Seacliff State Beach Photos
You might also consider
More like Seacliff State Beach
Recommended Reviews - Seacliff State Beach
Start your review...
Reviews With Photos
My personal favorite beach in the Santa Cruz region. Located in Aptos. It is not only one of the easiest beaches to access, it is typically quiet and uncrowded. That being said all Santa Cruz beaches are packed during holidays and summertime. Being a State park/beach, there is a $10 vehicle fee to enter. That seems reasonable given the amenities available once you arrive. Public parking including handicap spots, clean and maintained restrooms, some picnic tables and an easy, flat walking path along the ocean front in both directions. Walking towards the east you can, in a relatively short time, come upon a couple of nice places to grab something to eat or drink. You will not find this perk in other state parks. So if you do not have your picnic basket packed just know there are options if you get hungry. Unfortunately the long time walking/fishing pier that existed as long as I can remember is no longer. After a couple of recent destructive winter storms it was destroyed. However, the remains of the historical WWI-era, Palo Alto "cement" ship is still partially visible and continues to be the home for hundreds of pelicans and shore birds coming and going. Amusing to watch. A Museum/gift shop is also located at Seacliff State Beach. Free. It is absolutely worth visiting for both adults and kids. Volunteers who manage the museum are dedicated, enthusiastic and well-informed. Interesting information/photos about the "cement" ship too. Come 5 p.m., the locals and their dogs are exercising, running, and walking along the ocean front. However they are not driving in they are taking the hard way to the beach. The beautiful, very long, staircase you can walk down to the beach if you have the legs and breath to make it. It is amazing to watch some of them use this staircase as an exercise tool. Running up and down. Whew! And after a nice day at the beach there is yummy Marianne's Ice Cream shop and/or the famous and delicious Manuel's Mexican Restaurant waiting for you after you exit the park. Both have been delighting locals and tourists forever. Or... stay for the stunning sunset at Seacliff. You will not be disappointed.
Seacliff State Beach is a nice and chill beach in Aptos. We visited b/c we like the ocean and need to get away from the drab of the valley every once in awhile, haha. I enjoyed seeing the ocean and my kids love playing on the beach, but I wanted to highlight the Visitor Center. So Seacliff State Beach has a nice little visitor center/museum, it's small, but it's actually full of great info, and it's free. It gave me a whole new appreciation for that boat wreck (the SS Palo Alto) at the end of the dilapidated pier out there right on the beach. There was a ton of historical artifacts, documents, and pictures all providing great info on what happened, why, and how it all went down w/the SS Palo Alto. They even had a video about S.S. Palo Alto and you can look at it through the telescope. Pretty cool stuff. There were also excellent exhibits on the geology and wildlife in the Monterey Bay ecosystem in general and at Sea Cliff Beach in particular. So much to learn from this little place, my kids had a blast b/c a lot of the small exhibits were hands on. They also got a kick out of the "stuffed animals" i.e. the taxidermy of local bird which were well done and really allowed for literal close-up looks at the birds in this marine region. Neat for those of us who like science generally and marine biology and animals specifically. Finally, there's a gift shop in there too, if you want to pick up a book about this region, some souvenirs, or send a friend a postcard from your trip here and the prices were all reasonable. People who worked here were friendly, informative, and helpful. We'll plan to visit again, hopefully soon.
What a beautiful magical beach with a ship wreck peeking out of the ocean not to far from the shoreline. Plenty of beautiful rocks and sea glass. My girlfriend found two fossilized great white shark teeth so that is cool and she found a natural sea marble just beautiful. Stayed for the sunset it was amazing. You have to come. Plenty of parking it was a 10$ fee but worth every dollar. There are restrooms. And shower
Such a beautiful state beach. Was here for the sunset and watched the moon rise on the other side as the Sun set was such a beautiful experience. So many treasures to find fossilized great white shark teeth , beautiful sea glass and the most mesmerizing pebbles. A must come to. Will be back 10$ to get in but plenty of parking and worth it
a little piece of history with a beautiful staircase and a clean beach. I really miss the long pier they had before.
Beautiful beach with a dock you can walk out to, but I think you can't go beyond or so because at the end of it there's a ship that collapsed, so it's a sunken ship and it's there permanently, iirc. It's still very scenic here. It's a little bit commercialized and not as natural as other beaches along the coast, but it's still very nice. There's a sea wall, to protect the town I guess. So it's not as pretty as other coastal beaches, but the ocean is still so relaxing and special to enjoy. Listening to the sounds of the waves and just taking it all in, it's truly beautiful here. It's very close to the town of Capitola, and there's lots of eateries and shops nearby. We also visited a museum (separate review), which contained all kinds of interesting artifacts about the history of this area. This is definitely an unique beach and a state treasure, my kids and husband all had a great time exploring and enjoying this beach.
Very nice beach. It's not too crowded. We watched sunset until dark and the view is spectacular. Dogs are allowed. There's a $10 entrance fee.
We visited Seacliff State Beach, on the Monterey Bay in Aptos, Santa Cruz, California, in early July, 2024. While a popular place for beach walking along the 2 mile beach, surfing, fishing, and sunbathing, Seacliff also includes RV facilities, picnic tables, and fire pits. There's also a Visitors Center and Park Store, where we were able to pick up pamphlets not only for Seacliff but also for other state parks in the county. The State Beach sustained damage in storms some months ago and some areas were closed for continuing reconstruction activities. The beach is also known for the concrete ship S.S. Palo Alto which lies in the water just offshore. This ship has a fascinating history. Plans for a concrete shipping fleet were born in the course of the World War One war effort when steel was in short supply. The $1.5 million order for the ship came in 1918, less than six months before the end of the war. In 1924, she was sold as scrap for the price of $18,750. In 1930, she was towed to Seacliff Beach where there were ambitious plans to develop the ship into an entertainment resort but, opening in the midst of the Great Depression, the resort failed within two years. It was sold to the State for one dollar in 1936. Today, the Palo Alto is an important sanctuary for wildlife.
Long gone are the days of fishing off the deck of the Palo Alto and throwing a drop line from her pier. The days of catching a Striper from the beach are over for me also but my memories of those days and the fun times I had at this beach growing up are priceless. Living about 10 minutes away (little traffic back then) it was a local spot to fish. It's seen better days but the coast is ever changing. I'm glad to have come back and take another look. To see others enjoying the beach is peaceful and reflective. It's sorrowful to see the "cement boat " in such a state not able to even reach her. Last words...perfect memories.
You Beach Your Life We made the rookie mistake of heading to the beach for Labor Day Weekend, and our usual spot, Manresa State Beach, was a shit-show of cars trying to get in. We dipped out and headed to "plan B" of Seacliff in hopes that it wouldn't be as crowded. Seacliff used to be my "go-to" Beach years ago, but I honestly couldn't recall the last time I visited. Seacliff is known for its giant large fishing pier and, more infamously, the capsized concrete WWI-era ship, the USS Palo Alto, that lays adjacent to it. The Good: *It's a beach! *Dog-friendly *woof* *Covered BBQ/Picnic area *Restrooms w/ sand wash station *Fishing from the pier (no license required) *Huge multi-level parking area *Great place to watch pelicans and other shorebirds do their thing. *Camping/long-term RV parking available w/ reservation. *Visitor Center (didn't visit) *Marianne's Ice Cream is adjacent to the beach! *Lifeguard on duty The Meh: *Beach is very rocky in certain areas but good for sea glass hunting. *If the bottom parking is full, and you have to park up top, then the walk down with all your stuff is quite the schlep. *$10 parking fee *Drone friendly The Ugly: *Depending on the breeze, if the wind shifts just right, you'll catch a nice whiff of the smell of all the shorebirds doody smell from the closed off section of the pier/ship. =X TLDR: Nice beach with plenty of parking and lots of amenities.
Im coming back to spend more time here!!! Unbelievably gorgeous beautiful sunset views and picnic area!!!
Iconic 100+ year old concrete WW1 tanker ship still in the water. When we moved to the Bay Area you could still walk on it but it's sadly been battered and ruined so much it's been fenced off since 2016. The SS Palo Alto was completed in 1919 and has served as an entertainment center with a dancehall and food before as well as a fishing pier. Nowadays it's an unofficial bird sanctuary and a great place to see pelicans and seagulls if you'll brave the funky seabird smell coming from the pier. The beach is nice and has nice sand while also having some ocean-smoothed stones that we saw local rockhounds poking through, the stones are great for skipping stones if you want to see who in your group can make it skip the most. There are a lot of birds so if you go into the water I would do so far from the pier. You don't want dead bird or bird waste accidentally getting in your mouth.
1 month ago
5-STARS FOR SEACLIFF STATE BEACH! Home from our beach day date, and I have to say... this beach was BEACHING! Today was exactly what we needed--relaxing, mood-boosting, peaceful, and simply enjoyable. Sometimes a day by the ocean really does feel like a reset button for the soul. We arrived early, chose our spot wisely, and settled in for the day. The weather was absolutely perfect! The waves were crashing and hugging the sand like a long-lost friend. The birds were birding (including one beautiful little feathered friend whose name I couldn't remember--and unfortunately, I couldn't get a picture either ). The dogs were out there pupping around in the water, happily retrieving balls and sticks their humans tossed for them. And the kids were everywhere--playing, splashing, laughing, and having the absolute BEST time in the sun. One of the things I really appreciate about Seacliff State Beach is how accessible and accommodating it is. Beach accessibility Handicap parking available Clean restrooms Working showers Clean changing rooms Covered picnic areas Pet-friendly amenities, including dog bowls with clean, fresh water And the parking is very reasonable at $10 for the day, with seniors receiving $1 off. That's a pretty great deal for spending an entire day at the beach! We even got lucky enough to see dolphins swimming by! We also spotted a healthy seal enjoying the water. Unfortunately, we did see another seal on the beach that appeared very lethargic and remained there for much of the day. That part was heartbreaking to see. I sincerely hope someone was able to get the appropriate wildlife professionals involved. And then there was our little tent adventure. Packing it up was easy enough... until we tried getting it back into its bag with the wind fighting us every step of the way! So we decided to bring it home and fold it back up in the garage where Mother Nature couldn't interfere with our packing skills. After a full day of sunshine, fresh ocean air, good food, beautiful scenery, wildlife, and just enjoying each other's company, we came home feeling relaxed, refreshed, and grateful. And if you know the area, Seacliff State Beach is also conveniently close to some great local spots, including Manuel's Restaurant, Marianna's Ice Cream Parlor, and Snow White's, just to name a few. WOULD ABSOLUTELY VISIT AGAIN! Seacliff State Beach checked all the boxes for us: accessibility, amenities, family-friendly fun, pet-friendly spaces, beautiful scenery, and a perfect place to spend a relaxing day by the ocean. The beach was beaching.The birds were birding.The waves were waving.The dogs were pupping.And we were just grateful to be there. Sometimes you don't need anything fancy. Just a beach, a picnic, someone you love, and a beautiful day. Until the next beach day... read more
1 month ago
I saw pictures of Seacliff State Beach online and wanted to check it out. I drove out there and it was pretty crowded. Parking is $10 but if you come late in the day, there's no parking in the lower lot. I parked in the upper lot and walked down the long step of stairs. It wasn't too bad. The view was incredible especially with the sunken ship. It used to be a restaurant and entertainment venue. However, the pier leading to the ship is long gone. There is a visitor's center where you can buy gifts and also learn the history about Seacliff State Beach and also look through a telescope to see the sunken ship much better. The beach was very packed and if you're going there to relax and swim, it's the best place to do so. There's not much to do around. There's no restaurants or shops next to the beach but that's fine because it keeps it natural. There was still a lot of damage to the parking lots and parts of the beach from previous floods and storm damage. There are plenty of bathrooms along the beach but bring your own soap and toilet paper because there isn't any. Overall, it was a nice beach and good place to relax and frolic in the sand and water. read more
4 months ago
There was a free event, Ocean Fest, taking place here this past Saturday. Food trucks, merchandise vendors selling beach art and ocean-themed products, and the Cement Ship band playing live music for a small crowd. A visitor center & park store on site, as well as picnic areas with plenty of seating, and ample restrooms too. The beach was a bit smellier than the others I normally visit, but worth it for the beautiful peaceful views and gentle waves of the water. Small rocks and debris were scattered throughout the powdery sand but not excessive, along with logs and bonfire remains. The ruins of the SS Palo Alto ship, a piece of history, sitting not too far from the shore, a unique feature at this park. Parking cost was $10 (receipt good at other state parks and beaches in the county too), but that's ten dollars more than I think it's worth, as besides partial views of the SS Palo Alto, nothing really stood out that I couldn't get from somewhere else that doesn't charge a parking fee. read more
My personal favorite beach in the Santa Cruz region. Located in Aptos. It is not only one of the easiest beaches to access, it is typically quiet and uncrowded. That being said all Santa Cruz beaches are packed during holidays and summertime. Being a State park/beach, there is a $10 vehicle fee to enter. That seems reasonable given the amenities available once you arrive. Public parking including handicap spots, clean and maintained restrooms, some picnic tables and an easy, flat walking path along the ocean front in both directions. Walking towards the east you can, in a relatively short time, come upon a couple of nice places to grab something to eat or drink. You will not find this perk in other state parks. So if you do not have your picnic basket packed just know there are options if you get hungry. Unfortunately the long time walking/fishing pier that existed as long as I can remember is no longer. After a couple of recent destructive winter storms it was destroyed. However, the remains of the historical WWI-era, Palo Alto "cement" ship is still partially visible and continues to be the home for hundreds of pelicans and shore birds coming and going. Amusing to watch. A Museum/gift shop is also located at Seacliff State Beach. Free. It is absolutely worth visiting for both adults and kids. Volunteers who manage the museum are dedicated, enthusiastic and well-informed. Interesting information/photos about the "cement" ship too. Come 5 p.m., the locals and their dogs are exercising, running, and walking along the ocean front. However they are not driving in they are taking the hard way to the beach. The beautiful, very long, staircase you can walk down to the beach if you have the legs and breath to make it. It is amazing to watch some of them use this staircase as an exercise tool. Running up and down. Whew! And after a nice day at the beach there is yummy Marianne's Ice Cream shop and/or the famous and delicious Manuel's Mexican Restaurant waiting for you after you exit the park. Both have been delighting locals and tourists forever. Or... stay for the stunning sunset at Seacliff. You will not be disappointed. read more
Seacliff State Beach is a nice and chill beach in Aptos. We visited b/c we like the ocean and need to get away from the drab of the valley every once in awhile, haha. I enjoyed seeing the ocean and my kids love playing on the beach, but I wanted to highlight the Visitor Center. So Seacliff State Beach has a nice little visitor center/museum, it's small, but it's actually full of great info, and it's free. It gave me a whole new appreciation for that boat wreck (the SS Palo Alto) at the end of the dilapidated pier out there right on the beach. There was a ton of historical artifacts, documents, and pictures all providing great info on what happened, why, and how it all went down w/the SS Palo Alto. They even had a video about S.S. Palo Alto and you can look at it through the telescope. Pretty cool stuff. There were also excellent exhibits on the geology and wildlife in the Monterey Bay ecosystem in general and at Sea Cliff Beach in particular. So much to learn from this little place, my kids had a blast b/c a lot of the small exhibits were hands on. They also got a kick out of the "stuffed animals" i.e. the taxidermy of local bird which were well done and really allowed for literal close-up looks at the birds in this marine region. Neat for those of us who like science generally and marine biology and animals specifically. Finally, there's a gift shop in there too, if you want to pick up a book about this region, some souvenirs, or send a friend a postcard from your trip here and the prices were all reasonable. People who worked here were friendly, informative, and helpful. We'll plan to visit again, hopefully soon. read more
12 days ago
23 days ago
2 months ago
7 months ago
What a beautiful magical beach with a ship wreck peeking out of the ocean not to far from the shoreline. Plenty of beautiful rocks and sea glass. My girlfriend found two fossilized great white shark teeth so that is cool and she found a natural sea marble just beautiful. Stayed for the sunset it was amazing. You have to come. Plenty of parking it was a 10$ fee but worth every dollar. There are restrooms. And shower read more
Such a beautiful state beach. Was here for the sunset and watched the moon rise on the other side as the Sun set was such a beautiful experience. So many treasures to find fossilized great white shark teeth , beautiful sea glass and the most mesmerizing pebbles. A must come to. Will be back 10$ to get in but plenty of parking and worth it read more
3 months ago
a little piece of history with a beautiful staircase and a clean beach. I really miss the long pier they had before. read more
Beautiful beach with a dock you can walk out to, but I think you can't go beyond or so because at the end of it there's a ship that collapsed, so it's a sunken ship and it's there permanently, iirc. It's still very scenic here. It's a little bit commercialized and not as natural as other beaches along the coast, but it's still very nice. There's a sea wall, to protect the town I guess. So it's not as pretty as other coastal beaches, but the ocean is still so relaxing and special to enjoy. Listening to the sounds of the waves and just taking it all in, it's truly beautiful here. It's very close to the town of Capitola, and there's lots of eateries and shops nearby. We also visited a museum (separate review), which contained all kinds of interesting artifacts about the history of this area. This is definitely an unique beach and a state treasure, my kids and husband all had a great time exploring and enjoying this beach. read more
We visited Seacliff State Beach, on the Monterey Bay in Aptos, Santa Cruz, California, in early July, 2024. While a popular place for beach walking along the 2 mile beach, surfing, fishing, and sunbathing, Seacliff also includes RV facilities, picnic tables, and fire pits. There's also a Visitors Center and Park Store, where we were able to pick up pamphlets not only for Seacliff but also for other state parks in the county. The State Beach sustained damage in storms some months ago and some areas were closed for continuing reconstruction activities. The beach is also known for the concrete ship S.S. Palo Alto which lies in the water just offshore. This ship has a fascinating history. Plans for a concrete shipping fleet were born in the course of the World War One war effort when steel was in short supply. The $1.5 million order for the ship came in 1918, less than six months before the end of the war. In 1924, she was sold as scrap for the price of $18,750. In 1930, she was towed to Seacliff Beach where there were ambitious plans to develop the ship into an entertainment resort but, opening in the midst of the Great Depression, the resort failed within two years. It was sold to the State for one dollar in 1936. Today, the Palo Alto is an important sanctuary for wildlife. read more
Long gone are the days of fishing off the deck of the Palo Alto and throwing a drop line from her pier. The days of catching a Striper from the beach are over for me also but my memories of those days and the fun times I had at this beach growing up are priceless. Living about 10 minutes away (little traffic back then) it was a local spot to fish. It's seen better days but the coast is ever changing. I'm glad to have come back and take another look. To see others enjoying the beach is peaceful and reflective. It's sorrowful to see the "cement boat " in such a state not able to even reach her. Last words...perfect memories. read more
1 year ago
Came on a weekday in September. $10 entrance fee. Nice and quiet. Bathrooms available. Sandy beach read more
You Beach Your Life We made the rookie mistake of heading to the beach for Labor Day Weekend, and our usual spot, Manresa State Beach, was a shit-show of cars trying to get in. We dipped out and headed to "plan B" of Seacliff in hopes that it wouldn't be as crowded. Seacliff used to be my "go-to" Beach years ago, but I honestly couldn't recall the last time I visited. Seacliff is known for its giant large fishing pier and, more infamously, the capsized concrete WWI-era ship, the USS Palo Alto, that lays adjacent to it. The Good: *It's a beach! *Dog-friendly *woof* *Covered BBQ/Picnic area *Restrooms w/ sand wash station *Fishing from the pier (no license required) *Huge multi-level parking area *Great place to watch pelicans and other shorebirds do their thing. *Camping/long-term RV parking available w/ reservation. *Visitor Center (didn't visit) *Marianne's Ice Cream is adjacent to the beach! *Lifeguard on duty The Meh: *Beach is very rocky in certain areas but good for sea glass hunting. *If the bottom parking is full, and you have to park up top, then the walk down with all your stuff is quite the schlep. *$10 parking fee *Drone friendly The Ugly: *Depending on the breeze, if the wind shifts just right, you'll catch a nice whiff of the smell of all the shorebirds doody smell from the closed off section of the pier/ship. =X TLDR: Nice beach with plenty of parking and lots of amenities. read more
2 years ago
Im coming back to spend more time here!!! Unbelievably gorgeous beautiful sunset views and picnic area!!! read more
Iconic 100+ year old concrete WW1 tanker ship still in the water. When we moved to the Bay Area you could still walk on it but it's sadly been battered and ruined so much it's been fenced off since 2016. The SS Palo Alto was completed in 1919 and has served as an entertainment center with a dancehall and food before as well as a fishing pier. Nowadays it's an unofficial bird sanctuary and a great place to see pelicans and seagulls if you'll brave the funky seabird smell coming from the pier. The beach is nice and has nice sand while also having some ocean-smoothed stones that we saw local rockhounds poking through, the stones are great for skipping stones if you want to see who in your group can make it skip the most. There are a lot of birds so if you go into the water I would do so far from the pier. You don't want dead bird or bird waste accidentally getting in your mouth. read more
2 years ago
5 years ago
How can you not like any beach Water is cold! Duh- we went in November. Located in Aptos. -Limited parking lot but can find street parking. -Bathrooms available. A few restaurants along the parking area and on the main streets. -Dog friendly as seen many dogs with their owners running around. Would visit again since away from the business of Santa Cruz but just as far when you're driving from the East bay. read more
6 years ago
6 years ago
Most know this beach to be home to the "Concrete Ship" that sits at the tip of the pier. I've seen it many times from afar, but this time my hubby and I decided to start a Sunday morning beach walk/run a little more south at Seacliff. Lo and behold, there she sat, broken into a few massive pieces, tilted to the side, waves crashing relentlessly on her (we went on 1/10/2021 which was a high surf advisory day). The S.S. Palo Alto, once a World War I era tanker, then at one point in time an entertainment and casino spot! A quick Google search will fill you in on its rich (and a bit random!) history. Aside from that wild and historic shipwreck, you can enjoy what feels like miles and miles of wide open beach. There are always people out walking, running, sitting on the beach, families with kiddos brave enough to run into the chilly waters, and the occasional seal swimming by. On this particular day, we saw a pod of dolphins playing in the surf! From the cliffs above, you can get a beautiful, panoramic view of Monterey Bay and the coastline up to Capitola and Santa Cruz. There's an official State Beach parking lot entrance up there with tons of spots, or you can drive down a short windy road to the bottom parking lot by where the RV parking is. Either way, access to this beautiful, wide open beach is easy and convenient. Enjoy...and don't forget to pack your trash and properly discard it, and leave nothing behind! read more
6 years ago
This place was so beautiful! I liked that there weren't too many people around. The views were super peaceful. Watching the sunset here was so serene! There are bathrooms here if you need it too, though some stalls are closed due to COVID-19. Still plenty! You can park in surrounding areas too if needed or it costs I think $10 to park at the lot. Loved it here! I guess people come here to RV camp. Seems like a nice spot! read more
3 years ago
Stunning public beach in heart of Santa Cruz County. Beautiful beaches sunny weather and relaxed friendly vibe. Old historic Palo Alto boat was sunk at sea cliff beach in 1932 and has been there ever since. Fun to learn the history. Check out visitor center and talk to friendly staff. read more
3 years ago
Great State Beach. We visited the visitor center and they were very informative. They explained the cement ship sinking on the beach and they had a great 8 minute video that talked about the ship even more. There are huge piles of rocks on the shore brought up by this past February storm. There is also a lot of drift wood and trees that got washed ashore. There are metal barricades along the walkway near the parking lot as the earth eroded under the paths and made them unsafe. The waves are rough and we saw few people in the water, no surfers or boogie boarders. It's the perfect beach just to relax on the sand and build a sand castle. The beach is very long and connects to other beaches. If you are facing the ocean and you walk about half a mile you walk into a town that has restaurants, liquor store, and deli. Right before you enter the state park you can get ice cream. We saw people walking along the beach with ice cream cones. If you are looking for a place to walk along the beach this is a perfect beach. They also have bathrooms open to the public. If you have a parks pass you can use it at this beach. You can even get a free one from your local library, just check it out like you do a book. That is what we did and we enjoyed a free day at the beach. read more
Seacliff State Beach Park is Absolutely one of the most beautiful beach along the coast of California. Known for Fishing Pier and the concrete freighter the SS Palo Alto ship, this place is one of the most popular spot for many visitors of all ages. With a small Entry fee of Ten dollars per vehicle, the beach is currently open to the public. It is also the day pass where you can use for various other beaches near by like Monterey bay, Santa Cruz, or Capitola parking space. This Seacliff State Beach is Absolutely beautiful especially around this time where there are plenty of Sunshines and relaxing cool breezes. Camping, Dog Walking, Biking, Bird Watching, Picnicking, Jogging, Swimming, and Fishing are among some of the most greatest outdoor activities that many people can enjoy within this beach park. I truly love this Seacliff State Beach! Absolutely Amazing here!!! I can Definitely see the long fascinating History behind it. I had such a wonderful time and it is by far one of my most memorable experience I'll never forget! read more
5 years ago
5 years ago
We arrived here super early in the morning to save a spot for our family to enjoy our 4th of the July weekend. Parking actually wasn't bad at all in the morning but it was drizzling misty and foggy. (I don't like that kind of weather lol). Later on through out the day became warmer and the sky was clearing up :) It was nice to hang with my family again. Majority of the people practiced social distancing still which was nice. Me and my family are all fully vaccinated and some of us including me still wore our masks when we went out for a walk along the coast but near our table area is pretty much far away enough from people for social distancing measures :P Even though the rest of my family couldn't make. Im glad to see majority of there faces since it's been a very,very long due the pandemic. Hope y'all are having a fun 4th July weekend guys and stay safe! :) read more
5 years ago
It was a beautiful day for the beach, perfectly breezy yet warm enough to rock tees/tanks. There are plenty of picnic tables free to utilize at this point in the pandemic. It was nice to park right by them so we could easily unload stuff and keep an eye on our cars if needed. Plenty of spots in the AM, not sure how crazy it gets throughout the day. You can also park next to the pay station if you don't mind hoofing it a tad down to the beach. There's a $10 parking fee for the whole day. Please note they do not take AmEx! You'll notice a historical ship (the SS Palo Alto) out by the pier and there's a mini museum all within walking distance. It was closed by the time we made our way over, ohwells. Just pointing that out should anyone want additional info/entertainment. Phone connectivity was rather decent at the tables but not so much when you take a few steps further south to the sand. That was rather nice though to fully unplug! Once you drive "over the hill", it's pretty easy to get to. I'm so down to come back. read more
There was a chance of rain but still decided to make our way here and it was raining indeed when we got here. We still decided to make the most of it and went for a nice walk along the water. On the plus side...only a few other adventurous souls were there and parking was easy. read more
Coolest place I've ever taken my dogs for a walk! Highly recommend. There's also a cute are at the top with a handful of restaurants if you want to spend more time. You can drive all the way down to the beach with your car or walk down a bunch of stairs. $10 daily fee for parking. read more
4 years ago
Using my state pass from an earlier visit to Año Nuevo, I can here. This is my second time to this state beach and it is definitely more of a beach to go to and hang out for a beach day. Loads of people here but there is lots of room to spread out. I decided to walk north bound and explore the rockier part. Wow! I was not expecting to see so many cool rocks. Shells embedded in the rocks, white rocks, round smooth rocks, flat skipping rocks, heart shaped rocks, brown rocks, you get it! Rocks. The water was warm and I wished I'd worn my bathing suit. But not today. I was able to put my feet in the ocean which definitely helped improve my mood. I love the ocean! There is an outside shower outside the restroom to clean off your feet before getting in your car. Don't forget your sunscreen and enjoy! Parking here is plentiful and if the lot below is full there is a large upper lot. Happy beaching. And yelping. read more
What's interesting about this part of the beach is the pier. It is home to a historic WWI era concrete ship, the S.S. Palo Alto. It was brought to Aptos and refitted as an amusement ship, with amenities such as a dance floor, swimming pool, and a cafe. Note: there are quite a few shaded picnic areas. read more
5 years ago
Great place to stop while driving through Aptos! Parking is $10 and the lower lot fills fast, but upper lot is clean. The stairs from the upper lot to the beach are very tall, so it's not very accessible for those who cannot do stairs. Beach was packed but we still found space. Beach area is clean and there are shower areas to rinse off the sand. Right now all BBQ and bench areas are roped off but there's still plenty of space. Dogs are allowed on leash and we had no problems! The water was teal blue, kids were body surfing and there were tons of seals watching us! Only negative is that only one bathroom unit we could find was open...and of the 6 stalls...only 1 was open for social distancing?! Each unit is closed off from each other - Are you serious? So this one stall that was open was disgusting, had no toilet paper left, no paper towels or soap....the handle was disgusting. How is that helping to stop the spread?! read more
4 years ago
Seacliff State Beach is a bit of a hidden gem. It's not the most beautiful Beach in California, but it's in a unique location. I found it by walking down a long wooden stairway. There's a old defunct fishing pier, and there's even a shipwreck. read more
Seacliff beach is also famous the cement boat that is moored at the end of the pier. Yes, you read that correctly. A concrete boat named the SS Palo Alto was built at the end of WWI but was never put into service. There was made into a type of amusement ship with dancing etc until the Great Depression hit. Then it was as a fishing platform for years. When I was young you could actually clamber around one half of the ship. The whole ship was put off limits a few years ago. Succeeding storms and constant crash of waves have made it a scenic ship wreck. If you are here for the day, I recommend going to the beach to the right of the ship and pier. There is sometimes a strong smell to the left of the pier depending on the breeze. read more
Page 1 of 8
More info about Seacliff State Beach
201 State Park Dr
Aptos, CA 95003
Directions
(831) 685-6442
Call Now
Visit Website
http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=543
Hours
Indoor Amenities
Outdoor Amenities
Ask the Community - Seacliff State Beach
Does anyone know how Seacliff is doing after all the rains?
Thank you for your question! During the January storms, Seacliff State Beach sustained significant damage to the pier, day use area, and campground. Because the remaining portion of the pier was deemed structurally unstable, work to remove it began…
Can you walk down to the beach before it opens?
How difficult is it to secure a first-come-first-serve site? Is there usually a line of cars before they open?
From the couple of times I've been there these couple of months, Early and Afternoons, it has been easy to get a spot
Are public bathrooms still open despite covid?
When I was there in July, one out of the several was open, so probably still open.
Is it kid-friendly?
Yes indeed. However, it's a bit challenging for kids to swim since the water is sometimes rough. But I see some kids are having an enormous time building sandcastle, playing freeze bee catch, football passes. There is some family come in at dawn to…
Are dogs allowed leash or off leash?
All dogs are required to be on leash, 6' or shorter.
Is there street access at all for my older parents to get to the beach compared to the stairs?
Yes there is street access. When they pay for parking they can drive down the hill and park beach front.
Can doing small fireworks at there?
No they don't allow fireworks here. It's a state park .
Review Highlights - Seacliff State Beach
Why does Yelp recommend reviews?
21 reviews that are not currently recommended
The reviews below are not factored into the business's overall star rating.
12 years ago
3 years ago
8 years ago
8 years ago
13 years ago
8 years ago
6 years ago
8 years ago
11 years ago
7 years ago
8 years ago
16 years ago
2 years ago
16 years ago
9 years ago
13 years ago
15 years ago
5 years ago
15 years ago
11 years ago
