On A mini vacation to Cambria with my family. This was a beautiful walk on the boardwalk. Great…read moreviews of the ocean and surroundings. Easy pathway for everyone, even good for strollers and wheelchairs. The beach has stone sand and it so colorful. Beautiful pieces to look at. I had lots of fun walking on the beach and looking at the stones. It's a lovely place to be. Part of why I love living in California. So many beautiful beaches and small towns.

My family loves this beach. The parking lot is small, but we usually are able to find a spot…read more There's a public restroom connected to the parking lot. I've never needed it, but I'm glad it is there. Beach access is down some stairs that can be hard if you have mobility or balance issues. They are sturdy, and if you are able to navigate them slowly, it is worth it. The beach itself has driftwood that has washed up, and other beach-goers have fashioned into makeshift structures that are fun to explore. The sand is soft, and has tons of rocks and pebbles to investigate. As the name suggests, there are moonstones to find, if you have a bit of luck. Several times when I've visited, I've found these transparent clear and purplish/blue velella velella all over the shore. Other wildlife seen at this beach include moon jellyfish, sea lions (off shore), pelicans, seagulls, cormorants, and cottontail bunnies along the cliffs. There is a creek outlet that washes into the sea that can be a bit stinky, and tends to make traversing the beach hard past that point. Also along the water's edge, there can be some unstable sand areas, so tread carefully. This beach tends to have a nice breeze, and is refreshing even on hot days. If you are in the area and you can find parking, check it out!

The Central Coast, San Simeon Beach, quiet, but wild. A great place to reset, and just take in the…read moreviews. I recommend this beach if you don't like crowds and just want to listen to the waves.

I was a little confused why the rating is so high here having lived in California all my life and…read moreseen some amazing beaches. It appears that a lot of the reviews on this listing are actually for Hearst Memorial State Beach, which is, imo, much better but has a completely separate yelp page. I hope people aren't getting them confused because they will be disappointed if they are. San Simeon State beach is ok but the sand is a but rough and there are many spots that don't allow dogs. We have parked here a few times to enjoy the views and use the restroom. There are also some boardwalks/paths you can meander but the beach itself is just ok. I would head over to Hearst Beach since you're already in the area or really any of the other awesome beaches in the state for any genuine beach activities but that's just me.

This is down the way from Hearst castle and is a must see! Beware of the squirrels in the area,…read morethey will follow you and beg for food! There were plenty of elephant seals to view on the sand from the boardwalk. Some just sun bathing and some swimming in the shallow water. Parking is free and so is the view point.

An easy 10 minute drive from where we were staying. You can see several hundred elephant seal…read more Either sunbathing, playing in the water, having spicy time with each other and everything else elephant seals do. There were babies in different developmental stages, mother's, females and huge male elephant seals all over the place. Sadly there were even some dead seal babies too that were being picked at by the seagulls. They have a nice observation deck/walkway where you can spread out and take in the views of these wonderful creatures. They even have volunteers there during the day to answer questions about them or give you more information about these marine mammals. The parking lot is massive. Fortunately for us the 3 times we went it was probably less then 10% full so it was really nice. The actual dirt lot where you park bucks. Lots of pot holes. My little corolla suspension and shock was used to the full. The actual walkway is nice and sturdy. They have information boards throughout the place to give you more information. They even have a brochure that gives you independence information about elephant seals. As well as QR codes that goes into videos that provides even more information about them. This place is truly a gem in the area where you get to observe these majestic marine mammals in their natural habitat!!

We enjoyed a relaxing day here with our dog. We were able to drive down to the lower beach and park…read morewith a great view of the old pier. There is lots of shade and space to relax and enjoy the sounds of the water. The beach and picnic area were pretty clean and although there were people fishing and BBQing, there was a nice quiet atmosphere. I don't know if it's typical but on our visit there were no screaming children or loud teens posing for the gram. It was a really calm vibe. The restrooms are near the entrance so it's a bit of a trek if you need to go and the portable restroom that was in the area was locked. Still this was better than the other beaches we visited in the area and I would definitely come back.

OK...this review is for the coast line area right under the William Randolph Hearst Memorial View…read morePoint. It's about 5 miles from the State Beach memorial state beach, which the rest of the reviews mention. But it is part of the Hearst State Beach. It has plenty of gravel parking, and good views of the coastline. You are able to slowly climb down the low embankment and get close to the water. I don't think it's safe for swimming, and with the ocean breezes making it quite chilly, so didn't stay too long. The sand is rough, with some large driftwood on the beach. But I was only one on the beach for a bit, and it was nice just staring out to the ocean while hearing the loud rumbling of the shallow waves.

One of the most beautiful beaches I've ever been to! Located on highway 1 very close to the Kirk…read morecreek campground on the south end of Big Sur! When I tell you the walk down to this beach is breathtaking... my god! It's a ton of stairs so be mindful of what you want to carry because you start on a path from the parking lot and then it turns into stairs.. a lot of stairs! To park in the beach parking lot it's $10! This beach is simply beautiful! My yellow Labrador loved it! They also have this cut out area called jade cove! On the far north side they have a small cave! So cool! Please pick up your trash and be a good human!

I found sand dollars!!! Whole ones!! I love sand dollars!…read more Water is freezing! So many cool things to see that nature makes! Most definitely will go back! 10$ day use fee Cash only Concrete bathrooms, bring wipes and hand sanitizer

Ended up taking the long route to Pirate's Cove (parked near homes and took the trail) which we…read morelater 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.

While visiting SLO, I was looking for an ocean hike to complete and found this hike on All Trails…read moreso I went for it. I took the long way traversing through a million dollar neighborhood of gorgeous homes lining the street. Once I was in the dirt I could see the cove from above. The beach is beautiful and not crowded. Of course, clothing is optional but I didn't come for the beach. I came to see the cove. You have to hike down to the cove as it sits on the water, but no biggie. Hiking back up and out for some may be challenging for some so just go at your own pace. When I arrived there was a guy playing a guitar so that was nice, not too many peeps around which allowed me to take a couple of pics. The cove itself is picturesque but the graffiti sucks!! Why must people have to paint on rocks in nature?? I just don't get it!! Go paint on abandoned buildings etc. I stayed for a few minutes then I walked out on the rocks and took in the views of the mighty Pacific Ocean. So gorgeous! I could have sat there all day. You can also access this cove and beach by driving directly to it and then following the path down to it, but I preferred the mini hike instead. Remember to Leave No Trace always.

We got to visit the section of the beach that's right by San Simeon campground. There's a path from…read morethe campground that goes under PCH to connect to the beach. We went during the fall of 2022, not too cold in the afternoon but you'll probably want to wear a long sleeve since it's a little windy there. It's a nice peaceful beach, we saw lots out pull over spots along PCH so there's more than just one opportunity to check this beach out.

This is the beach below San Simeon's hotels, though it's often confused with San Simeon State Beach…read moreand the San Simeon Creek Beach.. It's a sandy beach with plenty of small rocks. This beach was made for long walks and is generally not very crowded. You can park off Pico Avenue and walk down to the beach from there. If you head north on this beach you can walk past Pico Creek and pond and walk over some large beach rocks. Heading south will take you Jung Trail and the area's best tide pools.

A nice trail that's part nature walk, part moderate hike. The distance ranges from 3.5 - 3.8 miles…read moreit's a loop trail that goes around Sam Simeon State park/Campground. If you're staying at the camp ground you can easily get to the trail by following the park map. If you're not visiting the campsite there is a pullout area across the campground entrance on the other side near the beach where you can walk the trail under PCH. Coming from the beach trail around the loop you'll get around 450 feet of elevation gain, the trail is pretty simple to follow but if you're looking for direction to follow online there is a map on All Trails under "San Simeon trail to Washburn Campground Loop"

This kinda beauty is why I live on the central coast. I cannot believe that views like this are in…read moremy neighborhood! This is definitely more of a walk than a hike as the trails weaves in and out of eucalyptus trees and the cliffside. The views are truly out of a picture book. Words almost do not do it justice. The smell of eucalyptus in the air, the big beautiful ocean on the your right and the forest on your left. On a clear day you can see Hearst castle on the hill and aquatic animals swimming in the ocean. I have never not seen at least some marine life whenever I have visited. Whether that is a sea lion lounging on the beach or a pod of dolphins. The marine life is alive and well in this area! Luckily, it is almost completely flat and not too long so you can bring your pup along for the ride! The only warning I have about this amazing walk is that there can be a great deal of rattlesnakes during rattlesnake season. They can be scary, but remember that they rarely attack humans. Just do not go poking them with a stick and watch your puppy so he doesn't go sniffing around one! This walk is absolutely breathtaking and it is flabbergasting more people do not know about it. It is so close to Big Sur, so people must overlook it. Do not do that! Go visit for yourself!

A worthwhile stop after visiting the Castle…read more There's ample parking and plenty of things to do on this beach access site. A nice stroll along a pier, perhaps a walk along the beach and some small tide pool exploration, or if you're lucky a chance to visit their discovery center. So stop by and stretch your legs out a bit. Bathrooms - Yes

San Simeon Bay is a picturesque sheltered beach along California's central coast. Just north of…read moreCayucos, Morro Bay, and San Luis Obispo, it is one of several sandy stretches along what becomes more and more a rocky shoreline as one heads northward. There are picnic facilities, restrooms, a small interpretive center, and a fishing pier. In the winter, you may see northern elephant seals (Mirounga angustirostris) resting on the sand. There are larger concentrations of them a bit farther north... No matter where you see these beasts, keep your distance and give these wild creatures space... Yes, that means you with the $149 camera fancying yourself a nature photographer. There is a payment booth, but I've never seen it open in the winter when we visit. The stands of eucalyptus trees occasionally serve as resting spots for migrating monarch butterflies. The pier is a great place to spot sea birds in the quiet waters of the bay. Anglers target anchovies, mackerel, smelt, and in season, surfperch, Sharks, and the occasional striped bass. It's not the best fishing pier, but it's usually a pretty good spot to jig up some baitfish. Look out to sea to spot migrating gray whales.

People say there's nothing to do in San Simeon except Hearst Castle...Of course, those with inside…read moreknowledge know where the cool non-touristy stuff can be found. Where.. The Jung Ranch Trail has two entry points where you can park and hike. The most accessible starting point (perfect for those staying in the area's motels) is at the end of 271 Vista Del Mar Ave. The other end of this trail is off Lone Palm Dr. The Hike.. The Jung trail about 1 mile in length from endpoint to endpoint. For the most part, it's pretty flat and could be easily walked by most people. This trail goes along San Simeon's breezy beach cliffs with plenty of access to the beach and the tide pools below. The Tide Pools.. If you have kids be sure to come here around low tide. While the specimens not be amazing when compared to other famous tide pools, there are crabs and sea anemones everywhere. You'll like see a sea lion of the farther out rocks. The kids said this was the highlight of our most recent trip. Know this! It can be very windy and cold on this trail. Dress appropriately. Definitely snakes in the field so stay on the path..

This trail isn't far from Hwy 1. There is a small area on a side road to the North park, or a…read morelonger side road on the south end to park. you can walk the trail which I believe is around 2-3 miles. We saw the pictures of the tide pools so was hoping to see something. So we made our way down and was walking the tide-pools getting looks as if we were nuts because the waves were big so we had to wait until the wave went down to walk a little bit, stop, and go again. But we didn't see anything in the tide-pools.