Beaches

Surfers' Beach, located in Half Moon Bay, California, is a must-visit destination for surfers and beach-goers alike. Known for its consistent waves, Surfers' Beach offers an experience that is unmatched by other beaches in the area.

One of the main draws of Surfers' Beach is the quality of its waves. The beach is situated next to the jetty that forms Pillar Point Harbor, which helps to create a consistent swell that is perfect for surfing. The waves at Surfers' Beach are suitable for both experienced and beginner surfers, making it a great spot for anyone looking to catch a wave.

Montara State Beach is a popular spot for sunbathing, strolling, nature study, surfing, and more. The beach, west of Highway 1, has high bluffs and a sandy shore nestled between bounding low hills. To the east, Montara Mountain (also known as McNee Ranch) looms above. The mountain is a northern spur of the Santa Cruz Mountain range and features the only undisturbed coastal mountain habitat found on over 100 miles of coastline.

Mavericks Beach at Pillar Point near Half Moon Bay is the site of the annual big wave surfing competition called Maverick’s. This big wave surf area is located a quarter-mile offshore from bluff top viewing areas outside the Air Force military installation on Pillar Point. From a distance Pillar Point is easy to spot as it has a huge white ball (a “radome” that encloses a telemetry dish for tracking aircrafts) on top.

The landforms under the water at Mavericks create a unique big break when large winter swells roll in. The surf competition is held when (and if) sufficient conditions occur between November and March. It’s “on” when there’s a strong winter W-NW swell and wind coming from the east blowing offshore

Ross Cove Beach is on the north side of Pillar Point between Half Moon Bay and the city of Moss Beach. The cove is inside the boundary of the San Mateo County-operated Fitzgerald Marine Reserve. On the south side of Pillar Point is Maverick’s Beach, the site of the annual Maverick’s Surf Competition. Above Ross Cove Beach is the Pillar Point Bluff Park with trails for jogging and dog-walking.

To find Ross Cove from Highway 1, drive through town of Princeton-by-the-Sea and then drive north on West Point Avenue to the end at the Pillar Point Marsh day-use parking lot. There are a couple trails that descend the steep bluff west of the parking area (across the road). One is up the Air Force Military Facility road right before their gate and the other is up the gated radio tower road directly west of the tower. Inspect the routes before descending as coastal conditions and bluff trails are always changing due to erosion. At high tide and during storms this beach may not be accessible or safe.

Miramar Beach parallels Mirada Road in the Miramar neighborhood in Half Moon Bay. The beach and the road are eroding away so during times of high tides there is no sand exposed to walk on. A rock barrier is doing its best to protect the pavement above the beach. North of Magellan Avenue the beach road long ago fell into the ocean. What’s left is an undeveloped open park area and an eroding shoreline. This park is known as Mirada Surf West (an area once called Vallejo Beach) and contains a portion of the California Coastal Trail that heads north and south for bikers, runners, and walkers. Miramar is located off Highway 1 between Half Moon Bay and El Granada. To get here, turn onto Magellan or Medio Avenue and then look for free parking spaces along the streets. A small pocket of sandy beach exists below the footbridge where Arroyo de en Medio Creek flows intermittently to the ocean. To access the beach at this location, find parking spaces near the intersection of Mirada Rd and Medio Ave or look for legal parking spots south of the footbridge (next to address 201 Mirada Rd, Half Moon Bay, CA 94019). The access stairway has been destroyed so the only safe beach access is behind the footbridge where a steep path descends to the creek. From there you walk under the bridge (which is painted in colorful graffiti) to the beach. If you walk south on the beach or on the Coastal Trail you will run into Roosevelt Beach in Half Moon Bay State Beach.

Venice Beach is the middle beach of five within Half Moon Bay State Beach. The large parking area is at the west end of Venice Boulevard which turns off Highway 1 just north of downtown Half Moon Bay. At the entrance station you must pay a fee for day-use beach access. Several trails drop down to Venice Beach from the parking area. This sandy beach is between two creeks (Pilarcitos and Frenchmans) which sometimes breach the beach and flow into the ocean. Birds are common users of the freshwater of Pilarcitos Creek south of here next to Elmar Beach. The Half Moon Bay Coastal Trail runs north and south to the other state beaches and beyond. Hikers, runners, and bikers, share this paved trail in this area. There is a parallel trail for horseback riders but horses are restricted from entering the beach. Swimming is dangerous in this area due to the cold water temperature and strong rip currents.

Dunes Beach is one of the northern beaches in Half Moon Bay State Beach. To reach the parking area turn onto Youngs Road just north of Half Moon Bay on Highway 1. At the end of Youngs Road there is a state park entrance station where they charge a fee for day-use parking (pay with an envelope if the shack is closed). Short steep sandy trails take you down to the beach through the dunes on the bluff. South of the beach access the beach is below sandstone bluffs and north of the access are the beach’s namesake dunes. The Half Moon Bay Coastal Trail runs north-south behind the parking lot for running, walking, and biking. This paved path extends the entire Half Moon Bay shoreline from Pillar Point to Redondo Beach. North of Dunes Beach is Roosevelt Beach with a separate parking area down a long one-lane paved road. Both lots access the same continuous sandy beach. Be careful next to the bluff which is eroding and coming down in large chunks.

Roosevelt Beach, a.k.a. Naples Beach is the northernmost beach in Half Moon Bay State Beach. The signed Roosevelt Beach parking lot is located at the end of Youngs Road off Highway 1 north of the Half Moon Bay urban center. This Youngs Road entrance is shared with another state park parking lot for Dunes Beach. Roosevelt Beach is in front of the Miramar neighborhood at the intersection of Roosevelt Boulevard and Naples Avenue. Signage discourages parking in this neighborhood, but if you can find a legal space it’s free to park here. Trails descend through dunes from the parking lot to the sandy beach. The Half Moon Bay Coastal Trail is behind the parking lot and heads north to Pillar Point, site of the famous Maverick’s surf competition, and south along the entire length of the state beach. This trail is popular for walking and bike riding. Note that swimming is dangerous in this area due to cold water temps and strong rip currents.

Francis Beach is the southernmost beach in Half Moon Bay State Beach. Francis Beach has a nice grassy park with many of picnic tables and barbecues on the bluff above the ocean. This wide sandy beach below is great for sunbathing and beach walking.

Poplar Beach is a city-run beach in Half Moon Bay, CA. Poplar is a popular beach with families, dog owners, and even horseback riders which sometimes adds a horse poop smell to the beach access. From the parking lot you’ll have to hike the steep trail down to the beach. Bring sturdy shoes for the hike down the bluff. Once on the sand you can ditch the shoes and walk quite a ways in either direction.

Tunitas Creek Beach is a large, but hard-to-reach beach along Highway 1 south of Half Moon Bay. Those who get to visit the beach would agree that this is one of the most spectacular ocean beaches near the Bay Area. The highway bridge over Tunitas Creek gives you a peek-a-boo view of this stunning spot, but access is challenging at this point in time. It will get better however thanks for a local land trust.

There is a pull-out parking area on the ocean side of Highway 1 south of the bridge. From there a path leads to the bluff where a steep and eroded trail descends to the beach. It has fixed ropes on the final section, but keep in mind that ropes wear out over time so don’t put all your weight on it while descending. If the trail is wet it is not climbable as the dirt gets very slippery. Only capable people that are comfortable with steep trails should attempt to go all the way to the beach. Bring sturdy shoes and a backpack to carry what you’ll need for the day so your hands will be free while going down the trail. Even if you don’t go down the last section, there is a great view of the beach from the top of it.

The battle for Martins Beach continues. In November of 2019 an appellate court in San Francisco ruled in favor of the landowner who bought the land behind the beach in 2008. This means that the road to the beach is still considered private even though it was open to the public for years (for a fee). It now appears that the property owner will apply with the California Coastal Commission for a permit to restrict public access. Here is the history of this beloved beach.

Martins Beach, located just south of Half Moon Bay, is a public beach in front of a private gated community. The property is surrounded by high cliffs and farm lands so there is just one way to the beach – the gated road. The land and all the homes here were purchased through a couple of LLCs owned by billionaire Vinod Khosla in 2008 (for the price of $32.5M). At that time he closed the gate and put up signs to keep non-residents out even though the gate had been open on most days for years. In the past when the gate was open visitors could walk in for free or pay a small fee to park onsite near the beach. The Surfrider Foundation and others took up the battle to keep the beach open to the public and finally won in 2014. The gate is was opened to the public on intermittent days for a while, but Khosla decided to keep it locked after that. In early 2015 staff members of CaliforniaBeaches.com parked outside the gate and walked to the beach during daylight hours only to be escorted out by hired hands. In August 2017 Khosla lost another appeal and was ordered by the California courts to restore public access to the beach.