Gerstle Cove is part of Salt Point State Park on the rugged Sonoma Coast, featuring a small, protected cove that has been designated as a marine reserve where all marine life is protected. The cove offers some of Northern California’s best tidepooling opportunities during low tide, with abundant sea stars, anemones, and other intertidal creatures […]
Pomponio State Beach is a wide, sandy beach situated in a valley along Highway 1 between Half Moon Bay and Pescadero. The beach sits at the mouth of Pomponio Creek, which forms a small lagoon that attracts shorebirds and creates a protected area for wading. Sandy cliffs and coastal scrub vegetation frame the beach, providing […]
Manresa State Beach features a long stretch of pristine shoreline south of Santa Cruz, offering a less developed beach experience than more tourist-oriented areas. The beach is backed by impressive eroding bluffs and dunes that provide a natural buffer from nearby agricultural lands. A campground sits atop the bluff with 60 campsites offering proximity to […]
Pacifica State Beach, also known as Linda Mar Beach, is a mile-long, crescent-shaped sandy beach nestled at the mouth of the San Pedro Valley. Known as one of the most reliable surfing beaches in the Bay Area, it features gentle waves that make it particularly popular for beginning surfers, with a surf school and rental […]
Dillon Beach is a privately owned but public-accessible beach at the mouth of Tomales Bay in Marin County, characterized by its expansive white sand shoreline and dunes. Unlike most California beaches, it allows dogs off-leash, making it exceptionally popular with pet owners from throughout the Bay Area. The beach offers spectacular views of Point Reyes […]
Emma Wood State Beach stretches along a narrow strip of coastline between Highway 101 and the Pacific Ocean near Ventura. The beach is known for its excellent surfing conditions and fishing opportunities, attracting outdoor enthusiasts year-round. A unique feature of this beach is its self-contained RV camping area with 90 primitive sites situated directly on […]
Limantour Beach stretches along a narrow spit of land separating Drakes Bay from an estuary within Point Reyes National Seashore. This long, pristine beach offers more sheltered conditions than many Northern California beaches, making swimming possible during calmer days. The beach’s dual-sided nature, with the protected estuary on one side and the open ocean on […]
China Beach is a small, sheltered cove nestled between Lands End and Baker Beach in San Francisco’s Sea Cliff neighborhood. Named for the Chinese fishermen who once camped here, this pocket beach offers stunning views of the Golden Gate Bridge and Marin Headlands in a more protected setting than other nearby beaches. A paved parking […]
Fort Funston features dramatic 200-foot high sandy bluffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean on San Francisco’s southwest coast, offering one of the premier hang gliding locations in the country where colorful gliders soar above the shoreline. The beach below is accessed via a somewhat steep sand ladder and is known as one of the most dog-friendly […]
Seacliff State Beach features the iconic concrete ship SS Palo Alto at its southernmost end, an unusual World War I-era tanker now serving as an artificial reef and fishing pier. The beach stretches along Monterey Bay with views of the Santa Cruz Mountains to the north, offering excellent whale watching opportunities during migration seasons. A […]