Boat Canyon Beach
Boat Canyon
Laguna Beach,
California
92651
Laguna's Best Beach for…Bringing Someone Special
What beats a beach date?
Nothing is more idyllic than watching pelicans wing low across the water as the sun sets over Catalina Island. Add a pre-sunset swim, a nice selection of cheeses, and a blanket just big enough for two and you have the beginnings of a romantic (and inexpensive) evening.
To pick our favorite date-beaches in Laguna, we considered all sorts of factors—including accessibility, privacy, and scenery.
2nd RUNNER UP // BOAT CANYON
BOAT CANYON is located at the north end of Heisler Park, just one beach north of Diver’s Cove (in fact, the access steps to the two beaches are just ten yards apart). As a date beach, it has a lot going for it. First off, the beach is small and not widely known. It’s hidden away by the Diver’s Cove condominiums to the south and sandstone cliffs to the north. Translation: it’s private. Second, it’s scenic. The aforementioned cliffs have small caves and at the south side of the beach the water breaks dramatically against the rocks. Third, the waves are mellow. Boat Canyon doesn’t catch much swell, making it an easy place to float hand-in-hand with a companion without having to worry about big sets.
BOAT CANYON’S BEST SPOT: The bluffs overlooking the beach make a perfect picnic set up, just wide enough for two. There’s a store right across PCH if you need provisions.
1st RUNNER UP // TABLE ROCK
TABLE ROCK beach and we understand why. The large, flat-topped rock formation that gives the beach its name protrudes into the water—making for frame-worthy photos as the waves crash against it. Like Boat Canyon, the beach is backed by cliffs, with enough hidden nooks and corners for a couple to get a sense of privacy. You won’t find many families at Table Rock, leaving it peaceful and serene—two key ingredients for the perfect date.
TABLE ROCK’S BEST SPOT: The best spot at Table Rock is what inched it ahead of Boat Canyon on this list: the famed Hidden Beach. Intrepid date planners can walk to the south end of the beach and swim around a rock that extends out into the water. There you’ll find a secluded sliver of sand just big enough for one lucky couple to enjoy a beach all to themselves.
CHAMPION // TREASURE ISLAND
Treasure Island Park, managed by Montage Laguna Beach as part of their usage agreement with the city, has everything you could ask for: spreading lawns, bathroom facilities, picnic tables, and high bluffs for sunset viewing. The beaches below the park to the north and south are stunning—with craggy rock formations, white sand, and plenty of space. It’s not the least bit unusual to see a proposal on either beach. But what makes TREASURE ISLAND the most romantic beach in town (besides a name that conjures visions of the age of sail) is its variety. Walk hand in hand all the way south to Aliso Creek, explore tide pools as a couple, swim in the crystalline coves, read in the grass, or picnic on the powdery sand. You won’t be disappointed. Neither will your date.
TREASURE ISLAND’S BEST SPOT: THE SECRET COVE
All of Treasure Island is spectacular, but its crown jewel is “Secret Cove”, a small inlet with two access points—both of which require climbing over the rocks (come from the north, it’s much easier). It’s no surprise that this secluded half-moon bay has been used for weddings, music videos, and swimsuit shoots. It’s absolutely stunning.
About the Author
Steve Bramucci
A Laguna Beach ambassador, Steve Bramucci's writing has appeared in the pages of USA Today, Afar, Outside, Huffington Post, COAST, OC Register Magazine, MadeMan.com and other online and print outlets. His novel, Ronald Zupan and the Pirates of Borneo!, publishes with Bloomsbury in 2016. Follow him on Twitter @stevebram.
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