China Cove Beach
Corona del Mar, CA
China Cove Beach is actually two small pocket beaches reached by stairs at the end of Fernleaf Avenue, sheltered enough for genuinely calm water even when the open coast nearby has real surf. It's a quiet, residential-feeling spot that rewards the walk down with some of the calmest swimming in the area.
Genuinely calm, sheltered water and real seclusion for a spot this close to the busier Corona del Mar beaches, worth the walk down the stairs.
How we score beachesThe stairs down are the only access, and there's no lifeguard here, so it's a better fit for confident swimmers and families with older kids.
Stairs at the end of Fernleaf Ave. are the only way down to the sand.
Leashed dogs are allowed on this bay-front cove only before 9 a.m. and after 5 p.m. under Newport Beach's citywide dog curfew.
Sheltered water stays calmer than the open coast, warming up earlier in the season.
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