• Start Here
  • About
  • Contact

Fun Orange County Parks

OC kids playgrounds and nature play trips

  • Park Map
    • 10 Best Playgrounds
    • Accessible Playgrounds
    • South OC Playgrounds
    • Central OC Playgrounds
    • North OC Playgrounds
  • Where to Play Outdoors
    • Nature Hikes
    • Beaches
    • Nature Centers
    • Farms and Gardens
    • Aquariums
    • Museums and Zoos
    • Rainy Day Play Ideas

5 Best Toddler Beaches with No Waves

by Michele Whiteaker

You want to know the best toddler beaches with no waves in OC?  I’m going to provide you with my Top 3 plus two bonus beaches, but they come with a note of precaution.  

Still water beaches, meaning no waves or surf, have a general propensity for water quality issues and they can also be good stingray habitat – at least along the warm sandy edges.

Check Heal the Bay Beach Report Card for water quality. Make sure a lifeguard is watching and ask for his/her advice about local conditions on the day you visit.

Any body of water is a dangerous place for a toddler – you should be within arm’s length of any child under 4 years old when they are wading or swimming – and this especially applies at the beach!

As long as you move forward with those precautions in mind, then you should have a grand time at these toddler beaches!

Corona Del Mar — inside the harbor (Pirate’s Cove)

toddler beaches - pirate cove corona del mar

Scramble down the path that leads over the rocks and take the stairs to this mini beach (NOT stroller-friendly). Check the tides before you go!  

You’ll have to find parking on the street above the beach or pay for parking in the adjacent lot. Read my post about Corona Del Mar Beach.

It’s also a fun place to watch boats enter and leave Newport Harbor in the summer. The Wedge is just across the harbor and from the bluff you can see the surf pound the breakwater.

toddler beaches - newport beach harbor entrance

Baby Beach in Dana Point

toddler beaches - baby beach in dana point

You can park close and you don’t have to pay for parking, but this one can get incredibly busy on weekends and holidays. So arrive early!

It’s a launch point for paddleboards and kayaks, as well. Swimmers are roped off from boat traffic by a buoy line so you’ll have some room for shallow water swimming. Read my post about Baby Beach in Dana Point Harbor.

Weekday trips in the off-season are probably the least crowded. August and September can still be very warm in California.

Also, be aware that it can be 90 degrees at your house inland and foggy at the beach. Make sure you come prepared!

Some families prefer the grassy area behind the beach for relatively sand-free picnics.

toddler beaches - baby beach lawn area in dana point

Newport Dunes in Newport Beach

newport dunes bike bridge

Parking inside Newport Dunes will cost you, but there is a wide bay for swimming and you can pay extra for access to a waterpark with float toys in the summer for playing in the water.

Tim at Pirate Coast Paddle Company, is also located inside the Dunes for families looking to SUP.

Read about our stay at Newport Dunes Beach Cottages and a resort overview.

swings at newport dunes

Marina Park in Newport Beach

marina park beach for toddlers

And here’s a 4th beach that became more toddler-friendly after Marina Park opened nearby.

It’s adjacent to a wonderful lighthouse themed park and playground. Wading can happen on the harbor side where there are no waves.

Read my post on Marina Park in Newport Beach.

Mother’s Beach in Huntington Harbour

A favorite for the Huntington Beach area is Mother’s Beach inside Huntington Harbour (thanks to reader, Meg, for pointing that one out)!

mother's beach huntington harbour

This one has an awesome pirate-themed playground and it’s somewhat off the beaten path (except on popular weekends and holidays when it can be really busy)!

Read my post about Seabridge Park and Mother’s Beach in Huntington Harbour.

So that’s it! If you can think of any other toddler beaches in OC with NO waves, please let me know!

And if you want to know what to pack for your beach trip – read my tips in What to Bring to the Beach and How One Parent Can Carry It All.

what to bring to the beach

Originally posted in August 2013.

5 toddler beaches with no waves

About Michele Whiteaker

Writer mom and nature guide promoting play and empowering families to prioritize nature time since 2008. UNOFFICIAL information provided as a FREE community resource to over 300,000 OC families each year. Subscribe to my FREE email inspiring you with creative play ideas.

Comments

  1. Michele Whiteaker says

    August 27, 2013 at 10:16 am

    Thanks Robin and Jen! I’m so happy you commented to make this a much more well-rounded post with a little something for everyone!

  2. Jen from Tiny Oranges says

    August 27, 2013 at 10:08 am

    We love the bay between 18th and 19th street on the Newport Peninsula. Lived here my entire life and just discovered this gem this year. We have spent many days there this summer. Love it!

  3. Robyn says

    August 26, 2013 at 11:25 am

    Sea Bridge park in Huntington Harbour….. Also Mothers Beach in Belmont Shore (LA County, but close to OC)

Playground Map

Playground map graphic

Search

Let’s Connect

facebook button instagram button youtube button pinterest button email button

Meet Your Guide

michele profile photoWriter mom and nature guide promoting play and empowering families to prioritize nature time since 2008. UNOFFICIAL information provided as a FREE community resource to over 300,000 OC families each year. Click to subscribe to my FREE email inspiring you with creative play ideas.

Find New Places to Play

  • Subscribe to My Free Weekly Email
  • Park Map & Playgrounds
    • South OC Parks
    • North OC Parks
    • Central OC Parks
  • Popular Posts

Copyright © 2008 - 2021 Play Parks Creative LLC

Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Disclosure