I had a blast here. My stay here was very peaceful and relaxing. I definitely recommend this spot…read morefor a day of relaxing.

Half Moon Bay State Beach is an easy 20-25 minute drive from the Peninsula on a weekday, which…read moremakes it a great low-effort escape. It's one of those places I keep coming back to without much planning (like yesterday!). Wide, clean, and perfect for long walks, quiet conversations, and just letting the sound of the waves do their thing. There are picnic tables, BBQ areas, restrooms with running water, and a beautiful coastal trail for walking or biking with ocean views the entire way. Parking is $10 in the lot, though free street parking is possible if you don't mind walking (and reading the signs). Weekends can feel chaotic and crowded, but on weekdays it's calm, spacious, and grounding -- the kind of place that resets you without trying too hard.

This is a nice, quiet family beach. We didn't actually go to the beach this time, but instead took…read morea leisurely hike along the coastal trail. The hike is so beautiful anytime of the year. At the beginning of summer, there are plenty of wildflowers, and you can't beat the cliff views. You'll probably run into a few rabbits and little critters, and the hike is calming and relaxing. This is a great place to enjoy some chill time.

I was searching and never been here so I tried it out. I would recommend if there is parking. The…read morewalk is a bit longer than I would prefer but very worth it. The way down is not easy but not difficult. Soo be prepared. There is a lotnof beach space and because od the limited parking I would think it does not get to packed. The best part is free parking unlike some other beaches that I belive is 8 dollars. But once you reach the end. You will have to stay and enjoy because the walk back will take a bit of energy. Nice quiet large beach. Reccomend.

This is a beautiful beach that is tucked away off the main highway. There's a paved path to walk…read morealong if you don't want to get sand in your shoes. There's a lot of parking, but it's not free. I don't mind paying for parking, however only one of the two kiosks weee working and they don't accept cash.

Poplar Beach has become my reliable weekday sanctuary. I've lost count of how many times I've made…read morethe trip here, and it never disappoints. The weekday timing is key - easy parking, virtually no crowds, and on those perfect sunny days, it's absolute gold. I've turned it into my outdoor office of sorts, catching up on phone calls and meetings while walking the coastal trail. There's something about taking a strategy call with ocean views that just hits different. The versatility is what keeps me coming back. Feel like getting closer to the action? Walk down to the beach and let the waves do their thing. Prefer to stay dry? The cliff-top walking trail offers killer views without the sand in your shoes. When you need to clear your head or just want a change of scenery from the workspace - then hit 92 on the week day and head out here - bonus there is no traffic on a week day!!

Nice location with nice picnic benches . Parking is $10 /car. Bathrooms are absolutely disgusting,…read morethe least you can do is hose them down. They smell disgusting, no seat covers , no soap. Just pure disgusting, nasty floors.

Absolute dumbest parking policy I've ever seen in my life. There were spots available but the park…read moreagents turned me and my 2 year old daughter away because they let people in in random unannounced shifts? They couldn't even get their bs stories straight because one agent said they were completely full even as cars were leaving.

Summer summer summertime!…read more Give me a beach and sun and water and am a happy wife ! Love love love !!! Thank me later !!

I haven't been to a California beach in so long and I forgot how cold it gets even during the…read moresummer! Came on a weekend and you definitely have to wear a parka here. There's a $10 honorary charge for parking your car where you deposit $10 in cash by the bathrooms although the print is so small I'm pretty half the people there didn't notice at all. Dunes Beach also connects to the rest of the Half Moon Bay Beaches including Venice Beach. Here are some of my observations and things that I liked: - I appreciate that there is both a beach area but also this small park area where people can just watch the views without getting sand on themselves. - As you walk further south along the beach, there becomes a split between the areas vertically along the beach. I'm not sure what the technical name is but there's a running water strait between the sand area which is then kind of hard to continue to walk down the beach as you have to cross the water strait. - The wind is crazy and it is COLD, wear a parka - yes, even when it's July. Okay maybe that's too much but at least bring the option of a parka in case you get cold. Overall, great beach. It does get busy on the weekend though but if you decide to cross the strait, which not many people do, you get to a have a semblance of a private beach.

Montara State Beach is one of my favorite beaches for engagement sessions in the Bay Area! It's…read moreclean, relatively quiet, with access to public parking and bathrooms before heading down to the sand. As a photographer, I love shooting here because the light is always beautiful; whether it's golden hour in the wintertime, or fog in the summer, there's plenty of space to explore. Even on breezier days, the movement adds such an organic, natural feel to the photos. It's perfect for couples who want something adventurous and a little wild, but still close to the Bay Area, and always highly recommended!

Beautiful scenery Montare is. And it's & great for fishing and surfing from dusk til dawnread more

Pacific coast is so cool and Easy Bay locals can get to this place in about 45 minutes. Follow 92…read morewest to the end and it's a few more miles up highway 1 north on the left. Perfect off leash dog friendly beach. Coastal trail is right there if you prefer asphalt and we walk that too. But the dogs have only one thing on their minds when we arrive here and that's running. This beach can also be referred to as Surfers Beach as on the Apple map. There is a nice looking restaurant, Miramar Beach Restaurant right there, but we haven't eaten there. We probably should have after all the years. You can camp in one of two places, just down the road in HMB marina/harbor if you want to really soak in what's up here. We're early birds and see the traffic get pretty gnarly after around 11 in the summer on our way out. Work checking if you're in the area!

Stunning ocean views, dog friendly glassed in outdoor patio with propane heaters and fire pits…read more Excellent food & drink at reasonable prices. Staff is extremely knowledgeable and available to ensure a memorable dining experience with a glorious view of the Pacific Ocean at Miramar Beach.

Talk about a great day at the beach with pals! My friends and I ventured up to Half Moon Bay on a…read moreSaturday afternoon for a beach escape. I recommend driving through Woodside, despite it being a longer route, as the views along the way were stellar. Once you arrive, there's a sandy road leading to a parking lot. The parking lot was mainly full, so we had to park on the side of the road and walk the distance to the parking lot. The parking lot has some horses next to it. It can be a bit confusing once you get to the parking lot.If you want to stand above a cliff and look down, then being at the parking lot is perfect for you. But, if you would like to feel the sand beneath your toes or hop in the ocean for a dip, be ready for a trek down a large cliff. It did feel very scary, intimidating, and dangerous - especially since my friends were carrying large bags down - but it's a necessary evil journey down to enjoy the beach in its full glory. I do not recommend wearing flip flops if you're planning on going down to the beach, as it can be easy to slip down the cliff. I also wouldn't recommend going down if it was raining, as it can be very slippery due the large incline and pure height of the cliff. The beach is really long and was relatively empty when we had climbed down. There aren't any benches to sit on, so bring some seats or blankets to enjoy the view. The water is very cold, like many NorCal beaches, and there weren't any people swimming in it. Despite it turning gloomy, the views from the actual beach were beautiful, and in my opinion, worth the hike down. Also, like other beaches in NorCal, there was a windy breeze so bring a layer! We stayed until dark since we wanted to watch the sunset. If you thought it was hard going down, imagine scaling the cliff, carrying our own bags and trash bags, and in the dark. We had to use our phone flashlights to light the way, as there was no lighting around the beach or any of the cliffs other than some near the parking lot. I recommend just watching the sunset from the top to be safe. Overall, if you're okay with hiking down a cliff to access a beach, or even just admiring the view from the parking lot, Redondo Beach is a viable option for you. It's a bit hard to access and dark at night, but we thought it was totally worth it for the view, beach vibe, and good times with friends. We'll be back for another outing!

One of our favorite beautiful places to go especially when the Bay Area weather is hot. We come…read morehere often and even bring family. Great for a stroll or go biking on their trails or hanging out at the beach and watching the waves from the top cliff or on the beach. Good for mountain biking as there are some rough patches of trails you can use as well as flat. Love the white soft sand on the beach. Parking here can be scarce so come early but at least, it's free. [61R,2024]

Very scenic beach convenient to hayward and pacifica and even San Francisco…read more Perhaps you need a quick holiday getaway - this is probably the nearest patch of Pacific ocean you haven't seen yet. Tide pools, wildlife and a very underrated beach you just might love. It's just a few more miles from Pacifica and driving down this highway is full of great views.

Fell in love with the beach and long walkway lined with trees. It was magical. It's definitely…read moregetting into my list of recommendations when we have out of town visitors.

I saw someone mention this trail online, and it looked fantastic. We parked at the end of Wavecrest…read moreDrive, where it becomes a gravel road next to a baseball field. A hiker directed us to take the trail to the right. After a quarter mile or so, the trail breaks off to the left and also continues straight. Take that left curve and you will soon be in the tree tunnel area. It's a gorgeous place to walk! When you emerge from the trees, there is an overlook to the beach. We took a right turn on the perpendicular trail towards the paid parking lot, where there are stairs down to the beach. It's a wonderful place for a hike and very dog-friendly!

For Mother's Day, I wanted to hike the Secret Tunnel and picnic on the beach. While the hike itself…read morewas lovely, there was no signage which is why I'm dropping a star. From the parking lot at the end of Wavecrest Rd., there's a myriad of paths and no signage. From the beginning, I should have read Kelly M's review where she describes her good fortune of a hiker directing her where to go in order to see the Secret Tunnel. Because I hadn't read the review, I was asking a bunch of hikers where to find this Secret Tunnel, but they were as befuddled as I was and were asking me if I knew where the beach access is located. Now that I have experience, here's the path you should take. To hike through Secret Tunnel, go right toward the trees from the parking lot, which has the cleanest port-o-potties next to the baseball field. At the curve you'll be in the trees and can kind of see the arch of trees. Take this path and take photos. Continue along this path to the beach, then turn right again until you get to the paid parking lot. In the lot, there are more port-o-potties, but dreadfully not very clean and lack toilet paper. Along the walkway, there are stairs that lead to the beach where you will find experienced beach goers and plenty of well behaved dogs and many wash-up sail jellyfish which I mistook for mussel shells. For the route back to the parking lot, either go back the same way you came or walk along coastal path and turn left before the gorge.