The area’s beaches are ruggedly beautiful, many windswept or protected by towering cliffs. Here, you can find your own private cove, soak up the sun with other beach bums, examine tide pools, or walk down long stretches of coastline. You may even be able to work up the nerve to try a dip in the ocean, but beware—the water is very cold! The main beaches of Half Moon Bay, Santa Cruz, and Capitola may well have crowds on sunny weekends, while most of the beaches to the north and south are less visited and true getaways. A drive between Half Moon Bay and Santa Cruz along Highway 1 offers a number of attractive stops.
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Bean Hollow State Beach
Pescadero: 1 mile south of Pescadero Rd. on Hwy. 1; 650/879-2170
This relatively small beach consists of two sandy coves separated by a rocky out-crop. Popular activities include kite-flying and tide pool-watching. It’s a terrific place to check out large waves during the winter storm surges, but due to strong rip currents and heavy surf, swimming is not advisable. Facilities include picnic tables and restrooms. |
Capitola Beach
Capitola: at the Wharf & Esplanade; 831/475-7300
The mile-long beach of this picturesque coastal village is great for swimming and playing sand volleyball. Lifeguards are on duty May through October, and facilities include restrooms and showers. Just steps away is the Esplanade lined with quaint shops and restaurants. |
Cowell Ranch Beach
Half Moon Bay: half mile south of Miramonte Point Rd. on Hwy. 1; 650/726-8819
This newest state beach is still relatively undiscovered, with beautiful stretches of often unpopulated white sand. A half-mile walk past artichoke fields offers views onto a harbor seal preserve.
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Cowell Beach
Santa Cruz: off West Cliff Dr.; 831/420-5270
Sun worshippers and beach volleyball players flock to this miles-long beach. It’s also considered one of the best places in the world to learn how to surf, with a gentle wave that breaks for a long distance. |
Davenport Beach
Davenport: Hwy. 1
Once a thriving whaling site, this is now a relatively uncrowded beach considered a choice spot for surfers and wind surfers. Walk along the bluff or easy trek down to the protected cove where to catch a glimpse of sea otters, sea lions, or even a migrating whale. |
Gray Whale Cove State Beach
Montara: Hwy. 1; 650/726-8819
This sheltered 800-foot cove, also known as Devil’s Slide, is surrounded by stunning cliffs that drop abruptly into the Pacific Ocean. Gray whales can often be seen from the bluffs of this clothing-optional beach Facilities include restrooms and a picnic area. |
Greyhound Rock
Swanton: Hwy. 1 & Swanton Rd.
This beautiful cliff-side beach is a popular fishing and whale-watching spot, with tide pools, a picnic area, and hiking trails. |
Half Moon Bay State Beach
Half Moon Bay: entrances at Kelly Ave., Venice Blvd., and Young Ave. off Hwy. 1; 650/726-8819
This four-mile stretch of broad sandy coastline is made up of Francis, Venice, and Dunes beaches, all offering spots for sunbathing, fishing, and picnicking. Joggers and bicyclists enjoy the Coastside Trail that runs along the beachside bluffs, while equestrians take to the parallel horseback riding path. Facilities include restrooms, picnic areas, and a campground at Frances Beach. |
James V. Fitzgerald Marine Reserve
Half Moon Bay: Hwy. 1 between Moss Beach and Pillar Point; 650/728-3584. www.fitzgeraldreserve.org
One of Northern California’s largest and most frequented tide pool reserves; contains a fascinating array of 49 different species of sea life, plus an interpretive center. Call for tide information, as low tide is the best time to go. |
Lighthouse Field State Beach
Santa Cruz: West Cliff Dr. & Pelton Ave.;
831/420-5270
Popular for picnics and family get-togethers, this is also the location of the famed surfing mecca, Steamers Lane. The beloved lighthouse, which still warns boaters on foggy days and nights, houses the Santa Cruz Surf Museum (open Wed-Mon, 12-4pm). |
Montara State Beach
Montara: Hwy. 1; 650/726-8819
This long beach is a popular surfing spot due to its north-facing exposure to big swells from arctic storms, and also attracts visitors who come to fish and explore its tide pools. |
Moss Landing State Beach
Watsonville: Hwy. 1; 831/649-2836
Popular with surfers and wind surfers, this beach is great for picnicking, with coastal views and dune protection from afternoon winds. Also featuring offshore fishing and horseback riding trails, the beach is an important stop along the Pacific Flyway, making it a birdwatcher’s paradise. |
Natural Bridges State Beach
Santa Cruz: West Cliff Dr.; 831/423-4609
A great place for family outings, this moon-shaped beach features tide pools, nature trails, and natural rock arches that give the park its name, as well as a picnic area, visitor’s center, and restrooms. Between October and February, thousands of monarch butterflies assemble here as a stop on their annual migration route. |
Rio del Mar Beach
Aptos: Rio Del Mar Blvd.; 831/685-6500
This beach is composed of a strip of sand and a fishing jetty, with shops and restaurants nearby. |
San Gregorio, Pomponio & Pescadero State Beaches
San Gregorio & Pescadero: Hwy. 1; 650/879-2170
These three long beaches connect, offering miles of beautiful, stroll-worthy coastline along dramatic bluffs. San Gregorio includes a driftwood-strewn estuary with a variety of birds, while Pomponio offers a small lagoon and picnicking areas and Pescadero features sandy coves, tide pools, fishing spots, and picnic facilities. |
Seabright/Castle Beach
Santa Cruz: E. Cliff Dr. at Seabright Ave.; 831/427-4868
This long, sandy beach stretches from the Santa Cruz Boardwalk to the city’s Harbor, drawing a diverse crowd of locals and visitors. |
Seacliff State Beach
Aptos: State Park Dr. off Hwy. 1; 831/685-6500
An excellent fishing and swimming spot, this beach is also the home of the historic Palo Alto cement ship. Facilities include picnic areas, restrooms, and campsites. |
Twin Lakes State Beach
Santa Cruz: E. Cliff Dr. & 7th Ave.; 831/427-4868
One of Santa Cruz County’s warmest beaches, this is a popular spot for swimming, picnicking, and fishing. The adjacent Schwan Lake is a great location for bird-watching. |
Waddell Creek Beach
Boulder Creek: Big Basin Redwoods State Park, off Hwy. 1; 831427-2288
This is one of the area’s windiest spots, making it a spectacular locale for hang gliders, wind surfers, and spectators. The beach also marks the end of the scenic Skyline-to-the-Sea trail, which begins miles inland at the top of the Santa Cruz Mountains in Castle Rock State Park. |
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