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This page will help you find places to stand up paddle board and kayak along the Southern California coast. It includes descriptions of launch spots. I have visited all the places listed and paddled a SUP or kayak at most the spots.
For the purpose of this index, coastal Southern California includes: Los Angeles County, Orange County, and San Diego County.
I include links to pages that give more detailed descriptions, maps, pictures and video.
PLACES are listed from NORTH to SOUTH...
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******************** LOS ANGELES COUNTY NORTH - PLACES TO PADDLE AND LAUNCH A KAYAK AND STAND UP PADDLE BOARD (SUP) LOS ANGELES COUNTY NORTH
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SEQUIT - LEO CARRILLO STATE PARK
SEQUIT - Leo Carrillo State Park - Kayak and Stand Up Paddle Board SUP Launch Spots. SEQUIT - Leo Carrillo State Park in Los Angeles County, California
Link to stairs by beach near Sequit Point
If the surf is small you can launch from the beach near the parking lot by the North Beach campground. However, there is often more surf by the North Beach launch spot. Here is a link to the parking lot by the North Beach campground.
Point Dume State Beach - Kayak and Stand Up Paddle Board SUP Launch Spots. Point Dume State Beach in Los Angeles County, California.
If the Surf is small you can launch from Point Dume State Beach 7280 Westward Beach Rd, Malibu, CA 90265
You can paddle south around Point Dume to Dume Cove. The surf is normally smaller in Dume Cove.
Corral State Beach - Kayak and Stand Up Paddle Board SUP Launch Spots. Corral State Beach in Los Angeles County, California.
If the surf is small, you can launch from Corral State Beach and paddle towards Point Dume.
It is about a 4 mile paddle from Corral State Beach to Point Dume. You can often stop at some of the scienic beaches along the way.
Malibu Surfrider Beach - Kayak and Stand Up Paddle Board SUP Launch Spots. Malibu Surfrider Beach in Los Angeles County, California.
The famous Malibu Surfrider Beach can sometimes be used as a launch spot for a SUP or Kayak.
Parking is along PCH or in the parking lot.
The surfing can also be excellent here with a very long ride. However, it is often quite crowded.
Marina Del Rey Mother's Beach - Kayak and Stand Up Paddle Board SUP Launch Spots. Marina Del Rey Mother's Beach in Los Angeles County, California.
Mother's Beach in Marina Del Rey is an easy beginners spot to launch a kayak or stand up paddle board SUP.
Mother's Beach is also called Marina Del Rey Public Swimming Beach.
Here is a map link to Mother's Beach.
Here is a view of Mother's Beach looking from the shore.
Here is a view of Mother's Beach looking from the shore along Palawan Way.
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******************** LOS ANGELES COUNTY SOUTH - PLACES TO PADDLE AND LAUNCH A KAYAK AND STAND UP PADDLE BOARD (SUP) LOS ANGELES COUNTY SOUTH
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The coast by the Palos Verdes Peninsula provides a scenic rocky coast line escape very near to the hustling LA Metropolitan area. While the coast is very scenic, the coastal access to launch spots is somewhat difficult at all access points except for Royal Palms Beach.
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Malaga Cove - Palos Verdes Peninsula
Malaga Cove has a steep paved ramp that leads down to a rocky shoreline where it is possible to launch at higher tides when the surf is small. Further down the access ramp turns to dirt and leads to sandy RAT beach (named either to refer to young surf rats or as the acronym 'Right After Torrance'). The lifeguards won't let you launch after they arrive in the morning. Because of the north facing direction of the coast here, in the summer the surf is usually small. Paddling west from here, you get scenic views as the Palos Verdes cliffs rise higher and higher above you.
Bluff Cove - Palos Verdes Peninsula
Bluff Cove or "The Cove" as some people refer to it has a very long trail which is wide (it used to be a dirt road) most of the way down to the rocky beach. The section at the very bottom end of the trail is narrower because it gets washed out periodically. If you have sturdy wheels on your Kayak, you can roll it until you get to this narrow section of trail.
Once you get down to the water, the launch which is protected by a reef is very easy. There is a channel through the protecting reef to get to the water outside the reef. However, in the winter, if the surf is big, the channel will get closeout sets which break in it.
In the winter, Bluff Cove is very popular with board surfers. Give the surfers plenty of room. And unless you are an
outstanding kayak surfer, you shouldn't ride waves where board surfers are surfing. On small days when there aren't board surfers around, it's a good place to kayak surf on the long gentle rollers.
In the summer, Bluff Cove's North West facing direction means there usually is almost no surf here, though at low tide, you may find some very small waves that are fun to play on or learn kayak surfing.
From the launch spot at Bluff Cove you can paddle to the south west (left) side of the cove out through the channel to the open ocean. There is also a smaller channel toward the right side of the cove.
Once outside Bluff Cove's protecting reef you can paddle southwest (left) down the coast or northeast (right) up the coast.
Paddling south, you pass below towering cliffs. After paddling about 1.5 miles, you pass the remains of the ship the Dominator. You then go around Palos Verdes Point and reach Lunada Bay which you might want to paddle into and explore. Resort Point is the next point south. You can paddle further south towards Point Vicenty.
Paddling north from Bluff cove is also an interesting trip. Flat Rock Point is the prominent point you'll pass in about .25 mile. Beyond Flat Rock Point you view the city and beaches in the distance and parallel the rugged cliffs of the peninsula.
Point Vicenty - Palos Verdes Peninsula
A long trail leads down to the shore here.
Royal Palms Beach - Palos Verdes Peninsula
Royal Palms Beach has fairly easy access to some wonderful paddling. Palos Verdes' rugged rocky coast, tall bluffs, and rolling hills are very beautiful.
Royal Palms Beach is probably the easiest place on the whole Palos Verdes Peninsula to access the ocean with a kayak.
There are several spots to launch from here. Which is best depends on the tide, surf size, and swell direction.
You can park very near to all the launch spots.
Alamitos Bay is at the South end of Long Beach in Los Angeles County at the outlet of the San Gabriel River. Alamitos Bay is a protected harbor so there aren't any waves.
You can explore the scenic Naples Canals by Naples Island, numerous yachts, Long Beach Marine Stadium and Los Cerritos Wetlands.
ALAMITOS BAY and NAPLES ISLAND Kayak Launch, Stand Up Paddle Board Launch, and Canoe Launch Spots ...
Good places to launch a kayak, canoe, or stand up paddle board (SUP) include the following:
Marine Stadium - 5255 Paoli Way, Long Beach, CA 90803 - Here is a Map Link to Marin Stadium - Parking lot with ample parking right by the beach - launch off of the beach. The parking lot sometimes gets full on weekends and holidays.
Mothers Beach / Marine Park - 5839 Appian Way, Long Beach, CA 90803 - Here is a Map Link to Mothers Beach / Marine Park - Parking lot with ample parking right by the beach - launch off of the beach. Mother's Beach is very near to Marine Stadium. The parking lot sometimes gets full on weekends and holidays.
Naples Landing - 5437 East Ocean Boulevard - Here is a Map Link to Naples Landing - Launch off the beach here.
Other Street Ends - Further South East beyond Naples Landing along Ocean Boulevard, there are some other street ends from which you can launch.
The closest launch spot to the Los Cerritos Wetlands is the Marine Stadium. Cross the Marine Stadium channel being careful about boat traffic, go under Pacific Coast highway and head right up the channel into the wetlands - (I'll be adding a map here later) Mothers Beach / Marine Park is also very close to the Los Cerritos Wetlands and is sometimes better to use for launching because of boat traffic and closure of Marine Stadium.
The closest launch spot to the Naples Canals is Naples Landing. Cross the channel over to the island. The canals are in the island.
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******************** ORANGE COUNTY - PLACES TO PADDLE AND LAUNCH A KAYAK AND STAND UP PADDLE BOARD (SUP) ORANGE COUNTY
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HUNTINGTON HARBOR - Huntington Beach
Huntington Harbor in Huntington Beach has several convenient places to launch. Paddle by the yachts and in canals between the large houses, Not much of the nearby large wetland reserve is accessible for exploration because it is part of the seal beach naval weapons station. (You are not allowed to access the open ocean from Huntington Harbor when you are paddling a kayak, standup paddleboard, canoe, or other personal watercraft. The access to the open ocean passes through the Naval Weapons Center.)
Pictures of Huntington Harbor:
See detailed launch and trip descriptions with maps and pictures and read more about Kayaking and Stand up Paddle Boarding in Huntington Harbor / Huntington Beach on my web page
Huntington Beach on the open ocean tends to have VERY LARGE SURF and a long paddle out through the surf. In the summer, the surf at Bolsa Chica State Beach tends to be a little bit smaller and less powerful than the rest of Huntington Beach. Very experienced SUP surfers, kayakers, and surf ski enthusiast may enjoy the surf - be careful!
UPPER NEWPORT BAY (NEWPORT BACK BAY)
Upper Newport Bay is a protected wetland which is an excellent area to paddle for canoe, stand up paddle board (SUP) and kayak. Upper Newport Bay is sometimes called the Back Bay.
Paddling is an excellent way to bird watch in the Back Bay. Gliding along on the water here it's possible to get within a few feet of many of the wide variety of birds that live here.
Pictures of Upper Newport Bay:
Egrets in Upper Newport Bay wetland area
See detailed launch and trip descriptions with maps and pictures and read more about Kayaking and Stand up Paddle Boarding in Upper Newport Bay / Newport Back Bay on my web page
NEWPORT HARBOR / NEWPORT BEACH / CORONA DEL MAR / CRYSTAL COVE
Newport Harbor in Newport Beach, has many places where it's fairly easy to launch a SUP, canoe or kayak. The parking at many spots is free. However, sometimes it's hard to find an available spot so you may need to drop off your canoe or kayak and park a ways from where you launch.
You can either stay within the harbor or paddle outside the harbor.
Pictures of Newport Beach / Newport Harbor / Corona Del Mar / Crystal Cove:
I describe the launch for my favorite Newport Harbor paddle out to Arch Rock in Corona Del Mar here. I also have a Newport Beach SUP and Kayak page with additional launch spots located in Newport Harbor and other places in Newport Beach.
NEWPORT SHORES / SANTA ANA RIVER
Newport Shores has a protected wetland that has very easy launch spots. The wetland is an area that was previously part of the Santa Ana River that used to empty into Newport Bay. Now the Santa Ana River has been redirected and enters directly into the Pacific Ocean on the North West end of Newport Beach.
There is an abundance of marine life that lives in the wetland including the largest bat rays I have ever seen - maybe a 6 foot wing span.
There is a large flood gate that connects to the Santa Ana River that can create an extreme danger at the west end of the wetlands - especially if you go to the Santa Ana River side of the flood gate. (Update 9/20/2024: large grates are now installed over the floodgate so there is probably less danger here - however the giant bat rays are no longer present in Newport Shores because they can't get through the grates)
I have a Newport Shores / Santa Ana River page with more information, pictures, and video.
Bat Ray in Newport Shores
Laguna Beach has many coves and wonderful rock formations which are beautiful to paddle by. Normally the surf is smaller in Laguna than at other surrounding areas which makes the beach entries required here fairly easy on a day with no major swell.
You can paddle along the rocky coast and land in a secluded cove for lunch. The City of Laguna Beach is kayak friendly, it's legal to launch and land on any of the beaches.
The diving and snorkeling can also be excellent in Laguna, I often snorkel from a kayak here.
Pictures of Laguna Beach:
See detailed launch and trip descriptions with maps and pictures and read more about Kayaking and Stand up Paddle Boarding in Laguna Beach on my web page
From Salt Creek Beach Park, you can either paddle north past Three Arch Bay in Laguna Beach or South around Dana Point. Both directions have beautiful scenery and are worthwhile.
The surf here usually breaks a little ways from shore and when no major swell is present usually isn't too powerful.
Salt Creek Beach Park has meter parking and a fairly long ramp down to the beach. A bit far to carry a kayak but not to bad for a SUP.
DANA POINT HARBOR / DOHENY BEACH / DANA POINT
Dana Point Harbor has a very easy launch spot from a sandy beach where there is free and pay parking. You can paddle around the scenic harbor with it's pretty cliffs and also paddle out of the harbor around Dana Point. You can also launch from Doheny Beach.
Pictures of Dana Point:
See detailed launch and trip descriptions with maps and pictures and read more about Kayaking and Stand up Paddle Boarding in DANA POINT HARBOR / DOHENY BEACH / DANA POINT on my web page
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******************** SAN DIEGO COUNTY - PLACES TO PADDLE AND LAUNCH A KAYAK AND STAND UP PADDLE BOARD (SUP) SAN DIEGO COUNTY
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SAN DIEGO COUNTY - CARLSBAD AGUA HEDIONDA LAGOON
The Agua Hedionda Lagoon provides calm water for paddling a canoe, kayak or SUP.
An easy launch spot is by the Snug Harbor Marina 4215 Harrison St, Carlsbad, CA 92008
Here is a map link to the Snug Harbor Marina
I was able to park for free right next to the small beach just west of the boat launch. On crowded summer days, you may need to drop of your kayak, SUP, or canoe.
Launch off the small beach just west of the boat launch ramp. You can also rent SUPs, kayaks, wave runners, and boats here.
It is interesting to paddle all around the lagoon.
After you launch from the small beach you can paddle either to the west or to the east.
Paddling to the west, you pass under the freeway (Interstate 5 San Diego freeway). Then you go through the middle section of the lagoon past the YMCA camp. Next you pass under a railroad bridge into the west section of the lagoon. You can continue out of the harbor into the open ocean to the west.
Paddling to the east seemed more interesting to me. Paddling east you see some natural wetland areas. If you paddle east in the morning, be aware that you may have to paddle back into the wind later in the day.
As you paddle to the east, about half way up the lagoon along the North shore, there is a canal with houses and boat docks that you can explore.
As you paddle east and reach the east end of the lagoon, there is the inlet stream for the lagoon.
At higher tides, you can paddle a ways up the inlet stream which is an interesting wetland area. The inlet stream is at the far east end of the lagoon.
La Jolla has some beautiful steep cliffs to paddle along and caves.
The boat launch on the beach at the end of Avenida De La Playa is a good and popular place to launch a kayak or SUP.
The surf is usually small by the boat launch -- especially in the summer since it is protected from the south swells that come during the summer months.
The surf here is popular for kayakers to play around in. Even though the surf is usually small here, it breaks a little ways from the shore, so you can ride the waves.
Paddling south from the boat launch, you paddle over or outside of some reefs -- depending on the swell size and tide. If the surf is large, these reefs are popular with board surfers, please respect them and give them wide birth.
If the tide is high and the waves aren't too big, you can paddle very close to the steep cliff a little further south. Hundreds of cormorants perch on the cliff. You can also walk along the top of this high cliff after you are done kayaking for a different perspective of the beautiful cliff -- turn off of Torrey Pines Rd. on to the appropriately named road Coast Walk. The road dead ends. Park and then walk.
Paddling west along the base of the cliffs, you soon pass the La Jolla Caves. With high tide and small surf, some folks paddle into the largest cave.
A little further west, you pass La Jolla Cove a little cove popular with swimmers, snorklers, and divers -- be careful not to run into any of them. This little cove is quite protected (except on a north swell) and is another place where you could launch or land. There are stairs going down to the cove here. It's often hard to find a parking place near here.
As you swing out and round the point, the swells are often larger and you usually need to paddle farther from shore. Paddle as far south as you like. Return back the way you came.
This article covers kayaking and stand up paddle boarding in La Jolla. I hope it has helped guide you on your trip and helped you find places to launch and paddle!
La Jolla Kayaking - Kayak by cliffs in La Jolla California
La Jolla Kayaking - kayak by cliffs cormorants in La Jolla California - San Diego
(c) Copyright 2011 and 2013 by Mister Dave KayakDave.blogspot.com
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