With a heat wave striking Southern California this week, many might be tempted to head to the beach for some relief from the 90-degree weather.
But because of the coronavirus, some counties have closed their shores to the public, aiming to maintain social distancing guidelines and prevent the spread of the disease. Other counties have allowed residents access to the waves, though often with restrictions in place to discourage non-residents from swarming their beaches.
Here are the rules in place for the coastal counties NBCLA covers.
All beaches, including piers, parking lots, bike paths and restrooms are closed. The county's Safer at Home Order remains in place in all unincorporated areas and cities, except Long Beach and Pasadena, through May 15. Long Beach, which has its own health agency, declared a beach closure through May 15. LA County health officials warned residents not to visit beaches in other counties that are open. Do so could overwhelm those locations, they said.
Many beaches in Orange County are open, but officials are warning visitors to practice social distancing while they're seeking refuge from the heat.
- County beaches (Aliso Beach, Capistrano Beach, Dana Point Harbor, Newport Harbor, Salt Creek Beach and Sunset Harbor) are open after the Board of Supervisors elected Tuesday not to pass a motion that would have kept beaches closed for two more weeks. Beach parking lots and restrooms remain closed.
- Most beaches in Huntington Beach remain open, though Huntington Harbor, the Huntington Beach Pier and beach parking lots are closed.
- All city beaches in Newport Beach remain open, though the Oceanfront Boardwalk and the Wedge are closed. Balboa Island's Bayfront Walkway is also closed, and the island cannot be accessed directly from Jamboree Road.
- San Clemente's city council voted Tuesday to reopen its beaches to active users starting on Saturday, though some parking is restricted and the San Clemente Municipal Pier remains closed. To prevent overcrowding, the city also asked non-residents to refrain from coming to the beach.
- Dana Point's county and state beaches remain open, though parking areas are closed to discourage visitors from flocking to the area.
- Beaches in Seal Beach and Laguna Beach remain closed, as does San Clemente State Beach.
Ventura County
Beaches are open, with some restrictions. Walking, hiking, biking and other "active" exercises are permitted, but parking lots and restrooms are not. Beach visitors are also not allowed to sunbathe, fish or otherwise linger in one area.
