Shaw's Cove
Laguna Beach, CA
Shaw's Cove is a small pocket beach reached by stairs, genuinely popular with divers and snorkelers for the rock reef and kelp just offshore. It's quieter than the bigger coves nearby, exactly the kind of spot regulars keep coming back to.
A genuine local dive and snorkel spot with real underwater structure, quieter and more purposeful than a typical sunbathing beach.
How we score beachesEarly morning tends to have the calmest, clearest water for snorkeling here before the wind picks up.
Limited on-street parking near the stairs.
Stairs are the only way down to the sand.
Leashed dogs are allowed on this Laguna Beach cove before 9 a.m. and after 6 p.m. from June 15 to September 10, and during longer hours the rest of the year, but off leash dogs are never permitted.
Orange County's water takes until late summer to really warm up, climbing into the low 70s by September.
More Pacific Coast beaches
Zuma Beach
Malibu, CA · Pacific Coast
A wide stretch of sand backed by the Santa Monica Mountains, with reliable swells that draw surfers year-round and plenty of room to spread out even on busy weekends.
Huntington City Beach
Huntington Beach, CA · Pacific Coast
Known as Surf City USA, with a mile-long municipal pier, consistent breaks for surfers of every level, and a laid-back boardwalk scene along Pacific Coast Highway.
Main Beach
Laguna Beach, CA · Pacific Coast
Tucked between rocky headlands, with tidepools to explore at low tide, calmer coves for swimming, and an arts-town backdrop of galleries and cafes just steps from the sand.