Woods Cove
Woods Cove and Lovers Cove are both accessible at this beach. Popular activities here are diving, body surfing, and exploring the tide pools. Although fairly small, it can be quite active in the summer. The southern part of the beach is often referred to as Lovers Cove. North of Woods Cove is Pearl Street and Agate Street Beach separated by a rock arch.
Woods Cove has a long history in the area. Once the inlet for the Arch Beach township, it served as both a destination as well as port for incoming supplies before the state highway connected the area to Laguna Beach and Dana Point. It later became home to actress Betty Davis, who’s former house sits just north of the public stairs.
Information
Address: 1991 Ocean Way, Laguna Beach, CA 92651
Entrance is at the end of Diamond Street (Diamond Street and Ocean Way).
Hours: 5:00 AM to 10:00 PM
Parking: Street parking off PCH and on Ocean Way
More Information: City of Laguna Beach
OC Beach Apparel and Souvenirs
Woods Cove History
Did you know the first pier in Laguna Beach was where Woods Cove stands today? In 1886, the Arch Beach Hotel was built at the end of Diamond and Coast Highway in what was called “Arch Beach.” In 1887, the pier was built at the end of Diamond Street. Its initial purpose was to provide a docking area for ships coming from San Diego delivering hay and other goods.
At the time, Arch Beach was a separate town with its own post office. Since the Pacific Coast Highway did not yet exist and both Bluebird and Sleepy Hollow were impassable by vehicles, the only access to Arch Beach was via Aliso Canyon and El Toro Road. Shortly after the Arch Beach hotel opened, there was a real estate bust and the hotel went under. In was later purchased and moved it to Main beach to combine with another abandoned hotel and eventually became the Hotel Laguna.
It wasn’t until the early 1900s the area started to become known as Woods Cove when Clementine “Clemma” E. Woods bought up much of the former Arch Beach boom town. With the opening of the Coast Highway int he 1920s, Woods Cove was finally connected to Laguna Beach. This led to a boom of development with wealthy families from Los Angeles and Pasadena coming down to build their summer beach house to escape from the heat.
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