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Something about me: I loooove a good beach cove. Pirate's Cove is all that, all that, aaaallll of that! A striking little beach with some lovely sea caves to match. From the parking lot, it's a short little jaunt down to the beach. I'd say, less than a mile roundtrip. You'll come to a sign that'll show one side to the beach and the other side to the caves. The cave is pretty small and acts as a "window to the pacific" with some lovely views of the coastline on the other side. I didn't spend much time in the caves, but still made it a point to check it out since it was so close. The beach cove is relatively small but so pretty. It wasn't too crowded when I went, but it was also on a Monday afternoon... so there's that. The beach was pretty clean and the waves were quite shallow. I came here after completing a hike and it was so relaxing. Apparently this is a nude beach cove, but I didn't see any nudies in the vicinity. I love central coast beaches because they tend to carry that beautiful aqua hue that I often crave to see. I also love how warm it was in the cove and how warm the beach water was. The beaches aren't very warm in the Bay Area where I live, so frolicking in this warm cove was such a treat. Definitely one of the many great gems in Avila Beach and worth your exploration when in town.
Pretty cool short adventure, I think round trip from the parking like to the cove/cave is was maybe 1 mile. We got here right around sunset and an overcast evening so we couldn't really see far out into the ocean from the cove, but it was still a really good view. You can do some additional hiking/exploring along the beach on the other side of the path coming from the parking lot if the tide is low enough. Coming from the beach area back up to the parking lot my watch tracked about 150 feet of elevation gain so it is pretty much a doable "hike" for just about all levels.
Date: Monday, July 24th, 2023 Time: around 12:45pm Before heading home from Pismo, I wanted to see Pirate's Cove. I'm a sucker for views, especially of water, so had to stop by before we left. The hubby and I parked in the small lot and then walked down. Didn't spend much time here. Maybe a little more than 15 mins. We didn't go all the way down to the beach, but we did see one of the caves. If you love a good view, definitely check this place out. REVIEW #3440
Stumbled upon this little cove... boats were docked, music was playing, people having a great day on the beach... such a cool local spot
Short walk but beautiful view! So happy we stopped here! Peaceful quiet place :) The rock formations were cool!!!
Stumbled on to here while looking for sycamore trail. It was meant to be because this was a gem find!! It's a short hike to get to the cave but oh boy, the view was spectacular!! They allow dogs on leash which was great but please pick up after them. There is construction for better parking before you descend down to beach and cave. There are steps to get down to actual beach but be careful as it is pretty steep down. There is another cave you can see and explore once you're on the beach but be careful because the water can be unsafe if the tides all of a sudden changes in you. Explore always with caution at the beach because there aren't any lifeguards.
It's a very nice beach the clothing optional part is nice also! The parking lot is all re done so no more getting stuck in big holes or damaging your car.The climb down is still a bit risky at a certain point where the edge collapsed but if your careful you'll be good.we enjoyed the day out there and it was definitely warmer than all the other beaches, don't forget to bring a shade!
Two attractions to see here: 1. Hike down from the parking lot and if you veer right, you'll get to the cool cave overlooking the ocean. Great picture spot and not too long of a hike down a hill to get there. 2. After the cave, it's worth it to go down a bit more and you'll land on a small beach (which I hear is a nude beach at times). Dogs were running and splashing around in the water having a great time off leash. (Not sure if that's legal but no one seemed to mind).
Avila Beach is located approximately 3 hours North of Los Angeles just off the 101. In truth, its just a sleepy little hamlet situated at the mouth of San Luis Obispo Bay. It's like The Shire with an amazing beach!! Pirate Cove is set under the rock outcropping the bluff -which makes a perfect ambience for a photo op. I went earlier this morning and you can literally smell the fire wood burned from the night before, watch the fisherman string in their fish | camp out on the beach, hear the waves collide, sea gulls sing and smell the fresh odor of the sea. Took me a good two hours before I left this spot, it was pure bliss. (Semi-Easy hike) (Bring water) (Bring a good camera) Happy Hiking
It's an easy hike from the parking lot to get to the hike. It gets pretty crowded, so you might have to wait your turn for people to pass up or down, depending on where which way you're heading. The beach is pretty small, but it's serene and beautiful. Be sure to bring plenty of water, a hat and sunscreen as there's not much shade. Definitely recommend checking this cove out!
Pirate's Cove was a favorite spot of mine over 50 years ago. Not much has changed other than the signs of what or what not to expect. The access road is much better & the parking area is rather large, Dropped by today, the Friday of Memorial Day Weekend & the party was rolling.
Me and my fiancé went to Pirates Cove because I had recently had a surgery (months ago) and I wanted to get some sun on the incision site for healing purposes so this means I wanted to be topless in the sun. First of all the beach itself was really dirty and gross looking on the sand. There was millions of flies and spiders that were trying to crawl all over us the whole time we were there. It was very small so people couldn't spread out, so there wasn't many options to move to a different area of the beach, my fiancé got stung by a bee on his back while we were there which was very uncomfortable and annoying and speaking of uncomfortable and annoying. There was groups of men that look like they just got out of prison just hanging out in the corner looking to see what they could see. There was tons of men in cowboy boots and full length jeans even in hoodies walking along the beach going there to see what they can see obvious they weren't there to be at the beach. They were there to be perverts and the underage kids/boys with alcohol, who had no intentions on beach activities were also there just to gawk at girls. You can tell who the people for that wanted to be left alone and enjoy the sun and you can tell who the people were that were there just to gawk at naked women. Which the women or not naked, and neither was I because of the amounts of men that were there ready to pounce on someone it seemed very unsafe for any woman to be there. We left after about 45 minutes because literally bus loads of dudes pouring in.
A beautiful beach with some nice scenic views of the ocean. The hike down is totally worth it in my mind.
The hike down is short and very manageable. Be sure to turn right if you're heading to the cove/cave, the left trail leads to the beach. We came here for sunset, and the views were absolutely beautiful. I would definitely recommend stopping by! read more
11 months ago
Ended up taking the long route to Pirate's Cove (parked near homes and took the trail) which we later found out is the Shell Beach Bluff Trail. We enjoyed this scenic trail, which had multi-million dollar homes to our right, and the beautiful ocean to our left; and a somewhat steep incline up to the dirt parking lot and Cave Landing trailhead. Good thing the weather was perfect and there was a lovely breeze; otherwise I would've stopped walking and demanded to go back to the car. Once we got to the trail, it was a fairly easy short walk to get to the cave. After taking in the stunning views from the cave, we trekked to the cove. Be cautious going down, as it's a steep dirt path and a couple flights of stairs. Also note that clothing is optional, and you may run into people in their birthday suits on this secluded beach. read more
Something about me: I loooove a good beach cove. Pirate's Cove is all that, all that, aaaallll of that! A striking little beach with some lovely sea caves to match. From the parking lot, it's a short little jaunt down to the beach. I'd say, less than a mile roundtrip. You'll come to a sign that'll show one side to the beach and the other side to the caves. The cave is pretty small and acts as a "window to the pacific" with some lovely views of the coastline on the other side. I didn't spend much time in the caves, but still made it a point to check it out since it was so close. The beach cove is relatively small but so pretty. It wasn't too crowded when I went, but it was also on a Monday afternoon... so there's that. The beach was pretty clean and the waves were quite shallow. I came here after completing a hike and it was so relaxing. Apparently this is a nude beach cove, but I didn't see any nudies in the vicinity. I love central coast beaches because they tend to carry that beautiful aqua hue that I often crave to see. I also love how warm it was in the cove and how warm the beach water was. The beaches aren't very warm in the Bay Area where I live, so frolicking in this warm cove was such a treat. Definitely one of the many great gems in Avila Beach and worth your exploration when in town. read more
Pretty cool short adventure, I think round trip from the parking like to the cove/cave is was maybe 1 mile. We got here right around sunset and an overcast evening so we couldn't really see far out into the ocean from the cove, but it was still a really good view. You can do some additional hiking/exploring along the beach on the other side of the path coming from the parking lot if the tide is low enough. Coming from the beach area back up to the parking lot my watch tracked about 150 feet of elevation gain so it is pretty much a doable "hike" for just about all levels. read more
Date: Monday, July 24th, 2023 Time: around 12:45pm Before heading home from Pismo, I wanted to see Pirate's Cove. I'm a sucker for views, especially of water, so had to stop by before we left. The hubby and I parked in the small lot and then walked down. Didn't spend much time here. Maybe a little more than 15 mins. We didn't go all the way down to the beach, but we did see one of the caves. If you love a good view, definitely check this place out. REVIEW #3440 read more
1 year ago
Stumbled upon this little cove... boats were docked, music was playing, people having a great day on the beach... such a cool local spot read more
Stumbled on to here while looking for sycamore trail. It was meant to be because this was a gem find!! It's a short hike to get to the cave but oh boy, the view was spectacular!! They allow dogs on leash which was great but please pick up after them. There is construction for better parking before you descend down to beach and cave. There are steps to get down to actual beach but be careful as it is pretty steep down. There is another cave you can see and explore once you're on the beach but be careful because the water can be unsafe if the tides all of a sudden changes in you. Explore always with caution at the beach because there aren't any lifeguards. read more
2 years ago
It's a very nice beach the clothing optional part is nice also! The parking lot is all re done so no more getting stuck in big holes or damaging your car.The climb down is still a bit risky at a certain point where the edge collapsed but if your careful you'll be good.we enjoyed the day out there and it was definitely warmer than all the other beaches, don't forget to bring a shade! read more
Two attractions to see here: 1. Hike down from the parking lot and if you veer right, you'll get to the cool cave overlooking the ocean. Great picture spot and not too long of a hike down a hill to get there. 2. After the cave, it's worth it to go down a bit more and you'll land on a small beach (which I hear is a nude beach at times). Dogs were running and splashing around in the water having a great time off leash. (Not sure if that's legal but no one seemed to mind). read more
Avila Beach is located approximately 3 hours North of Los Angeles just off the 101. In truth, its just a sleepy little hamlet situated at the mouth of San Luis Obispo Bay. It's like The Shire with an amazing beach!! Pirate Cove is set under the rock outcropping the bluff -which makes a perfect ambience for a photo op. I went earlier this morning and you can literally smell the fire wood burned from the night before, watch the fisherman string in their fish | camp out on the beach, hear the waves collide, sea gulls sing and smell the fresh odor of the sea. Took me a good two hours before I left this spot, it was pure bliss. (Semi-Easy hike) (Bring water) (Bring a good camera) Happy Hiking read more
1 year ago
It's an easy hike from the parking lot to get to the hike. It gets pretty crowded, so you might have to wait your turn for people to pass up or down, depending on where which way you're heading. The beach is pretty small, but it's serene and beautiful. Be sure to bring plenty of water, a hat and sunscreen as there's not much shade. Definitely recommend checking this cove out! read more
4 years ago
Pirate's Cove was a favorite spot of mine over 50 years ago. Not much has changed other than the signs of what or what not to expect. The access road is much better & the parking area is rather large, Dropped by today, the Friday of Memorial Day Weekend & the party was rolling. read more
Me and my fiancé went to Pirates Cove because I had recently had a surgery (months ago) and I wanted to get some sun on the incision site for healing purposes so this means I wanted to be topless in the sun. First of all the beach itself was really dirty and gross looking on the sand. There was millions of flies and spiders that were trying to crawl all over us the whole time we were there. It was very small so people couldn't spread out, so there wasn't many options to move to a different area of the beach, my fiancé got stung by a bee on his back while we were there which was very uncomfortable and annoying and speaking of uncomfortable and annoying. There was groups of men that look like they just got out of prison just hanging out in the corner looking to see what they could see. There was tons of men in cowboy boots and full length jeans even in hoodies walking along the beach going there to see what they can see obvious they weren't there to be at the beach. They were there to be perverts and the underage kids/boys with alcohol, who had no intentions on beach activities were also there just to gawk at girls. You can tell who the people for that wanted to be left alone and enjoy the sun and you can tell who the people were that were there just to gawk at naked women. Which the women or not naked, and neither was I because of the amounts of men that were there ready to pounce on someone it seemed very unsafe for any woman to be there. We left after about 45 minutes because literally bus loads of dudes pouring in. read more
5 years ago
6 years ago
A beautiful beach with some nice scenic views of the ocean. The hike down is totally worth it in my mind. read more
This quiet strand of sand is secluded but scenic. People generally mind their own business, but still friendly enough to say hi. People of all shapes and sizes enjoy their commune with nature. As for the ubiquitous trash that some reviewers mentioned, I did not see any trash at all. The small parking lot at the head of the trail is muddy and uneven. I scraped the undercarriage of my Civic parking it. Be mindful and drive slowly when you're in the lot. read more
3 years ago
2 years ago
4 years ago
The cave is truly one of the most unique and beautiful places I've ever visited. The parking area is located not too far off the highway, but I suggest you drop a pin on your map to help navigate there. The cave is short hike (~10 minutes) down a dirt path from the parking area, which gives you a good view of the beach below. Since we visited in the off season (April), there was only one other family around so we had the whole cave to ourselves. Despite the graffiti covering every surface, the cave is stunningly beautiful and well worth the side trip. read more
5 years ago
It's not far from the parking lots and easy walk to the cove. They have a great view and we enjoyed it. read more
2 years ago
I don't know how to rate this. This beach is clean and great for dogs (unleashed, yay!) there's a small steep hike, I wasn't able to go on. Saw a bunny crossing the path on the way to pirates cove. If you're a nudist, this is a great place for you. I'm not, but my friend was showing us around. Tip for the guys. If you can get a boat, get a boat! You might be lucky to scoop a naked college girl onto your boat. Saw it with my own eyes. Lol read more
Super cool place . Pirates Cove. Walk down the steep hills. BOOM you are there. Pirates might have buried treasure here. No I'm just kidding. Rocky boulders at the end is a cool place to sit and watch the sailboats. That in itself is a treasure. I want to keep this a secret place but here goes .. Go to Avila Beach, drive up on Cave Landing Road , there's a sign that says " road ends " but keep going all the way to the end of the road. Park your car. Walk towards the nude beach but don't go there. At the junction , go right. There's the caves. You go left and that's a nudist beach. Clothing optional. read more
7 years ago
4 years ago
7 years ago
10 years ago
I have never been to the actual beach but I usually climb the rocks and go under the bridge when I come here. It is so beautifuk during sunset. If you go on the weekends, it's going to be pretty crowded and you might not find any parking and have to go home (happened to me once). I wish people would stop littering here and pick up their trash. Other than that I love this lookout spot. read more
7 years ago
I frequent the cove, it is a nude beach so clothes are optional and nude volleyball is mandatory! It's a beautiful place, forget the nude part, the nude people help keep it from getting overcrowded! The weekends can get very busy. It's best to just park early on along the road and walk down, the parking lot at the end is all potholes and ruts. read more
12 years ago
What a gem! My new favorite beach when visiting the central coast. Everyone is respectful and I've never had any issues with cameras or lookie-lous. Not all the beach-goers are nude - so you don't ever feel obligated to strip down if you're not comfortable. But why not? This is the place to be free, if you've ever wondered what it was like. Besides, there is nothing quite like swimming naked on a hot beach day! The only thing I would suggest (and the reason for the four, and not five star rating) is the parking. The parking area is quite rough (not paved) and if you don't drive a truck or 4-wheel drive, it can be a little unnerving. Still, there was no damage to my car or tires, it's just very uneven and dusty (it's a dirt road with rocks). The view and tranquil energy are quite spectacular though - I will be coming back many times! ~ @thatgalkiki read more
A lot of old balls... Not that young balls are more attractive... I digress. This beach is not crowded and offers amazing views and I'm not talking about body parts. You can watch the cute seals on the rocks and relax without all the crowds. P.S. PICK UP YOUR TRASH!!!!!!!!! read more
I highly recommend this place. It is dog friendly and if its not crowded it leads you basically to a private beach. They have a pretty easy hike down to the beach where it is clothing optional. The beach is gorgeous with views of the clear water and some seals sunbathing on rocks. You truly feel like you're on a private beach. Bring food, music, your pup and enjoy the day. Then when you're done with the beach, you can go toward the caves and see stunning views over there. Overall, I think this is a must when you're in the area. read more
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Avila Beach, CA 93424
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