Heisler Park: A Laguna Beach Visitor’s Guide
Stretching along the bluffs on Cliff Drive, Heisler Park packs Laguna’s best overlooks, gardens, and tide pools into one walkable stretch, and it’s the town’s go-to for portraits. Here’s how to visit.
The essentials
| Where | Cliff Drive (Aster St to Diver’s Cove) |
| Cost | Metered parking; $100 photo permit for pro shoots |
| Best light | Golden hour into sunset |
| Highlights | Gazebo, Monument Point, tide pools |
| Tides | Low tide reveals the marine-refuge pools |
What to shoot
The bluff-top path gives panoramic overlooks north to Crescent Bay and south to Main Beach, framed by palms and flowering gardens. The Gazebo and Monument Point are the classic portrait and wedding spots. Descend the stairway (by Las Brisas, or from Main Beach) to the marine-refuge tide pools at low tide, but look, don’t touch: it’s a protected shoreline.
Time it right
Golden hour into sunset is when the west-facing bluffs and the palm-framed horizon glow. For the tide pools, pair that with a low tide — winter’s lowest lows conveniently land in daylight.
💡 Permit note: Professional sessions at Heisler Park need a Laguna Beach photo permit (about $100 per session). Sort it before you shoot — it’s a popular, enforced spot for portraits and small weddings.
Make it a story
Bluff, ocean, and gardens in one place make an elegant, romantic backdrop — a Laguna engagement favorite. See our proposal photography page.
Plan your shoot
👉 Book a Laguna Beach Photographer →
👉 See Laguna Beach Photography Packages →
FAQ
Do you need a permit to shoot at Heisler Park? Yes — professional photography requires a Laguna Beach photo permit, about $100 per session. Casual personal phone photos are fine.
When’s the best time to visit Heisler Park? Golden hour into sunset for the west-facing bluffs, ideally paired with a low tide so the marine-refuge tide pools are revealed.
