The only reason this is 4 stars is because of insane parking and lack of accessibility. The parking is in a dirt lot, and if you turn your car facing the entrance to the beach, it's quite hard to turn around when you're leaving, especially when crowded. You literally have to scale a cliff to get to and from the beach, which is a little difficult if you're hauling things or very difficult if you're physically disabled. Once you're on the beach though, it's gorgeous. Plenty of room to spread out, and the waves are super big. The Saturday we went (7/17) it was clear and sunny- perfect weather! Would recommend this beach if you are able-bodied and want to get away from the crowds at Santa Cruz and Capitola. read more

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Beautiful stunning beach! Parking is a challenge but it is wonderful once you get to the beach. Note that the waves and tides can get rough, so be careful out there. read more

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A DIFFERENT TYPE OF BEACH When I go to the beach at Half Moon Bay I go boogie boarding to relax. Last summer my cousin introduced me to this beach as it is his getaway to relax. This is not a place to boogie board or surf due to the rip tides and the steep steps walking down to this beach. That doesn't mean you cannot have a great time here. In fact I like going to beaches that are different from each other. I came here with that same cousin on Friday July 3. Due to the pandemic we practiced social distancing. There were people but the beach wasn't packed. However I knew if we had come to this beach on Saturday July 4 this beach would've been crowded. What makes this beach unique is the serenity. Walking down the steep steps the cliff acts as a barrier to prevent the sounds of traffic. Even though the beach isn't big due to the rugged terrain behind the beach the the area on the beach makes it spacious. With the depth of the area you can throw a football, fling a frisbee, and kick a soccer ball without feeling cramped. I'll admit Northern California doesn't have the glamourous beaches like Southern California. That doesn't mean you can't relax and have "fun in the sun" at certain beaches in Northern California. If you don't want to go the congestion at the Boardwalk in Santa Cruz I recommend coming to free-flowing atmosphere at Panther Beach. read more

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Great locals beach! I recommend getting here early so you can park since it is limited on side of road. WEAR SNEAKERS because the walk way down is a straight rocky cliff. I almost slipped three times in my sperry's. There was a decent amount of people of all ages (some with dogs, which are not allowed). No restrooms but you are allowed to bring food. It seems a bit neglected because there are trash facilities at the top but they were overflowing. We also found trash in the sand. I love that it wasn't packed and that it is calm. The rocks and cliffs are stunning which make it perfect for photos. read more

I used to think this was a secret beach but it's become a lot more popular and for good reason, it's the best beach around! I LOVE THIS BEACH. I've spent all day at it many times, it's a great place to get away for the day. There is a long stretch of parking along the side of the road and you walk down to the beach. The small path down to the beach is adventurous, tough for the uncoordinated but short. Still, only bring what you can carry because it will be hard to bring stuff up and down. The main beach is big, tons of space for activities but can get a bit crowded quickly. My favorite spot to go to is off to the left. You have to go under the arch and to another beach much longer than the first one. You will want to come back over before the tide is too high or you will have to calculate running back as the tide reseeds. read more

Wouldn't recommend if your trying to go swimming but it's super pretty here and a great place to put your toes in the water. Also there were some nude people there too. Only a couple. So if your into that go for it, if not you can still go there. It's pretty epic. read more

Hello! My Favorite Beach to Relax and just listen to the waves. It's a easy hike down! read more

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2. Safety: I do not feel safe like I used to anymore here. I can see too many shady people and I know about 2 people that experienced almost violent experience when coming here. 1. The beach is gorgeous (I think that every beach is beautiful in its own way). And this one is the one I will come to probably if possible. 2. Safety: I do not feel safe like I used to anymore here. I can see too many shady people and I know about 2 people that experienced almost violent experience when coming here. So beach is beautiful, but cant say it is safe. read more

Great secluded beach!! There is unpaved parking lot and you do have to go down a steep walkway to reach it. Which is exactly the reason why it is kept clean and secluded. There is clean sand and a beautiful arch also. read more

Panther Beach - Beaches Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

This beach USED to be the place to go and have fun. Came here in a group. 3 cars total. At the end of the night around 9pm. we walked back up to our cars and all the windows+ back windshield was broken. In total 5-10 cars got broken into that day. Cops will not come, since its a beach area. Nothing they can do about. have fun paying for a new window. its not a safe area anymore. We used to come here 2-3 times a month. read more

Panther Beach - there goes 3 windows and the back windshield. - Beaches Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

This beach was one of my favorites in California, but the volume of visitors has started to ruin the appeal. It used to be "hidden" and was a peaceful/stunning beach to get away to. It wasn't on Google maps or anything and you just had to know where to turn off on Highway One. Unfortunately, many people tagged it on Instagram and now it is overcrowded and basically a tourist destination. The parking lots get full quickly on the weekends and the dirt parking lot is getting gradually eroding and getting destroyed from all the traffic. Be careful if you have a smaller car as there are some massive dips in the parking lot. Also, if you park towards the front, be aware you may get trapped in for some time as people push the parking here to the limit and tend to block your exit path. While the arch and cliffs are still beautiful, the beach is often ruined with litter from parties and bonfire debris. It's no longer the peaceful getaway it used to be. People are often blaring loud music and letting their dogs run & defecate everywhere. Glass, bonfires, and pets are all prohibited but people keep disregarding the rules and now more park rangers are patrolling and handing out citations. I truly love this beach and am not one to rag on the increased volume of people, but I am starting to see it as a "this is why we can't have nice things" example. If you're going to visit, please respect the beach and its rules. Leave no trace. read more

Panther Beach - Please respect beach rules. Keep this place beautiful. Leave no trace. - Beaches Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

Most people go to Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, so this place is a def a hidden gem. I've been here twice and I absolutely love it. First time: Alcohol isn't allowed, but my friends and I brought alcohol anyway and hid it in the sand. We ended up playing drunk soccer. While playing, some cops busted out another group who was also drinking alcohol, haha. Second time: I went exploring with my best guy friends. We kept going for about 45 minutes. There is sooo much to see. TIP #1: It can be a bit windy at times, so bring jackets and blankets :) TIP #2: Be aware that it is a nude beach! But I've only seen one naked guy. TIP #3: If you like pictures, you can get a beautiful silhouette picture where there is a rock cave opening that leads to the beach. read more

Panther Beach - Silhouette pictures are fun! - Beaches Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

They don't allow dogs but literally everyone brings a dog. Security/cops saw us and didn't care but then a different person came down later and did care. It just depends on the person. Great beach but very very small. Decent parking. read more

Panther Beach - Beach - Beaches Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

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It's bit of a challenge to get down to this beach. First of all , there are no signs or parking lot for this beach. You have to park on the side of the road. To find this place , use the GPS on your phone. Once you park your car on the side of the road , walk on the abandoned railroad tracks for a while. If you parked in front of the strawberry stand ( because the other parking dirt lot is full ), you have to walk quite a bit on the railroad tracks . Maybe half a mile. Make a right at " Coast Dairies Beach " sign and go down on steep dirt unofficial trail. It's very steep and slippery cuz wet and some area rocky. I highly recommend shoes with good traction. Once you get down to the beach it's amazing. There's a rock with natural arch right in front of your eyes. When the tide is low , you can walk to the other side of the rock to get to the beach. Be careful not to get stranded on the other side when the tides start to go wild. read more

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It's a beautiful and 'hidden' beach that you can go w/ friends and family! My problems were parking and climbing down to the beach. Parking was on a dirt road with uneven surface and some potholes. Since my group went in the afternoon (July 17th), we had space to park (don't know about mornings). We had coolers, ice, and logs so the trip down was a bit unsafe but we made it. We had a great time enjoying the view and lighting a bonfire at night. The tides are strong there so swimming wasn't an option. Either way we had a great time and would visit again. read more

Panther Beach - View of the beach - Beaches Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

Another of those secluded but beautiful beaches in Santa Cruz County. It's tricky to find on Highway One, but there is a long dirt parking lot that is on the left-hand side if you're going Northbound. The path down to the beach itself is rather steep, so do watch your step when going down. There's also a cave leading from the main beach to the ocean, and that was pretty awesome as well. You will not find any beach like this one, and I hope it continues to be clean and free of pollution! read more

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I love panther beach. There is so many breathtaking sights here. TIP: Go all the way to the right side of the beach where the rocks are... that is the most beautiful area. Watching the waves crash up against the rocks is seriously breathtaking. You can get pretty high up and just get lost in the sights. I spent a lot of time in that area. If you read nothing else about my review, PLEASE READ THE WARNINGS SECTION! Warnings about this beach - Please be careful at this beach. I've only been here twice and both times something has happened to the people I was with! (Not me though, because I'm careful, haha.) My two warnings are: be careful going down to the beach and be careful doing to the other side of the beach. 1) Going down to the beach. To get to this beach, you have to park in a dirt parking lot. It's kind of odd... but there really isn't like parking spaces or anything. You just have to make your own. Parking is a little rough on busy days in the summer so please get there early! We recently went for the last time this year in September (while it's still a little warm) and the parking was good. There wasn't a difficult time finding a spot and we got there around 1pm. Once you park, you have to cross train tracks and go down a pretty steep hill. It's rocky and sandy so be careful of slipping!!! Especially if you're holding a bunch of stuff. One time we went with ice chests, grills, etc. and that was honestly a struggle! Going up once you're leaving us MUCH easier in my opinion. 2) Going to the other side of the beach. There is this beautiful cave like hole that leads you the other side of the beach (I will attach a picture to my review). To get to the other side of the beach, you have to wait for the tide to die down and run across. It's hard to explain but once you get there you'll see what I mean. I would recommend not even bothering with the other side of the tide is high because I realized that the main side of the beach is actually better. The other side is more secluded though since I think most people don't want to get wet. Both times we went something bad happened when trying to cross that death trap! First time, my brother got completely soaked and his phone was water damaged. The second time, my boyfriend got completely soaked, cut up his foot, and lost our fucking car keys in the ocean... so SERIOUSLY BE CAREFUL. Thank god we have AAA. Other than that, this place is perfect. It's the best beach that I can think of in NorCal. I also love Lake Tahoe beaches but I haven't found one that I like more than this beach. This is probably going to be our go to beach for the next summers to come. We live in Sacramento so driving down here takes about 2.5-3.5 hours depending on the traffic. TIP: Depending on which way you're coming, there is kind of a windy road to get to Santa Cruz area. So if this is something that makes you nervous, have your best driver drive. It's not as bad as the Stinson Beach (in SF) drive, if you've been there. But it's somewhat similar. The sand at this beach is a little rockier and not as fine as most beaches but I actually prefer this type of sand because it's easier to get off. The really fine sand that you can find at Newport Beach for example, is super hard to get off. You always end up looking dusty regardless of how much you try to wipe it off. TIP: Always bring baby powder to the beach. It's super fine so if you rub baby powder on yourself, it will get fine sand off - but yes, you will still be dusty. I recommend doing this outside of your car before you're going to get in. Overall, I would really recommend this beach and just take my warnings seriously and you will have a wonderful time. This is truly a beautiful beach. read more

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This is my go to beach and I totally recommend it to tourists who are visiting from out of state or even locals looking to simply cool off on a hot day. I'm from the South Bay and I love driving here to get away from my busy school/work life....The location and environment is just amazing. I truly enjoy the scenery this beach has to offer. It is very peaceful. Only downside I can think of is the parking. It can be a bit tricky and hard to get especially on weekends when everyone is out and about... I would suggest getting there early morning (9-10am-ish ) if planning a weekend trip. Weekdays aren't very busy as people are usually working. read more

This beach is a hidden gem. Went here early on a Saturday thinking it would be crowded but I was wrong. There were a handful of people there but the beach is big enough that you still feel like you have privacy. Water is gorgeous & the sand is golden. It's also pretty clean as well. Definitely not fan of Northern California beaches but I would go back to this one in a heartbeat. read more

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I am sorry I have to give so low rating to a beach that was so promising and in my wish list for so long. Today I went for the first time and ended up so deceived. It is not a beach for you if you like to hear the sound of the sea, do some yoga or exercise in relative solitude and just enjoy the beach by itself. It is not. It is horribly filthy, so sad to see people bringing their dogs and make them suffer forcing them go down that rocky path, especially considering that bringing dogs is prohibited in this beach. People just do not seem to care about the rules. Good thing: it is a free beach and you park at a very small parking area outside before the train rail starts. There is clear indication that dogs are not allowed (I also love dogs, but respect the rules, please for your dog and for other people and to be civilized). Also glass is not allowed and I saw everybody carrying packs and packs of beer bottles (plus a huge amount of glass debris, tons of bottles from probably the 4th of July weekend totally abandoned). This is horrible. I am OK with drinking alcohol at the beach, but no one has heard of cans? Too much noise, too many people, crowded to the max, others putting their house rugs (giant ones) right in the middle of the photo-point arch. Like if that is their house and they do whatever they want. I have never been in such an non civilized beach and I had more than enough of my share of trash all over. What a disaster. I would rather pay the $10 that normally you have to pay for a state beach and have rangers, rules enforcement, restrooms and trash cans. This could have been the wild, secluded, romantic beach that populates our dreams. The only thing that populates is a mountain of trash and headaches after listening to the horrible loud ugly music brought by those than think freedom means I do what I am pleased and get off the sand if you don't like. Never ever. Nice photo opportunities, though, if you can pass the 'this is my house and here is my huge rag from home' guys obscuring the views. read more

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Let the truth be told--Panther Beach was a disappointment. I was excited to see that when we arrived there were plenty of free parking available. It's off on a dirt lot that's not that visible from Highway 1 so I can see how it can be a target for breakins. Right from the parking lot you cross the railroad tracks and see a huge pile of trash that hasn't been cleaned up. The trek down to the beach level isn't as hairy as Alamere Falls, but it's also not simple especially if you have your hands full and wearing flip flops. I anticipated steep incline and put on water socks for a sure-footed decent. Bringing an ice chest would be very challenging especially if it's loaded with heavy contents. The view is great. The shoreline is very picturesque and since there wasn't any children on the day we went, serene as well. What I didn't like about Panther is the fact that there were a million flies! They were all over us and everywhere on the beach so it was unescapable. There is no way I'm going to be able to lay out without them annoying the hell out of me. The sand is also very coarse and uncomfortable to say the least. I could barely get any cell phone reception here with ATT. It drained my battery just trying to search for a signal before it was quickly lost after a couple minutes. Also be aware that there is no restrooms anywhere in this cove. This is probably why you'll find nice human land mines along the perimeter of the cove and the source of so many flies. read more

Fantastic place because they have a natural looking cove. First up how to get there! Make sure you look to your left as you are heading north, you'll see a dirt lot with a bunch of cars parked there. That is your cue to pull in! Be careful as there is alot of uneven natural land so it might scratch underneath your car if you're not careful! Anyways after you park, head north and you should come across the trail that leads down to panther beach. Not too bad as you are heading down. Perhaps about like a 5 minute trip down. You'll see the famous cove to your left. Word of advice if you want to see it and go underneath it, go during low tide so you can head out farther. It's a pretty cool beach that has a unique look compared to the other beaches around the area. Be sure to go on a sunny day because it does get pretty cold here. No panthers sighted on the beach read more

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This beach is bommmmbbbbbbb! This beach is a must see in Santa Cruz. I feel like I say that about most and all beaches but this one is worth it. Not as packed but it's hidden and requires you to take a long walk through a trail and tread hike down rocks which can be a bit scary, I was literally sliding down the rocks trail but it's so-able especially if I can do it in rainbow flip flops. Back & bag packing for the beach, I seen it with my two eyes you can take ice chest down but good luck peeps! The guys I saw were struggling. You have to see the rock you go through that meets at the ocean. The water is crystal blue & darkens and man, breathtaking views. Speechless. This is a good beach for groups, play music quiet. Not as packed. You park along the highway and walk. You end up finding the path. Also, take the railroad tracks it's fun to say you've walked tracks. Haha This playa is a hidden gem! Do it ! I'd come back here for shaaaaaa! read more

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Very cool Beach with huge cliffs and fun rocks to climb! The big rock sticking out of the ocean is climbable-- there's even a rope once you get to the top to help you get up. I also saw a pitched tent when I got there, which makes me believe that camping is allowed here. My only complaint is that it does get a little too crowded near the center of the beach... But the coastline is long, so go explore! read more

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Panther Beach!!! I had no idea what I was getting myself into when my bestie said "we're going here!" I trust her so I don't argue but I wasn't anticipating the hike The hike was totally worth it!!!! Down the gravel road, over the railroad tracks, through the bushes, to grandmothers house we go.... The narrow path down the embankment is funny to navigate as people are going both up and down but we finally made it onto the beach and the view was totally worth it! We literally went for the pictures and it's so nice when you put a lot of energy into something and you aren't disappointed. If you're in the area, make the effort to go here and see it firsthand, pictures won't do it justice. The wind kicks up pretty good and depending on the time of day the tide can be a little rough but it's gorgeous! I am constantly in awe and the beautiful things water is capable of creating just being itself and this is a perfect example of that. Depending on how far you're hiking watch out for snakes, we stumbled over a dead one! read more

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Phenomenal views, beautiful weather, wind blowing through your hair! Breathtaking!! These are views overlooking the ocean and rocks but there's also a way to the bottom so you can also enjoy walking near the rocks to capture more spectacular views and photos. read more

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Went to this beach today. It's absolutely beautiful. However very dangerous. Someone got hit by the riptide and drown. If you go be mindful of the danger. read more

Still it's one of my favorite beaches.But getting more crowded on weekends. It's so sad to see how people trashed the pathway to the beach.Be careful when you go down to the beach, a lot of garbage and broken bottles. read more

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This is a beautiful beach to go to but the way down is a bit steep and rocky. To get down to the beach I needed the help from a friend at times but climbing back up is easier. After climbing down the rocks to the beach you can feel the ocean waves sprinkle on your face and it feels refreshing. The scenery is absolutely beautiful with the waves crashing on the rocks. read more

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Definitely used to be a cool low key beach, but now is super mainstream and filled with ppl all the time. When finding this place, there is a sign that says Coastal dairies. The dirt path going down is not a big deal, even with lots of beach chairs/coolers/etc and in flip flops and taking toddlers. Some people complain about it being dangerous, but when you look at it, it's not like you're scaling the side of a cliff. If you fall, you're not going to fall off anywhere & die if that's what you're wondering. If you were super drunk, you may tumble a little, but it's not so steep to where you're going to have loads of trouble. Once you're down, there's a cave to the right you can go in and see how far you can go. If you go to the left, you'll see the huge orange rock with the cave cutout that ppl love. After you pass through that there's a huge open beach on the other side, but definitely be aware of the tide coming in because during high tide you can get stuck on that side. On this side of Panther, keep walking to your far left and you will find a couple more caves and other beauties. read more

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My friends and I came here on 4th of July. This beach, as others have mentioned, really is difficult to find. We finally found it after visiting three other beaches, thinking each one was Panther Beach. Look up 36.994019, -122.169800 to get directions to an accurate location. If you Google Map Panther Beach, then you get taken to some barn lol. I had pretty high expectations for this place... Maybe I was disappointed because the cloudy sky made the beach not as pretty... but I expected a sunny beach with soft white sand everywhere (parts of the beach has rougher sand)... Because it was 4th of July, the police approached everyone at this beach and asked each group if they brought alcohol with them. My friends and I didn't bring any alcohol to the beach, but everyone around us seemed to have so A LOT of people had to leave. read more

This is easily my favorite beach in Santa Cruz. I'm pretty sure it is right before you hit Bonny Doon beach, because I've never seen a sign for Bonny Doon Beach, but I haven't gone any farther than Panther, so I wouldn't know. Panther Beach has no sign and it's probably impossible to find without someone who's been there before. This is not really a swim friendly, sunbathing, frisby kind of beach. It's like an adventure. *Warning* If there is anyone else there, they may be naked. I saw a lady and a gentleman wearing NOTHING but helmets and fake mustaches while they practiced their fencing. *Warning* But if you want to get the most out of your visit, you should research low and high tide before you go. Get there about an hour or more before low tide. Here: 1) park and walk across the railroad tracks. 2) carefully hike down to the beach. 3) stay to the left and run around the corner, wary of mini sinkholes in the sand. 4) walk down the beach until you find maybe a 12 foot little cliff side. 5) look at it and see where it's broken down into two, easy little six foot climbs. 6) climb if it is close enough to low tide. 7) now just have fun and be careful. You can check out the tidepools. When it's low tide, you'll see all kinds of urchin, anemone, starfish and other sea life. If the weather and tide permit, watch the sunset from the cave, it is amazing. Huge piles of rotting kelp, sea lion gatherings, ancient eroding cliffsides and treacherous rocks are all abound. Just be careful, be smart and have a great time. read more

Panther Beach - Beaches Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

Panther beach a hard place to spot if you have never been there before. Very isolated but that is what I like best about this place. You park in dirt so make sure you car can make it past some pot holes. Getting in and out of the "lot" is a bit complex. What is also complex is getting down to the beach spot. Lots of plants and rocks, so be careful and follow the pathways. Yea for sure not a joke to get down esp when you're carrying a good amount of stuff down. Good spot for a picnic and hanging out to think and chit chat. Very clean. Good place to explore. Nice and quiet if you just want to sit and read a book. When it's nice out the weather is awesome! But when it's cloudy it can get very cold. I would definitely go back to relax. Not a place for pets cause they can run off. If your adventurous enough you can also climb up to the tide pools and check out all the interesting things in them. Pretty cool but be aware of the tide when it gets late. The cliff that looks out onto this beach has such a great view esp at sunset. Definitely worth staying till then. read more

I came here on a Sunday with my friends and we all had a great time! I haven't been to the beach in a while since NorCal beaches are usually super cold. It was warm enough to go into the water but later on it got pretty cold so bring a jacket!! It's very scenic and watching the sunset go down over the horizon was one of my favorite parts of summer. There's a rocky area towards the end of the beach where people climb up to. I'll be back soon! read more

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It really should be 4 1/2 just because its really difficult to get down to the shore from the high cliffs. I am 5'1 and I mean it was kinda hard for me. There was alot of seaweed and massive amount of flies, so that was kinda grody. But once you get pass that and it seriously is one of the most beautiful places. The waves crashing against the cliffs and the arch that leads you to the beach is seriously breathtaking. I would recommend packing light for the beach not a huge cooler of beer or something. The dirt paths, crossing over a train track and going down the cliffs , it makes you feel like you are going on an adventure and when you get to the shore its seriously was the prize! read more

Panther Beach - breathtaking - Beaches Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

Hang out on the cliffs above and you're likely to see some whales and dolphins feeding off shore. Whales migrate south past here in winter read more

Panther Beach - Panther beach as seen from the cliffs just north of it. - Beaches Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

Beautiful beach! The hike down isn't too bad just watch where you're stepping. It does get really windy (and cold) here. The tide gets pretty high in the afternoon. Went on a Saturday and there were a lot of people. Mostly young adults/teenagers partying. Some families and some people bring their dogs. read more

It took us a small hike to get here but this place is a gem. Water was cold but everything about this beach is beautiful. You won't see a huge sign saying you got to the beach, we just saw a bunch of cars parked in the side of the road and we parked and hiked to it. read more

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A nice hidden, alternative beach. It was pleasantly absent of tourists, bees, dried seaweed vines, dead jellyfish, and hypodermic needles. The tide was high when we went, so we were thwarted from witnessing all of the beach's splendor. But what I saw, I loved. Even much of the surrounding rocks were beautifully colored and shaped. There were tide pools and clever little mini islands. Really amazing beach. read more

My favorite beach to go to. Be prepared to hike down to the beach. No trash can so bring stuff to pick up after yourself. My favorite place to go with my boyfriend. Came on June 22 and the water was amazing!!! Super blue and clear. read more

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