What it’s like
Three Arch Bay is a 29-acre community in South Laguna, at the southern end of the city. It is guard-gated, and the name comes from three natural arches in the rocky cliffs along the ocean. Some oceanfront homes have swimming pools built into the intertidal rocks, and the incoming tides refill them.
Realatrends.com’s guides describe single-family homes and custom-built houses, with beach cottages among them. The city’s Three Arch Bay zone is written for single-family dwellings. Listed addresses sit on La Senda Drive, Vista Del Sol, Stonington Road, Portola, Vista De La Luna, Alta Mira Road and Bay Drive.
The place has a film history. The 29-acre site was bought in 1926, according to a letter from Dana Point developer Sidney Woodruff. Film producer Edward H. Griffith built the first rock pool in 1929, and Warner Bros. shot Captain Blood here in 1935.
Land access to the beach is for residents. Realatrends.com’s guides call the beach private and accessible only to homeowners. The nearest public access point in the Coastal Commission’s list is Thousand Steps Beach, about 0.7 mile north in a straight line, which has a long stairway, on-street parking and restrooms. See the Thousand Steps page and the Three Arch Bay beach page. The coast to the north has its own South Laguna page.
Getting around
The free Coastal Route trolley runs on Coast Highway between North Laguna and Heisler Park, downtown, South Laguna and Mission Hospital, and on to the Ritz-Carlton in Dana Point. On the off-season schedule, which covers September 8, 2026 to June 25, 2027, it comes every 20 to 30 minutes. Mission Hospital Laguna Beach lies about 0.8 mile north of Three Arch Bay in a straight line. Laguna Local, the city’s free on-demand shared ride, lists stops near the hospital and at Coast Highway and 9th Avenue. You book by app, online or through transit dispatch.
Main Beach, in the Village, lies about 4.7 miles north in a straight line. The getting around guide has routes and hours, and the parking guide covers city permits.
Things to know before you buy or rent
Two bodies govern the community. The Three Arch Bay Community Services District, formed in 1957, provides drainage and security services inside the community. It has five elected directors and no employees, and the Three Arch Bay Association supports it under contract. The district’s website lists quarterly payments. The association’s rules apply as well. Realatrends.com’s rentals guide says rules in communities such as Three Arch Bay shape everything from guest parking to beach access. Its Three Arch Bay guide shows the current dues range from recent MLS records. Ask for the association’s governing documents and its rental rules before you offer.
Oceanfront and bluff-top lots carry extra review. Design review sends shoreline and bluff protective devices to a public hearing, as it does all new buildings apart from accessory dwelling units and certain new primary dwelling units. Any improvement taller than 15 feet goes to a public hearing too. Development that is subject to design review, or exempt from it, may still need a coastal development permit. If you are looking at a lot, the city’s GIS shows whether the parcel carries a building-site designation.
The city lists South Coast Water District for water and sewer in South Laguna, SDG&E for electricity and SoCalGas for gas. Three Arch Bay lies in South Laguna, so these differ from the providers in the rest of town. Confirm the providers for an address. The Laguna Beach Unified School District operates the public schools, and its School Boundaries page links to a district boundary and street list for checking an address.
The city allows new short-term lodging, meaning stays of 30 days or less, only in certain commercial zones and downtown districts, and Three Arch Bay has its own residential zone. The city no longer allows the use in its R-1, R-2 and R-3 residential districts, where existing permitted units are legal nonconforming and the use runs with the land. The short-term rentals guide covers the rules.
On the water
Beaches in and near Three Arch Bay
Things to do
Things to do near Three Arch Bay
Questions
Is Three Arch Bay gated?
Yes. The Coastal Commission describes it as a locked-gate community, and Realatrends.com describes it as guard-gated.
Can the public use the beach at Three Arch Bay?
Realatrends.com's guides describe the beach as private and accessible only to homeowners, so land access is for residents. The nearest public access point in the Coastal Commission's list is Thousand Steps Beach, about 0.7 mile north.
What is the Three Arch Bay Community Services District?
It is a special district formed in 1957 that provides drainage and security services inside Three Arch Bay. It is separate from the Three Arch Bay Association, which supports it under contract.
Which utilities serve Three Arch Bay?
The city lists South Coast Water District for water and sewer and SDG&E for electricity in South Laguna, and Three Arch Bay lies in South Laguna. Confirm the providers for an address.
Questions about Three Arch Bay?
Ask a local broker about streets, homes, rentals or timing.
Last reviewed
Sources (18)
- Three Arch Bay coordinates (33.4909, -117.7323): nominatim.openstreetmap.org, checked 2026-10-09
- Three Arch Bay is a 29-acre private gated community in the South Laguna neighborhood of Laguna Beach, named for three natural arches in the rocky cliffs; some oceanfront homes have swimming pools built into the intertidal rocks that the tides replenish; the site was bought in 1926; the first rock pool was built in 1929 for film producer Edward H. Griffith; the site purchase in 1926 comes from a letter by Dana Point developer Sidney Woodruff; early films shot there include Captain Blood (1935) and Give Us This Night (1936): en.wikipedia.org, checked 2026-10-09
- Three Arch Bay is a guard-gated beachfront community with a mix of luxury homes and beach cottages, named for its three natural arches; listed addresses sit on La Senda Drive, Vista Del Sol, Stonington Road, Portola, Vista De La Luna, Alta Mira Road and Bay Drive; the guide shows current association dues from MLS records: realatrends.com, checked 2026-10-09
- Three Arch Bay is an existing locked gate community and one of the areas of deferred certification in Laguna Beach due to public access restrictions (Coastal Commission waiver 5-19-1235-W, South Coast District Deputy Director's report for December 2019): documents.coastal.ca.gov, checked 2026-10-09
- The Three Arch Bay zone is intended for low-density, single-family residential development, and its permitted uses are single-family dwellings and child care; the Three Arch Bay Community Association conducts its own plan review before city review: ecode360.com, checked 2026-10-09
- Three Arch Bay was established in the early 20th century, has single-family homes and custom-built residences, and a private beach accessible only to homeowners: realatrends.com, checked 2026-10-09
- The Three Arch Bay Community Services District was formed June 17, 1957 by the Orange County Board of Supervisors; it provides dry weather and storm water collection and security services within Three Arch Bay; five elected directors; no employees; the Three Arch Bay Association provides management, administrative and field support under contract; its site lists quarterly payments: threearchbaycsd.org, checked 2026-10-09
- Thousand Steps Beach lies on South Coast Hwy. opposite 9th Ave. with a long stairway, on-street parking and restrooms; coordinates used for the straight-line distance: api.coastal.ca.gov, checked 2026-10-09
- Mission Hospital Laguna Beach coordinates (33.5006, -117.7408) at 31872 Coast Highway: nominatim.openstreetmap.org, checked 2026-10-09
- The Coastal Route trolley is free and runs on Coast Highway between North Laguna/Heisler Park, downtown, South Laguna/Mission Hospital and the Ritz-Carlton in Dana Point, every 20 to 30 minutes on the off-season schedule (Sept. 8, 2026 to June 25, 2027): lagunabeachcity.net, checked 2026-10-09
- Laguna Local stops in South Laguna include Mission Hospital Upper and Lower Med OFC and Coast Hwy NB @ 9th Ave: lagunabeachcity.net, checked 2026-10-09
- Utilities: SDG&E provides electricity to South Laguna; South Coast Water District provides water and sewer to South Laguna; SoCalGas provides natural gas to all of Laguna Beach; the Laguna Beach Unified School District operates public schools in Laguna Beach: lagunabeachcity.net, checked 2026-10-09
- The Laguna Beach Unified School District's School Boundaries page links to district boundaries and a district streets list: lbusd.org, checked 2026-10-09
- HOA rules in communities such as Blue Lagoon and Three Arch Bay shape everything from guest parking to beach access; in gated and HOA communities the association's rules apply on top of the owner's: realatrends.com, checked 2026-10-09
- A parcel's building-site designation shows in the city's GIS and decides whether an unimproved property may be developed: lagunabeachcity.net, checked 2026-10-09
- Design review sends shoreline and bluff protective devices to a public hearing, as it does all new buildings (with exceptions for ADUs and some new primary dwelling units) and improvements above 15 feet; development subject to design review, or exempt from it, may still need a coastal development permit: ecode360.com, checked 2026-10-09
- Short-term lodging is no longer allowed in the R-1, R-2 and R-3 districts; existing permitted units are legal nonconforming and the use runs with the land; new short-term lodging is allowed only in the LB/P, C-N, C-1, CH-M and SLV zones and in districts of the Downtown Specific Plan: lagunabeachcity.net, checked 2026-10-09
- Short-term rental means renting a lodging unit for 30 consecutive days or less: lagunabeachcity.net, checked 2026-10-09