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Plan your visit · Spring

Laguna Beach in April

April is drier than the months before it, with sunset after 7 p.m. all month. Gray whales are still heading north, and Visit Laguna Beach says blue whales are usually seen in April and May.

Avg high
73°F
Avg low
50°F
Ocean
60°F
Rain
0.80 in
Sunset
7:12–7:33 p.m.

Weather in April

NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the Laguna Beach station list an April average high of 73°F and an average low of 50°F. Both are higher than March’s.

Rain tapers off. The normal total is 0.80 inch, half of March’s 1.62, and the station averages 2.0 days with at least 0.10 inch. February’s normal, 3.39 inches, is more than four times as large.

Evenings are the longest of the spring so far. The U.S. Naval Observatory puts sunset at 7:12 p.m. on April 1, 2027, and 7:33 p.m. on April 30, in Pacific Daylight Time.

The ocean in April

As a guide to the water, NOAA’s San Pedro South buoy (station 46253) averaged about 60°F in April over 2015 to 2025. The buoy sits offshore, about 23 miles west of Laguna Beach, so its readings show the season and not the temperature at any one beach. The typical figure is 13 degrees below the average afternoon high on land.

The city says not every beach has a lifeguard at all times. Read the ocean safety guide for what Marine Safety advises on flags and rip currents.

What’s on in April

  • First Thursdays Art Walk. The walk is held on the first Thursday of every month, from 6 to 9 p.m. Galleries host artist receptions and demonstrations, a free trolley links them, and the Laguna Art Museum waives admission. See the Art Walk page.
  • Whales moving north. NOAA Fisheries says gray whales can be seen migrating north along the U.S. West Coast through May. Visit Laguna Beach says blue whales are usually seen in April and May, while Captain Dave’s and Dana Wharf describe blue whale season as starting in May. Treat the start of blue whale season as a range. The whale watching page lists the boat operators in Dana Point and Newport Beach, and shore lookouts closer to home.
  • Sawdust Spring Fling. The Sawdust Art Festival lists a Spring Fling among its three festivals. In 2026 it ran on three Friday-to-Sunday weekends from April 2 to 18, open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

The full year is on the events guide. The month before is covered in Laguna Beach in March, and the month after in Laguna Beach in May.

Crowds and getting around

The city’s off-season schedule continues through June 25, 2027. Besides the free Coastal Route trolley, the city runs Laguna Local, a free on-demand shared-ride service between residential neighborhoods and the main activity centers. Non-summer hours are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Thursday, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday. You book a ride in the Laguna Beach Transit app, on the TripShot website or by phone.

Leashed dogs are allowed on the beach at any time of day through spring, according to the city. See the getting around guide for the trolley and the parking guide for lots and meters.

What to pack

  • A light jacket for the evening. The average low is 50°F, so evenings out after the 7 p.m. sunset feel cool.
  • Short sleeves for the afternoon. The average high is 73°F.
  • A compact rain layer. April averages 2.0 days with at least 0.10 inch of rain, so a shell is optional.
  • Waterproof shoes. The city recommends them for tide pools.

Keep planning

Related pages

All of Plan your visit

Questions

How warm is Laguna Beach in April?

NOAA's 1991–2020 normals for the Laguna Beach station list an April average high of 73°F and an average low of 50°F, with 0.80 inch of precipitation. The station averages 2.0 days with 0.10 inch or more.

Can you see blue whales near Laguna Beach in April?

Visit Laguna Beach says blue whales are usually seen in April and May as they migrate north. The two Dana Point operators that list seasons give May as the start, so ask the company what it has been seeing.

What time does the sun set in Laguna Beach in April?

The U.S. Naval Observatory calculates sunset at 7:12 p.m. on April 1, 2027 and 7:33 p.m. on April 30, in Pacific Daylight Time.

How cold is the ocean at Laguna Beach in April?

At NOAA's San Pedro South buoy, the 2015 to 2025 April average is about 60°F, a guide to offshore water rather than a beach reading. The city says not every beach has a lifeguard at all times and advises swimming near a lifeguard.

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Last reviewed

Sources (14)
  1. NOAA NCEI 1991–2020 monthly normals for the Laguna Beach station (USC00044647): April average high 72.5°F, average low 50.1°F, precipitation 0.80 in, 2.0 days with 0.10 in or more: ncei.noaa.gov, checked 2026-10-27
  2. NDBC station 46253, San Pedro South, CA: Waverider buoy at 33.576 N 118.182 W in 66 m of water, about 23 miles west of Laguna Beach by great-circle distance from the station coordinates to 33.5427 N, 117.7854 W: ndbc.noaa.gov, checked 2026-10-27
  3. NDBC historical standard meteorological files for station 46253, 2015 to 2025, water temperature column averaged by calendar month: April about 60°F: ndbc.noaa.gov, checked 2026-10-27
  4. Sunset at Laguna Beach (33.54°N, 117.79°W), Pacific Daylight Time: 7:12 p.m. on April 1, 2027 and 7:33 p.m. on April 30, 2027: aa.usno.navy.mil, checked 2026-10-27
  5. First Thursdays Art Walk: first Thursday of every month, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., free to the public: firstthursdaysartwalk.org, checked 2026-10-27
  6. First Thursdays Art Walk: artist receptions and demonstrations; free trolley links member galleries; free Laguna Art Museum admission: visitlagunabeach.com, checked 2026-10-27
  7. Eastern North Pacific gray whales seen migrating north along the U.S. West Coast from mid-February to May; stay at least 100 yards from large whales: fisheries.noaa.gov, checked 2026-10-27
  8. Visit Laguna Beach: blue whales migrate north in spring and are usually seen in April and May: visitlagunabeach.com, checked 2026-10-27
  9. Captain Dave's: blue whales typically seen May to October, on rare occasions as early as February: dolphinsafari.com, checked 2026-10-27
  10. Dana Wharf: blue whales May to November: danawharf.com, checked 2026-10-27
  11. Laguna Local free on-demand shared-ride transit between residential neighborhoods and major activity centers, non-summer hours Monday to Thursday 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Friday 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., Sunday 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.; booked by the Laguna Beach Transit app, TripShot website or by phone; off-season trolley schedule Sept. 8, 2026 to June 25, 2027: lagunabeachcity.net, checked 2026-10-27
  12. Beach information: waterproof shoes for tide pools because the rocks can be sharp; leashed dogs allowed on the beach at any time of day in fall, winter and spring; not every beach has a lifeguard at all times; always swim near a lifeguard: lagunabeachcity.net, checked 2026-10-27
  13. Sawdust Art Festival Spring Fling: April 2 to 18, 2026, three three-day weekends, open Friday to Sunday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.: sawdustartfestival.org, checked 2026-10-27
  14. Sawdust Art Festival lists Summer Festival, Winter Fantasy and Spring Fling as its festivals: sawdustartfestival.org, checked 2026-10-27