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Beautiful day with low tides (less than 0ft) to go mussel foraging! I wasn't sure how many mussels will be there since Pillar Point seemed to explode in popularity during pandemic, but surprisingly there was a lot still! Other folks were foraging for sea urchins and crabs. Big sign at trail head tells you what can be foraged or not. Good number of families with kids relaxing on beach and checking out tide pools, making sand castles. Plenty of space to social distance. Trail construction going on, so parking lot was very limited. Many tried to park on side of road and got parking ticket. Can park in Princeton and another 5-10 min walk over. Port-a-potties are available at trail head. Bring own hand sanitizer.
Awesome beach, especially during King Tides if you enjoy exploring tide pools like I do (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=Ey_49X9Dm9j_vv6mp9WU0Q&userid=76vIFZcC7owykCBjMfGVXg, https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=S7vRf2nzN3tVe59LkN9aag&userid=76vIFZcC7owykCBjMfGVXg, https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=FXiWAfHBVV10q3B4d09YeA&userid=76vIFZcC7owykCBjMfGVXg, https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=1JRYolKbFGIkjpKM6Y8xgA&userid=76vIFZcC7owykCBjMfGVXg, https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=P6DyfD_z1QL1vNnYXGt38A&userid=76vIFZcC7owykCBjMfGVXg, https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=k7qQmzc1Q4zOrUVgVtnB8g&userid=76vIFZcC7owykCBjMfGVXg). It was super busy on New Year's Eve with the king tides/low tides. There were a lot of anemones, as well as a few starfish, hermit crabs, sea snails, and even a couple of small crabs. Make sure you dress warmly- even though the sun was out the day I went, it was freezing with the icy winds. For seafood lovers, you can also harvest your own mussels during the low tides. If you're interested in harvesting mussels, come prepared with waterproof boots, buckets, tools, etc. Also, make sure you follow all the fish & game regulations, since the sheriff was camped out inspecting a lot of people's hauls and giving tickets for those who didn't have fishing licenses. Parking is very difficult since this beach only has a very small lot (less than 10 spots). A lot of cars were parallel parked along the side, but avoid at all costs- the sheriffs were also walking down the line giving everyone tickets. You can park in another small lot at the bottom of the hill, and cut across the coastline to get to the main beach.
This place clearly is a surfer's paradise but is surprisingly pleasant for an evening hike if you're here with a few friends or alone. It's definitely not as family friendly as other beaches in the area. As I'm not an avid surfer, my review primarily focusses on the non-surf aspects of this beach. Pros - Absolutely stunning views of the ocean [Refer to my video] - Easy hike (.7-.8 miles of walkable area) - You can literally see the sea lions pretty close by. - Ample parking in the vicinity Cons - Not as family friendly , especially for toddlers and elder folks - The beach isn't as well-maintained or hygienic (lots of sea weeds and dirt that's washed ashore)
Beautiful spot! So nice to look at into the water and see the sunset. Low tide days are packed and unless coming early morning hours expect to park in the further lot or on the road and walk about 10-15 minutes. Was disheartening to see people pulling off groups of mussels and only taking one or two larger ones, discarding the rest, taking starfish and undersized rock crabs. Fish and Game/rangers (?) do come by and check bags on busy days so I hope people like that get caught. 4 portables by the parking lot. Haven't had luck with urchin but lots of mussels and I saw people clamming as well.
"If you want to get out there you got to forget about the pain. A wave like Mavericks will hold you down for minutes at a time. If you can't hold your breath for at least four minutes then you may as well not even paddle out." Frosty Hesson Marverick beach is magical, beautiful, and famous for having the biggest waves for surfers! If you are not a surfer like me, a walk along the beach is still magical, healthy, happy, and peaceful. I love the sound of those big waves! Looking at the ducks hunting for fish, the seagulls enjoying their ocean feast is wild! Parking is rough so this beach will never be crowded. The best time to get here is at sunrise or at sunset. So make your time, take your loved one, your doggies for a beach walk. You will be so incredibly happy!
***************************** 1,047 ******************************* Epic waves this year Maverick's Invitation Competition GoPro 2014, 40-50 FT high, awesome show if you love surfing or just surfers :-) $15 for general admission. $200 for VIP, you can sit wherever you are for GA ticket. Plenty of food trucks, beers, and free CLIF bar promotions here. This year wasn't as crowded as the precious year. They offer a few giant LED big screens for you to view the rides during the competition. A local band was playing 45 minutes straight post show. Then the ceremony at around 5 PM, and you got be up close and personal with all the top surfers around 5:30 PM. It's a family event, so there was a lot of kids. They do serve beer, but no wine (SUCK) this year, and plenty of food trucks. The portable bathroom was terrible. A lot of cops here, and the parking was crazy! We parked half mile away to walk up. Grant "Twiggy" Baker managed to ride the surf to two perfect scores of 10, overcoming howling winds and treacherous conditions to win his second Mavericks title. Baker's overall score of 29.33 put him well ahead of Shane Dorian second place, and nearly 13 points ahead of third-place Ryan Augenstein. Tyler Fox, Greg Long and Anthony Tashnick rounded out the finalists in that order. If you are a beach bum like me, surfing is a lifestyle, I got to see the North Shore in Oahu Hawaii, and now this the last few years, this is as good as it gets, and this year it wasn't that cold, it was a perfect day out for us.
Even without the annual Maverick's surf contest this part of Half Moon Beach is just plain beautiful and exciting. A little beach which can be reached via a quick (flat) hike from the parking lot (dog friendly!), and the cliffs up on Pillar Point from where you can see the big waves rolling in about a mile off coast. Perfect for a stroll or hike, with some really nice views. Another reason why the Bay Area is so beautiful.
Surfers are a little crazy by definition, but you need to be a serious loon to try surfing Maverick's north of Half Moon Bay on the California Pacific Coast. The main action lies 0.8km off the shore, and normally involves a tow to get there. The waves roll in regularly at heights of 8 to 15 meters. Jeff Clark "found" the area in 1975 and promoted it into one of the premier big-wave surfing spots in the world. We prefer to watch, and the best time to do this is from October to December, when the Maverick's Surf Contest is in full swing. Head north from Half Moon Bay on Highway 1 and take the left at Pillar Point, then park and climb out on foot to the point. Bring your long johns, because you will need them - it gets freezing here in late Fall. Big wave surfing can be a serious business. On 23 December, 1994, a year that saw especially huge swells, the world champion big-wave surfer Mark Foo was killed here. But it hasn't stopped the surf world from coming to try these breaks.
AMAZING tide pools during super low tide. I got a fishing license to go Sea Urchin hunting with a friend and I followed his lead to come here. The low tides happen once every couple months and when they happen it gets packed. We came around 2 and began the day hunting for eels at the Jetty. My friend made home made eel catching poles and we baited them with squid, we had no catches during our time here but we saw people using raw chicken to successfully catch some crabs Super low tide was around 6:30 and I highly advise waterproof pant or coveralls if you are going to be hunting. Purple sea urchins have exploded in population and I think with a license you can get 35 per day. They are jammed into holes in the rock and are small, very painful to find, and pulling them out of the cavities and we broke a knife and tongs. The best tool ended up being a spoon we brought to eat Uni on toast. We spent hours digging out maybe 20 small sea urchins total and then I spent another hour at home opening and cleaning them. They were delicious on sourdough and they were so time consuming to find and clean I can see why they cost so much at the grocery store. Tips for sea urchin, you will break some shells trying to pull them out so bring fresh water to rinse them before eating or it'll be super salty. They melt very quickly and you'll want something like ice water or water with alum if you want to make them "solid" like they are in restaurants. read more
Beaches like these just make my little heart sing! Beautiful waves, soft sand, and picturesque views. Now this is what I'm talking about! I visited Maverick's Beach during the early morning hours in the off season, so there were practically no surfers or people in sight. But, I can totally see why this is a surfer's dream beach. Those waves are something serious! The short trail that leads out to the beach is so gorgeous! The coastal views are so insane and it's a nice little trek too. Seems to be popular with the dog walkers and local fishermen. It's not a huge beach but there's still plenty of room to move around. I can only imagine how popular this spot is during the dead of summer. Parking is limited to one lot that is shared with access to the Pillar Point Bluff trail. I walked here from Johnson Pier which was actually quite a trek but super enjoyable nonetheless. Plus, I didn't have to worry about struggle parking. There's also a gorgeous jetty that you can walk down to spy on the waves and wildlife. Such a lovely little beach! Definitely a favorite of mine in the HMB area. read more
California's big wave spot We did not come here during the surfing season but it was pretty cool to see where they hold the annual big wave surfing competition called Maverick's even though the big wave surf area is located a quarter-mile offshore from the bluff top viewing areas. The surf competition is usually held between November and March and it's "on" when there's a strong winter W-NW swell and wind coming from the east blowing offshore. We've seen some huge waves come in, no surfers out today, though. First time at this beach as it was nice to get out and stretch our legs. Saw locals walk their dogs but some were not on a leash even though the sign says that leashes are required. I guess this wasn't enforced. The waters were choppy at this time and we strolled up to the rocky parts at the end of the steep cliffs. Be aware of rogue waves that can hit the beach at any time. Parking is small but we lucked out and was able to catch someone leaving his spot. We followed a short trail to the jetty and around the corner. Trivia: The infamous surf break was portrayed in several movies and documentaries including "Chasing Mavericks." Gerard Butler nearly died while shooting "Chasing Mavericks." Review #2929 read more
Beautiful day with low tides (less than 0ft) to go mussel foraging! I wasn't sure how many mussels will be there since Pillar Point seemed to explode in popularity during pandemic, but surprisingly there was a lot still! Other folks were foraging for sea urchins and crabs. Big sign at trail head tells you what can be foraged or not. Good number of families with kids relaxing on beach and checking out tide pools, making sand castles. Plenty of space to social distance. Trail construction going on, so parking lot was very limited. Many tried to park on side of road and got parking ticket. Can park in Princeton and another 5-10 min walk over. Port-a-potties are available at trail head. Bring own hand sanitizer. read more
Awesome beach, especially during King Tides if you enjoy exploring tide pools like I do (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=Ey_49X9Dm9j_vv6mp9WU0Q&userid=76vIFZcC7owykCBjMfGVXg, https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=S7vRf2nzN3tVe59LkN9aag&userid=76vIFZcC7owykCBjMfGVXg, https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=FXiWAfHBVV10q3B4d09YeA&userid=76vIFZcC7owykCBjMfGVXg, https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=1JRYolKbFGIkjpKM6Y8xgA&userid=76vIFZcC7owykCBjMfGVXg, https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=P6DyfD_z1QL1vNnYXGt38A&userid=76vIFZcC7owykCBjMfGVXg, https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=k7qQmzc1Q4zOrUVgVtnB8g&userid=76vIFZcC7owykCBjMfGVXg). It was super busy on New Year's Eve with the king tides/low tides. There were a lot of anemones, as well as a few starfish, hermit crabs, sea snails, and even a couple of small crabs. Make sure you dress warmly- even though the sun was out the day I went, it was freezing with the icy winds. For seafood lovers, you can also harvest your own mussels during the low tides. If you're interested in harvesting mussels, come prepared with waterproof boots, buckets, tools, etc. Also, make sure you follow all the fish & game regulations, since the sheriff was camped out inspecting a lot of people's hauls and giving tickets for those who didn't have fishing licenses. Parking is very difficult since this beach only has a very small lot (less than 10 spots). A lot of cars were parallel parked along the side, but avoid at all costs- the sheriffs were also walking down the line giving everyone tickets. You can park in another small lot at the bottom of the hill, and cut across the coastline to get to the main beach. read more
6 years ago
This place clearly is a surfer's paradise but is surprisingly pleasant for an evening hike if you're here with a few friends or alone. It's definitely not as family friendly as other beaches in the area. As I'm not an avid surfer, my review primarily focusses on the non-surf aspects of this beach. Pros - Absolutely stunning views of the ocean [Refer to my video] - Easy hike (.7-.8 miles of walkable area) - You can literally see the sea lions pretty close by. - Ample parking in the vicinity Cons - Not as family friendly , especially for toddlers and elder folks - The beach isn't as well-maintained or hygienic (lots of sea weeds and dirt that's washed ashore) read more
Beautiful spot! So nice to look at into the water and see the sunset. Low tide days are packed and unless coming early morning hours expect to park in the further lot or on the road and walk about 10-15 minutes. Was disheartening to see people pulling off groups of mussels and only taking one or two larger ones, discarding the rest, taking starfish and undersized rock crabs. Fish and Game/rangers (?) do come by and check bags on busy days so I hope people like that get caught. 4 portables by the parking lot. Haven't had luck with urchin but lots of mussels and I saw people clamming as well. read more
8 years ago
"If you want to get out there you got to forget about the pain. A wave like Mavericks will hold you down for minutes at a time. If you can't hold your breath for at least four minutes then you may as well not even paddle out." Frosty Hesson Marverick beach is magical, beautiful, and famous for having the biggest waves for surfers! If you are not a surfer like me, a walk along the beach is still magical, healthy, happy, and peaceful. I love the sound of those big waves! Looking at the ducks hunting for fish, the seagulls enjoying their ocean feast is wild! Parking is rough so this beach will never be crowded. The best time to get here is at sunrise or at sunset. So make your time, take your loved one, your doggies for a beach walk. You will be so incredibly happy! read more
13 years ago
***************************** 1,047 ******************************* Epic waves this year Maverick's Invitation Competition GoPro 2014, 40-50 FT high, awesome show if you love surfing or just surfers :-) $15 for general admission. $200 for VIP, you can sit wherever you are for GA ticket. Plenty of food trucks, beers, and free CLIF bar promotions here. This year wasn't as crowded as the precious year. They offer a few giant LED big screens for you to view the rides during the competition. A local band was playing 45 minutes straight post show. Then the ceremony at around 5 PM, and you got be up close and personal with all the top surfers around 5:30 PM. It's a family event, so there was a lot of kids. They do serve beer, but no wine (SUCK) this year, and plenty of food trucks. The portable bathroom was terrible. A lot of cops here, and the parking was crazy! We parked half mile away to walk up. Grant "Twiggy" Baker managed to ride the surf to two perfect scores of 10, overcoming howling winds and treacherous conditions to win his second Mavericks title. Baker's overall score of 29.33 put him well ahead of Shane Dorian second place, and nearly 13 points ahead of third-place Ryan Augenstein. Tyler Fox, Greg Long and Anthony Tashnick rounded out the finalists in that order. If you are a beach bum like me, surfing is a lifestyle, I got to see the North Shore in Oahu Hawaii, and now this the last few years, this is as good as it gets, and this year it wasn't that cold, it was a perfect day out for us. read more
10 years ago
Even without the annual Maverick's surf contest this part of Half Moon Beach is just plain beautiful and exciting. A little beach which can be reached via a quick (flat) hike from the parking lot (dog friendly!), and the cliffs up on Pillar Point from where you can see the big waves rolling in about a mile off coast. Perfect for a stroll or hike, with some really nice views. Another reason why the Bay Area is so beautiful. read more
17 years ago
Surfers are a little crazy by definition, but you need to be a serious loon to try surfing Maverick's north of Half Moon Bay on the California Pacific Coast. The main action lies 0.8km off the shore, and normally involves a tow to get there. The waves roll in regularly at heights of 8 to 15 meters. Jeff Clark "found" the area in 1975 and promoted it into one of the premier big-wave surfing spots in the world. We prefer to watch, and the best time to do this is from October to December, when the Maverick's Surf Contest is in full swing. Head north from Half Moon Bay on Highway 1 and take the left at Pillar Point, then park and climb out on foot to the point. Bring your long johns, because you will need them - it gets freezing here in late Fall. Big wave surfing can be a serious business. On 23 December, 1994, a year that saw especially huge swells, the world champion big-wave surfer Mark Foo was killed here. But it hasn't stopped the surf world from coming to try these breaks. read more
6 years ago
9 years ago
11 years ago
More info about Maverick's Surf Break
Pillar Point
Half Moon Bay, CA 94018
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Outdoor Amenities
Ask the Community - Maverick's Surf Break
Would it be too cold and windy to go there for the low tide in the afternoon at ~4pm?
It depends on the day, but it was still cold/windy with the sun out in late December. Bring a warm jacket and beanie/hat and you should be fine. If you're planning on looking at the tide pools, make sure you wear waterproof shoes/boots. It's also a…
Review Highlights - Maverick's Surf Break
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9 years ago
