that you see from Crescent Bay Beach. Popular with the scuba divers - we saw several going in and coming out in the short time we were there, and the waves were much calmer than some of the other beaches we had been to. Saw lots of sea anemones, fish and pretty shells in the tide pools, and enjoyed swimming and body-surfing; we could even see some fish without the benefit of a mask and snorkel.

Great place to go for photography especially in the winter time when there's fewer people. The parking can be tough in the summer and there's a few free spots down the street. Highly recommended.

The tide pools here are amazing. Beach feels secluded and private and is quite clean. You can hike across the rocks to get to crescent bay. This is my go to spot to see the sunset these days

Love this place! So beautiful and not terribly crowded (like Main Beach). Parking can be hard sometimes (like Summer weekends), but I've usually never had a problem. I have come snorkeling here quick a few times and it is a great spot. The water is gorgeous and you can see a good amount of animal life near the rocks and reefs. My friend who scuba comes here a lot as well - it is her favorite place to go. The cove is protected, so the waves usually aren't too big, but sometimes you can get a big swell. I normally go in the morning and have always been able to park close. I'm sure around noon time it fills up more. The parking is street parking in the residential area. There are stairs going down to the beach. They are not steep and not too many of them, so if you have a lot to carry it is doable.

Lots of people :( after 12:30 or so. Mobs at 1:30. Watch out for beach tar and the obscenely rich. We got there right before noon on Sunday and were able to eek out a spot on the beach. It was crowded, but what did I expect? Everyone and their father has found this spot (haha get it, Father's Day... eh, I know) Even though it was a teensy more congested than I typically like, the crowd was polite, and happy, and there were plenty of places to explore on either side of this picturesque cove. There is no natural shade, so bring your sunscreen and umbrella There is no bathroom facilities, so empty your bladder first. There IS, however, a lifeguard on duty and he will tell you get outta the shallow tide pool area, you can't snorkle there in the rocky part apparently. There are many snorkelers and scuba divers as well- never seen so many in one area of SoCal, honestly. You can catch some smallish waves for boogie or body boarders, too.

I am hesitant to post a review of this gorgeous beach, due to the fact that a lot of its appeal is the serene nature of the location, but I decided to share anyways. This beach is stunning. There were very few people there this morning, aside from the group of divers exploring the clear waters. Parking was kind of bad, but a short walk made it a breeze. Will definitely be back

Peaceful hideaway with lots of tide pools to explore...barnacles galore...your four legged friend can join on leash October through May. (This entry written by my husband)

It's a total dive. Go down the 58 step staircase between private homes to Shaw's Cove. Protected from swell, it's a popular site for beginner divers with lifeguards. But at low tide it's five hundred feet of the best tide pools south of the South Bay. Stuck my finger in a sea anemone. It grabbed my finger. I wonder if they do bachelor parties.

We got a tip to check out the sunset here on our last day in Southern California. What a great way to say goodbye to sunny SoCal! We had just enough time to drive over, find parking in the residential area, walk down the stairs, and relax while the sun set and the waves came crashing in. Shaw's Cove is a little beach and while we were told we would spend no more than 15 minutes here, I could imagine you could spend much longer if you wanted. When we arrived there were people taking wedding photos, families hanging out on blankets, photographers with their tripods set up, and a few fiddling around with drones. Times sure have changed when the first thing you think of is, "Wow, this would be a great place to fly my drone." We, ourselves, took a few snapshots along with a time-lapse. Gotta love that golden hour. The view is just so beautiful from Shaw's Cove. It's almost like you are in Hawaii or something. Weather was perfect in late January. When we left there was a little trolley that stopped by on the top of the hill. I think it goes all around Laguna. I would have loved to check out the rest of Laguna! Next time, I guess.

Such a beautiful beach, very natural looking with lots of sea life in the tide pools! So much fun to explore but please be prepared to get wet if you want to go explore during high tide and I suggest bringing water shoes or sandals to walk safely on the rocks and barnacles, there are also anemones that could hurt your feet so walk carefully not to disturb the sea creatures!

Beautiful Beach that is tucked in and out of the way. Be sure to enjoy the mussels, crabs and sea anemones but don't touch !!!

One of my new favorite beaches in Laguna. Street parking is easy to find, its not crowded, shore break water is clear and clean and the mix of swimming, tide pools, rocks, and whatnot make it a really fun quaint mix to spend an afternoon!!

Very cool for seeing little ocean critters! So much to discover on a walk along the cove. Lovely waves to swim in also.

Very hit or miss for scuba diving this location. Definitely one of the best shore dive locations with a fairly beat up reef and sometimes a down current at the surface. You need to get here early between 6-8am if you want a shot at anything with visibility. Though most of the time the dives here are 25 feet max. Overall great option and fun time.

This cove is really nice, peaceful, and quite - especially on weekdays... This is one of the smaller size coves in the Laguna Beach area however is still one of my favorites. Snorkeling here is great! There is a lot of marine life following the ridge line... You can see dozens of different species of fish and stingray as well. This place does not get too crowded either which is really nice and peaceful. Parking is fairly easy in the residential area right up from the cove - sometimes you may have to park a couple blocks from the stairs (Beach access) however it is without a doubt worth a short walk.

Shaw's Cove is one of Laguna Beach's hidden gems, well at least in comparison to its better known neighboring beach to the north, Crescent Bay Beach. It's much less crowded than the larger Crescent Bay Beach and while there's no bathroom/shower here, if you're really desperate you can walk over there in less than 10 minutes. The beach at Shaw's Cove might be more low key, but that is not the case once you go in the water! I've had some really great times snorkeling here, as the water can be incredibly clear and teeming with marine life when the conditions are right. Last time I went on a hot summer day with almost no tides and right from the start I saw fish everywhere. I found the underwater arch that I've read about, although it wasn't exactly what I had in mind (I won't spoil it for you all). I usually hang out on the north side because there is so much to see there with the rock formations, reefs, and kelp attracting marine life. There are also tide pools to explore and if you follow it to the north around the bluff, you can walk right over to Crescent Bay Beach and Fisherman's Cove/Diver's Cove to the south. Overall, it's a great beach to relax at even if you're not into diving or snorkeling but it's true beauty is under the water!

Snorkling was ok here but the kids had a blast and that is ALL THAT REALLY MATTERS RIGHT. ?

Another small little cove in North Laguna. When the other main beaches are too crowded come over here. It's a beauty!

Came here last weekend for scuba diving. Although it's hellish carrying scuba gear down 60 stairs, the spot is beautiful, from the water to the surrounding scenery. Parking is possible on Cliff Dr. if you get there early enough or on a nearby street, though you may need to feed the meters.

This place is simply beautiful! I love how there are no waves because it makes it easier for snorkeling. The north end (when you go down the stairs and turn right) has much more things to see than the south end. The tide pools here are very pretty- with starfish, sea anemones, crabs, etc. Just make sure to wear shoes. Shaws cove is better for diving than snorkeling, just to add. But, Overall, a very quaint little place. Great for kids.

We visited for the first time to witness our sons engagement. What a beautiful little spot. This little spot provided a beautiful view to gather and celebrate this sweet event.

Loved loved loved this beach. We've been coming to Laguna for years and never came here until now. Beautiful tide pools with tons of crabs, some little fish, tons of live shells and anemones and even say a few seahares. I wanted to explore the whole day! Beach was nice too and somewhat secluded. Not a ton of people when we went. It's smaller since it's a cove so I'm sure if it was busy it'd be a busy if you wanted to boogie board or something. Totally worth stopping in for an hour or so.

Love this hidden beach! Perfect for sunbathing, snorkeling, and exploring. It's also uncrowded.

It's clean. there's lifeguards on duty. great place to swim, great place to catch some waves on the boogie board. Good for diving too!

Another nice spot in Laguna beach to scuba dive or go snorkeling. I love exploring this cove. First time I ever spotted a wild lobster while snorkeling was here. Luckily I saw a whole bunch of them together. This place is filled with underwater life. video of my adventure https://youtu.be/R31G8jXGBCg

Beautiful beach parking was plentiful & no meters in the neighborhood area I parked in.

Here for a Spring Break treat! What a breathtaking beauty this beach is. Only downfall is there are no restrooms, but you can walk down a bit more on Cliff Way and use Crescent Bays facilities. Good for kids, tidepool exploring and listening to crashing waves on rocks.

Beautiful beach! Small and not too crowded. Lots of tide pools and the waves were tame. Gorgeous!

Great little beach! It's a secluded cove with tons of tide pools to explore. We took our 3 year old and he had such a good time. Warning! There is no bathroom, so go before. There was a lifeguard on duty which is always a plus to me. Also there is only stairs, so a stroller/wagon was tricky and more of a pain then a convenience. Overall a great, clean, fun place! We'll be back!

My favorite beach of all time. I was introduced to this beach by a photographer and I've been here a couple times after. This beach is really beautiful and I recommend anyone taking a visit.

Secluded beach? Yes. We came here on a weekday morning and we were the only ones there. It was absolutely beautiful. Now we come here and bring our snorkeling gear. The water here is clear enough to see underwater. Parking: There is minimal parking in the residential area so we usually park on the main street which have parking meters.