This is our go to beach spot. This place can get crowded on a sunny, hot summer day, but you still get to enjoy your personal space. For your typical NorCal beach, this water is chilly. This does not deter us to enjoy our time here and swim. The last year's storm damaged a lot of the places around here including this one. The pier that leads to the sunken concrete ship was swept away by the huge waves. Some bathroom stalls along got damaged as well, but they are slowly renovating everything back. There are still remnants of washed logs and woods in here, but you can still enjoy the sand. This place is not hidden, but if you're not familiar with this place, it can be hard to find it. The parking area is small so it tend to be very hard to find a space to park here. However, there are still plenty of surrounding areas to park in and can be a bit of a walk. I can easily spend the whole day here enjoying the view, the sand and the water. Make sure to do your part and clean up after yourself. read more

Awesome beach to take your littles to: There are bathrooms and sinks (but no soap, so remember to bring your own or hand sanitizer!). The parking lot is right next to the beach, so not a far walk which is great if you're carrying a ton of stuff (which you probably are if you're bringing kiddos). There is usually a pool/small body of water separate from the waves/shore which is fantastic if you want to chill and feel relatively unstressed and able to lean back and let your kid(s) play in water without needing to be right there next to them. read more

This beach stretches out wide with a ship wreck on one end & nice waves. There are bathrooms & showers along the parking lots, life guard posts & lots of families having a good time. BBQing is allowed but no glass bottles or alcohol. Makes sense. It's great place for the babies if you're worried about the larger waves that come in! read more

Part of this beach is dedicated to dogs, so it's great if you have dogs or if you like brown cylindrical seashells (clean up after your dog!) Otherwise, it is clean and the water is pretty. Low key. The locals were friendly enough, though the dogs seemed snobby. They didn't seem interested in Jack, the three-legged dog from Almaden Valley we brought along. Next time we'll tie loose meats to his collar. read more

Rio Del Mar State Beach - The water was two feet away. - Beaches Near Me - Aptos, California

I've been going to Rio Del Mar for years. It's a great beach for walks, enjoying the waves, and collecting sea glass. It's one of my favorite spots to visit when I'm in the Aptos area. There are nice restaurants and a lovely coffee shop in the area as well. Parking is usually pretty easy to find. read more

Rio Del Mar State Beach - Remains of the Cement Ship - Beaches Near Me - Aptos, California

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Our family toggles between Rio Del Mar and Seacliff, right next door. Seacliff offers picnic tables and pergolas but Rio Del Mar is kind of not as busy as Seacliff which is nice. It also has dedicated bathrooms and an outside shower. They are pretty clean and well-stocked. Of course, as the day progresses and depending on the foot traffic, towards the end of the day you have to bring your own tp. There is a small beach-level parking lot. If you aren't lucky enough to score parking in the parking lot then you will need to find parking within the neighborhoods that surround this beach. A nice perk is, if you don't feel like hauling an entire kitchen onto the beach there are a few restaurants and a convenience store that overlook this beach. So you can totally grab your food and plant yourself on the beach to catch the sunset. If you decide that you do want a full fledge picnic on the beach there are grocery stores not too far. If you visit after a storm you may find wood debris strewn along the beach. Other than that people are pretty respectable and clean up after themselves. On a warm summer day, as the sun sits right above the water in the distance, sometimes you are lucky enough to catch a few dolphins playing. This beach allows bonfires, just make sure you follow the rules. So it's nice to play all day in the surf. Then share a bonfire and some smores to end the evening. I know my family loves it! read more

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Twin Lakes to the Boardwalk were my beaches as a kid to teenage hood for out here in Santa Cruz. It's where the grown-ups took us, and we eventually learned how to get here on our own. Seabright and Capitola were our beaches as young adults in our 20's. More adult things to do around those beaches and simply not laden with kids. Rio Del Mar became my go-to in my 30's, it was much less traffic'd with a much older crowd that never got rowdy. Came back recently after not doing so for almost a decade and a few things have changed, though it is still pretty chill. There used to be a wrecked ship that used to jut out from the land to about 100 feet out. You couldn't go on it but it was a very unique sight back in the day. Due to time and several storms, that ship has been reclaimed by the sea. There may be a little bit left but not like the landmark it once was. Not sure if I got unlucky but the beach isn't as smooth as i remembered. Lots of debris like broken natural wood and seaweed all over the sand. I know that's a natural occurrence for beaches in general, but I don't remember it being that littered. I went in the middle of summer too, so I couldn't imagine a storm bringing all that debris. And because there were so much stuff all around, a ton of seabirds (mostly seagulls) were hanging out that day. So much so that they took over a certain plot of the sand that people did not want to disturb, rightfully so. I also don't remember that many birds here back in the day. Minus the debris that day, the sand is still ideal beach sand, not too fine but not pebbles either. It is soft enough to lie on a towel/blanket and take a nap to sea waves, which is the ultimate thing to do here. And speaking of waves, the waves here are quite mellow, so safe for a swim or just to absorb with your senses. A huge draw for this beach and all the locals know it, is the free parking to be had literally beach side. All them other beaches I mentioned you either have to pay somewhere or park kinda far away and trek your way to the beach. Not here within a few steps from your car, your flip flopped feet can be on coastal sand. And on a weekday which is my preffered out here, parking is super easy. Can't say that for a warm weekend tho. And on the other side of that parking lot, a strip of businesses are to be had if you didn't bring food and drinks. I think it is even more thriving now than it was in the past. Now I still haven't tried anything from this strip yet as I usually bring my own stuff to snack on, and when I'm ready for a meal, I'll usually head into Capitola or Santa Cruz. But there is a small market here, a couple of sit-down restaurants that capture that seaside cuisine and an indy sandwich shop that looks promising. Rio Del Mar, you're not as I remembered but you're still going to be my go-to for a mellow beach out in the Santa Cruz area. I'll be checking in sometime soon...bet. read more

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Great little find. Rio Del Mar has ample parking at the southern/eastern end as well as periodically throughout and a small cute collection of coffee/pizza/pie/breakfast places as well as a market at the northern/western end. Lots of locals enjoying the area as well as visitors renting the scenic beach houses which line the beach. The facilities are easily accessible and maintained although a few may be dated. Families come out early on the weekend to spend the day with chairs, tents and coolers. The section of the beach between Rio Del Mar and Seacliff has several great group picnic spots with groups of 4-6 picnic tables with a large BBQ grill - bonus is that the tables are all covered and these areas are between parking and the beach! read more

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Great beach to bring the kids. Had a nice time where the creek runs through the beach so the kids can play.

While this beach is not truly hidden, you kind of need to know about it to find it (there are other more public beaches nearby which are more accessible), even though it is really gorgeous and stretches on and on. It also has a small little village with a nice coffee and pizza shop, and you can even get drinks and cocktails there. It is very relaxing to walk for quite a distance down the beach beneath the bluffs. And there are adventures to be found that way as well, such as the walkway up to the Seascape Resort, with its beautiful restaurant where you can see the most beautiful sunsets. I enjoy just walking along the edge of the water, feeling my feet wading through the waves coming in and out. And to bring a blanket and to just lie there near the water often drifting away into a peaceful nap on the beach. There are lots of homes along the beach here up on the bluffs or down near the village which are very cute and have plenty of character, for example there is one right at the edge of the beach which is styled after I vote complete with lifted base so you have to take a circular staircase to go into it. read more

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Best state beach Super clean and easy to access in and out There is a 10$ charge for parking Great people and staff Lifeguard are nearby to assist read more

Rio Del Mar State Beach - Beach - Beaches Near Me - Aptos, California

Water Doggie friendly with river and lagoon and stream, fairly popular, available fire pits, don't bring any alcohol unless you want to pack up and go somewhere else read more

Rio Del Mar State Beach - Doggie friendly (if puppy, on long leash) - Beaches Near Me - Aptos, California

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What better way to spend a Saturday than hanging out on a beach. This Saturday brought me here and I had a wonderful time. It's easy to access right from the parking lot. A lot of sand, great views up and down the coast, and not a lot of people which makes for perfection. There were several dogs running around without a leash, so watch out for that. read more

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Great beach. I usually find parking rather close to the beach. Bathrooms at the front of entrance. Also there's a liquor store, sandwich deli, and pizza/coffee/pie place that's so convenient. And it's dog friendly!! read more

I'm still in awe. This beach has every potential to be crowded beyond belief. But yet... it isn't. It's so relaxing, so chill, so peaceful. This is the type of beach that I desperately yearn for. And of course, it's so flippin' clean and pretty. I mean... what else could I ask for? Okay... maybe for the sun to pop out just a tad bit more. But I was still able to witness a charming sunset here though... so. I guess I'll just take that instead. Rio Del Mar State Beach is tucked away in the small town of Aptos. I guess I shouldn't really say "tucked away" because it's just a hop and a skip away from many restaurants and shops on the next block, but it's far less traveled than the other beaches nearby. There's a fairly decent sized parking lot that wasn't filled at all when I arrived on a late Saturday afternoon. There's a coastal walking trail that seems to be nice for a quick stroll along the beach. And the beach. It's just so wonderful. Peaceful. One of those beaches where you can actually relax and even fall asleep to the sound of the waves. I actually spent quite sometime dipping my feet in the water. It's my favorite thing to do after I finish a hike. Gotta heal those aching feet. Most of the time, the water is freezing and the beach is cold and windy. But here, it was so pleasant. My legs got used to the water temperature fast. The sun didn't really reveal itself that day, but it was still unusually warm for a mid-November afternoon. That's just late fall in California for you. I loved it so, so much. The sand is so soft here too. There's no need to compete for space on the beach because there's plenty of it. And without the large crowds that you'd usually expect at a beach like this. I was loving it too much honestly. Maybe I just ended up coming on a good day, but still. I lucked out and it was incredible. I kind of feel guilty reviewing this beach at this point because I don't want the crowds to flock here. But, I have a feeling that this won't be happening anytime soon. Looking forward to the day that I return here for some R&R. read more

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Beach is not what It used to be. Came a long way to be there and was disappointed. Bathrooms are treacherous. Beach isn't very clean read more

This beach is pretty chill, especially when it's hot AH and you're looking for a sweet escape. This little area can get super crowded, so be prepared to wait for a few hours to get a spot, or park two miles away and get your hikin boots on! Or maybe you've brought some beach cruisers with board attachment and can bike your way to the beach, I dunno! More power to ya! We should do away with the cars and start the bike revolution! Let's go my brothers and sisters! Together we will take this world by storm! Pack your big girl panties get ready to party. The time is ours! Hope you enjoy your time :) read more

Rio Del Mar State Beach - Little overcast in the morning! - Beaches Near Me - Aptos, California

This is a perfect little beach - it is pet friendly, it has a trail that runs alongside the beach, plenty of picnic tables & BBQ pits, it has a pier and it even has a sunken old warship. The pier and warship are technically part of Seacliff beach but it is visible from this beach and less than a quarter mile walk along the trail. There's free parking, however the parking lot is small and can get filled up quickly during weekends and peak times. Plenty of shops and restaurant right around the corner. I went here on one of those rare weekends in January when the weather was 70 degrees. The beach is very clean and is my new favorite in the area. Will definitely come back again. read more

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Love this beach! It's dog friendly, clean, and beautiful. We go here all the time and take gorgeous long walks. If you have dogs you must go to this beach. Bonus: free parking!!!! read more

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Warm late September 2021. Parking lot practically empty all day. Beach sparsely populated. Signs posted that dogs must be leashed but all the ones we see are free range and happily romping. That's cool. Surf is mild, 2 foot rollers. No lifeguard. Concrete bunker toilets are beat to hell. Hand wash sinks have no water. No shower. Hey California politicians! State has a budget surplus of $100 billion. Going to spend $15 billion on homeless services this year. But the state park service gets no respect? 50 years ago the California Park System was a world class Jewel. Today it's probably the worst maintained and most dilapidated system in the USA. Pitiful. read more

Beautiful beach, it has a cool paved esplanade to skate/bike/ or stroll down. Also there are a couple benches to enjoy the ocean from, without having to traipse across the sand. Waves seem gentle and calm here, but dont take my word for it. Always be ocean safe I recommend Rio Del Mar read more

Rio Del Mar State Beach - Beaches Near Me - Aptos, California

This beach is fairly nice. It's one of the few beaches that are in aptos. It's usually very crowded and filled with trash unfortunately. The parking BLOWS, so if you're wanting even a decent spot, expect to leave the house early. If you're wanting to go to a less crowded beach, drive to the hidden beach! This is more of a "family beach". Lots of boogie boarding and paddle boarding. Not awesome for surfing. read more

My family (myself, wife and two girls ages 6 & 8) discovered this beach after staying at the Seascape Beach Resort. This is one of the most beautiful beaches that we have experienced in Northern California. It is extremely clean and it has never been crowded all the times that we have been there. It's a very long stretch of beach that goes as far as the eye can see. Another plus for our girls is that there is hardly any seaweed which grosses them out. The waves are pretty calm so it's a good place for the little ones to splash around in the surf. We have enjoyed the beach so much that most times we stay to watch the beautiful sunset. read more

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Not sure why I haven't explored Aptos till now, but I'll definitely be back. One of the reasons is this cool beach. It's one of the cleanest beaches I've been to, and not very crowded even on a sunny weekend. There's also a little lagoon for little kids to play in. There's a pier with a sunken ship at one end, but it was pretty smelly over there. We quickly turned around and enjoyed a sunny afternoon in the sand. read more

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To be fair I have only seen the ship from the air. The S.S. Palo Alto was a prototype of a new ship built during WW I. Made out of concrete is was quite unique. Completed in Oakland, in 1919, the ship arrived too late to serve. The ship was mothballed until 1929 when it was towed to Aptos to become a floating amusement park. It later broke up and the state purchased it as part of the State beach / park. The ship can be seen from the beach and continues to break up in the pounding surf. read more

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Took our puppy here for his first beach visit on a Sunday morning. It was so fun! The beach was practically empty aside from people having fun with their dogs walking along the shore. So clean and doesn't stink, haha. Lots of cool rocks and shells to see along the shore too! The parking and walkability is nice, you don't have to climb up and down a steep sand dune or 10 flights of stairs to enjoy a nice beach. This beach has never disappointed our family for the many years we've been coming. We will definitely be coming back with our puppy again! read more

Rio Del Mar Beach (RDMB), is located in Aptos, off of Hwy 1. With lesser crowds, makes this beach a spot to chill at. There are 2 beach area, I only been to the one located farthest to the south. If you come early, you can snatch one of the few free parking on the side of the road, otherwise, there is a parking lot, self service, $10 cash, can fill up quick on a holiday. The parking lot is located right in front of the beach, making it easy to transport stuff. The sand is soft, and the waves is not to ruff. Many people buggie board, if you haven't tried it, it's really fun. You can often see dolphins swimming. The restroom is very old, a little scary. No running water due too the drought. Bring portable water to wash your hands and feet. RDMB is a laid back beach with lesser crowds. Easy to get too. No running water, old restroom, & $10 for parking are the only negatives but the many positive outweigh that. Will be coming here for many, many years. read more

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No fires on the beach...say what??? Not ok capitola not ok. Ranger had us put it out, we didn't get cited but could have. Ranger did say fire pits would be brought out later in the year....because that would keep a beach by the largest body of water from catching fire??? As far as beaches go for day time use its good, other than not much parking, of you can find a spot atleast no charge. They do have bathrooms, outdoor shower, close by convenient stores, couple cafes and bars. Lots of decent beach house rentals. The beach is kept clean and i saw you could rent boogie boards. For Easter weekend their was still plenty of good places some folks could stake as their own for the day. I heard rumors their was a place further down in the evening that had live music right on the beach on the weekends but I'll have to look into it next time. read more

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My husband and I came here twice last week because of the reviews. We love it here! It was not crowded, parking is available, and our puppy enjoyed playing in the sand. It is gorgeous here and we are surprised that it seems like not a lot of people know about this place. You could build a fire, have a picnic, fly a kite, and play with your fur babies. We hope that this beach stays a well-kept secret. read more

Rio Del Mar State Beach - Butter loves this beach! Look at that smile! - Beaches Near Me - Aptos, California

I can't believe this beach has anything less than 5 stars! I LOVEEEEE this beach. I'm a stay-at-home-mom and beach trips are LIFE with two little ones. This beach in particular is a personal favorite because of the shallow run-off that the kids can splash in. It allows me to put myself in neutral while the kids play in a generally safe amount of water. I also like that parking is free and I've never had issues finding a spot during the week. It's also within walking distance to a couple of restaurants if you were too lazy to pack a lunch. I did see other reviewers mention it being "dirty", but I disagree. Honestly, it's one of the better beaches as far as maintenance goes. I recommend giving this beach a try if you've got toddlers that enjoy the beach water :) read more

Rio Del Mar State Beach - Beaches Near Me - Aptos, California

I'm not even a beach person, but this beach has changed my opinion of what beach day means. Since my granddaughter loves the beach I've been in search of somewhere close that we could bring our dogs, relax and be able to get some family time in. This place is great for all of the above. The beach can be easily accessed, had restrooms and washing station, is clean and very family and dog friendly. Dogs were all on leash and saw the ranger patrolling as well. Dont worry about not finding a spot to camp out. There is so much beach you'll have a chance to pick and choose. At least this was the case today. The best part was being happily surprised to drive right in to an open and free parking spot. There are a few local businesses and restaurants only steps from the beach. As we were leaving around 4:30 there were lots of people arriving with their set up, perhaps for a dinner by sunset. I'm sure it's a lovely time all hours of the day and evening. read more

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another great beach in aptos, just next to seacliff state beach, and you can still see the boardwalk with sunken ship at the end of the pier. parking is 100% free here, since there's no attendant in the lot, which happens to be on the same level as the beach (read: no walking down steps/ramps) there's a handful of restaurants, bars, and cafes next to the parking lot, so if you get hungry, you needn't drive to another part of aptos to get food. the beach itself is lovely, a bit small, but quite nice, and generally quiet since it's not as well known as some of the other local area beaches. there are plenty of restrooms, a couple of showers and foot washes for your comfort and convenience. read more

First visit here today and we absolutely feel in love with it! We usually go to a different beach nearby but the lot was full. We found this beach was only a few minutes away and decide what the heck. There are two different parking lots-one at each end of the beach. There is a lifeguard on duty and most importantly bathrooms! The bathroom didn't seem too bad for the beach. On our visit we had the unfortunate event of the toilet paper running out. Thankfully my sister brought a roll from home. Any-who. The beach was clean and not too crowded. At the beginning part of the beach there a rather large tide pool(?) great for the little ones to play. I have 2 toddlers so the next time we come here we'll definitely play at this end. Great beach and like other reviews stated very much so kid friendly. read more

One of the most beautiful night beach walks I've ever had. The beach itself was clean with not a lot of trash (still some). Soft sand. Most people were observant of the dog leash rules. Trash cans over flowing Friday and Saturday though. Distinctly fishy odor (more than the "smell of the ocean"). We saw a lone seal lion poke his head around. read more

Rio Del Mar State Beach - Nearly full moon. This picture doesn't capture the absolute beauty of the glowing blue waves. - Beaches Near Me - Aptos, California

Nice and wide beach. Fairly flat so easy to walk and dogs are allowed on leashes. Love it! Parking can sometimes be a bit tricky but there are pay lots available if the free spots are full. read more

I'm going to start reviewing beaches because I find it hard to differentiate between them otherwise! I think Rio Del Mar is alright. It's my boyfriend's go-to beach, and his family's go-to beach. It's always pretty crowded, even on weekdays. It's probably my least favorite beach next to the Boardwalk beach, for this reason. If you set up camp a little ways away from the water, you'll find someone sets up camp in front of you. It takes away from the serenity. The waves aren't very notably large, and not that great for body boarding. Almost every time we come here, my boyfriend mentions that he wishes he brought the skimboard. They definitely won't sweep your kid out to sea. Parking isn't much of an issue if you park in the side streets, and it's family-friendly in that there are bathrooms and showers close by. If you walk allll the way down past the shipwreck, you'll find that there are less people. But it's a long way down! The shipwreck has an interesting history. There's also no cell reception on this beach, which is both nice and not nice at the same time. Probably going to stop coming here. Otherwise, it's a beach. If you just want to go to a beach, you can come here. But if you are interested in body boarding/surfing, or quieter/relaxing beaches with less activity, this is not the place. P.S. If you let your kid play in that funky river that flows into the ocean halfway down the beach, you should know it's actually sewage water. :P read more

On a Saturday in July we had the idea to go towards Santa Cruz and walk along the beach. Since we've been at the Santa Cruz Boardwalk and also in Capitola numerous times before, we wanted to see something else. So we entered Aptos as a destination on google maps and off we went. We didn't know where to go, so we just went to a "random" beach and parked the car. Instantly we noticed the joyous mood: countless family gatherings, birthday parties, and what looked like professionally gathered grill parties took place along the beach walk. The ice cream place down the road caught our eyes and sweetened the nice afternoon on the beach. We liked the contrast to the typical Silicon Valley mood we're usually exposed to and enjoyed the families spreading joy and happiness. The beach walk is very nice, even not the easiest with a baby stroller. Sadly there isn't much to see from the WWI boat (S.S. Palo Alto) since it's not possible to get close to it. read more

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Really nice beach, with free parking close by and bathrooms. Possibly crowded in high season, but we were there at end of April and it was beautiful and easy to find a spot. Not too difficult to navigate even though I have so.e mobility issues. read more

Didn't remember this beach was this pretty last time I came. But it is really gorgeous in This season of year (December). Dog friendly. Long Beach for jogging. Nice BBQ area with benches and shelter. (Written reservation needed) We stayed close to the beach and it is very nice to walk in the area!! read more

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Allows dogs!!! On the hunt for a dog-friendly beach over near Santa Cruz but outside of the 'hectic' areas like Capitola and Santa Cruz central....this was the perfect find for us. No traffic, all kinds of good. Off Hwy 1 take Rio Del Mar exit and follow the road all the way down to the beach...there is plenty of free parking, bathrooms, outdoor showers to help wash off your pup, a mile long stretch of shell-laden beach and an old cemented freighter at the end of a short pier that makes for great pictures. The only thing this beach is lacking is a good on-the-water dog-friendly restaurant serving up fresh fishly grub, but we found a fabulous place in Soquel around the corner which I will write about as well! read more

Rio Del Mar State Beach - Beaches Near Me - Aptos, California