Thousand Steps Beach

Very popular beach for many years. The tide goes in and stays a while for skimboarding. The name says it all for the steps. Beautiful Laguna Beach Cove.

Amazing hide-​away

Really beautiful beach!
Less traffic than the more well known spots. Water looks nice and clean, as well as the beach. There’s even a little cave to explore.

We parked across the street at the hospital, which is a block or two away from the entrance of the beach. For me, the stairs were steep so I found it scary, but it is much easier going down than going back up.
We gave it some time for the tides to be really low to go into the sea cave, which is left as soon as you go down the stairs. We made it past the first private pool and as we were just about to hit the the second/​third private pool after all the rocks, we were told by the lifeguards the pools are owned by homeowners there and they have to evacuate everyone. They mentioned the homeowners wouldn’t mind if it was only a few people, but there was a whole crowd there. We were exploring another cave when they spoke to us, so we were disappointed we went all this way and made through all the rocks to be kicked off, but we were also happy we got as far as we did.
Anyway, beautiful view, clean beach, many things to explore, great exercise and great area!

Great place to workout, a little narrow the stairs are in the summertime with beach traffic.
Good 30 – 45 minute workout, when you are done one can just jump into the ocean to cool off.
Very challenging would not suggest for beginners or weak of heart.

I love coming here to work out. On a hot, sunny day, expect the traffic jam since the stairs are narrow. Beginners, please prepare yourself and bring water. It’s one hell of a workout! My first time consisted of 2 sets, legs were shaking uncontrollably and I couldn’t walk for 4 days But, you should DO IT FOR THE BOOTY, just make sure to not run down because it’s bad for your knees!
After working out, I usually walk on the beach which I think is a lot cleaner compared to Huntington and Newport. Gorgeous views during the day, I can only imagine what the views are like while the sun is setting.
One negative star for parking, which is pretty difficult to find. The earlier you go the easier it is to find parking.

As you drive on PCH 1 you will see fenced gate and people catching their breath on 9^th ave side walk. Parking is free and on the street. Me and my friend came here early around 8ish and were lucky to find across the steps. The steps are steep and narrow. The width of the steps are small as well. Might trip easily if you are not careful of your step. Not a lot of rest space if you have to stop and catch some breath. Once we reached bottom of the stairs it was better. They have public restroom/​showers. Walking down the beach southward you can find the cave. We couldn’t get there because of the waves. It is pleasant to walk around the beach as it was not too crowded. Wanted to try this place and that’s about it. Wouldn’t recommend bringing kids here.

As I am writing this review I can’t help but still be mesmerized by the pictures I took of the sunset that took my breath away. There are several beaches to see along the coast of Orange County during sunset however, a Thousand Steps Beach is the best place to watch it.
Although parking can be a bit difficult along the street, just give yourself a little more time so that you don’t miss this beautiful view. You will find the entrance to be on the corner of 9^th Ave. When you arrive at first you may be intimidated by all of the steps. Fret not because this is great for a killer leg and glute workout! I saw many people motivated and working out by running up and down the stairs as I was walking down toward the beach.
When I arrived to the beach I was in awe of the way the rocks looked from how the sun shined against them. Instantly I snapped away with my camera. Toward the left side of the beach there is a cave that you can climb through to see a better view of the sun as it sets. There is a small mini pool you can sit in as well and watch as the waves slam against the rocks. Once the sun sets the view gets even better. After basking in the view I got the best burn from walking back up the steps. What better way than to kill two birds with one stone.
Thank you to google for informing me of a Thousand Steps Beach! I even think my phone ran out of memory from all of the videos and photos I was taking.

Lots of steps. No place to park but the street. Very busy. Nice waves.

Atemberaubende Sonnenuntergänge und man kann abends alleine sein.
Einziger Minuspunkt: gefühlte 1.000 Treppenstufen um von der Hauptstraße runter zum Strand zu gelangen.

My wife and I decided to have a nice Saturday workout and figured why not enjoy the cool ocean breeze while doing it.
We found this place on Unilocal from other amazing Unilocalers who have made the trek up and down these stairs! Although the place is called 1000 steps beach it truly isn’t a 1000 steps but who cares it’s still a great workout!
I won’t lie but it’s been awhile since I’ve worked out and this place stole my soul and every ounce of energy I had. Haha
What’s really nice about this place is that the beach is very clean and private, so if you’d like to enjoy a very peaceful or romantic walk on the beach I highly recommend this place!
This entrance to this place is sort of hidden as you drive down Hwy 1 but it’s not too difficult to find if you’re using Google maps!
Parking can be a little difficult to find as you can only park on one side of the Hwy making it a tight squeeze during peak hours but that shouldn’t stop you!
With that said .get out there and feel the burn and beauty of 1000 Steps Beach!

You must go now. Yes right now get in your car and go take a nice walk down the stairs and enjoy it before the struggle gets real I mean really real because your legs are going to feel that burn coming back up.
A great place to challenge those legs of yours by walking or running up and down a couple of times =)
Want to see a pretty cool view? Okay when you are down those stairs take a left there is a cool cave with a beautiful ocean blue view.
Enjoy.

If you’re visiting Orange County or Southern California, you HAVE to come here. Don’t let the stairs intimidate you. What’s waiting at the bottom is SO worth the «how am I this out of shape» feeling you get when you climb back up.
Parking is hard to find, so I parked in front of a dentist’s office a little ways down the road (~¼ mile). Crossing the street was a little adventure in itself.
I had to remind myself to stop taking pictures and «be in the moment». I’m working on my photography portfolio and must have taken about 450 photos at Thousand Steps Beach. It’s gorgeous and unlike anything that I’ve seen back home in Massachusetts. I came towards the end of October at about 3PM. I was one of 5 people on the beach. Once I stopped worrying about photography, I was able to sit and soak it all in. (Serenity now…)

Went here June of 2013, after finals were over, on the Friday of Finals Week Fall Quarter. We were young back then, brazen, with not a care in the world. We wanted to go to the beach. But which beach? My friend found this beach and so we came!
You have to find parking on one of the cross streets/​neighborhoods, as there are no parking spots in here. We had to circle around some of the streets before we could find parking. You then see a little break in the side and see a longggg walk down. A lot of steps. I can guarantee you it’s not 1000 steps to get down, but remember, if you go down, you have to come back up :(It was scarier going down because if you tripped, you tripped.
The thing with this beach though, is that when we went, there was almost no one there. It’s like no one knows this beach exists. Or are they maybe at Huntington beach or CDM or even Dana Point? I actually do not know. But there were only a handful of people when we went :(It was clear, it was nice, the waves were crashing. I do remember I got soaked because my friends wanted the perfect shot of ye running away from the waves. You can look at the expensive houses that are in the area as well, because there are plenty. You have a good view, a somewhat secluded area, and the steps to go down there.
So why aren’t you there yet: P

*narrow eyes
You lied to me. It’ll be fun they said… You do plenty of cardio so it’ll be a breeze they said. Plus, it’s a gorgeous area so you’ll be so busy admiring the beach you’ll be at the other end in no time!
The only truth is this place is friggin’ gorgeous! And the reward at the bottom of the steps is ultimately worth the troponins: P
Now I don’t know exactly how many steps there are so read someone else’s review to find out. I stopped counting after 25 and pretty much said «screw it. Instead of counting steps I’m going to count my blessings. I might die at the top.»
All in all I’m just whining but this place is really worth checking out. Don’t forget your FitBit/​step counter device, and be aware that the steps are a bit steeper than your average stair steps so please be safe. Enjoy the scenery and get your cardio on folks!

Its Staycation Time!!!
I hung around So CA the week of Aug 17^th, and I wanted to share some places I hit in Huntington Beach, Laguna Beach and Santa Barbara.
I have heard so much about this beach located a little North of the Ritz Carlton in Monarch Beach. BTW, parking is on the same street (7^th Street), as Mission Hospital. After making a left on 7^th off PCH, park up the hill to the right. Then, simply cross PCH, head South, and the entrance to Thousand Steps is at the next light.
The thousand steps refers to the length of the beach, not the number of steps on the stairs (approximately 250). However, the walk back up the stairs is not for the faint of heart. I consider myself in good shape, and I had to stop at least once, and maybe even twice (sorry for the blurry stairs pic, there were a lot of peeps behind me, and I had to keep moving — LOL).
Nonetheless, the beach is very nice once you get to the bottom. There is a restroom, and showers also. However, this is not a surfing beach, but more of a body surfing and boogie boarding beach. The view of the ocean, and the multi-​million homes built into the cliffs is definitely eye-​catching.
The only reason I didn’t give this place 5 Stars is because of the trash on the beach. I saw a beer bottle, and a fair amount of plastic bottles. Unfortunately, there is only one lifeguard, and its tough to police all the idiots. However, if you are in the area, this is a cool place to hit a chill beach. BTW, Laguna Beach has some of the bluest water in So CA. What a nice find in my own backyard!!!

Truly a hidden gem!
I came here to try out the steps and ended up finding a private tide pool during sunset and was lucky enough to capture it on my iPhone. This place is indescribably beautiful and lovely for picture taking. Nothing beats mother nature, I tell you. I feel so privileged to live in California and this is one of my favorite beaches in Laguna.
Two of my favorite things here: Private tide pool and cave exploring. You have to check it out if you’re around the area. You don’t want to miss it.

This is a hidden gem! Was able to visit in the morning when the sun wasn’t out, so it was nice and breezy when you walk on the beach. Yes, the steps are horrifying because there are so many, but it’s really not that bad if you just pace yourself. :) Going down is easy but coming up the steps can be a sweat-​inducing feat. haha
Once you’re at the bottom of the steps, you’re rewarded with a grand view of a beautiful beach and the crashing waves. Many surfers frequent this beach and there are no lifeguards on duty before 9 am.
The beach is surrounded by cliff-​side homes, likely costing in the millions. It almost reminds me of the coast of Positano (Italy), haha except the cliffs are not as high here in Laguna Beach. I’m sure it would look a lot nicer if it was in the sunlight!
I was able to find parking for FREE along the street, so didn’t pay any fees. You’ll just have to try your luck to see if you can find a spot. :)

Beautiful simple beach. Pch street parking. Alot more toddlers and kids than expected on a weekend.
Its advise to come earlier than noon but its still possible to chill here. Just parking after a certain time will be much difficult to find. Recommend not bringing too many items, or pack lightly because carrying it up the stairs is tough.
Stairs — Narrow. Not 1000 steps. You can rest on the side if you want to rest BUT it is pretty steep. Not a place to take elderly folks, or such. Not the safest stair way.
Beach — Beautiful :) Its OC! Not LA beach haha Sand isn’t the softest BUT instead of trash, there are beach objects of rocks, wood etc but it’s safe to walk.
Restroom — ONLY ONE! Sometimes it can take up to 30minutes just to use it. Its located at the bottom right of the steps. Outside shower heads included. There will be a couple trash cans located near the restroom area too.
Lifeguard — Located in front of the bottom of the steps. However, there isn’t always going to be one. Not like a bigger beach area. But busy summers will have one or two.
Caves, Tide pool, Private pool — Located left side when enter the beach area from the steps. The lifeguard will have a sign that will let you know if it is open or not due to tide and such.
Crowd — Ranges from young teenagers, college students to parents with 10years+. Friendly crowd. Simple beach.
Nearby — A resort nearby with awesome lobby view of their pool and the beach. Great place to lounge in their outdoor patio, but drinks are pricey.

Came here on a Saturday and it was packed… Parking filled up quickly along PCH. There were numerous of people trying to get up and down the stairs. The walk down the stairs to get to the destination was fairly easy. The only tough part was getting back up.
Mainly wanted to come here because I thought it was a hike but it’s not!!! I also wanted to explore the cave but sadly couldn’t because the tides were too high. Many people tried to climb the rocks but the lifeguards had their eyes out like a hawk that day. Boo! Oh and for a side note, this beach was mostly filled with older teens and very young adults! Idk if that matters but sheesh I need to stop eating and working out more if I want to lay out and tan here :(
Overall though, this is such a beautiful and breathtaking beach.

I had to have an adventure after work that I felt like hiking to a hidden beach. The stairs are located at 9^th street and PCH. It didn’t take too long to go down the stairs to the beach to enjoy some sunshine even wait for the sunset then go back up. It was a beautiful drive on Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) to get to this place you have to park somewhere near 9^th street on PCH. There is no sidewalk to walk on some parts of the highway so the cars go by fast not like a residential area. I suggest you wait till the cars pass before you walk on the street when cars are parked along the street too.
Wear comfortable shoes for this hike the kind you don’t care if it gets dirty or wet. This is a easy hike its just stairs then walking on the sand to the ocean. It’s a good workout. The parking can be a problem to those who can’t parallel park really well you should find a large open space so you can park correctly. The scenery is beautiful its just that I didn’t have enough time to explore more of the beach or look for the coves. This is a hidden gem worth exploring if you like adventure.