Salt Creek Beach — Attraction in Dana Point

Salt Creek Beach is a hidden gem in Dana Point that’s perfect for a day of sun, surf, and relaxation. The parking here is surprisingly affordable at just $1 per hour, but be warned—it fills up quickly on busy days despite the lot’s expansive size.

The walk down to the beach is an experience in itself. You’ll follow a path that goes under the street above, creating a shaded tunnel adorned with massive, vibrant murals on both sides. It’s a cool and artistic start to your beach day.

Once through the tunnel, you’re greeted by a beautiful terraced grassy area. It’s nicely manicured, full of shade trees, and offers spectacular views of the beach and ocean below—perfect for a picnic or just lounging before or after your beach time.

The beach itself is expansive with really nice quality sand. You have plenty of space to spread out, whether you’re sunbathing, playing beach games, or just taking a long walk along the shore. The Ritz-Carlton hotel sits majestically on the bluff overlooking the beach, adding a touch of luxury to the already stunning surroundings.

For refreshments, head to Young’s Beach Shack. They offer a variety of snacks and drinks, ideal for a quick refuel without having to leave the beach.

One thing to note: the walk back up can be a bit of a workout, so be prepared as it is quite steep. There are shuttled that can take you up the hill, but they charge $2/person. Also, there are clean restrooms and showers available, which are always a plus.

Overall, Salt Creek Beach offers a combination of affordability, scenic beauty, and top-notch amenities that make it a standout beach destination in Orange County. This is one of my favorites in all of...

Besides the fact that the water is always cold in Southern California . . . This beach is actually pretty nice. If you get here early enough there are no crowds and good parking spaces available. This beach is also part of the OC Parks Annual Parking Pass, which I highly recommend if you're wanting to go to regional parks and beachs (only 3 beaches on the list) for a flat parking fee for a year. The tide pools during low tide are pretty cool to look at and try to find crabs and other creatures. It seems like a decent surfing spot, lots of surfers in the morning. The sand is pretty soft. I'm going to guess that it can be pretty crowded on holidays and weekends. There are bathrooms by parking and by the little snack shack though which is great. There are also picnic benches and open green space above the beach. We had a nice time here though and will go back sometime. Life guards are also nice, they informed us of any dangers the surf might pose to our little kids that day.

Negatives: The walk from parking to the sand is kind of far and it's uphill all the way back to your car. There is a little shuttle service for $1 per person over 3yrs old you can ride. The snack shack items are pricey, but that's how it is at every...

Looks can be deceiving. I think they're trying to kill people. When we found this place it looked (from the photo on Google) that it was a park on a beach....it is not. After spending 20 minutes trying to find parking, we found out the truth....a quarter mile hike at a steep grade DOWN PAST THE PARK to get to the beach. And of course, once you go down, you must come back up. We didn't make it. We asked some people feom the Ritz Carlton and they told is since we had a handicap placard we could have driven down. Wish we had known that when we got there. My husband almost didn't make it back up to get the car. Aside from the attempted homicide, the beach IS beautiful. The water is very clean and there are restrooms nearby as well as food and beverages. The parking is even reasonable. But if you're not in shape, handicap or just not up for an unnecessary and pointless hike, finding a different beach is...