Capistrano Beach, commonly known as Capo Beach to locals, is a little piece of heaven in South Orange County, California. Sandwiched between Doheny Beach in Dana Point and a small gated beach community north of San Clemente, the public Capo Beach has a parking lot right next to the sand. In that parking lot is a great basketball court, perfect for playing a relaxing, cool game.

Capo Beach also has bonfire pits, an amenity the public craves, though the municipalities are eager to remove them. Costly to maintain (they say) and a liability (nearby Huntington Beach faces a lawsuit from a couple whose kid got burned when he fell into a fire pit) we can’t guarantee the bonfire rings will be at Capo Beach when you visit.

What will always remain, however, is the Pacific Ocean and this gracious sand beach. There’s a cluster of hotels across Coast Highway facing Capo Beach. You can book hotel rooms there and stay in paradise. Disneyland is approx. 45 minutes away by car.