Guide to Having the Best Beach Bonfire in Orange County

I get a ton of emails asking how and where is the best place to have a beach bonfire in Orange County. With Spring Break around the corner, and summer coming up thereafter, you're going to want to bookmark this post!

I also get a lot of emails asking about the best free activities in Orange County. Well, having a bonfire is one of my favorites AND is doesn't cost a lot of money. PLUS, Orange County is the perfect place to have a bonfire, a favorite of locals, and they make some of the best family memories for the kids.

Where to a Have Beach Bonfire in Orange County, CA

When it comes to having a fire in the OC, you must be careful. As you know our area is very fire prone. there aren't any parks or areas other than near the beach that allow for outdoor bonfires. It's too much of a fire risk.

But luckily the beaches are great for that sort of thing because they are located on the sand away from trees, and they have concrete fire rings. These make the best bonfire pits, plus you get that great ocean view.

Here's a list of all the beaches in Orange County where you can have a bonfire:

Aliso Beach Fire Pits

• Address - 31131 S. Pacific Coast Hwy, Laguna Beach, CA
• Parking - Metered parking
• Amenities - Restrooms, playground, picnic areas and concessions.
• Fire pits can be rented from The Ranch at Laguna Beach's Lost Pier Cafe! They offer portable fire pits, beach chairs, umbrellas and the grill menu.

Bolsa Chica State Beach Fire Pits

• Address - 17851 Pacific Coast Highway, Huntington Beach, CA
• Parking - City Beach parking fee.
• Amenities - Restrooms, State beach parking fee, volleyball courts, concessions and showers.
• There are 200 fire pits.

Corona Del Mar State Beach Fire Pits

• Address - 3001 Ocean Boulevard, Corona del Mar, CA
• Amenities - Restrooms, lifeguards, picnic tables, concessions and showers.
• There are 16 wood burning fire rings, four designated for ADA access, and 8 charcoal only.

Crystal Cove State Beach Fire Pits

• Address - 8471 N. Coast Highway, Laguna Beach, CA
• Parking - State Beach Parking fee. Validation available at Beachcomber restaurant with purchase.
• Amenities - Restrooms, picnic tables, trails, historic cottages, restaurants: Beachcomber and Shake Shack.
• Fire pits are only available to rent from the Beachcomber Cafe.
• You can bring a gas canister powered campfires. They are allowed on the beach, provided they are not sitting directly on the sand.

Doheny State Beach Fire Pits

• Address - 25300 Dana Point Harbor Drive, Dana Point, CA
• Amenities - Restrooms, lifeguards, picnic tables, lawn area, volleyball courts, Wheel Fun Rentals (Beach stand and rentals) and showers.
• There are only a few barbecue pits located on the lawn area on the north side of the beach. The campgrounds have fire rings available for the campers use.

Huntington State Beach Fire Pits

• Address - 21601 Pacific Coast Highway, Huntington Beach, CA
• Parking - State Beach Parking fee.
• Amenities - Restrooms, lifeguards, picnic tables, lawn area, volleyball courts, and showers.
• There are 200 fire rings.
• May be reserved with a picnic reservation. There is a fee. See the city website.

Huntington City Beach Fire Pits

• Address - 103 Pacific Coast Highway, Huntington Beach, CA
• Parking - City Beach Parking fee.
• Amenities - Restrooms, lifeguards, picnic tables, lawn area, volleyball courts, and showers.
• There are 127 firepits and they are located South of First Street to Beach Blvd.

Newport Dunes Resort Fire Pits

• Address - 1131 Back Bay Drive, Newport Beach, CA
• Parking - Resort parking fee.
• Amenities - Restrooms, playground, picnic areas, personal boat rentals, campgrounds, concessions.
• There are 16 wood burning fire rings, four designated for ADA access, and 8 charcoal only.

Newport State Beach Fire Pits

West of the Balboa Pier

• Address: 1 Balboa Pier, Newport Beach, 92661
• Parking - Metered.
• Amenities - Restrooms, playground, restaurants, picnic areas, and lawn area.
• Located on the lawn, there are 8 wood burning, four designated for ADA access. Plus, 8 charcoal only.

East of the Balboa Pier

• Address: 1 Balboa Pier, Newport Beach, 92661
• Parking - Metered.
• Amenities - Restrooms and showers.
• Located on the sand, there are 7 wood burning, four designated for ADA access. Plus, 8 charcoal only.

San Clemente State Beach Fire Pits

• Address - 225W. Calafia Ave, San Clemente, CA
• Parking - State Beach parking fee.
• Amenities - Restrooms, lifeguards, picnic area, and showers.
• Fire pits are located within the campground at the picnic area on the bluff. Beach is located down the hill.

San Clemente City Beaches Fire Pits

Fire pits are located at North Beach, T-street and the Pier. More info is found on the city website.

San Clemente Pier

• Address - 622 Avenida Del Mar, San Clemente, CA
• Parking - Metered.
• Amenities - Restrooms, picnic area, and concessions.

San Clemente North Beach

• Address - 1850 Avenida Estacion, San Clemente, CA
• Parking - Metered.
• Amenities - Restrooms, picnic area, and concessions.
• Must access by stairs

San Clemente T-street Beach

• Address - 339 W. Paseo De Cristobal, San Clemente, CA
• Parking - Metered.
• Amenities - Restrooms, picnic area, and concessions.
• Must access by stairs

Is Getting a Beach Fire Pit in Orange County Difficult

YES...if definitely can be hard to get a beach fire pit. If it's a weekend or holiday, the beaches get crowded, and securing a campfire ring can be difficult.

If you must have a certain fire ring, I recommend having someone head over to the beach early in the morning and reserve the one you want. I mean like 6am!!! Make sure to set your stuff up at the fire ring you want. You will have to have someone wait there until your party arrives. But with and ocean view and a good book, it shouldn't be too bad.

If you're going on the off-season or on a weekday, there's usually campfire rings available and it won't be a problem securing one.

Also, don't forget to bring some fire making supplies...

Now that you have picked the best spot in Orange County to have a bonfire, it's time to pack.

What You Need to Build a Bonfire at the Beach

Be mindful when building a bonfire. make sure kids do not jump in the fire pits, as there may be hot coals from previous users. Make sure that you put out your fire completely when you are done.

Here are some items that you need to remember to bring:

• Matches or a lighter.
• Starter sticks. I highly recommend these.
• Firewood. if you don't have any, you can usually find them at a hardware store, or at grocery stores near the beach.
• BBQ lighter fluid.
• Newspaper.
• Kindling or small sticks. you can send the kids out to find these. it gives them something to do.

Next, along with your bonfire making supplies, you need stuff to enjoy your time at the bonfire.

Things You Need for the Best Beach Bonfire Experience.

Finally, you probably want to bring a few items to make your bonfire comfortable. My motto is always less is more – remember, whatever you bring, you have to bring back! So I try to just bring the necessities.

• Food. Ideas mentioned below.
• Fire making supplies. Items listed above.
• Plates, napkins, trash bag and Chinet Comfort Cup insulated hot cups.
• Blankets. i like to use flat sheets to sit on and soft, thicker blankets to cuddle up with. flat sheets are thin and lightweight, making traveling easier.
• Chairs. These in my opinion are optional. I usually ditch the chairs, one less thing to carry. Blankets make great seats.
• Cutting board and knife. You will need these to prepare the food.
• Wipes. these a great for dirty hands
• Jackets. i suggest also dressing in layers.
• Wagon. great to carry food and supplies
• Music. either a Bluetooth speaker connected to a phone or a guitar if someone can play.
• Pop-up table. This is optional, but can come in handy for food prep and keeping stuff out of the sand.

How to have the best beach bonfire in Orange County.

Finally, you need to pack the food. How about these fun ideas.

The Best Foods for Beach Bonfires

When packing food for a beach bonfire, I have three go-to meals. use these ideas as inspiration! 

Beach Bonfire Meal Ideas #1

The traditional hot dog meal. Get your favorite hot dogs and bring some roasting sticks to let the kids roast their hotdogs over the fire. You can even bring gourmet sausages for the adults. Chips, fruit and corn are great sides that are easy to pack. butter the corn and wrap in foil, then place next to the campfire till cooked.

Beach Bonfire Meal Ideas #2

You can make foil dinners. Cut up veggies, onions and your favorite meats and put them in a foil packet. add your favorite seasonings and a little olive oil or butter. these are super easy, make practically no mess, and you can customize for each person. Prepare them ahead of time, then at the beach, lay them on the fire until the food is cooked.

Beach Bonfire Meal Ideas #3

Make a gourmet picnic. This is my favorite kind of meal. I like to pick up stuff to make a nice cheese and meat board, specially chips and snacks, fried chicken is always fun, pasta salads, soup and hot chocolate.

Think i am crazy for suggesting soup and hot chocolate? One thing I love to use are these Chinet^® insulated hot cups. They make traveling with hot beverages easy, and the double-layer insulation keeps drinks warm and outside cool to the touch. Just fill a large insulated thermos with your favorite soup or hot chocolate and serve at the beach in a Chinet Comfort Cup insulated hot cup.

Sipping something warm around the campfire is the best! And these cups are great for all beverages....even adult beverages. They keep things hot or cold and are convenient to carry. The easy snap-and-go lid makes sure your drink is sand-free. Just throw away when done, which is helpful at a beach bonfire! You can find them online here. Did i mention...they are made in the USA?

Not only do they work great at bonfires, they also make life as a busy mom better. they are high-quality and sturdy. I've put my morning drinks in them as i'm running kids to school and doing morning errands – the perfect commuter cup, right? We use them on evening hikes around the OC, and I've used them at my kids class parties at school....they really help preventing all the spills that happen at those events.

What about Dessert?

P.s. Don't forget to bring supplies for s'mores. You will definitely need marshmallows, graham crackers and roasting sticks. And have you thought of adding your favorite candy bars to your s'more?

You are now ready to have an awesome bonfire!

All this talk about bonfires is making me excited for Spring Break. However, since Southern California has great weather all year round, you can have a bonfire practically every day of the year. A fun and inexpensive activity that is fun for the whole family!