Picnic Beach

Picnic Beach is an incredibly scenic stretch of sandy beach set beneath a line of sandstone cliffs just north of Laguna's Main Beach.

As one of several beaches lying below Cliff Drive and Heisler Park, the sandy shore of Picnic Beach lies along a cove lined by house-topped cliffs on either side, with rocks stretching into the water. These rocks create habitat for tide pools that can be easily explored during lower tides at Picnic Beach's south end, and also provide a bit of protection from rough tides, so it can be a popular beach to watch snorkelers and divers explore the waters or paddle boarders and kayakers launch from. 

The cliff tops are lined by Heisler Park, a beautiful park for strolling along a paved path with colorful flowers and landscaping and grass lawns with picnic benches and grills. A paved ramp descends from Heisler Park to the center of the beach, with flights of steps offering other access points.

While the beach is safe for families, rip tides can make swimming hazardous, so it's best to check on conditions before heading out into the cove.

Showers are available at the base of the ramp and bathrooms are located in Heisler Park above.

There is metered parking available along Cliff Drive and the side streets above, however these street spots can fill up early on weekends and throughout the summer.

Picnic Beach is open daily from 6am to 10pm. Dogs are permitted on the beach on leash from September 11th through June 14th, and permitted only before 9am and after 6pm from June 15th to September 10th.