Woods Cove

Came across some helpful hints WHEN you are caught in the dangerous riptide that is at this beach nearly all the time. "Without knowledge of proper safety measures, a strong current can turn a relaxing day at the beach into a deadly nightmare. Here are some tips for surviving a rip current: -Do not try to swim against the current, but rather at a 34-degree angle relative to the wind, increasing by a factor of five for every 10 millibars above 100 of barometric pressure. -Never get in the water unless your private security personnel are on duty. -Avoid swimming in dangerous areas where the moon’s gravitational pull causes tides to rise and fall. -Endear yourself to the rip current by explaining that you are 80% water. -Try to escape the rip current by getting caught in the undertow. -Fight the urge to remain calm—you’re drowning, this is a big deal. -If you get tired, see how you feel after a refreshing gulp of seawater. -Accept that you are beginning a new life at sea." (The Onion)

Love the view, if you can get there early morning the place will be all yours. Tide pool caves it's all good.

Secret Magic Movie-set Beach Stumbled on this place back in 1994 while I was in the Marine Corps. Over the years it has changed but for the better...the entrance got an upgrade several years ago and is now so colorful and beautiful. Bougainvillea and winding paths. A bench overlooking the stunning view and a staircase that seems to lead to the edge of infinity. Keep the location quiet...I want this to be as special for you as it is for me!

BEST BEACH at lacuna beach. Hard to find parking but if you find, go there! Its smaller beach than others but best looking and you dont need to be alone lol.

I had high hopes for Woods Cove Beach, but it was a huge disappointment. To get down to the sand, you have to navigate a long, steep set of stairs — a real challenge if you have kids, a lot of beach gear, or mobility issues. Once you finally make it down, there are no bathrooms or facilities, which is incredibly inconvenient if you’re planning to spend more than a short time there. There also were way too many people. The water itself has a strong rip current, making it unsafe for swimming, especially for families with younger kids. And to top it off, the shallows are covered in sharp submerged hard to see rocks that make it nearly impossible to enjoy playing in the water. I tried to wade in and stubbed my toe on a rock and ended up with a cut :( The waves are also super rough and you will find yourself being pulled out to sea! I saw the lifeguard have to rescue several strong swimmers who were overconfident in their abilities. With so many beautiful beaches in the area that are more accessible and comfortable, I wouldn’t recommend making the trip to Woods Cove and instead would go to main beach which has restrooms, no stairs and volleyball courts!

Went to this beach this weekend and it was absolutely slam packed with people and trash everywhere. I found a used tampon pad on the beach which really killed my vibe. Really wouldn't recommend visiting.

Love this beach!! Just encountered Woods Cove March 31 after the rains at night. This will be one of our favorite beaches in Laguna Beach. I’ve also had the pleasure of taking this picture that night, and it is spectacular!!!! 🌊 🪨

A little hidden beach. Has a very limited parking around, don’t even try on a weekends. No showers or bathrooms. Nice to take pictures. Waves are still big.

This beautiful cove went viral last year on social media and things have actually gotten worse. Once summer vacations started for 2024, this small beach has been jammed with visitors every day, the city has had to hire two lifeguards who are constantly preventing mishaps or saving people in the water. Because they don't have time to also enforce the city laws of no alcohol, no glass containers, no smoking (cigs, pot or vape), music must be kept at a whisper, and no tents over 6 feet, it's no longer a relaxing day at the beach but chaotic and stressful. Parents if you bring your children to this beach, keep an eye on them down by the water, adults will stand in the water get knocked down and are oblivious to the small children. It's very sad. We've been coming here for decades. We've tried coming down at the end of the day and the trash and plastic toys left behind is heartbreaking.

My son cut his foot on a submerged rock just under the sand. My daughter had to get rescued from the ripti Edit: Tried one last time to go to woods cove today. Couldn't even get from steps to the beach. Nothing but rocks.

The water is beautiful and clean. One of my many favorite spots. The tides were high so be cautious and don't go in too deep. During the evening the tide came up and reached some of the beach houses.

Absolutely loved this beach. It's secluded and has a small stairway to enter the beach. Get there early & grab a spot because it is a smaller beach & shore area is limited.

Wood's Cove is a small beach but great for relaxing. There are several entry ways from the street with staircases that lead down to the beach. Even the path of the stairs going down to the beach is cute! The sand is also soft and great for relaxing, while the waves are perfect to play in or to just enjoy the cool water on a hot day. There's some street parking but some of the meters are broken and ate my quarters so I'd recommend to just use a credit card.

Very narrow limited with limited places to sit. Bottom is very rocky which makes it difficult to walk into water.

This narrow beach has bad rip tides, steep stairs, no bathrooms, no parking, and is overrun with Tik Tokers who get washed off the rocks having their pictures taken.

I would recommend that you go to other beaches in Laguna. This beach is known for hosting ghetto people and the police patrol and give tickets for everything including loud music, umbrellas that are too large, etc. they even checked for warrants and outstanding child support.

I recently had a wonderful experience at Woods Cove, a Sonder stay. It was my first time staying at a Sonder location, and I was impressed by their apartment-style concept. I booked my stay through Airbnb and got a great deal for a one-night stay in a king bedroom, costing only $179.00 USD on a weekday. I highly recommend staying at Woods Cove Laguna Beach.

Wood's Cove is a lovely beach to lay out on the sand or dip your toes in the water. Getting to the beach is the trickiest part. There is public parking along PCH and Ocean Way, but on weekends and in summer snagging one of these requires eagle eyes, determination, resilience, and above-average parallel parking skills. Once you park, there are two steep staircases along Ocean Way leading down to the sand. The beach is about 100 yards long. High tide comes past the south steps and near the north steps but there's a sliver of beach left. The bluffs around the cove provide some shade in the morning, but as the day goes on the sun will find you. There are no public restroom facilities at Wood's Cove or neighboring Moss. The historic Bette Davis House overlooks the beach - you can identify it by the wrought iron "D" on the brick chimney. The Oscar-winning actor only lived there a few years (1947-1950), but the structure is on the National Register of Historic Places. It's on the market, and with a recent price reduction you can pick it up for a bargain at $17 million.

Love this beach so clean,peaceful beach and it's good to go on weekdays,it doesn't have restroom and shower.

The entrance is gorgeous filled with flowers. Take stairs down to the beach and enjoy a beautiful ocean view. There are some large rocks close to the shore but there's still plenty of room to swim. I went on a Saturday and was able to find parking on the street. There are also limited times meters on the main Street. There was a life gaurd on duty. The beach wasn't crowed at all maybe it was a good day or maybe not a lot of people know about this spot. Either way it was a day well spent.

Such a beautiful beach!! I love that it's more of a secluded beach, making it less crowded and more quiet. It's dog friendly during certain months and hours as well which is a plus. There are rocks to climb on top of to see different views and the water is clean. Parking is not too terrible since not many people come here. There are metered parking on the streets nearby.

Beautiful beach, but ruined by too many people... what's new, am I right? Must be crazy busy in the summer because it was VERY BUSY during the spring. There was zero parking near the steps, but I parked on PCH and used a meter --which accepts coins, debit and credit card payments. If you want to explore the amazing tide-pools, without getting wet or needing a swim suit, it's imperative to be there there during low tide --I believe, before 12pm. Woods may have once been a busy-free, romantic cove, but not anymore!

Really very tiny space of crescent shaped beach area. Steps lead you to the waters. During end of summer the tide was high that the waves went upto the last few steps. Won't be accessible if the tides are high. Not wheel friendly. Life guard is available.

Small beach area but it's beautiful and the water is so clear and clean. Get there early parking can be crazy

No bathroom, dogs often a problem, some water pollution. This is not a child friendly beach. Locals like to play smash ball right on top of you. A high tide tends to shove people right on top of each other.

One of my favorites beach on Laguna again! I find peace what I need, specially after sunset completely down, sky getting dark, people around less, I walk on the beach, close my eye, I feel alive . I smiling and dancing , I looked sky ,how beautiful you could be .

A quiet and secluded hideaway beach. The private access allows for good vibes only. I've never encountered any craziness or rude people here. The water is also clear af and there's a spot to climb and jump into the water.

Woods Cove is a tiny (but very beautiful) little beach located on Ocean Way in between Pearl Street and Diamond Street. There are two entrances: - South Entrance: There is a garden that surrounds this entrance followed by series of stairs. - North Entrance: A set of stairs that leads straight down to the beach. It is slightly hidden but marked by a sign. Very limited street parking can be found on Ocean Way. If you cross Pacific Coast Highway, there's metered parking. This beach is located in a very quiet residential neighborhood.

Love to escape to this gem of a beach! High tide 8/25/19 Quaint little beach- two ways down from the street.

So sad this beach was once beautiful but there is Tar all over I happened to get tar on my foot and it was so hard to get out so I decided to take my one year old to another beach we must take care of Mother Earth the drive home was horrible the smell of tar gave me a headache

Beautiful place clean and relaxing, little bit hard to find parking. I guess we were lucky only four couple were present when we arrived, small cave next to stairs and the other one is seems unavailable to trace because there's high tidal wave , never tired watching and listening the sounds of wave crashing the rock .. beautiful beautiful place. The entrance is beautiful too full of flowers and succulent, definitely will go back

My favorite beach! I hate going to Huntington and Newport, where most of the crowds are. Laguna feels much nicer to me, and especially this cove. There's a staircase down to the water, and the beach kind of splits into a right and left side (especially when the tide is high). Beautiful rocks and tide pools to look at too. Won't go searching for any more new beaches.

Lots of sharks. No parking. Cold water. There are plenty of other beaches in the area that are worth visiting, like Main Beach in downtown Laguna.

Absolutely gorgeous little beach. Tides are rough and pretty high, but it makes for an amazing scene with all the lovely rocks. The cliffs provide plenty of natural shade, and the entrances are away from the Main Street so no huge crowds wandering in. There are two fairly steep stair entrances and no bathrooms, so be prepared. The view and privacy of this little gem is well worth it.

Cute little beach but parking is very very limited. The waves seem pretty high so lots of wake boarders. Not too busy midweek but still had trouble finding parking. Wouldn't say this is my favorite laguna beach.

#summergoals | Exploring Laguna's Beaches This time we hit Wood's Cove and it's almost identical to Victoria Beach, but without the pirate tower and seaside pool. Again small, beautiful with lots of shoreline rocks and crabs of course. Our toddler was in heaven The beach almost dissapears at high tide though and visiting on a Saturday probably wasn't a good idea. Parking always a battle but was all worth it.

THE BEACH-- Wow this beach is so gorgeous!!! The view was absolutely spectacular. Walking down from the stairs the water looked breath taking, it was so blue that you sort of forget that we're in CA for a minute. Hahaha, after posting a photo on Instagram everyone was asking me where I was. The beach is super super clean!! The day I went the water was so warm and nice, not completely freezing like what I'm used to. The downside to this beach is that PARKING, sucks. Per usual there isn't a dedicated parking lot and there is barely any street parking. I'd say my friends and I drove around for about 15-20 min before we found parking. Another downside is that there aren't any bathrooms or showers. So definitely use the bathroom at home!! Especially if you have little ones.

When I stepped foot here it reminded me of Honolua bay north shore Maui. This is a small but hidden beach. You have to park in the neighborhood or on diamond st and walk down. The waves are awesome to crash I to if you like that! Enjoy your time here! Snorkeling is fun past the wave break bring your ninja mask!

Beautiful and amazing hidden beach. Small cove with caves and majestic Pacific Ocean. We were driving down the PCH and accidentally spotted this. So glad we did as its the highlight of our trip.

Love the small, intimate and private cove. A little ways away from the Main Beach. Gorgeous! A great way to spend the day at the beach. Mozambique isn't far for food and drinks nor is Laguna Beach Wine Gallery. Benches here as well.

When on the look out for a "secret-private beach" this beach nailed or should I say "cove". Cove. n. 1. A small sheltered bay in the shoreline of a sea, river, or lake. This is located in the heart of Laguna beach. Parking isn't so bad. It's bearable. I went when it was high tide but other than that, it's a beautiful beach. Out of all the beaches I've been to, in SoCal , this one had crystal clear blue waves. It reminded me of Acapulco. The lifeguards are nice and I spotted them conversing with a couple of groups. The crowd is mostly in their mid 20s so it's pretty laid back. In the end, this beach depicts the total cool Californian vibe.

It was rocky and the rip current is really strong on the beach. There wasn't much sand it was mostly rocks and they were slippery. The tide pools were meh.

Worst beach in California. Huge shore-breakers, so you are unable to swim safely. Sting rays everywhere. Dangerous beach with frigid water, plus a lot of rocks. Do not go here, unless you want put your life in Mother Nature's hands. Main Beach up the PCH is way better... and more safe.

This is a beautiful cove in Laguna Beach. We met friends who grew up in the neighborhood and invited us to their favorite spot. Clear water, snorkeling, swimming, surfing all happen here. The day we went had big waves. Beach umbrellas allowed but no popups. Lifeguard onsite. The minus one star is for the awful locals. One talked to my friend about sitting on the wrong side of the stairs till she told them she grew up there. As we were leaving another local comes up to us to say "thanks for unblocking our view". Really? Didn't see his name on the sand, sea or sky. Unnecessary asshole behavior. These locals are OLD and wrinkled. Probably from staking their claim on a cove that doesn't belong to them. That's right. It's public! It's called the California coastline. Go!

This beach is very small, but it's usually less populated than the others! To access this beach, you go down some stairs. The beach was extremely clean and it was the perfect spot to watch the sunset!

Gorgeous beach! It is a lot smaller than the other well-known beaches in Laguna, as it is hidden by rocks all around. It is not as densely populated as the beaches; let's keep it that way ;) I feel like this is where all the locals go, and where all the tourists miss because it is a bit more difficult to find. The water is gorgeous on a bright sunny day, as the waters are clear and you can see fishies if you snorkel! Since it is a smaller beach, the tide will hit you at around 3-4 PM ish, sometimes even sooner, or sometimes later! So watch out for that. The first time I went, the tide came up and got all of my things wet. Although it's a smaller beach, there is still a lifeguard there!

Such a beautiful place to visit. I really love how private this area is, definitely a much different experience when you come to such a secluded location like this one. 10/10. It's a gorgeous view no matter what time you come.

Breath taking little spot, truly a hidden gem of Laguna. Generally never too crowded with tourists more laid back locals than anything. Most beautiful sunsets I've seen!!! Nice bench to sit and overlook the water.

Came here in the evening when the tide was pretty high. Had to make sure the water wasn't about to crash on the bottom on the steps before making a mad dash for the sand. It was an absolutely beautiful sunset and a very quiet beach. LOVED IT

A local kid told us about this place. He sounded excited about it lol so we figure we check it out. Seems like a local gem, not too crowded. There are tide pools where we saw star fish, crabs, and fish. Beats a trip to the aquarium :)

Overall nice hotel.. my ex and i were there for one night., perfect location, right in the heart of town, walking distance to all shops and restaurants.. great service with the concierge.. .I recommend it..

My best kept secret. Well not so secret anymore after this yelp review, lol. This is a beautiful, small, private beach. A great beach for when you want to unwind without the hordes of crowds you witness at neighboring beaches like Laguna Beach, Corona Del Mar. I'd say at most there's about 10-15 people here at once. The waters have a noticeable bluer color. Keep in mind that there are rocks surrounding the area sooo not a great place to surf! One of my favorite memories here are when I took my stressed out boyfriend here to relax. And knowing that this is one of my best friend's favorite beach.

This is our favorite beach but I am torn with giving it 5 star rating because with 5 star ratings come crowds. I have read most of the reviews and some of the negative ones are quite silly: 1. EVERY SINGLE beach in Laguna will have tiny sharks present. No danger at all, but trust me they are there. One Woods Cove reviewer mentioned this, hardly unique to Woods Cove. 2. Another reviewer mentioned lack of bath rooms. NEWS FLASH: almost NO beaches outside of Main Beach Laguna have bath rooms. 3. Kelp and flies: Come on man, every beach will have kelp and flies sometimes. Woods Cove has no more and no less than any other beach. Woods Cove Beach has several features: 1. Protection: the cove limits the wave height a bit which is good for kids. 2. Great tide poles at low tide. 3. Bette Davis House for a bit of history while you are there. 4. Its more or less hidden which serves to limit the crowds a bit. 5. Shade in the afternoon if you want it. 6. Great natural beauty. All in all, Woods Cove Beach has a rich history of a hundred years of happy visitors. Give it a try on your next visit to Laguna Beach!

Our favorite beach in Laguna. There is always parking - if you come early - then you can score some free parking!! The cove is calm when the tides are right making it a great place for little kids to swim.

beautiful place. Worth going to see. There are two staircases that lead to the beach. One is graced by growing beautiful flowers and wild plants and the other is a breath taking view of the water waiting to greet you! Go at different times and you can explore up and down the beach past the rocks and all around. A quiet and lovely place...even for a wedding!!!

I love this place. So beautiful and clean. And the water is amazing. Only downside was that I went on a day with really strong waves. But those moments when there was calm waters was beautiful and peaceful! Worth the drive.

Disappointed by Woods Cove. Much more crowded than Moss Point or Pearl Street just next to it and its a small beach to begin with. No bathrooms nearby and no good parking. Also, the day I was there 3 people saw a spotted leopard shark. No thanks.