Beautiful beach! Small and not too crowded. Lots of tide pools and the waves were tame. Gorgeous! read more

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Great little beach! It's a secluded cove with tons of tide pools to explore. We took our 3 year old and he had such a good time. Warning! There is no bathroom, so go before. There was a lifeguard on duty which is always a plus to me. Also there is only stairs, so a stroller/wagon was tricky and more of a pain then a convenience. Overall a great, clean, fun place! We'll be back! read more

Shaws Cove - View from the edge of the tide pools to the beach - Beaches Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

Loved loved loved this beach. We've been coming to Laguna for years and never came here until now. Beautiful tide pools with tons of crabs, some little fish, tons of live shells and anemones and even say a few seahares. I wanted to explore the whole day! Beach was nice too and somewhat secluded. Not a ton of people when we went. It's smaller since it's a cove so I'm sure if it was busy it'd be a busy if you wanted to boogie board or something. Totally worth stopping in for an hour or so. read more

Love this hidden beach! Perfect for sunbathing, snorkeling, and exploring. It's also uncrowded. read more

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It's clean. there's lifeguards on duty. great place to swim, great place to catch some waves on the boogie board. Good for diving too! read more

Shaws Cove - Beaches Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

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Beautiful beach parking was plentiful & no meters in the neighborhood area I parked in.

We visited for the first time to witness our sons engagement. What a beautiful little spot. This little spot provided a beautiful view to gather and celebrate this sweet event. read more

Here for a Spring Break treat! What a breathtaking beauty this beach is. Only downfall is there are no restrooms, but you can walk down a bit more on Cliff Way and use Crescent Bays facilities. Good for kids, tidepool exploring and listening to crashing waves on rocks. read more

Shaws Cove - Beaches Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

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Jonathan and I went here for the first time yesterday and had an amazing time! The water must have been 80 degrees!! I have never in my life felt such warm ocean water and I grew up in So Cal.! The beach is small, but gorgeous! We brought our snorkel gear and were in and out of the water all day long. The marine life here is adequate. We saw several Garibaldi, the protected CA state fish, sea anemone (I do not like floating in that shallow of water over rocks!! but was brave for a nanosecond!) and a few other fish. This is mostly a sand beach with rocky tide pool areas. There were several other snorkelers and a few divers. High tide makes for a narrow strip of sand which on a gorgeous day such as yesterday makes the small beach feel very, very crowded. That being said, I think it would have been a real wild goose chase to find a beach that was not crowded yesterday- probably impossible. Had a great time! If you're into snorkeling/diving give Shaw's Cove a looksie. Parking tip: Park on the other side of PCH- the non-beach side. You'll get a non-metered spot right away and it's only a short walk. read more

My best friend had herself a cool little renegade wedding at Shaw's Cove last Saturday! Kind of a unique situation - she and her fiance just wanted to get married on a beach in California with my husband and me as the only guests. This was the prelude to a much grander wedding that will take place in Scotland in a few years. For my friends' purposes, Shaw's Cove was absolutely PERFECT. We showed up at 3:30pm on a Saturday and there was hardly anyone there, so it was as private as you can get on a public beach. The photographer and officiant did their thing; and bing, bang, boom, they were married! The picturesque landscape was perfect for photos. We snuck in a champagne toast on the rocks and had fun taking photos for a couple hours. When I started looking into casual beach wedding locations, I didn't know where to start. If anyone has similar wedding location needs, message me and I'd be happy to direct you to the wedding officiant who organized the photographer and recommended this location. read more

What a wonderful beach! This is one of my favorite beach in all of Laguna! There is something for everyone! There is lots of safe rocks to climb on and to explore the tide pools. These are great for kids, because what kid does not enjoy seeing little hermit crabs? The tide pools are very fun to take picture of too. Just bring shoes, because the rocks hurt. The snorkeling here is amazing! There is lots to see! To the right of the beach there are channels that are fantastic for scuba diving and snorkeling (go when the tide is safe and low). The waves are nice! There is a lot of kid friendly locations that are great to dig for sand crabs. The few negatives are, that the stairs to reach the beach are a pain, but great exercise. Also, when it's high tide, there is literally no where to sit on the beach. Overall, this is a really great beach! One of the best in Laguna! I would recommend it to everyone! Be sure to bring walking shoes for the rocks, and check the tides for the day. read more

You people ! Stay away from my favorite beach ! It's little hidden from Main Laguna beach, beautiful water, great view, and nice snorkeling areas :D Like I said, you shall not come to this beach so I can keep little secret just for myself :) read more

My husband is not a beach guy to say the least and dagging him there can often be a daunting task. So when I suggested we take the kids to the beach the other day he cringed as usual. "It's messy, crowded and a pain in the butt to find parking", he will say. I assured him that I was looking for new unique spots that we could try and and so when I said "tide pools", he was game. It didn't take us an entire afternoon to find parking, but then again it was a Monday afternoon. We parked off of PCH and made the short trek down the stairs to the sand. It wasn't overly crowded and everyone was excited to see the tide pools. Unfortunately we got there a little late and we didn't get to spend much time on the rocks since they closed them shortly after we arrived, the kids still had a great time though. It was a beautiful beach and we will most definitely be back there soon if my hubby permits! Tips: If you plan on going on a Sat or Sun, parking in the residential area can be a real pain. Also, when we were there, I didn't notice a bathroom/shower available so that may deter some. Bring your snorkel gear :-) read more

My favorite beach of all time. I was introduced to this beach by a photographer and I've been here a couple times after. This beach is really beautiful and I recommend anyone taking a visit. read more

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I had just left Laguna Beach and got bored at work and googled Shaw. Much to my surprise "Shaw Cove" appeared. On my next trip I made a point to stop and check it out. Since my last name is Shaw I thought it would be fun to check out. I can say I was NOT disappointed. The tide pools were great, lots of places to play and check out. It was not part of the local beach so we had this cove to ourselves most of the day. I would be ok with it if you read this review and decided to go elsewhere. I enjoyed our own personal beach lol. Overall, if you want a great beach, quite and personal. You may want to check this out! read more

I almost don't want to write a review about this place because it feels like a little hidden destination off of Laguna Beach. This is the perfect little romantic spot for a breakfast at sunrise, a picnic lunch, or a shockingly beautiful dinner at sunset. This place is what dreams are made of...if you can find it. read more

Secluded beach? Yes. We came here on a weekday morning and we were the only ones there. It was absolutely beautiful. Now we come here and bring our snorkeling gear. The water here is clear enough to see underwater. Parking: There is minimal parking in the residential area so we usually park on the main street which have parking meters. read more

Come and check out the tidepools, they are amazing and serve as a reminder of Cali's beauty. read more

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Was here for my 1st, second, third and fourth beach dive. It's a beautiful pArt of the city and I liked where it was located. The waves were difficult to surpass the first 2-3 times but it might've been because it was my first time. The only part I disliked about diving here were the stairs! But now that I think about it, it's not all that bad....considering most beach entrances are pretty similar. The underwater life here is incredible...my first time experiencing such things. I would definitely keep coming back here to explore the reefs more. Saw several different types of fish including a sting ray! Wish I got a picture :p read more

One of my favorite areas in Laguna beach. My grandfather used to own a beach house overlooking Shaw's Cove, and when we'd visit on a weekend, I remember walking down the steps to the beachfront with the cool breeze and high-banked rocks with the waves splashing. That's one of the things I like most about Laguna, is the dynamic and rocky tide pools you get along with the white sand beaches. Shaw's cove, along with Diver's cove - are popular among both novice and expert divers, and diving classes due to the strong currents that wisp you out from the sand without being too dangerous. Truly one of the most special places of my childhood. The best. read more

Clear, blue seas w/ great tidepools. Snorkling and diving are wonderful. There are no bathrooms or rinsing showers but the views are one of a kind. read more

This little cove is pretty and the only reasons I'm not giving it 5 stars are listed below: 1) During the summer, parking is awful. We went about 11AM on a Wednesday and ended up parking several blocks away and paying a meter which has a max time of 3 hours. If you're planning on spending the afternoon in this cove, it's a little tough and inconvenient packing all the beach paraphenalia in. My friends were staying for the entire day, so they had to move their vehicle in the middle of their visit. 2) NO BATHROOMS! If you're sitting in the sun all day, most likely, you're going to want to drink something. I left after a couple of hours, but I guess everyone else just pees in the water. That's just gross, ... The tide was up, so we didn't get to enjoy the tidepools. They close them down unless it's extremely low tide, so if we go again, we'll plan accordingly. As pretty as it is, I'll most likely go to the state park just down the street. Parking there is $15 for the day, but the tide pools are always open and they have restrooms. read more

Parking is a non issue if you yake the trolley and get dropp ed off in front and are taking minimum items. Lunch and some towels. Great for kid's. read more

One of the better part beaches or more kind of secluded areas in Laguna. Don't mind this side because there is actually a bit of sea life to look at and it's been more maintained the. Other areas of the beach. Parking is not the best but if you have the time..taking the summer trolly or bus is an option read more

I always love coming, here! Hang out friends and tan of course. It's really chill at Shaw's cove is not impacted with so many people like your regular beaches here in Cali. Parking can be a little difficult to find but just be patient and some residential parking spots are available. There's a couple of stairs that guide your way to the beach. There's also a lifeguard on duty. read more

This is a peaceful area that is beautiful early in the mornings.People in the area are very nice and friendly

Really pretty beach for exploring Tidepools and finding sea glass at low tides. The sunset isn't visible from this beach. ALSO, if you have kids, my husband went snorkeling and found a bunch of stingrays.. crescent bay (the beach next to it) is also known for having them. Be careful. read more

Love this spot super small and private. Parking can be a bit of an issue because it's a residential area. I come here all the time! The view here are beautiful! read more

Super clean and beautiful cove! Sunsets were amazing here, and the water was very clean! I could of spent the entire day here!

Beautiful quiet little beach. Great place to snorkel or scuba. Tide pools for children. Enjoy! Keep clean and respect homeowners. One of the best spots in county. read more

Shaws Cove - Great place to explore. Lots of Garibaldi and marine life. - Beaches Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

A really cool beach for snorkeling and divers. It has tide pools to check out. The only reason I gave it 4 stars is it had a lot of tourists and obnoxious people in their early twenties. read more

6:30 in the morning, sipping my coffee, scoping the best entry point, all i could think of was -- where am i going to pee. waves were thumping. sea birds were chirping. i had enough time to ponder why am i here? no no not the life existence question but why am i here here. the water was freakin freezing. Shaw's is a well known place for a calm, easy beach entry for diving. the sucky part is that there is no bathroom or a shower stall. the near by street parking is scarce. show up early to get good parking or drop your gear off and park a mile a way. I haven't dove here in years but little has changed. the rock is the same. the beach is the same. the houses on the cliff that i can't afford are still there. on the weekend between 7 to 9, it's like a scuba convention here. the shore line was dotted with black bobble heads. i would tell you about the awesome marine lives and the cool nook and crannies like the brochure said. but i couldn't. the visibility was so bad, if a monkey in full gear were to dive next to me, i wouldn't see it. Shaw is a nice hidden place to visit. for those homeowners above the cove, i hate you read more

me & some friends brought our snorkeling gears to come here to snorkel in late august around 1pm. It was kinda sunny, although the waves were high. FULL MOON -___- This beach is kind of small. It's just out there. there's a life guard on duty but that's it. There's no restrooms here. I would love to check out this place again next time if the weather and water was better. I saw youtube videos of shaw's cove..so many cool fishes!! read more

Wonderful beach and snorkeling!!!!! However, with it being so popular, why not put a bathroom in?

Beautiful beach. There are tons of nice beaches along the coast. I only had a couple hours to explore. Plus the weather was not cooperative. It was raining pretty hard at times. Would definitely return on a nice, warm day if i'm in the area. Saw a few kids surfing at the cove. Saw a bunch of shrimps (?) that look like mini lobsters washed ashore. They looked dead so i touched one with my finger and it startled the heck out of me when it began jumping! read more

My third time coming to this location in the past 12 months with my friend who grew up in the area, it's always a great spot to relax and walk along the beach! No big crowds and its great to go for a swim in the waters. Definitely a place I recommend to come with a small group of friends. read more

We were looking for something different than going down to Cabrillo (San Pedro) area for tide pool exploration and had heard that Laguna Beach had some beautiful areas to explore. Well its TRUE!. Shaws Cove amazing for the kids at low to mid tide. We spent hours just playing near the tidepools and enjoying the clean waters of Laguna Beach. The lifeguard on duty was really nice and told my family where to go and explore. Lifeguard only on duty 7days a week during the summer but it doesnt look like it gets much in waves right there. Awesome place! read more

My absolute favorite place in Laguna so far. I take my dog here everyday so she can dig and I can get my ocean fix. Less people, and an amazing sunset behind the cliff of palm trees. When the tide is low you can walk up on the rocks and observe all the sea stars. Love, love, love! read more

Beautiful place to go! Great tide pools with many animals. Beautiful view of the sunset from this location too! Must stop for anyone visiting Laguna! read more

Stumbled upon this cove last weekend while on our way to Crystal Cove. We were driving around in the area and stopped here after passing it by and checking out another location (no beach access). We arrived about 10:30 a.m. and it was still gloomy and a little foggy out. We were able to park pretty close (for free) and we went down to check out the beach. There are concrete stairs, with railings, leading all the way down to the beach. This location also serves as one of the stops for the free Laguna Shuttle that runs in the summer. On the way into Laguna, on Laguna Canyon Road, we passed a parking lot ($7) that is also a shuttle stop. Much cheaper than some of the other lots we saw charging $20! There were a lot of scuba divers, kayakers, and people doing that thing where they stand up on surfboards and paddle. I think there were some places nearby offering classes. This beach does have a lifeguard but does not have an facilities. Meaning NO RESTROOMS! My daughter didn't let the coolness of the air stop her. She quickly jumped in the water and started playing with 2 girls who were there. I put my feet in the water and it was absolutely freezing! If the sun had been out I'm sure it would have felt refreshing. High tide was at 12:30 p.m. We left about 1:30 and there was plenty of sand during high tide. There were probably only about 10 familes there when we left. It was still cloudy when we left. The sun hadn't come out yet. My daughter had fun playing in the waves (she didn't dive in them-too high and rough) and she and her new friend built a nice sized sand castle. We finally left when I couldn't stand having to go the restroom any longer and we started getting hungry for lunch. While we were there I had gone up to the car to get our stuff (2 trips). Snacks, water, sunblock, sand toys, etc. I would return to this beach but I would make sure I made a potty stop just before arrival. Also I would bring a boogie board for DD to play on. Also snorkels and googles. I would love to check it out if the sun was out. We are actually thinking of going back tomorrow, though the weather forecast calls for a.m. clouds, again. We were very happy we happened upon this little cove. And really happy that we didn't have to pay $15 to park (like we would have had to at Crystal Cove.) If you get here early enough, you should be able to park along one of the curbs in the neighborhood. read more