Salt Creek Beach
Salt Creek is a popular beach in Dana Point with surfers, beach walkers, and families on day outing. Considered one of the top surf spot in Dana Point, an offshore reef creates breaks along the entire shoreline. This small, offshore reef creates some of the best left swells along the entire coastline. The large beach is also great for swimming, body surfing, and sunbathing.
Located on the north edge of Dana Point, bordering on Laguna Beach with Strands Beach just to the South. The beach park is connected to a larger Dana Point park and trail system. The trail system also connects guests at the nearby Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach Hotel and the overlooking Ritz Carlton. For those not lucky enough to stay at the luxury hotels, there’s a large pay parking lot just off PCH. Walking down to the beach you’ll pass a large grassy lawn overlooking the beach, or Bluff Park. This is part of the 18 acre public park and beach. This is a great spot to watch the surfers and enjoy the sunshine.
Salt Creek Beach Information
Address: 33333 S Pacific Coast Hwy, Dana Point, CA 92629
Parking: large parking lot off the Pacific Coast Highway that is $1/hr. It is a steep climb down to the beach so save some energy to get back to the car.
Hours: 5:00 AM – 12:00 AM
Amenities: restroom, outside showers, concessions, large grassy park
Young’s Beach Shack: Open 7 am to sunset. Grab some fish and chips and a draft beer to enjoy the end of a beautiful day at the beach.
Salt Creek Surf Report:
More information: https://www.ocparks.com/beaches/salt-creek-beach
OC Beach Apparel and Souvenirs
History of Salt Creek
In the 1960s, the Salt Creek area, also known as the Niguel Beach area, was acquired by the Laguna Niguel Corporation then AVCO Community Developers. The land was set aside for private community development. Being a popular surfing and swimming location, public pressure to obtain the beach for public use started the “Save Salt Creek” movement.
The Orange County Board of Supervisors negotiated with the developers, an offer was agreed to provide the county certain acreage for beach parking and the beach itself. The agreement was signed for a $2.6 million turnkey operation – land purchase and construction of beach park improvements.
Construction completed until 1976. The beach park, with almost a mile of public beach, now serves hundreds of thousands of beach goers annually.
Source: https://www.ocparks.com/beaches/salt-creek-beach/history#:~:text=The%20Niguel%20Beach%20region%2C%20previously,property%20was%20completed%20in%201968
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