Thousand Steps Beach
South Laguna, CA
Thousand Steps Beach earns its name honestly with a long stairway down the bluff to a genuinely wide stretch of sand, one of the bigger beaches in South Laguna precisely because the climb keeps crowds thinner than the easier-access coves further north.
A genuinely wide, uncrowded beach precisely because of the long stairway, worth the climb for anyone up for it.
How we score beachesThe stairway is real exercise, budget extra time and energy for the climb back up, especially with beach gear.
On-street parking near the top of the stairway.
A long stairway down the bluff is the only access, with real elevation change.
Dogs are not allowed at Thousand Steps Beach at any time of year, under county policy.
Orange County's water takes until late summer to really warm up, climbing into the low 70s by September.
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