San Onofre State Beach

Great surf, camping, and beaches. Not the best for beach goers that aren’t planning to surf (very rocky and swimmers might be at risk of getting run over by surfers) but as far as having an awesome campground, clean water /​beaches, and professional staff, this places rules.

One of our favorite places to take dogs. Very secluded and not tons of people or dogs. Trail 1 or trail 6 only. Trail 1 is the easier walk but both have steep Hills and I wouldn’t recommend to anyone with disabilities. Gorgeous views. Bring your own poop bags to clean up. Trail 1 is the closest and the better of beaches

0 STAR because the tips and reviews about having this beach pet friendly was a LIE! We spent an hour driving around trying to find a spot where we can bring our four legged kids but NO LUCK! Best bet is HUNTINGTON BEACH!
Disappointed because now we have to drive another hour to get to our destination. Thanks a lot unreliable Unilocalers! The deception the betrayal!
5 STARS = beach is clean and nice not crowded! Very rocky for the most part!

beautiful rocky beach.
Pros: great place for engagement pictures. you can have amazing photos here on sunset
Cons:
Parking $ 15.
I see trash. Seriously people, protect our nature please.

My parents have been staying at this RV park for 4 years and will no longer be returning. The new rules they have are absolutely ridiculous. To have people move every month who are long term residents specially when it’s one space over is silly and a huge hassle. To tell me you can’t book the same spot is a lie as they have done it the 3 years prior. The handling of the flooding was very poor. Giving people less then 2 hours notice to move and asking them to do so immediately when there is no instant risk and my family works and can’t just drop everything to come there. Even when asking to move immediately they still require the paperwork signed before moving. If it was that dangerous you would think paperwork would be the least of their worries. Just poor service all around. The girls in the office are sweet, it’s not their fault as they are just doing what they are told. The people running the show, military and otherwise need to rethink things or they will lose much more business. My parents will find a new place to spend 6 months out of the year.

A SoCal longboard mecca, one of the original surf spots on the coast. You need to have a State Park pass or get ready to pay north of $ 10 – 20 to park for the day. On the weekends, the park gets full and you have to wait in the overflow lot (they go to a 1 in, 1 out crowd control). The road to Dog Patch is unpaved, so if you have a fancy car, you might want to park at the lot before the pavement ends and walk in. (Also a great parking spot if you want to walk to Church’s to surf) The place has 3 Points and always has a high crowd factor but the vibe is awesome and plenty of families make a day out of it during the summertime.

We were able to park our RV right alongside the beach. Lots of room for a long distance walk, but no dogs allowed on beach. Had to leave the boys in the RV while we took our beach walk. Watched a few surfers catch a few small waves. Shoreline a bit rocky, but still very nice. Amazing when the tide goes out, and you can walk out into the ocean with the seabirds and sea cucumbers, oh so awesome!

The beach is rocky, but the waves are nice. The parking is terrible, since there are only a few hundred spaces at most and nowhere to park nearby. Get here early on nice days.
I’ve been trying to get superpowers from the nuclear reactors down the beach, but so far nothing. The waters are clean. Maybe one day…

My second time here and I do love this beach. I’ve gone to Trail 6 and walked past the Camp Pendleton fence so we can go nude. It’s a bit of a hike but so worth it. The cliffs are beautiful. I definitely recommend wearing something tother than flip flops walking down the path as it is a bit steep and the beach itself is a bit rocky. Also no concession stands so make sure you bring food and plenty of water.

I went here with my dogs because I read it was the only dog-​friendly beach in the area. Well it wasn’t. Once I got there and paid my $ 15 I was told to go to the end of the beach at the nuclear power plant and let them swim there. It was dirty, smelly, and everyone else let their dogs off leash so we couldn’t even walk around. Won’t ever go back.

Used to go to Trail 6 all the time when it was Clothing Optional. It has been a few years since the Rangers starting citing. I have been going again as a stop on my bike rides… I am not willing to pay admission while they cite. You can still go nude south of the Pendleton fence without fear of citation. However, the balance of couples/​families to creepers is not favorable. This could be reclaimed back to it heyday south of the fence, but only with a serious focus on self-​policing from the true naturists/​nudists.

This is the best state beach for dogs. Trail #1 and 6. It’s a little bit ideals for trail 6 but the journey is worth it. What a killer beach. Not over crowded, especially in the weekdays. It ha beautiful rocks and is just a great beach. I love it, the wife loves it and the dogs just can’t get enough of this beach. Go you won’t be sorry. Camping is also good but is loud, it’s close to the freeway. Worth the drive and the day use fee $ 15 free if you camp at any state camp site.

$ 15 parking!

San Onofre is surfer’s paradise. It’s truly all about the surfing. It’s great for beginners and experienced surfers alike. There are multiple surf breaks including Trails, Old Mans and the Point. Just North of San Onofre is Church and Trestles (Lowers & Uppers). The swell that rolls in to San Clemente is some of the best in California. The waves are soft and forgiving and the rides are long. You will glide to shore on the lip of a wave for a good minute! Talk about a serious stoke session! San Onofre has given me some of the best California memories. As I was sitting on my board yesterday waiting for a set to roll through, all I kept thinking was how we truly live in paradise.
One tip — get there early especially on the weekends! They open at 6 AM and the line starts forming early. The better the waves are going to be, the longer the line is. Just expect this when you arrive. The line moved quickly yesterday (Friday at 8 AM). We only ended up waiting 15 minutes.
Fun Fact ~ Governor Ronald Reagan established San Onofre State Beach in 1971.

We used to come up here from Camp Pendleton to mingle with the civilians (read: girls). Loved it then, and it hasn’t changed much I don’t suppose.
John Basilone, the namesake of the road leading to the beach, was a hero of ours in the USMC. He earned the medal of honor, met his wife at Camp Pendleton and got married, went on a cushy USO bond tour, and pitched it all to return to the war in the Pacific. He died in combat on Iwo Jima. When asked why he’s going back, he is quoted as saying, «I’m staying with my boys.» I saluted the road sign bearing his name. OOOO RAH.

This is the iconic california surf beach. The waves are slow, and break in a sliding fashion, perfect for longboarding. If you havent been to this beach, just know that it is first and foremost for surfing. You will see few, if any, swimmers or boogie boarders. The parking is really close to the water, so no problems hauling gear. If you dont have tough feet, consider foot protection from those rocks. They can get pretty brutal. Overall, the perfect beach, as it hasnt changed in decades. No development, no pavement, and lots of the surfers have coming here for decades.

A great place to come and hang out and enjoy the sun, surf and sand. Here on a Sunday summer afternoon and parking was super easy. I guess for the $ 15 entrance fee and being a little tricky to find it does not get much notice. For sure I will come back here when I have time to drive down.
Very cool that it’s dog friendly on trails 1 and 6 and that we can bring Fido right into the waves. Everyone here had their dogs on a leash which was cool too.

I love this beach and if you are going to complain about the power plant stay home. That just leaves more beach space for the rest of us. My kids love coming here to body board and play in the sand. We always camp at the bluffs so we use our camping pass to get in here free.

On Wednesday (08-​28-​2013) I woke up before the birds, loaded up my surfboard, change of clothes and headed out on a Surfari to San Onofre State Beach. I arrived just as the gates were opening (6:00am). If you are traveling here for the first time exit ‘Basilone’ off of the 5 freeway. For those who do not know the Basilone exit is named after ‘Staff Sergeant John Basilone’ who was KIA and posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. When you exit the freeway make sure you follow the signs which are clearly marked. The Basilone exit shares its exit with the retired San Onofre Nuclear Facility and the USMC Camp Pendleton military base, so don’t get lost=)
As you pull up to the Park & Recreation booth you will be required to either show your annual pass (good for all State Parks) which you can purchase for $ 195 or you can purchase a day pass for $ 15. If you are going to purchase an annual pass make sure you purchase it on the 1^st of the month and you will see that you can squeak 13 months out of an annual pass instead of 12=)
A short drive from the Park & Rec booth you will arrive in the parking lot you are you are immediately taken back to what surfing is all about, what I mean by that it just seems like everyone here has the right attitude. The surrounding grounds, gardens & straw huts put you in the right mood. As you exit your vehicle and get ready for the morning surf everyone walking by says hello and everyone seems to have a smile on their face. As I was getting ready for my surf session I must have witnessed 5 – 6 different people walking around the parking lot picking up trash, several other folks were walking around trimming the gardens, sweeping path ways and disposing of composted debris that has fallen from surrounding trees.
As you walk the short distance from the parking lot to the beach you can simply hop onto the sand or you can walk paths carved out of foliage, I suggest you walk through the foliage. You will find monuments dedicated to fallen surfers, you will find masks, you will find little figurines set up and hidden in bushes, you will find all sorts of stuff that will instantly transport you back in time.
When you enter the water you will find the right attitudes to your left & right so make sure you have the right attitude because if you don’t you will stick out like a sore thumb. The break here at San Onofre is very consistent year around and on big days it will get packed and get packed early. While you sit on your board it is amazing to just looked at the country side and imagine what it was like to surf here back in the day.
When you surfing session is over you will find bathrooms, showers, water foundations, bulletin boards and all sorts of things set up for your surfing enjoyment. I suggest you bring a cooler, pack a lunch, eat and get back in the water, if you are coming here plan for on being here for the whole day. If you have a dog bring them along, San Onofre is dog friendly.
I had such a good vibe being at San Onofre that I felt I had to give back. I had something surfing related in my truck and ended up leaving it propped up against the dumpster. I hope someone found it, took it home and is stoked with the find=)
I look forward to my next trip to San Onofre. If you are coming here make sure you have a longboard because unlike Trestles which is a short distance away a short board is not going to do much for you here.
If you are traveling here make sure you bring a change of clothes. The sand is super fine at San Onofre and the sand will get everywhere. It takes a little skill to be able to switch out of your wetsuit and into dry clothes but once you have this skill mastered you will be part of the club=)
San Onofre also has fire pits & Volleyball courts.

San-​O, playground of the Pacific, sand-​box stadium to every manner of beach denizen in existence. A place where time stands still… but that’s about the only thing.
If you wish to learn the history of surfing in California, one place that should not be missed would be San-​O. With sunny days and a slight breeze, a walk-​thru of these storied grounds yields totems, shacks, palm and bamboo-​hidden showers, benches, surf signs and much more. Surfers are a creative lot and they make all sorts of beach-​themed things when the surf goes flat or they take a break from the breakers. You can find woven mats, used-​wax baskets, thatched hide-​aways, plaques naming local «dignitaries» and nabobs (informal fat cats), all manner of impromptu creations. It simply takes a little walking, some respect and curiosity, and don’t worry, these surfers don’t bite… unless you get too close with that BBQ chicken wing.
San-​O was part of the «Big Three» surfing beaches of the 50′ & 60’s, as important and revered as Malibu and Santa Cruz in the north. If you read any book (any) on the early days of California surfing, you’ll see the names of the guys and gals who called this place home.
Tons of parking, restrooms, showers and surf guarantee a great time.
Just keep it clean for the next group, 10 – 4, good buddy?