Corona del Mar State Beach (Big Corona)

Big Corona sits just inside the east jetty of Newport Harbor, which blocks all but the most southerly swells and keeps the water gentler than most of the open coast. The one-mile Don Burns Ocean Swim starts at Tower 3 by the jetty each August and heads down the coast along the swim lines. The beach lot charges a fee; street parking runs along Ocean Boulevard above.

Directions

Photo: Don Ramey Logan · CC BY-SA 3.0

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Latest reading · SwimScore 79/100 (Good swim) for a typical swimmer: air 23°C, wind 13 km/h, waves 0.8 m, UV 8. Updated 23 Sept, 22:00 UTC.

Know before you go

Best conditions: Days without a big south swell, when the jetty keeps waves small; the Don Burns course runs from the jetty down the coast and back along the swim lines.
Getting in: Entrance road near Iris Street and Ocean Boulevard in Corona del Mar; a half-mile sandy beach framed by cliffs and the harbor's east jetty. Open daily 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.; operated by the City of Newport Beach.
Parking & transport: Paid lot on the beach (the State Parks annual day-use pass is not accepted); street parking along Ocean Boulevard.
Water quality: Orange County Health Care Agency's Ocean Water Protection Program (OC Beachinfo) samples for bacteria against state health standards and posts warnings and closures.
Who swims here: The Newport Beach Ocean Lifeguard Association hosts the USMS-sanctioned Corona del Mar Don Burns One Mile Ocean Swim each August (August 23, 2026), starting and finishing at Lifeguard Tower 3 next to the jetty.
Watch for: Southerly swells can still reach the beach
Higher bacteria near storm drains and creeks, especially after rain
Facilities: Restrooms · Outdoor showers · Picnic areas · Fire pits (first come, first served)