Laguna Beach Junior Lifeguards

What the program is

The City of Laguna Beach runs Junior Lifeguards through its Marine Safety department. The city describes it as a program for youth between 8 and 15 who learn ocean safety, rescue techniques, beach activities, physical fitness and how Marine Safety operates, in an environment that stresses courtesy, respect and good sportsmanship. Participants are placed in groups by age and ability.

The program is open on a space-available basis. The dates and fees below are the ones the city published for summer 2026, and its page still showed them on October 28, 2026. The city had not posted 2027 dates by then, so treat the numbers as last year’s and read the current page before you plan.

Season and schedule

Junior Lifeguards takes place in two summer sessions. In 2026 Session 1 ran from June 15 to July 2 and Session 2 from July 6 to July 23. Classes meet Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, and all day Thursday. They do not meet on Fridays.

• Morning group: Monday to Wednesday, 9 a.m. to noon, and Thursday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Afternoon group: Monday to Wednesday, 1 to 4 p.m., and Thursday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The last Thursday of each session is a picnic. The city also lists field trips, with flyers handed out beforehand, small competitions during the sessions and an Ironchild event on the last day of each session.

Who can join: the swim test

The city says a participant is eligible if they either took part in the Laguna Beach program in 2025, or took and passed a swim test with the city that year. New participants must pass before they can register. Staff supervise every test, there is no fee, and you can take it as many times as you need.

The times the city states:

• Youngers, ages 8 to 11: 100 yards (four pool lengths) in 2 minutes 20 seconds.
• Olders, ages 12 to 15: 100 yards (four pool lengths) in 1 minute 50 seconds.

Tests are by appointment only at the Laguna Beach High School and Community Pool, 670 Park Avenue. For 2026 the city listed Friday evenings from 6 to 7:30 p.m. and Saturday afternoons from 3 to 4 p.m., on set dates between February 27 and May 30. The page links the appointment form. For questions about the test, call (949) 497-0788. The pool is described with the city’s other facilities in the recreation centers guide.

Registration and fees

For 2026 the city opened registration for Laguna Beach residents on December 1, 2025. Registration for non-residents began at 5 p.m. on Monday, March 23, 2026. The city’s page called the resident period “earlybird” registration.

The 2026 fee was $380 for residents and $405 for non-residents. The city counts as a resident anyone who lives within the boundaries of the Laguna Beach Unified School District. The fee covers shorts, a T-shirt, a rashguard, a towel, a group photo and a picnic.

What to bring

The city says participants report in uniform every day. It lists swim fins (duck feet or Dafins preferred), a hat, sandals, water and a towel, a backpack that holds all gear, sunscreen and lunch on most Thursdays. No jewelry is allowed except a watch. The city’s page says girls wear a navy blue one-piece swimsuit. It asks you to mark belongings in permanent ink.

Steps to join

1. Check the Marine Safety page for the current season’s dates and fee.
2. If the participant did not take part last year, book a swim test appointment and pass it. A returning participant skips this step.
3. Register through the registration link on the city’s page. Residents had a head start in 2026, so the date you register depends on where you live.
4. Collect the gear list before the first class, mark each item, and plan for lunch on most Thursdays.
5. Expect Monday to Thursday attendance and no Friday classes.

Contact

Marine Safety’s phone is (949) 497-0310. The Junior Lifeguard page names (949) 494-6571 for Junior Lifeguard questions and (949) 497-0788 for swim test questions. For other youth programs, including the city’s recreation camps, see the summer camps and youth programs page. For the beach itself, see Main Beach, and the children’s activities page lists tide pool education and other programs.