San Onofre State Beach

5200 S Pacific Coast Hwy, San Clemente, CA 92672

Sprawling state beach famous for the world-class Trestles surf break and miles of undeveloped coastline below coastal bluffs. Includes Bluffs Beach campground.

Ideal for a beach walk.

NWS alert active · 73°F water · 74°F air

Full NWS forecast for This Afternoon

Sunny, with a high near 74. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph.

Tonight

Mostly cloudy, with a low around 68. South wind 0 to 5 mph.

Weather

  • 74°F air — ideal beach weather
  • Sunny skies — clear conditions

Water

  • 73°F water — swimmable, refreshing

Safety

  • NWS alert active — high surf advisory issued july 18 at 4:40am pdt until july 21 at 11:00pm pdt by nws san diego ca
64 /100
good
55 Swim
82 Sunbathe
86 Walk
45 Fish
81 Photo

Best for walking today

Water level 0.5 ft above predicted

Observed water level is running higher than the astronomical tide prediction. Expect a narrower beach, faster-rising water, and stronger near-shore currents than the tide chart suggests.

NOAA station 9410230 · Observed 5.19 ft · Predicted 4.65 ft

High Surf High Surf Advisory

High Surf Advisory issued July 18 at 4:40AM PDT until July 21 at 11:00PM PDT by NWS San Diego CA

NWS · In effect through Jul 22, 6:00 AM

Full NWS statement

* WHAT...Large breaking waves of 4 to 7 feet with sets up to 8 feet at south or southwest facing beaches. * WHERE...San Diego County Coastal Areas and Orange County Coastal Areas. * WHEN...From 5 PM Sunday to 11 PM PDT Tuesday. * IMPACTS...Dangerous swimming and surfing conditions and localized beach erosion. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...South swell 4 to 5 feet coming from 180 to 200 degrees with a period of 13 seconds will generate high surf, primarily for south-facing beaches. Tides will generally be at or below 5.5 feet, but localized areas of beach erosion and minor tidal overflow may occur when combining with the high surf. Swell and surf will decrease by Wednesday.

Air Temp
74°F
Clear
Wind
5 to 10 mph
SW
Rain
2%
This Afternoon
Tomorrow
71°F
Mostly Sunny
Water Temp
73°F
Swimming weather
Wave Height
2.3 ft
15s · SW swell
Water Quality
Clean
10 cfu/100mL · Fecal Coliform
USGS · sampled 6mo ago

Rip Current Risk · Regional Reference

No zone-specific NWS forecast for this beach (PZZ740)

The SGX office's Surf Zone Forecast doesn't cover this beach's forecast zone directly. Nearby coastal zones it does cover are listed below — regional reference only, not a substitute for the conditions at this specific beach.

  • CAZ552 Orange County Coastal Areas n/a
  • CAZ043 San Diego County Coastal Areas n/a

NWS SRF · SGX · Issued Jul 18, 7:32 AM

Sunrise
8:53 AM
Sunset
10:59 PM
Moon · 18%
Waxing Crescent
Neap tides — smaller range
Time Type Height
12:02 AM High 5.5 ft
6:51 AM Low -0.0 ft
1:29 PM High 4.7 ft
7:12 PM Low 1.9 ft

High/low predictions from NOAA station 9410230, refreshed on every build. Times shown local.

Today Jul 18
74°

Sunny

2%
83
Sun Jul 19
71°

Mostly Sunny

2%
79
Mon Jul 20
71°

Mostly Sunny

3%
79
Tue Jul 21
72°

Mostly Sunny

0%
81
Wed Jul 22
73°

Mostly Sunny

0%
79
Thu Jul 23
72°

Mostly Sunny

4%
80
Fri Jul 24
71°

Partly Sunny

6%
78
  • optional Swimsuit - water is swimmable Water is 73°F

Always remember water bottle, trash bag (leave no trace).

Solunar theory: fish activity peaks at moon transits (major) and moonrise/moonset (minor). All times local.

Minor
1:00 AM - 2:00 AM
Major
6:30 AM - 8:30 AM
Minor
1:10 PM - 2:10 PM

Parking

State-park day-use parking $15 per vehicle at the main lot.

Dogs

Dogs not permitted on the beach or trails; leashed dogs allowed in campgrounds and paved areas only.

Entry Fee

$15 per vehicle day-use.

Address

5200 S Pacific Coast Hwy, San Clemente, CA 92672

restroomslifeguard towercamping
Is it safe to swim at San Onofre State Beach today?

San Onofre State Beach shows a live water-quality reading (bacteria levels) and today's swim-safety score at the top of this page, refreshed on every update. Seasonal lifeguards patrol the swim area in summer — follow their flags. Always review the current advisories, surf, and rip-current notes before getting in the water.

Is San Onofre State Beach dog-friendly?

Dogs not permitted on the beach or trails; leashed dogs allowed in campgrounds and paved areas only.

Is there an entry fee at San Onofre State Beach?

$15 per vehicle day-use.

Are there lifeguards at San Onofre State Beach?

Yes. Seasonal lifeguards patrol San Onofre State Beach during the summer swim season (typically Memorial Day through Labor Day). Outside that window, swim at your own risk.

What amenities are at San Onofre State Beach?

Amenities at San Onofre State Beach include restrooms, lifeguard tower, camping.

When is the water warmest at San Onofre State Beach?

The Pacific is cold. Southern California (San Diego to Santa Barbara) peaks in August at 65-72°F. Central and Northern California stay in the upper 50s to low 60s year-round. Oregon and Washington rarely exceed 60°F. Wetsuits are common.

Where is San Onofre State Beach located?

San Onofre State Beach is in San Diego County, CA, at 5200 S Pacific Coast Hwy, San Clemente, CA 92672.

Updated · Data from NOAA, NWS

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