Salt Creek Beach
An OC Parks beach below the Ritz-Carlton bluffs, reached by paths from the lots, with a well-known surf break.
Know before you go
- Parking
Parking available (Coastal Commission listing).
Coastal Commission listing · California Coastal Commission
- Fees
Pay-and-display parking, $1 per hour year-round.
Verified · OC Parks · checked Oct 3, 2026
- Paying
Pay-and-display machines.
Verified · OC Parks · checked Oct 3, 2026
- Getting down
Stairs to the beach and Path to the beach. Off Ritz-Carlton Dr., Dana Point.
Coastal Commission listing · California Coastal Commission
- Tide & surf
Unknown – check locally
- Hours
Beach 5 a.m. to midnight. Bluff Park 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Verified · OC Parks · checked Oct 3, 2026
- Dogs
No dogs on the beach. Leashed (6 ft max) on paved walkways and in Bluff Park.
Verified · OC Parks · checked Oct 3, 2026
- Restrooms
Four restrooms with outside showers.
Verified · OC Parks · checked Oct 3, 2026
- Showers
Outdoor showers.
Verified · OC Parks · checked Oct 3, 2026
- Accessibility
Visitors with a disabled placard may be driven down the beach access road.
Verified · OC Parks · checked Oct 3, 2026
- Lifeguards
Lifeguard service listed. Staffing varies by season.
Coastal Commission listing · California Coastal Commission
- Rules
All fires prohibited.
Verified · OC Parks · checked Oct 3, 2026
- Food
Young's Beach Shack, 7 a.m. to sunset.
Verified · OC Parks · checked Oct 3, 2026
Information only, not safety advice. Conditions change. Always follow lifeguards and posted signs.
Tides & daylight · next 3 days
Information only, not safety advice. Conditions change, so always follow lifeguards and posted signs. Data: official city, county, State Parks and National Park Service pages, the California Coastal Commission, NOAA and the National Weather Service · Facts checked Oct 3, 2026 · Map © OpenFreeMap © OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap contributors.