Do a Coastal Challenge - Laguna Beach

This adventure can be done from a number of starting and ending points. One version that has been great for us, is to start at Aliso Beach and end at Salt Creek Beach using two cars to shuttle. Parking at Salt Creek requires paying for the 3-4 hours you'll want to give yourself to finish the trip. You can pay to park at Aliso Beach as well, or try to find a spot along PCH on the ocean side, south of the lot entrance.

With your fins and mask and snorkel, head south from Aliso Beach. You will walk over sand and rocks for a half mile until you get to your first swim. After swimming around the cliff and checking out the sea life you'll get to another beach with a second, smaller rock outcropping at the end . You can either climb over and jump in or swim around this as well. Once you're on the other side, you will reach a really impressive tunnel/arch in the next cliff. This lies directly under a large home on the rocks and you can wade through it to the next beach.

From the large tunnel/arch, it's a further half mile along the sand before you reach the next swimming leg of the trip. Once you reach the end of the beach, take a minute to check the waves as there is a really amazing little wedge that can pop along the low cliff that could be great for body surfing. Once you've caught a few whompers, swim out around the rocks towards the next small beach. If you can manage, and the surge is small enough, try to climb up the rocks to the first saltwater pool. Swim further to the next small beach and walk to the south end where you'll find the second and third saltwater rock pools. After soaking, jump back in and keep swimming. This is probably the best part of the adventure, as far as sea life goes.

Once you complete this swim, you're at Three Arch Bay. From here its another quarter mile walk and moderate length swim until you reach the northernmost extent of Salt Creek Beach. If you choose to keep the last swim short, you will have to navigate some large rocks for the fist part of the final walk. Otherwise, you can swim right by to the sandy portion of the beach and back to your car.