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Corona del Mar

Corona del Mar State Beach

Overview

Corona del Mar State Beach is a great family beach and a popular place for swimmers. Also known as Big Corona Beach, Corona del Mar State Beach is a half-mile long sandy beach framed by cliffs and a rock jetty that forms the east entrance to Newport Harbor. The beach is also popular with surfers, divers, volleyball players and sunbathers.

Corona del Mar offers beautiful sandy beaches and coves that look like they came right off of a movie set. You actually may have seen these beaches in movie and television productions such as Gilligan’s Island and current made for TV productions from Disney. On the hills above the beaches stand houses and windy roads and a lookout point to enjoy spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean and bay. The sunsets here are incredible, so bring a picnic and enjoy!

Corona del Mar State Beach held the first major surf competition in Mainland America: the Pacific Coast Surf Riding Championships in 1928. Organized by Tom Blake through the Surfboard Club, the contest involved paddling and surfing skills. From 1934 to 1936, in order to make the entrance navigable for boaters, the harbor entrance was dredged to 25 feet and over 200,000 tons of rocks were dropped at the entrance to extend the West and East Jetties. The East Jetty grew to its current 1,673 feet and, along with the removal of the entrance sand bar, killed the easy waves that had become so popular.

Amenities
  • Kid Friendly
  • Pet Friendly
  • Pets Allowed
  • Wedding - Venues
Reviews
Yelp Based on 405 Reviews Yelp

Great place for a picnic or a beach day. Many nooks with picnic tables and tons of green lawn space. Great place families and for parties with friends.... More

One of the more accessible beaches that's reasonably well protected from the bigger waves common to other beaches further south along the Newport Coast,... More

Corona del Mar State Beach is definitely one of the nicest beaches in Southern California. It is beautiful, quiet and safe. It is a popular beach so it... More

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