Goff Island

Goff Island is a tiny island in San Juan Capistrano, CA. It's essentially an oversized rock, but it's a popular tourist attraction for people who live or visit Southern California.

The rock was formed during the last Ice Age by volcanic activity. It was once part of the mainland and slowly separated from the coast as the ocean level rose. It's made of granite, which is one of the strongest rocks on Earth.

The island itself is no more than 100 yards long and 50 yards wide, but it has been enlarged over time with material dredged up from the seafloor and deposited on top of it by surfers, swimmers and boaters since it first became a popular tourist attraction in the late 1950s.

Goff Island is named after the Goff family, who owned a cannery there during the early 20th century. Helen Hinschberger Cobb bought the island in 1945 and donated it to Orange County to be used as a public park. The county added to its size by bringing in fill and letting nature take its course over time.

Goff Island is an oceanfront property in the heart of San Juan Capistrano, CA. This private island is located a short distance from Dana Point and Lido Isle. The island boasts two homes, one built-in 1910, the other in 1989, as well as a boathouse, pier and a large cistern that collects rainwater for irrigation. The island property also includes a boat launch and dock, providing easy access to nearby activities such as fishing, surfing and boating. The island is 1.8 acres with roughly 200 feet of waterfront along San Mateo Creek.

The George Alexander Estate occupies the island and was built in 1910 by the owner who designed it himself using concrete blocks to build this Mediterranean Revival-style home.

With less than one hour from Los Angeles, the island is conveniently located near many attractions including Disneyland, Knott's Berry Farm and Legoland California. You will also enjoy easy access to all of Orange County's finest beaches including Newport Beach, Laguna Beach, and Corona Del Mar.

The island has been featured in several movies including "The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement" and "Charlie Wilson's War".

Goff Island is a tiny island in the San Juan Capistrano area. From the mainland, it looks like a large rock in the ocean, but it's actually rising from the seafloor. It consists of a barren rock formation with some cactus and other vegetation clinging to it for dear life. There are no facilities on Goff Island, other than a staircase leading down to the beach, but with its high vantage point, it's a good place for whale watching (particularly in fall).

The best time to visit Goff Island is at low tide when you can explore tide pools on the rocky shore. There are many small pools that you can examine, but only venture out if you are familiar with the ocean tides and know how to recognize when conditions are too dangerous.

In late summer through fall, there is good whale watching off of Goff Island. The whales migrate past this area heading south and then return north towards their breeding grounds. Blue whales have been spotted in this area so keep an eye out for them!

Founders Park

Cefali & Cefali