Strand Beach
Dana Point, CA
Strand Beach is reached by a genuine funicular and stairs down from a large blufftop parking lot, a real convenience on a coast where most beach access means a plain stairway. The wide sand below is a solid, less crowded alternative to Salt Creek just up the coast.
The funicular is a genuinely unusual convenience, and the beach itself is a solid, quieter alternative to its busier neighbor.
How we score beachesThe funicular is a real, if slow, option for anyone who'd rather not take the stairs down and back up.
A large fee lot sits at the top of the bluff.
Both a funicular and stairs connect the blufftop lot to the beach.
Dogs are not allowed on the beach at Strand Beach.
Orange County's water takes until late summer to really warm up, climbing into the low 70s by September.
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