This is a great place to enjoy the sights and sounds of the harbor. It feels very safe and clean. It seems well patrolled by lifeguards and the Coast Guard too. Parking is great and it's free! Just a great spot to get your water fix without the usual waves and stress of the beach read more

It's a great place to launch SUPs and kayaks. I probably wouldn't go swimming thiere, but then again I am no longer a baby. It's a quick paddle over to the shoal near the jetty, a great place to swim. Bacteria levels can be an issue, but then again, I wouldn't use this beach to swim, but you'll probably be fine. Remember that while you are in a harbor, it is still the ocean, so stay in the buoys because I've seen groups of 8-10 stingrays chilling over in the rocks. It's still there house so ya can't really knock the beach for them being there. Hope to see ya on the water! read more

What a wonderful trip to Dana point Baby Beach today. We had fun letting the kids play safely without the waves crashing too hard. We came late so there was plenty of BBQ space available. There were.Clean restrooms to shower and rinse off in after getting salty and sandy. read more

Baby Beach - First time SUPping!! - Beaches Near Me - Dana Point, California

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We went to Baby Beach for the first time this week. We went on a Thursday around noon and although it was busy, we easily found parking. The free parking is a huge plus. My children are 12, 8 and six and they all loved this beach! They enjoyed wading out without the waves. There was a large day camp group there, once they left around 2:00 it was actually about as crowded as any OC beach in summer. I also got in the water, it was warm, and although it was not as clean as most beaches, I definitely prefer it to a lake. I'd recommend Baby Beach to a family with younger kids, or kids who are a bit scared of huge ocean waves. read more

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Baby beach fits it's name; it's a small stretch of sand at the north end of Dana Point harbor. It's a great launching point if you're coming to paddle in the harbor. There's a small grassy area nearby eith grills if you're looking to have a picnic. The waves are virtually nonexistent, so it's a good spot if the kids want to frolic in the water. It can get crowded during nice days, so be prepared to hunt for parking if you come later in the day. As soon as you leave baby beach by paddleboard, you will be amazed by the boats that call the harbor home. Baby beach has restrooms and a recreation center adjacent so you can spend the day if you want. read more

Beware!!!! The water looks shallow but then it literally drops to deep water like that, I let my toddler play in the water by herself while I was watching but on my beach chair and not knowing how it did that and got put in a very scary situation, had to go save her, very scary, thank goodness I was paying attention, great toddler beach if you pay close attention to your child's every move while playing in the real shallow part. read more

Loved it, such a mellow easy day with the kids. If you have infants, just wear them and leave the stroller in the car. A few questionable people in the way to the beach but none in the beach. There's a life guard with helps. Excited for many beach days read more

Nothing great here. A little designated area near the marina where it is roped off for the kids to play. The waves are small to almost nothing, perfect for a toddler first experience at a "beach". It is great if you live locally but not worth more than a 15 min drive. read more

Baby Beach - Panorama - Beaches Near Me - Dana Point, California

This beach is just WAY too small for all the people, kids, paddle boards, kayaks, etc. This place is beyond crowded and overrun with hoards of people who have little regard for others and leave their garbage everywhere! It's disgusting...I wish there was a "maximum occupancy" that could be set at a much lower # and enforced, but I know that's not realistic. This used to be a very special place, but like so many of our best spots on the OC coast, it's just trashed all the time now and I blame people who are too lazy and disgusting to clean up after themselves and watch their kids! read more

This is a great beach for families and small kids. Small beach with in the harbor with no waves and lifeguards on duty. It is great for SUP boards. There are bathrooms, a grassy picnic and BBQ area. Free parking always a plus. read more

Nice place for babies. Free parking. Good shower locations. We went during down time so it wasn't crowded. Nice little area for kids overall. My 2 year old loved it. I didn't have to worry too much about him going too far in. He loved looking at the boats in the distance. read more

This beach is closed in till at least May 2016. They've got it all fenced off and no access to the sand whatsoever.

This a great beach for Babies. Seriously, there is no waves, it is in the harbor, and close to the Pilgrim and the ocean institute. The parking is good if you come early, they have a couple lots, not far on a flat walk, but be catreful parking on the street, the curb is not painted red, but there is no parking and they do ticket. because it is a flat easy beach, no slopeing hills and no waves, it is used almost exclusively for kayaks and paddle bards, so watch the little ones they can get run over by enthusiastc atheltes. Im not sure the water quality is the best since it is doesnt exactly flow freely to the ocean, so might noit be the best beach for a baby, unless they stand up paddle or ride shotgun in your boat. read more

This place is amazingly beautiful and perfect for babies and toddlers. The water is clean, there are no rocks or pebbles in the water that will hurt your feet. Best of all there are no waves. There is a pier, and parking is free. Keep in mind this is a place for children to come and enjoy. Please keep this are clean and pick up after your selfies to maintain this beautiful place. read more

Nice calm waters but now I know why it's called Baby Beach! So many babies and toddlers. Kind of boring for older kids and teens. Liked that there was free parking and a lifeguard. read more

Baby beach gives a seculded feel admist busy Dana Point harbor. Free parking, bbq benches, water is knee depth and gentle waves. My LO literally ran towards the water and it felt safe knowing that no huge waves or long kelp will be bothering him. The beach gets dark soon than the rest of the pacific coast because of the sun setting behind the hill. Water was warm, pets allowed. It seemed a bit murky and felt like a lake than beach. But way better than Mission viejo lake, just FYI. read more

Fred F is miss informed. For the past two years Baby Beach has had an A/B+ rating from Heal the Bay. Although the monitoring of these beaches has been reduced due to budget cuts. I would feel safe in the water, this year. I would hope we get useful information again next year. There are clean bathrooms and a quick walk to some yummy food choice and on the weekends you can visit the Ocean institute. read more

BEWARE! This beach is dangerous! My sons and I almost drowned there few weeks ago. We live inland and come to this beach once a year or so since kids been little because of the name "Baby" as in "safe for kids". Well, this spot could be safe if your kid is very little and you are with him in the water at all times. However this place is dangerous once your kids get in the water on their own and wish to experience deeper parts. This beach is not clearly marked. It has a dangerous drop off just few feet off the shore. In reality your kids have very little of a safe ground in that water. Allowing your kids to play there is like placing a bunch on kids on a small plateau surrounded by cliffs. If this wasn't covered by water I don't think parents would allow their kids to be there. I sure wouldn't after what we experienced this summer. Before we could reach the water boys ran ahead of us. Being 9 and 11 they didn't go in the area that is "fence off". They splashed on the left hand side as paddle boards were taking off. No one noticed our boys drowning and only thanks to God my eyes were on my boys for some reason as I sure felt that they were safe there.... They started drowning very quietly, pushing on each other to stay afloat and from the distance it looked as if they were playing. As I ran to them I too fell into some kind of hole. Even after I started screaming for help people were slow to react as no one was expecting any danger at the "Baby" beach. Thank God we are alive and thanks to those few who helped us out. As we were leaving this beach I noticed several warning signs scattered across the sand stating "Warning, dangerous drop off". This beach is lacking clear markings at the place of a drop off indicating how deep is the drop off. These signs should be placed in the water across the whole area leading to drop off to warn people but I guess all of the sudden the safe area will appear much smaller than expected. I wonder if officials aware of this....and because of this they don't clearly mark the area. In addition, we ended up there during the tide where water rose up significantly, about a foot or more, so even if your kids are at in the fenced off area they are still at the risk of drowning (similar to what a poster from Rancho Cucamonga described below). With the tide a lot of sea life is being brought to the shore. Last year I've seen a smaller stingray swimming in a murky water right by my husband's leg (he was in the water about 3 feet deep). Don't know how much danger these creatures posses as well. Thank you for reading this and God Bless. read more

It's a little cove right by the harbor. It's not the best looking beach plus the water is a little murky, but much safer for little ones than the rocky and high surf Doheny. Being right next to the Ocean Institute I wonder if this is also used for study purposes. Just be careful for the immediate drop from the shallow shelf onto the deeper end. No public bathrooms. No food or snack shacks. Other than that, it's a good place to hang out! read more

Love this beach great for families with little ones. My kids had a blast as well as we did, specially when the OC sheriff boat would wet everyone. I also like that the life guards walk around. The other thing I loved about this beach is the grass and picnic area. The parking is close to the beach of course you have to get there early to get that parking. But overall great beach. read more

Came on Saturday (Labor Day weekend) it was busy BUT it was nice. The water was not nasty. There were parts u can see through and to the floor. We walked all around on the beach and there were quite a few surfers. Also a lot of young kids like 10 and under surfing so it was fun to watch. There were parts of the water with big rocks and then the Little Rock's that hurt your feet so would recommend water shoes. I didn't notice any drunks. And no cops talking to people so that was nice. Last beach in San Diego there were a lot of cops talking to people and drunks stumbling around. But here I did not see this so it was nice! read more

Definitely a nice place to take the little ones. They have shallow water, with no waves. The water is within sight and we sat towards the walk way. And, the water is tolerable. Not ice cold like your typical beach. The bathrooms are clean, with soap. And they have showers. My family also got to do paddle boarding. They rent it out for an hour and it's an easy, calm place to learn. Get there early for parking though. It's free. read more

On plus side, it's free parking, and easy access to the sand. Water is a bit warmer than other beaches because its shallow and surrounded by the harbor. On negative side, the water quality is horrendous. This place regularly has water quality warning signs. At the moment, it's summer and filled with people who either don't live near the ocean or are just plain ignorant. Lots of trash on the ground and floating in the swimming areas. Of course, it's also in the harbor so you have all the runoff from boats, birds, and other trash and marine contaminants. Don't let your kids get the water in their mouth. It's aptly named baby beach since babies aren't going to be swimming and swallowing the sick water. read more

Wonderful location for a low-key "beach" day with the family. Super calm roped-off section for kids is non-threatening for novice swimmers and stress-free for parents. We had no trouble parking either time we visited. Fun to watch the paddle boarders while little ones splash in the very shallow water. A must if you are looking for an easy beach day with young kids. read more

I don't know what I was expecting but it's a small, no wave beach at the end of the harbor. I wouldn't put my kids in this water, it's not disgustingly dirty but it's just my preference. Good local people. Great parking. Clean place. read more

Gross, if you want to hang around entitled brats, dirty diapers and nasty salt water, go ahead. Avoid the babies and head to Strands or Salt Creek. Better yet, get out and go to San O or Laguna Beach. Sorry San O and Laguna, but it had to be said. read more

Perfect place to go with the kids to feel safe from big unexpected waves. Friendly place, bathrooms facilities, baby area is buoyed off to keep the paddle boarders out. Only down side is sometimes the water gets too dirty with bacteria etc for kids - double check the OC health departments website for the latest stats. read more

Awesome! Now when I visit I know where to take my kayak also. Clean enough and safe for the little ones.

Ok as a dad it's ok just way to many people for that small area. But if you asked my wife she would say it's great. They have a giant netted off selection a life guard on duty,free parking, nice restrooms and shower that are really close. If you live around there it cool. If you live more then 50 not so cool. read more

Awesome beach for taking young kids to wade in the shallow end, its more of a lake atmosphere. The water is known to be dirty though and I want to warn parents, please watch out for creepers! Because its "baby beach" there have been sightings of predators here. Just keep a watchful eye and report suspicious behavior to the lifeguards! They are very proactive about it. Apparently this beach and Salt Creek get their share of perverts who watch kids and take photos of them. Theres not a lot the police can do but if they get descriptions they can keep a radar on them, make them uncomfortable and eventually confiscate their cameras. read more

Love this beach. Its simple and clean. I went on a pokemon hunt and luckily it was drizzling so it was pretty empty. But it can be busy on a nice clear day. Parking seems to be easy and abundant. Many paddle boarders launch from here. One thing I love is parking is free. read more

Get paddle boarding. This beach makes it too easy to get fun exercise. Parting's plenty. Short walk from car to water. Drop the board in and do a lap around the best views in the world. By the time you pick your favorite boat during your tour thru the harbor you've got your health commitment finished. Get at it. read more

Very nice place to take kids. The water is calm and kids can actually enjoy the water without all the waves!!!

This beach is good for babies. The waves are very very gentle, making it safe and appealing to kids to play in. There are lots of rocks and pebbles for the kids to pick up and examine. Its also a great place for beginner surfing. But I found the beach to be dirty. I don't mind the occasional clump of kelp/seaweed, but the debris on Baby Beach was old (lots of flies) and copious. Also, there is a large puddle (pond?) of water nearby that is quite dirty as well. The only reason I would come back is for the gently waves for my daughter, but otherwise, definitely would find a different beach. read more

YAY! yelp comes through again. We tried taking our 16mo old to a regular beach a few days ago, and it was scary and not enjoyable for them. The water is calm and clear here. We went on the first fall weekend of the year on Saturday, and by 10AM the closest parking lot was full. We had to park up the street a little, and walk through two parking lots but it was worth it. Even for adults just looking for a nice calm ocean swim, this is the place. An adult can walk pretty much to the buoys and still be above water. no need to go to Hawaii...come here instead. read more

What can I say? This is just such a beautiful beach. It's a small park with a nice small beach, in the harbor and it's not too crowded during the week. Since I mostly interested in paddle boarding that's when I come here to do. It's a great place for beginners because the water is so calm. For those people who are ready for more of a challenge, you can go out through the harbor to the open ocean and over to the regular beach as well, and there you can surf on the waves. There's a large ocean wall and if you climb on top you'll have a nice view of both harbor and ocean at the same time! Had a lot of fun watching the waves crash on the wall. There's plenty of seals (or are they sea lions? I always forget) hanging out on the wall near the end by the ocean. Plenty of other people here as well, and I've seen the outrigger canoe teams practicing. Haven't tried that yet but looks like a fun team sport. If you're in Dana point stop by here! read more

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Beautiful and relaxing place to vacation. Whether it's spending a few nights under the stars or visiting for the day, Dana point is a prime spot to bask in the sum and enjoy the beach! Friendly folk and family oriented! Some few tips for this vacation spot include: book several months in advance due to extreme limited space, beware of spiders (find a site away from bushes if possible), pet friendly grounds, no outlets available, free clean showers ( no quarters needed despite the signs posted). read more

AWESOME beach if you have kids, it's not really a beach, more like a launch area in the danapoint cove/bay...but it's great, they have it sectioned off so kids are safe and there's a lifeguard on duty.....plenty green areas and picnic tables, lots of paddleboarding going on and you can see the tallships docked by the ocean center.... read more

Love this beach! Plenty of parking, easy to paddle board, convenient/close to parked car and relaxing all year round. . Definitely a fav!! read more

Beautiful spot. Came here by accident.. loved it. The water is a bit too murky.. but what's new. The atmosphere is very laid back, expect to see a lot of traffic.. if you're not there by 9am.. you're not going to find any spots. Like that the parking is limited as crowd control. read more