Doheny State Beach
Dana Point, CA
Doheny State Beach is a genuinely popular day-use and camping beach at the mouth of San Juan Creek, with a gentle, forgiving beach break that's long made it a favorite first-wave spot for beginning surfers. The campground right behind the sand is a real draw for anyone wanting more than a day trip.
A genuinely beginner-friendly break plus real camping right on the sand, a complete package rare this far south in Orange County.
How we score beachesThe gentle break here is a genuinely good pick for beginning surfers, less intimidating than the punchier breaks up the coast.
A fee lot serves the day-use area; camping requires a separate reservation.
Dogs on leash are allowed in the campground and day-use picnic areas at Doheny State Beach, but they are not permitted on the sand or in the water.
Orange County's water takes until late summer to really warm up, climbing into the low 70s by September.
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