Doheny State Beach is located about 1 hr south of Los Angeles in the city of Dana Point and attracts almost one million visitors per year. The beach provides great surfing in the north, has a five-acre lawn with picnic facilities and volleyball courts, and to the south has a campground is directly along the beach. The state beach has tide pools and a visitor center with several small aquariums.
Campgrounds
We wanted a place to take out our new Prius Conversion and decided a nice trip to Doheny State Beach was in order. We lucked out because it’s Nov and was able to grab a last-minute campsite. The campground is well kept with a blocked off the road just for campers. There are nice bathrooms (4 out of 5 stars for a campground), showers (1$ for 2 mins), and each site comes with a picnic table, fire pit, and small cooking grate. Other than the obvious reasons snatching a beachside campsite is the best option for privacy as well as staying away from the railroad tracks (they mostly don’t blow their horns at least) on the east side of the campground. The Campgrounds on the inside share the space with the neighbor on the other side making the space quite tight. Some of the campsites didn’t even have a decent place to pitch a tent. All of this makes the premium price for a beachside campsite well worth it. Plenty of room to sprawl out in the sand.
The Beach
Doheny State Beach is one of the most visited beaches in Californa for its huge beach and great surf break. There are beach and bike rentals and in the summer there is a cafe. There are fantastic picnic areas and fire pits available to the public. Also, the ocean is close to the parking/camping area so you don’t need to walk far to dip your toes in the water.
Key Info
- Address: 25300 Dana Point Harbor Drive, Dana Point, CA, 92629
- Website: Doheny SB
- Camping: Beachfront $60/ Non-beachfront $40
- Camping Reservation Website: Reserve California
- Max Trailer/Motorhome length: 35 ft
- Beach Hours: 6 am – 10 pm year round.
- Things to do: Surfing, Bike Riding, Tide pools, Visitor Center and Small Aquarium.
Pro Tip
- If you want to camp in the summer be sure you book well in advance. If it’s winter be sure to look back frequently for canceled reservations.
- All of the oceans are connected so be sure to wear reef safe sunscreen.