This beach is picturesque, but dangerous and difficult to access. It's not recommended for children…read moreor anybody who can't handle the steep incline. There's no bathrooms, jellyfish are abundant on the shore and wash up and back with the waves...with violent riptides even near the shore. Out on the rocks people are able to fish for perch, but the whole area is very windy and when lying down you'll be inundated with sand. The parking area is the second one past Laguna when driving north on PCH. It's far easier to navigate the steep cliff going down in shoes. Many of us were barefoot or in sandals and it really slows you down. As such, you're not going to easily get large objects like cool chests down to the beach. You'll not likely want to make multiple trips to the car either. The trash is still a concern as young people leave cans and bottles everywhere. Like some Yelpers have posted, I didn't experience any nudity, nor did anyone ask me to have sex with them, however, I suspect this area is not patrolled often because of it's limited access. I saw people drinking beer without impunity and so it's not hard to imagine, given this beach also appears in nudist beach listings in search results. In my experience, it was younger adults in groups, everyone was dressed. Two people were fishing. There's an arch in the cliffs which leads to another beach to the left, and then rock formations you can carefully walk out on to the right and fish from. It appears high tide covers these areas, so keep that in mind. There were at least 60 people on the beach, so I don't understand the posts about being quiet and secluded, either. This property used to be owned by a dairy company and was ceded to the state, which explains it not having a long public history and the abandoned railroad tracks paralleling PCH. Nobody was surfing or out in the water and that's good, because the riptides are especially fierce and very close to shore. If there's no jellyfish you can walk in the surf washing up but that's about it. I wouldn't recommend going into the water and wouldn't stay on the other side of the arch on the beach when the tide is rising. I also noticed there's no cellular reception, either.

Beautiful, hidden beach with crashing waves and nary a soul. Park at the dusty little lot straight…read moreoff of Laguna Rd on Hwy 1. If you can't find it, the coordinates are (36.986927, -122.156281). From there to the beach, cross the road, go over the railroad track, past the field of poison ivy and down the sandy, rocky ledge. Needless to say, this path is not for the handicapped. The waves are rough and the wind strong; swimming is not advised. But the sand is warm and untouched. Walking further along, there's a lagoon of waste water surrounded by seagulls (and seagull poop!) Along the cliffs at the edge of this small stretch of peaceful and picturesque, tide pools with sea anemones and sea snails can be seen at low tide. This is your chance to go off the beaten track and take the road less traveled. At least until this too becomes popular.

Really nice beach but I wish they allowed Bonfires . Most Davenport beaches do not , overall great…read morehangout location.

OMFG...I finally made it to the swing at the Davenport Beach?! :D…read more I did not read any reviews about this spot before coming here. I just bookmarked for a couple of years, and I finally visited it. My boyfriend and I along with his doggie were having a day out in Santa Cruz. I told him that we should visit this place so that we can swing on the beach. He was down for it, but once we found the way to get down to it--he said, "No way, I'm doing that." I *did* not let that stop me from going down there to experience the swing though. My boyfriend and his doggie stayed at the top of the cliff and watched me climbed down to the beach. Yes, it was pretty treacherous. Thank goodness there was a rope with knots to hold onto. Otherwise, I don't think I would be able to do it successfully without that lifesaver rope. Thank you so much to whoever secured that rope there! Also, I do want to point out I did this in a dress and flipflops?! Crazy right.. Then again.. I'm crazy, I do admit it. ;) There were a four gals and guys down there chilling. I asked them if there was another way to get in and out of here, but they confirm that that was the only way in and out. I got to swing on the swing and took some videos. The swing looked cool from the photos that I seen, but it doesn't swing well straight. It does swing sideways. Lol... It took me about 7 minutes to go down and about 4 minutes to climb back up. I know this because my boyfriend recorded me. Lol... I'm very grateful that I was determined to do this despite the company that I had didn't want to do it. Years ago I let someone that I was with who didn't want to do it influence me to also not do it when we visitied Alamere Falls so I won't let that happen anymore. If there is something I want to do, it's okay to do it alone when other people don't want to do it. That's on self-love, baby! There is two parking areas. We initially parked in the one right across the post office, but then we follow this group to the other one right next to it because it was closer. We walked across the railroad tracks and found the opening to the climb to the beach. I was sore for a few days afterwards in my legs from climbing the side of the cliff, but oh gosh... It was so worth it!

This is a great beach located just off of Highway 1 in the north end of Santa Cruz County. There…read moreare a few ways to get down to the beach; you can either cross the train tracks by taking the far south path and go directly down to the beach via a sandy path which can be a little tough to get back up, or take the far north path, cross the tracks, and take the steep, rocky path down. If you have time, walk along the cliffs above while you're there. The views are absolutely stunning. You can find some other amazing neighboring beaches close by as well. If you get lucky and come on a clear late afternoon, this beach is a great place to watch the sunset!

was having a good time until I was flashed. there are also children that were at this beach at that…read moretime. just totally unprompted and disrespectful to nearby families. if this was you, do better. creep.

While camping nearby we wanted to spend an afternoon at the beach. We chose this particular beach…read moreafter reading reviews. After parking (which can fill up quickly) it was a short easy walk to beach. It was a bit windy yet we found a cove that was somewhat protected. The sand is pretty, almost white in color & soft to walk on. I took a stroll to the tidal pool areas which was fabulous. I discovered quite a bit of tidal life including a few varieties of crabs. I was even treated to watching a crab fight! The color of the water was also beautiful- almost aqua. The beach was clean which is always appreciated.

A smaller beach, but pleasant…read more There's a small parking lot. Plenty of restrooms. I actually prefer going there when there is a storm, to watch the waves crash on the rocks. It's a nice beach and I recommend visiting all the state beaches along the coast.

This is my go to spot to get away from the heat of Silicon Valley and/or to let my dog enjoy the…read morebeach. There is an amazing ridge trail along the top of the cliffs that runs all the way down to the state beach, and beyond. Even during high tide I believe it is quite possibly the longest stretch of walkable beach in the area. Even on "busy "days you'll find plenty of space to do your own thing. We have only run to friendly dogs and no one seems to care that they are off leash and living their best lives.

Talk about a great day at the beach with pals! My friends and I ventured up to Half Moon Bay on a…read moreSaturday afternoon for a beach escape. I recommend driving through Woodside, despite it being a longer route, as the views along the way were stellar. Once you arrive, there's a sandy road leading to a parking lot. The parking lot was mainly full, so we had to park on the side of the road and walk the distance to the parking lot. The parking lot has some horses next to it. It can be a bit confusing once you get to the parking lot.If you want to stand above a cliff and look down, then being at the parking lot is perfect for you. But, if you would like to feel the sand beneath your toes or hop in the ocean for a dip, be ready for a trek down a large cliff. It did feel very scary, intimidating, and dangerous - especially since my friends were carrying large bags down - but it's a necessary evil journey down to enjoy the beach in its full glory. I do not recommend wearing flip flops if you're planning on going down to the beach, as it can be easy to slip down the cliff. I also wouldn't recommend going down if it was raining, as it can be very slippery due the large incline and pure height of the cliff. The beach is really long and was relatively empty when we had climbed down. There aren't any benches to sit on, so bring some seats or blankets to enjoy the view. The water is very cold, like many NorCal beaches, and there weren't any people swimming in it. Despite it turning gloomy, the views from the actual beach were beautiful, and in my opinion, worth the hike down. Also, like other beaches in NorCal, there was a windy breeze so bring a layer! We stayed until dark since we wanted to watch the sunset. If you thought it was hard going down, imagine scaling the cliff, carrying our own bags and trash bags, and in the dark. We had to use our phone flashlights to light the way, as there was no lighting around the beach or any of the cliffs other than some near the parking lot. I recommend just watching the sunset from the top to be safe. Overall, if you're okay with hiking down a cliff to access a beach, or even just admiring the view from the parking lot, Redondo Beach is a viable option for you. It's a bit hard to access and dark at night, but we thought it was totally worth it for the view, beach vibe, and good times with friends. We'll be back for another outing!

A little hidden gem in HMB - it was recommended to me by a friend years ago and now it's my go-to…read morespot. I often take friends and family here when they visit the Bay Area because it feels like a secret private beach. There's a small parking lot that I've never had issues with, fits maybe 10 cars but again - never had any issue securing a spot and I typically visit right before sunset which I imagine is one of the peak hours. There's a bit of a walk from the parking lot to the beach but there's a well worn path with fences on either side making it easy to walk down. It takes maybe 8-10 minutes (depending on how fast of a walker you are) to get to the beach/cliffside from parking so be prepared especially if you've got young children or gear (picnic fixins, chairs etc.). The stairs down from the cliff to the beach are relatively well maintained, I've gone many times over the years and I find they've kept up well. With small children you may have to be prepared for a slow walk or to pick them up and escort them down yourself as it can be steep. Once on the beach there is plenty of space for all to enjoy. We never have any issues finding an open spot for our picnic blankets to enjoy the sunset.

This is a nice, quiet family beach. We didn't actually go to the beach this time, but instead took…read morea leisurely hike along the coastal trail. The hike is so beautiful anytime of the year. At the beginning of summer, there are plenty of wildflowers, and you can't beat the cliff views. You'll probably run into a few rabbits and little critters, and the hike is calming and relaxing. This is a great place to enjoy some chill time.

This place is a hidden gem. I have passed by this area hundred of times, but never stopped to check…read moreit out. Always ending up at one of my usual beach spots along this stretch of PCH. The place of course has entry restrictions (No thank you Mr. Vinod Khosla) - but there is adequate space to park outside the barrier. What that also means is that the beach is not very crowded. Amazing views, and at low tide you can catch some interesting sea life swimming in the tide pools. Catch a beautiful sunset - relax and enjoy the beauty of northern California coast line.

After reading the reviews on here it seems like this beach is a little controversial. My sister…read morebrought me to this inconspicuous dirt parking lot and told me this is the beach we drove all the way to HMB for. I was confused but trusted her and we walked around a locked gate along a paved road about half a mile down to a serene and unique beachside area. Yes, there are dilapidated beach houses that are no longer in use along the beach. However, this adds to the character of this beach. It seems like only the locals really know of this beach no crowds or tourists. The walk down a steep path and back up is worth it for this view!

Enjoying this secluded beach starts with a small concrete parking lot with severely damaged uneven…read moresurface and plenty of dips, and no actually "spaces" (just find a way to make your car fit)... an adventure for your car! The trek from there involves following a dirt path among plantlife and walking down a rocky hill, even crossing over train tracks along the way... only a quarter mile, but feels a lot longer (Is that why they call it "4 mile"?!?). It's all worth it once you lay eyes on the beautiful sandy shore, And the moment you enter and step onto the sand, there's a small pond to your right with ducks! What a pleasant surprise to be found at the beach :D On a Sunday afternoon, there were just a handful of visitors, couples and families stretched out on their mats or little tents, enjoying the sunshine and sound of the waves. Surfers doing their thing on the water. A few dogs running free. Surfboards sitting inside a small cave-like tunnel, a cool formation along the mudstone cliffs, that you can actually go inside. A piece of advice, on a windy day, be prepared for sand to blow onto your belongings, especially if you have food or drinks, you may want to have your back to the wind to prevent the sand from ruining a good meal while picnicking. But it's easy to shake off your blankets and tents and such, so don't be afraid to get a little dirty as you lie in the sun and enjoy the peaceful atmosphere. One thing I did not like is that there is no cell service here (T-Mobile). But other than that, I loved everything about this place. And if you're not a big fan of all of the crowds closer to the Boardwalk but you want to be near the water, Four Mile Beach is definitely worth checking out.