Best Beaches Near John Wayne Airport (In Order Of Distance)

Flying Into John Wayne And Wondering What Are The Best Beaches To Visit Near This Airport?

Since my mom is from Southern California, I’ve spent many summers on these Orange County beaches, and while I have my personal favorites, all of them are good options for a quick day trip or a full beach vacation.

👉 Overview Table Of Beaches Near John Wayne Airport

Beach	Miles From SNA	Ave. Time From SNA
Newport	8-9	18-50
Crystal Cove	9-11	18-50
Huntington	11-13	20-55
Laguna	14-16	22-45
Bolsa Chica	15-19	26-55
Seal	19-20	26 min-1 hr 15 min
Long Beach	22-24	28 min-1 hr 25 min
Doheny	24-26	28-50
San Onofre	33-35	35 min-1 hr 40 min

*️⃣ FAQ: Orange County Santa Ana Airport (SNA) is the same as the John Wayne Airport, it was only renamed after the actor and Newport Beach resident in the late 1970s

🏖 Best Beaches Near John Wayne Airport (in order of distance)

While the John Wayne airport isn’t super near to the ocean (it’s technically in the city of Santa Ana), there are amazing beaches all along this Orange County coast that can be reached in as little as 20 minutes (depending on traffic).

In order of distance, these are the best beaches near the John Wayne airport with my personal review of each.

1. Newport Beach

The Wedge is my favorite place to visit after a storm to watch the experienced surfers.

In terms of mileage and time, Newport is the closest beach to the John Wayne airport and a fantastic option for a family-friendly atmosphere, calmer waves for beginner surfers, and amazing advanced surf viewing at “The Wedge” (last time I was here, waves were 10-15 feet; pictured above).

✅ Pros:
- closest beach to John Wayne airport
- family-friendly neighborhood feel
- great beginner surfing (plus surf lessons)
- a boardwalk, pier, jetty, and lots of active things to do like pickup soccer, roller skating, roller hockey, and the Crystal Cove Natural Area
- super cool advanced surf viewing at The Wedge (during swells)
- farmers market
- whale watching (though I really recommend it in Monterey)

❌ Cons:
- more narrow beach
- gets crowded
- more limited parking

2. Crystal Cove State Beach

Crystal Cove State Park is one of the beaches most near to the John Wayne airport and a great place for a less touristy crowd.

Sitting right next to Newport Beach, Crystal Cove State Beach is also one of the closest beaches to the John Wayne airport and it’s the best place to be active and outdoors on the beach, hiking, or exploring the tide pools.

✅ Pros:
- closest beach to John Wayne airport
- beautiful, clean outdoor area
- very family-friendly and active area (hiking, biking, horseback riding, camping, tide pools)
- popular filming location
- less crowded

❌ Cons:
- no shops or restaurants around
- all day parking rate

3. Huntington Beach

Huntington Beach is my favorite beach in Orange County and honestly one of my favorites in the whole world.

My personal favorite beach (no matter how many beaches I visit around the world) is Huntington Beach because of its typical Southern California surfer vibe and of course the surfing.

This is where I learned to surf and I highly recommend it, even though the waves aren’t quite as beginner friendly as other areas, because it is Surf City USA after all. The US Surf Open is also a fantastic event to experience here (Kelly Slater at the US Surf Open pictured above, one of my favorite completed bucket list dreams).

✅ Pros:
- pretty near to John Wayne
- the best surfing and surf culture (plus surf lessons)
- host of the US Surf Open (plus a consistent amount of other events)
- bonfires on the beach
- lots of shops and restaurants
- boardwalk, pier, nearby dog beach, and nearby pickup soccer
- wide, open beach
- farmers market

❌ Cons:
- more expensive and busy parking
- more crowded
- bigger/more powerful waves

*️⃣ Tip: if you’re staying near the airport and want to get to one of these close by beaches, ride-shares might not be too expensive, but it will be very expensive to use Uber to go all over the Southern California area

4. Laguna Beach

Laguna is full of little coves that make this beach area one of the most beautiful beaches near the John Wayne airport. It’s a little more remote feeling compared to other Orange County beaches, but it’s still fairly busy and traffic on the coastal route can be brutal.

✅ Pros:
- near-ish to SNA
- good beginner and more advanced surfing (plus surf lessons)
- beautiful, clear water with tide pools and good scuba diving
- calmer more remote beach town with lots of oceanside stays (pictured above)
- boardwalk and many other active things to do like electric biking, kayaking, or paddleboarding

❌ Cons:
- heavy traffic (sometimes)
- somewhat busier
- metered, limited parking

5. Bolsa Chica State Beach

Bolsa Chica is a nice beach to visit to be close to the airport but have fewer crowds.

The Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve is pretty close to the airport (it’s located just above Huntington Beach) and it’s a nice place for birding and wildlife viewing as well as watching sunsets or having a bonfire on the beach.

✅ Pros:
- ecological reserve with nature tours and wildlife viewing
- clean beach plus clean beach bathrooms
- decent surfing
- typically less crowded (in comparison)
- hiking, biking, camping, and bonfires on the beach

❌ Cons:
- not super wide
- no shops or restaurants
- all day parking rate
- some stingray issues (some people getting stung)

6. Seal Beach

Seal Beach is pretty near to the John Wayne airport and its one of the best beaches for a non touristy crowd.

My mom grew up going to Seal Beach so it’s a special beach in our family, but it’s also a really nice beach to go to because it’s a calmer and less touristy area of Orange County.

✅ Pros:
- calmer, less crowded, and less touristy
- family-friendly with more of a neighborhood feel
- wide and clean beach
- some shops and restaurants around
- pier and nearby Rosie’s dog beach
- some free parking

❌ Cons:
- smaller beach area
- near the shipping port
- a little further from SNA

7. Long Beach

Long Beach is great for bay beaches with little to no waves and fun attractions like the Queen Mary.

Technically in Los Angeles County, Long Beach is just north of Seal Beach and it’s a great place for young kids or babies because of its bay beaches (like Mother’s Beach and Bayshore Beach).

✅ Pros:
- small to no waves at bay beaches
- very family-friendly
- attractions like The Queen Mary (pictured above), the Aquarium of the Pacific, Rosie’s dog beach, and lots of shops and restaurants
- pier, biking and walking paths, and nearby pickup soccer here or here
- lots of parking

❌ Cons:
- next to the shipping port
- bigger city
- busier
- further from SNA

8. Doheny State Beach

Doheny State Beach is a nice place for beginner surfers and those wanting a calmer beach area.

Doheny State Beach is located at the south end of the Orange County beaches, so it’s one of the furthest from the John Wayne airport, but it’s a less traveled area with fewer tourist crowds and typically a good spot for beginner surfing (that’s me pictured above).

✅ Pros:
- good surfing, kayaking, and paddleboarding
- less crowded and touristy
- close and easy parking
- clean beach
- bike rentals, camping, bonfires on the beach, and nearby pickup soccer
- near the San Juan Capistrano Mission

❌ Cons:
- crowded for camping
- further from the John Wayne airport
- no shops or restaurants
- rocky beach not great for sunbathing

9. San Onofre

San Onofre is one of the furthest beaches on this list from the John Wayne airport, but it's great for surfing and fewer crowds.

San Onofre is the furthest beach from the John Wayne airport, but it’s a great one for beginner surfing, military families, or those wanting a less touristy area. Last time I was here (pictured above), I was with a surfing group and I was still new to surfing, but a storm made the waves a bit bigger and I ended up riding down the face of an 8 foot wave!

✅ Pros:
- great surfing
- less crowded and touristy
- close parking
- military base
- wildlife viewing
- hiking, biking, camping, RV-ing, and bonfires on the beach
- halfway between LA and San Diego

❌ Cons:
- all day parking rate
- furthest from SNA
- rocky beach not great for sunbathing

*️⃣ Tip: if worrying about sharks causes you anxiety or even keeps you from going in the ocean, I highly recommend Sharkbanz (I love mine) to give you a little more peace of mind

🔁 Sum Up: Best Beaches Near John Wayne Airport

Whether it’s a short trip, a quick beach day from Disneyland, or just something convenient, some of the best beaches in Orange County are somewhat near to the John Wayne Airport. My absolute favorite is Huntington Beach, but the beautiful waters of Laguna or the calmer waves of Newport are also fantastic options!