Best Beaches In & Near Costa Mesa

By The Beach Guide | Last Updated: August 25, 2023

Map featuring Costa Mesa beaches. Click on pins to view beach details

1. Huntington Beach

© James Kim

Travel time from Costa Mesa: approx 0.5 hrs

Nicknamed "Surf City USA", Huntington Beach is a popular resort destination for locals and international tourists. This 121-acre state beach has a long pier and a beautiful sandy beach with dunes sheltering many bird species.
Facilities include parking lots (open until 10pm), bathrooms, showers, lifeguard HQ and fire rings for bonfires. It is ideal for sunbathing, walking, fishing and watching pro surfers.
There are sandbars at the south end of Huntington Beach… read more »
2. Laguna Beach

© Joe Belanger

Travel time from Costa Mesa: approx 0.5 hrs

Located midway between Los Angeles and San Diego, Laguna Beach is the archetypal Southern Californian beach town. This is one of the most fashionable seaside towns in Orange County and as such has attracted the wealthy and famous for many years. Laguna Beach has a long established reputation as a cultural hotspot and is home to any number of art festivals, most notably the Pageant of the Masters.
But it is… read more »
3. Laguna Beach

© Diosthenese / CC BY

Travel time from Costa Mesa: approx 0.5 hrs

Located midway between Los Angeles and San Diego, Laguna Beach is the archetypal Southern Californian beach town. This is one of the most fashionable seaside towns in Orange County and as such has attracted the wealthy and famous for many years. Laguna Beach has a long established reputation as a cultural hotspot and is home to any number of art festivals, most notably the Pageant of the Masters.
But it is… read more »
4. Newport Beach

Mitch Barrie

Travel time from Costa Mesa: approx 0.5 hrs

Home of the biggest recreational harbor on the west coast, the classic California surf town of Newport Beach offers sandy beaches, water sports, and incredible views of the sunset. This is a place you will never run out of ways to fill your day, and you can experience a real slice of Southern California beach life.
The sand stretches for 10 miles at Newport Beach with the central Municipal beach… read more »
5. Little Corona Del Mar Beach

Kdelaney7

Travel time from Costa Mesa: approx 0.5 hrs
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6. Sunset Beach

Lars Plougmann

Travel time from Costa Mesa: approx 0.5 hrs
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7. Surfside Beach

Karen Fasimpaur

Travel time from Costa Mesa: approx 0.5 hrs
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8. Seal Beach

Monacat

Travel time from Costa Mesa: approx 0.5 hrs
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9. Belmont Shore Beach

Sergei Gussev

Travel time from Costa Mesa: approx 0.5 hrs
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10. Salt Creek Beach

bfick

Travel time from Costa Mesa: approx 0.5 hrs

Orange County's Salt Creek Beach is named after the stream which runs across the northern part of the beach during wetter times of year. Backed by scrub, the beach consists of a wide ribbon of sand paired with the lawns of Bluff Park, which is almost three hectares in size. It has a good number of picnic tables for anyone looking to enjoy an al fresco meal.
Those looking to be… read more »
11. Long Beach

Greg Gjerdingen

Travel time from Costa Mesa: approx 0.5 hrs

You'll find this golden stretch of sand along California's southern coastline, just a 30-minute drive away from Los Angeles.
All the essentials are in place here, including lifeguard posts, showers, restrooms, and lots of parking spots nearby. And there's a promenade backing on to the beach that is particularly popular with cyclists and skaters.
As for the beach itself, there's usually plenty of elbow room as this isn't the busiest of… read more »
12. Torrance County Beach

Travel time from Costa Mesa: approx 1 hr

Nestled between Redondo Beach and Malaga Cove, you may hear the locals refer to this stretch as RAT Beach - as in, Right After Torrance or Redondo & Torrance.
The soft white sands here sit at the bottom of a picturesque cliff, so snapping some Insta-worthy photos is a breeze.
When it comes to amenities, you'll find loads of parking spaces close by, lifeguards on daily duty, and restrooms and showers right… read more »
13. Dana Point Headlands Beach

CashewCraver

Travel time from Costa Mesa: approx 0.5 hrs
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14. Doheny State Beach

Steve Andler

Travel time from Costa Mesa: approx 0.5 hrs
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15. Capistrano Beach Park

Alex Proimos

Travel time from Costa Mesa: approx 0.5 hrs
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16. Cabrillo Beach

Sergei Gussev

Travel time from Costa Mesa: approx 1 hr
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17. San Clemente State Beach

Bennilover

Travel time from Costa Mesa: approx 1 hr

Found at the southern end of the city of San Clemente in California, San Clemente State Beach is a favourite with water sports enthusiasts. Set below attractive cliffs, its light-coloured sands continue for some over a mile in length, although much of its breadth can be lost with the high tide.
Family-friendly and accessible to those with reduced mobility it is no surprise that San Clemente State Beach can become particularly… read more »
18. Venice Beach

Travel time from Costa Mesa: approx 1 hr

When thinking of Los Angeles it is hard not to picture the city's iconic Venice Beach. Whilst many beaches are exactly that, and nothing else, Venice Beach is much more than that; a beach, cultural institution, vibrant community and international tourist destination to name a few. What goes on along the beach front is as important to Venice beach's character as the sand,ocean and palms trees that physically define it.
… read more »
19. RAT Beach

305 Seahill

Travel time from Costa Mesa: approx 1 hr
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20. Redondo Beach State Park

ChildofMidnight

Travel time from Costa Mesa: approx 1 hr

This 1.5 mile-long stretch of shoreline is jam-packed with activities and facilities, which keep visitors coming back time and time again.
At the far north of the beach you'll find the magnificent pier. It's a great place for a spot of fishing, and there are plenty of bars, shops and restaurants here too, with plenty of variety on the menus. Naturally as you'd expect, there are plenty of fresh seafood places… read more »