This post will cover everything you need to know about 1,000 Steps Beach in Laguna, CA! When I visited I walked the length of the beach past the sea cave and visited the man made tide pools that you can swim in. This spot is quite surreal and I was lucky enough to have it all to myself. The pools create an infinity pool appearance with the ocean and I have never seen anything quite like it.
Finding the pools is a bit tricky, however I provided detailed instructions under the “Tide Pools” section.
Getting There
The entrance to the beach is located on PCH and 9th Ave. There is a sign at the top of the stairs denoting the entrance. Parking is difficult on the weekends, so be sure to arrive early. You are able to park on 9th Ave and on the north-bound side of the PCH – just follow all parking signs.
The Stairs
The name is a bit deceiving because there actually are not 1,000 steps to get down to the beach. In reality there are closer to 220. The steps are quite steep so be aware of this if you have difficulty hiking. Going down is easy, but the return trip is a bit more strenuous. There is a nice amount of shade provided by a canopy of trees along the length of the stairs so if you do get tired on the way up you can take a rest and be out of the sun.
Tide Pools
Reaching the tide pools is really easy and it offers a beautiful walk along the beach! Once you have reached the bottom of the stairs you will be on the beach and the tunnel of trees opens up to a gorgeous wide beach. At this point you will turn to the left (so the ocean is on your right) and walk the entire length of the beach. At the end of the beach you will find the entrance to massive 60 foot tall sea cave. This area will only be opened at low tide, which is an important factor to check before attempting to visit the tide pools. They typically close the tide pools when the tide goes above ~0.7′ – click here to check the height of the tide.
From here, you will enter the cave, walk through it and at the end you will see a rocky shelf to your right. Exit the cave and walk along this rock shelf until you reach the next cove. As you are approaching the cove you will bear right so the “path” brings you down to a lower shelf. Follow this lower shelf back towards the beach where you can climb down onto the sand. The tide pools are on the opposite side of this small beach. From here simply walk across the beach and up the shelf where you will find the first tide pool! There is a second pool beyond this one, but I did not have time to adventure there.
Tips for Visiting
- Check the tides before visiting and plan appropriately. Target arriving as the tide is dropping and keep in mind that lifeguards will clear the area as tides reach approximately 0.7ft.
- Wear appropriate footwear. The walk across the rocky shelf is quite sharp. If you have water shoes those will be best!
- Bring water and sunscreen. There is no shade where the tidepools are and it can get quite hot.
- There are no public restrooms, so plan accordingly.
- Be sure to pack out whatever you bring.
Cant wait to check this out! So glad there aren’t actually 1,000 steps haha.