5 Hidden Beaches in Southern California

California beaches are popular and highly frequented, and for good reason! The soft sand, gorgeous views, crashing surf and sunny weather make any day a good beach day.

Sometimes, though, ditching the crowded coasts and heading for a hidden cove is just what we need to recharge. Here are some hidden beaches around Southern California that are perfect for your next beach day adventure! We’ve measured the distances from our Southern California apartments near Los Angeles, just to make it easier to calculate your trip!

5 hidden beaches in Southern California

Pirates Cove Beach

Malibu, CA

Distance from Central L.A.: 40 minutes

If you’re a fan of the 1968 film “Planet of the Apes," then you’ll thoroughly enjoy visiting this secluded beach just outside Malibu. The very last scene in the movie was filmed right here — the one where Charlton Heston breaks down on the soft sand as he sees the mangled Statue of Liberty lying rusted on the shore.

While the statue prop is no longer there, obviously, Pirates Cove Beach still offers a quiet and secluded atmosphere tucked in between the cliffs and bluffs of Point Dume State Marine Reserve. It’s a little tricky to get to the cove during high tide, so make sure you time your visit right and bring adequate footwear. Once on the beach, you’re sure to catch some truly magical sunsets and spot some beautiful birdlife. 

This beach is also known to be an occasional nudist beach, so keep that in mind if you decide to visit!

Ranchos Palos Verdes Beach

1 Trump National Dr, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA

Distance from Central L.A.: 50 minutes

This quiet beach is just steps away from the Trump National Golf Club Los Angeles, but it is still open and accessible to the general public.  

Ranchos Palos Verdes Beach is located at the base of a beautiful series of bluffs and cliffs that make up the Ocean Trails Reserve. You’ll need to hike about a mile and a half to get to the beach, but the seclusion, the views and the natural scenery will all be worth it!

Table Rock Beach

31595 Table Rock Drive, Laguna Beach, CA

Distance from Central L.A.: 1 hour, 15 minutes

This local beach is famous for its rock formations, caves and natural archway that continue to delight explorers and curious beachgoers.

Table Rock Beach is a little harder to find than most beaches along the Coast Highway, as it’s located in a fairly private portion of South Laguna. The rocky cliffs and rock formations make it tricky to reach the beach from connecting beaches, and even then the waves are often too strong to attempt traversing the boulders. The best bet is to park along the highway and access the beach from Eagle Rock Way along Table Rock Drive, which is a private road. 

Once you get to the beach, there’s plenty to see and explore that will occupy visitors for hours. Check out the cave at the back of the cove, or explore the rocks in the center of the cove. Low tides reveal a small archway in the rocks that lead to another secluded beach, and traversing the rocky point to the north leads to yet another hidden beach!

Although this beach is a haven for exploration, it’s not a place to go frolicking in the water. The small cove has strong rip currents that are not safe to swim in, and there are obviously no lifeguards to patrol the area. It’s hidden for a reason, y’know?

Ormond Beach 

Oxnard, CA

Distance from Central L.A.: 1 hour, 30 minutes 

Birdwatchers and wildlife enthusiasts will love this secluded beach in Oxnard, just up the coast from Point Mugu State Park. There are also some fascinating abandoned factories and power plants further South along the beach that are cool to see. 

Ormond Beach covers two miles of coastline and is surrounded by wetlands and farmlands, ensuring a sense of privacy and solitude not common this close to Los Angeles. One can access the beach from the bustling Port Hueneme Beach Park to the North or from the secluded Arnold Road to the South. 

Either way, there are great opportunities to observe coastal wildlife and birdlife in their natural habitats, so take care to leave only your footprints behind on this hidden beach! Unfortunately, no dogs are allowed.

South Black’s Beach

La Jolla Farms Road & Blackgold Rd, La Jolla, San Diego, CA 92037

Distance from Central L.A.: 1 hour, 50 minutes

Also known as Torrey Pines State Beach, the quiet South Black’s Beach has attracted visitors from near and far for the sunbathing, surfing and gorgeous views surrounding the rocky beach. Surfing here is popular and reserved for only the most advanced surfers, as the rock formations and underwater canyons create excellent surf breaks that make it also one of the more dangerous surf spots in Southern California.

There’s a decent hike down the cliffs from the street to reach the beach, so avoid visiting on weekdays as the street parking there is limited to two hours then. Weekends are probably the best time to visit to make the most of it!

The beach is the lower portion of the larger Black’s Beach, which is an official clothing-optional beach managed by the State of California. It was the first public nude beach in the country and also the only one until the mid-1970s, so there’s a decent amount of history there! This also means that clothing-optional sunbathers are often at South Black’s Beach, so be aware of the rules and guidelines that are associated with clothing-optional beaches!

These 5 hidden beaches in Southern California are perfect for those seeking a quieter, more isolated beach experience along the bustling California coast. Keep these beaches beautiful by cleaning up trash, not feeding the wildlife and by staying off the dunes, bluffs and other delicate environments that make these secret spots so pristine. 

Have fun!

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Featured photo courtesy Pixabay/Free-Photos