Nice location with nice picnic benches . Parking is $10 /car. Bathrooms are absolutely disgusting, the least you can do is hose them down. They smell disgusting, no seat covers , no soap. Just pure disgusting, nasty floors. read more

Absolute dumbest parking policy I've ever seen in my life. There were spots available but the park agents turned me and my 2 year old daughter away because they let people in in random unannounced shifts? They couldn't even get their bs stories straight because one agent said they were completely full even as cars were leaving. read more

Love camping here when I can get a spot. Usually windy and cold so bring layered clothing. Well worth the views, clean beach. My fav spot on the coast due to closeness to South Bay. Campsites are away from parking so most of the time you only hear ocean waves. read more

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Easy to find and family friendly! Simple walk down to the beach from the parking lot. Parking is $10, and they take cards and cash. It can get quite windy and cold, so pack accordingly. Lots of bathrooms. Lovely views! read more

Francis Beach - Gorgeous views on Father's Day - Beaches Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

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My sisters and I were looking for a beach to take all the kids and the dog. One of my sisters used to bring her lab to this beach to run around off leash. The parking located at one beach where dogs are not allowed. So you park then walk along the beach to the dog area. I think the parking fee was around $10.00. We were pretty much alone at the beach. The weather was meh. I'm always cold so I'm not the best judge of temperatures. We went in August. August is weird time in Northern California. My kids had fun. The waves weren't too crazy but you can never be to sure. So keep those adventurous kids safe. If you want a fairly quiet location to come enjoy the sunny-ish weather of Northern California Id come check this beach out. There is also camping with in walking distance, which we will be checking out very soon. read more

Francis Beach - Beaches Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

Nice beach with a really large parking lot! No dogs allowed on the beach but there is a top area with picnic benches where you can have dogs. It's a very uneven steep path to the sand so beware. read more

Francis Beach - Beaches Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

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Crowded. Like, almost uncomfortably so. Popular beaches were never really my thing even during the pre-COVID era, but now I've really grown an appreciation for the more subdued beaches. With that being said, there's still no denying that this beach is breathtakingly gorgeous. If you were to remove the crowds, this would easily be a 5 star beach in my book. I came here because it was close to where I grabbed dinner, and I just needed a place to truly enjoy it before the sun went down. You know what I'm talkin' about. Those beachy sunset dinner vibes. I truly cannot get enough of that ish. But anyways... my cheap ass was too cheap to pay the $10 parking fee to park close by. Probably would have paid it had I spent most of the day there. But since it was less than a few hours, I just decided to park in the neighborhood. A fair warning to those who would like to try this method; it be PACKED. As in: street parking is damn near non existent. I'm the type doesn't mind walking a bit to get to the beach though. If you have patience, you'll be able to find some street parking. Otherwise, that $10 parking fee might just be worth it. There's actually a decent amount of parking at this beach. Lot of amenities here too. You can actually camp here at the beach. I guess this is why this spot is so popular. People bring their tents and gear and just camp out. They have outdoor showers, restrooms, picnic areas with bbq pits, and a portion of the Half Moon Bay Coastal Trail even runs past this beach. Francis Beach is just one of the many beaches that make up Half Moon Bay State Beach recreation. But anyways, back to this beach. It's pretty gorgey. I couldn't stop looking at those endless sand dunes. It's like something out of a movie. Just stunning, honey. Plus that bright blue sky and those beautiful white waves. I'm ALL here for it. Super soft sand. All that jazz. Once I got over the fact that I was just going to have to share this beauty with the entire town, I was actually able to truly enjoy myself here. Honestly, I've been busier beaches in my day (cue Carmel Beach). But, this was one that I had wished that I could have all to myself. Despite this, I still enjoyed everything else about it. Would I return?! It would have to be during the off season or even during a week day for me to really even consider it at this point. But, I'm glad I went. read more

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The nice thing about this beach is that is has a paved slope down to the beach, which made access with my wagon full of baby items a lot easier than many other beaches. It is pretty clean and has bathrooms which is a plus. The waves are pretty strong here, so it's not too friendly for dipping babies toes in the water. Overall, great beach for picnics and watching the waves. read more

Gorgeous beach!! Parking is convenient, $10 flat fee. Even on a busy day, it was not super packed, and the sand is wide enough to accommodate a lot of people. Long stretch of beach, which was clean, well-maintained, and beautiful! read more

Francis Beach - Beach - Beaches Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

One of a few beaches along highway one near half moon bay. It's $10 to park. Plenty of benches with bbq areas and a huge area for camping. A lot of motor homes there today right near the beach. read more

Francis Beach - Beaches Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

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I've been meaning to write when we first camped her in our "new to us" tiny 16' trailer. We camped back in Oct. 2020 as a test run with our new trailer and 83 year old Nana along too... It was chilly at night and gorgeous during the day. We loved this campground because even with an RV, you can pitch tent. My boys loved their extras space since our trailer is small. The campground is very clean, other campers are very nice on both trips. Our latest trip was end of April 2021 and we were lucky to catch a warmer day. Both emails and phone calls were answered quickly with warm and friendly responses. It did take some time to find a direct number that wasn't the rv camp america number, but once I had it, they were great. We arrived about 15 min before check in time the second time around and were still greeted with a smile and just asked to wait in the big lot with others and walk up check in after was fine. We took that time to stretch and enjoy ocean views! You can't go wrong with any campsite, there are some with ocean views and extra space an IMO worth the extra $$ to wake up bedside with that view, but it's a small campground, clean facilities and all steps from the beach. You will have to leave camp for an ATM - know you need cash for firewood. Ugh, we had no cash and only one night didn't feel like unhooking the trailer so we used charcoal for some smores and called it a night... We did see this second trip that the dump station has been improved but looks as though there may be a fee coming (that was covered in plastic for now) and not sure what they will be charging.. at least that appears credit cards a welcome. I still give 5 stars with minor dings - a favorite for my kids and we will be back. We didn't feel it was crowded at all after visiting Santa Cruz so it may all be relative. It also wasn't super warm, but our second stay it was upper 80's inland so 70 at the beach was great for my kids (not for me so much LOL.. magazine in the sand with a jacket yes!) read more

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Came down here because it was the trailhead for the Half Moon Bay Coastal trail. Got here after the long lines on Skyline Blvd itself to find another line to enter and pay a $10 parking fee. A reasonable parking fee if one had planned on staying for a day on the beach. Signs say no dogs allowed on beach with plenty of rangers but still see plenty of people with dogs walking across from Francis to Popular Beach. No enforcement at all. Said to be a Coastal trail but it is like walking across the Great Highway in San Francisco with houses in the background. read more

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this beach is such a nice spot for all sized groups - definitely something that's family and kids friendly. my friends and i stopped by to celebrate our friend's birthday and really enjoyed the gorgeous scenic view but also the convenience of the amenities like bathrooms. there was car parking available but with a $10 entrance/parking fee. it was easy to access to the beach and oceanfront from where you park. the beach was also relatively pretty clean. the weather may be a bit cloudier and colder when we went in July but nonetheless, a great spot! read more

Francis Beach - Beaches Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

This has been my go-to beach in HMB for years. Shame, I suddenly don't want to anymore. Today at the parking entrance I felt something a little... discriminatory. The lot was full. I asked if I could wait; people come and go all the time, and I've waited before. No, the ranger lady emotionlessly answered, it's not allowed because with only one car, alone, I managed to block the emergency lane. I mean, the other lane was already blockaded, and that must've been for some non-emergency reason. Alright. I parked somewhere else, paying double, and walked back with a full cart, only to see more than 10 cars lining up all the way to Kelly Ave... I asked the other ranger how this was allowed, and now how could their imaginary ambulances and firetrucks come inside. He said, well, look, the cars were moving, so that's fine! When someone makes up things awkwardly like this, you know any further conversation would be a total waste of, everything. I guess if you travel with a group of friends all driving, you can always get a spot here. This wasn't a huge deal per se, but still very discouraging. Today's very likely my last visit here. 2 stars for the many years of memories. read more

Very nice camping spots with beautiful views, but they seriously need to update their bathrooms and showerheads. You have to almost hug the wall to get wet come on California State get busy we pay enough taxes. read more

Really nice beach! Lots of picnic benches to sit, big parking lot, clean beach. Parking was only $10 for the day. Overall great beach and hang out spot for lunch. Even has grills to cook some food fresh for the day read more

Absolutely love this beach. So beautiful and peaceful. Not as crowded as some of the popular beaches which is nice. The campground is amazing , right off the beach with a spectacular ocean front view. In my opinion, it's better than Kirk Creek in Big Sur because it's not on top of the high cliff. The beach is just right there , you can walk down to the beach from your camp site. Ahhhhh I wished I was camping there right now. It's Half Moon Bay meaning it can get cold and windy anytime of the year. Check the weather before going. read more

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Quietest campground I have ever been to. The sites are pretty close together but have everything you need: huge, sturdy tables and good sized fire pits. We were in site 8, which features two coastal cypress trees. Site 8 is very flat & tent stakes went in easily. The walk to the restroom is a short one, both the toilet stalls & coin operated showers were always clean. We checked in at 3:00, pitched our little tent, and made the pleasant 1.2 mile walk to downtown. We met up with some friends at one of the little bars and grabbed an über to and from the Ritz. After enjoying some wine and a couple of night caps, we enjoyed our walk back to camp & spent about an hour down on the beach before heading to bed. There is a dry log a little bit down the beach path, that is perfect for taking in the night waves, lights, and sounds. I slept in pretty late, due to the lack of noise in this camp. The campground is far enough from streets, so all you really hear are the crashes of the ocean waves. That may be a different story on a weekend but on a Tuesday night, it was very pleasant, even with a full campground. The park rangers left us alone, but were there if you needed them. Such a quaint little slice of beach camping heaven! read more

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TLDR - sites are very close to beach (1-2 min walk), some spots have electric hookups, campground water/sewer, diagonal parking spots for easy back-in, friendly staff Absolutely loved it here. Francis Beach is connected to Half Moon Bay State Beach, but is primarily for campers. The day use lot for HMB is adjacent to the tent/rv sites, but they are indeed separate. We were able to get an rv spot with electric hookups, and the communal water/sewer station for the campground was convenient (you can pull in to this before you leave). They had a water filter plugged into the hose at the water station so technically it's drinkable. You can hear the waves from your trailer, so awesome to fall asleep and wake up to that pleasant sound. There are bathrooms and showers, even though we didn't need these. The camp host stays in an RV near the entrance. She was super friendly and very helpful. I also appreciate that getting a hold of someone over the phone is relatively easy, unlike some other state (or private) campgrounds. read more

Amazing beach & very convenient place for barbecue, with tables and benches! Love it ! read more

Francis Beach - Beaches Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

Positive - clean, attentive park host, showers and bathrooms clean, stocked and operating. RV sites well maintained and easy beach access. I appreciated seeing a LE presence several times a day and night. Negative- I should NOT have to be subjected to your nasty 2nd hand marijuana smoke, legal or medicinal. If you wish to partake, hot box in your vehicle. My 7&7 or beer does it interfere with your environment unless u want me to urinate on your tabl read more

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Love this beach. Big parking lot. Life guards and public restrooms. Beautiful ocean trail for walk. Very easily access to the beach. read more

Immediately upon arrival in our 5th Wheel, we were greeted by a very helpful and friendly staff. From the people working the kiosk, to Ranger Erin and camp host Ken. We reserved a beach front site and had a wonderview of the ocean. The sunsets were beautiful and at night we could hear the waves crashing. Every moring the showers and restrooms were cleaned and presure washed. The rest of the campground was clean as well. The campground is just one mile from grocery & drug stores and an 8 minute drive to Sam's Chower House and other local restaurants and bars. Unfortunately, our stay was cut short because of storm that brought more wind gusts up to 65 mph and dry lightning strikes, which caused of the fires that started Aug. 16, 2020. A ranger came by around 9pm on Aug 23 and stated that we had to leave by noon on Monday, Aug 24 beause of the proximity of the CZU Lightning Complex fire. However, she we could hang out at the state beach parking lot until sunset while we made other arrangements and that we would get a refund for the nights we couldn't stay. Overall, it was a great exeperince and we got lucky with the weather, with only have a couple of minimal foggy days. read more

Francis Beach - HMB Sunset - Beaches Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

Great beach in Half Moon bay. So many picnic tables. Gorgeous views. It's often windy so bring coats. The beach is lovely. And apart from one surly older state worker attendant, the rest are lovely. read more

We brought our trailer here for the first time and we can't wait to go back, it's right at the beach and it's super chill. We had a great time, bathrooms are a little crusty but they are open to everyone so I'm sure they get some drifters, we use our trailer so it doesn't matter to us, the rest makes up for that. Beautiful beach and nice sites read more

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This campsite was the perfect destination for a little week day adventure. The park offers RV and tent camping which is why the fee is expensive ($60 because of the generator hook up, though I couldn't figure out how to get it on). The actual area of the site was very small. If I were to go again I would have chosen a site that lines the coast with an ocean facing, rather than on the inside grass of the loop. However, the bathrooms were clean with mirrors and flush toilets. No soap though so bring hand sanitizer, there are showers that are coin operated but are heated! (50 cents = 3 mins) There was barely even a walk to the beach, and we fell asleep to the crash of the waves. The only down side to being so close to the ocean was the wind at night. We had trouble starting a fire with just news paper and wood so we had to go buy a little fire-starting log and coals. All around it was as close as you can get to plopping a tent right on the sand. Keeping in mind that Half Moon Bay is generally a cold, over cast beach this was a great mini vaca. read more

Francis Beach - This is the campsite with the table, fire pit, and our two person tent. The pavement on the ground is parking. - Beaches Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

Showers, easy walk to beach, bring a bike for the most awesome ride along the coastal bluff. I can't say a bad thing about this campground. One of my favorite camping spots. I kinda lucked out and got a beautiful 3 nights with perfect weather in January. Surf fished and caught a 14" surf perch. Bonus! All in all I most definitely will be back. Loved it. read more

I needed a vacation. Enter Half Moon Bay and it's delightfully salt drenched air and relaxing sand beaches. The beach was extraordinarily clean. I mean fine tooth comb. And though we were charged ten dollars to park (they don't take cards), it was worth it after slogging through yards of sand to just walk a few feet and collapse in the car. I think the icing on the relaxing sun-covered cake was when a of a pod of dolphins, baby included, swam incredibly close to the shore and gave us a show. The baby with it's tiny fin was so cute! Awesome beach and awesome day :) read more

We camped here the last 3 days - it is a nice place for beach tent-camping except unfortunately it was very cold, very windy, and very foggy during our stay. We didn't see the sun once. But it was impossible to predict such weather especially since we booked 6 months ago. There are bathrooms with hot showers (coin operated) at both ends of the campground and we found them clean. Campsites are VERY close to each other and there are not a lot of shade trees. (see photo) We walked the pacific coast trail for about a mile and back - very nice walk. read more

Francis Beach - This is how close each campsite is to each other. - Beaches Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

Beautiful beach! I loved the space (even if there was a lot of people this one hot summer day). I wanted to get away from 100+ degree Fairfield and convinced my family to come here. We left our house at 11 and didn't get to HMB until almost 1pm (please leave early to not get traffic!). Parking at the lot was full (plus it's $10). We parked next to a cute little produce barn for $5 and only a few blocks away! It was foggy, but soooo nice to get away from the 100 degree weather. I got to walk along the ice cold water (wanted to go swimming but water was WAY TOO COLD for me). I got to picnic, read a book, and tan my white legs! I also got to unplug from my phone for a while. Something I'd rather do at home, but it's sooooo hard with technology everywhere! I think the only negative is the public restrooms. There were nonstop lines all day, and it got way too gross at the end of the day with people washing sand off themselves. Bring some soap and water to wash your hands. I'm a total germaphobe, so I'm glad I brought some soap and extra water to keep clean hands. But, it's soooo worth coming here for a beach day! Relaxing. :) read more

Francis Beach - Beautiful day despite the fog! - Beaches Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

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The park staff are rude and officious and appear to be annoyed by people enjoying life! Seriously! TDS in full swing! We reserved online, upon arrival we found our rig did not FIT in the spot. Online it states changes can be made for $7.99, ok, but they REFUSED! We approached every road block they threw at us calmly and respectfully, hoping to be responded in kind... no such luck! "No switching is our new policy". Alright, I'll BUY another site. "No (handing me my ticket back), you already have a reservation you have to be in this site!" Me: "So I can't purchase multiple sites?" Older female ranger "NO" and calls the park ranger. Mind you this was mid-week and the park was at least half EMPTY! I'm not starting my vacation with all this negativity! We left, found the nicest people down the way who had larger sites and great attitudes! Too bad, it's a beautiful spot, but the employees need some basic kindness training! read more

Great clean beach and perfect views when it is not foggy...but oh my goodness, it is always so chilly here! Best time to go here is when the east bay is in the 80's to 90's then it will be in the upper 70's. Perfect weather if you want to cool down from being in the east bay. We went camping here and it was just right during the summer. The water is super cold but kids loved to play in the sand. Best views and the water is pretty clear. Great for a walk or to hang out with family. You have to pass by and appreciate what the California beaches offer.... read more

Awesome location for walking along the beach, playing in the surf, and watching the vibrant sunsets; camping is wonderful here, too! read more

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One of our absolute favorite places to be. Weather is always tolerable no matter the time of year. Great place to bike, camp, and have a beach day at. Grounds are well managed, and the camping site is clean all around (even the bathrooms). We come here every year and will continue to do so as this place draws a great crowd and a has a friendly surrounding atmosphere with chain restaurants, stores, and small, local shops. read more

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Lots of room, clean sand, clean water, great weather...what else can you ask for? When you realize that the only options in the Bay are Ocean Beach (bleck!!) and this, you'll definitely appreciate HMB. If you feel it's packed, you just need to walk further down and it's just as nice where you can sprawl out your things and chill. We had a nice picnic, people watched, we all brought books and read until we started burning, and played some frisbee. It was the perfect getaway not too far from home. No need to pay for parking. Just park at the residential areas just a 2 minute walk away. Climb down the slope or challenge yourself and climb down the rocks to get to the beach. Thanks, Francis! read more

It's a cool spot to have a BBQ by the waters. They have BBQ pits and plenty of benches. It's Half Moon Bay so be prepared and dress warm. Please note that it's $10 to park in the lot. My Eat Clubbers and I had our Team Building BBQ here and we had a fabulous time. read more

Francis Beach - The beach - Beaches Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

If you tent-camp here, bring a hammer to hammer in/pull out your stakes. Foghorns can keep you awake. No mosquitoes when we went. Bathrooms a bit dirty on Sunday night. Dinner at Sam's chowder house was good (if you can get a reservation and find a parking spot). read more

Camped here at the beginning of June. It's a state beach, so of course no hookups. (word is that the premium sites will be getting power in the fall though!). Clean shower and bathroom facilities. And of course, you're right on the beach. It's a very clean beach and perfect spot for watching beautiful sunsets. Enjoyed our stay! read more

great place to kick back this winter as the weather is superb!

Great beach - long stretch, clean sand, heavenly views. It was packed since it was a Sunny Sunday but not overcrowded if that makes sense. Saw no poop anywhere - unsure what other yelper was barking at. Lots of tourists seem to huddle near the parking lot. The north stretch is definitely less busy, more of the coastal locals that are chillaxin with their kids and no loud beer drinkers like the adolescents up near the ghetto campgrounds. And here's a plug: If you want to avoid the fee, park on Kelly and walk your lazy ass rather than complaining about a convenience fee to park close. :) read more