If you are looking for a gorgeous sandy beach with breathtaking views apart from the usual crowds of surrounding Laguna beaches, West Street Beach will be at the top of your list. This spacious beach on the southern end of town offers great opportunities for sunning, swimming, skim boarding, and volleyball. Not only does this less known beach offer ample space for beach activities, one will be able to take in a fair amount of local vibe and come away with a greater appreciation for the Laguna Beach area, its influx of beaches, and plentiful amounts of renowned California sunshine.
West Street Beach carries the undocumented title as Laguna's primary gay beach. Major summer holidays, such as Memorial Day, Fourth of July, and Labor Day, transforms the beach into large gay social events not to be missed. These parties are often populated by LA party boys, porn stars, and annual events hosted by promoters such as Will Gorges. Under these occurrences the beach resembles a sea of flesh; however, this only occurs on the most popular summer weekends and major bashes. The GLBT population primarily gather on the north end of the beach. If this is what drew you to West Street Beach follow the path down to the beach from West Street, make a right when you hit the sand, and walk a tad north to reach the area that attracts the gay population.
The West Street Beach also poses incredible rock formations and private coves positioned almost directly out from the stairs that offer a wonderful opportunity for discreet walks along the waters end. Mussels and barnacles can be found latched onto rocks where the waves break, but other tide pool critters are sparse unless the tide is unusually low.
Take special note that one of the attractive characteristics that makes West Street Beach so rustic and the crowds curbed is the absents of public restrooms and showers.
West Street Beach can be found near the intersection of West Street and Pacific Coast Highway on the south end of Laguna Beach. Note that limited on street parking can be found along Pacific Coast Highway and in the nearby residential neighborhoods across Pacific Coast Highway.
