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Waddell Beach

4.4 (30 reviews)

Waddell Beach Photos

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Sunset from Waddell Beach
Michael O.

Nice place to sit and meditate; watch the waves and surfers. Sometimes you can catch the sailboarders. My wife and I like watching the sunset here...

Kiteboarders!
Anita R.

Waddell Beach is a one my favorite stops along Highway 1. This beach is utilized by surfers, windsurfers, and kiteboarders. When the conditions are right you may see kiteboarders skimming across the water or performing freestyle tricks. Some of them are very skilled and are a treat to watch. The bathrooms can be really bad. My advise is to find another place to use. There are four Pit Toilets and the same two are usually locked up. Toilet Paper is sometimes gone. It is located 30 Miles South of Half Moon Bay and 19 North of Santa Cruz. It is across the highway from the entrance of Big Basin State Park. Parking is free in the designated lot and along the highway.

Morning sunrise.
Caleb S.

This place is my morning & afternoon commute hang spot. When I need to take a break while on the way to Half Moon Bay or back home to Santa Cruz. You can park up and down highway one or in the parking lot. I tend to just park along the highway, for quick visits and beautiful views. Some rad surfing of all kind goes down here, w/ a beautiful cliffside view and a beach that goes on further than the eye can see. My friend even had the pleasure of saying "hi" to a great white shark after he found himself a little too far past the break.

Brent L.

Legit wilderness beach and coast forest setting! Amazing offshore reefs and beach peaks for all types of surf crafts. One of the true gems of the coast between SF and Santa Cruz! Worth a walk and a moment to be one with the natural world!

Kitesurfers lighting up the beach.
Miika M.

Surfing/Kite surfing Sign up here! I continued this rolling down the State HWY 1 and took in what a dear friend does on a consistent basis in SF: kite surfing. When I use to hang out with him often (he's now married) I'd hear about his exploits running off the minute the wind reports came in to his Blackberry: Chrissy Field, along the Delta, Santa Cruz, Ocean Beach. He was there. Regardless of where he was at. Talk about living in the moment. So it was only a matter of a few seconds of driving and then pulling over to see close to twenty-thirty people kite surfing, their kites a colorful display in the rising winds. After I pulled in, I propped myself up against my windshield, settling on my hood and watched the entire process of unloading, unwrapping and unwinding, then getting the kite up into the air and then swoosh, off they went. Whipped along the water by the strong winds. I even watched as some of them were airborne 6 ft +. How awesome is that! A nice beach with lots of recreational potential. Today it was packed with kite surfers, but the guys mentioned that surfers and windsurfers would be out here, slicing the waves. In addition, lots of tourists, such as myself, were pulling off just to catch the players out teasing mother Nature. Clean facilities and ladies, if you want to see a bunch of rugged good looking men in unzipped wetsuits, this is your place for the wicked wet dream that will pleasantly haunt you well into the evening. Not to mention, especially friendly half naked men. Several guys still wet from the water, saw me snapping away and casually mentioned that there was a BBQ taking place nearby and I was welcome to join them. I usually don't blush much, but come on! They were half naked, wet, and definitely not something I needed in terms of encouragement. I peeled out of there before consenting to something I would not even trust in my best judgement :p No dogs allowed here on the beach, however. Boo! On to the next beach..............

When there aren't kite surfers, the seagulls take over
Christine A.

The kite surfers are really what make Waddell special, but on not-so-windy days it's just a quiet beach with lots and LOTS of seagulls. We were there last Saturday, and while there were kids chasing the birds and the occasional surfer on the somewhat tiny waves, the beach was virtually deserted. Unlike the rocky and pebble-riddled beaches to the north and south, Waddell's a fine-grained sandy wonderland.

Lynn R.

I wish I knew how to surf like all these surfers with parachutes!! It's a great sight to see them all above the ocean with the sky as their background. So jealous of their picture perfect adventures. This beach is absolutely beautiful. My family and I came here after our backpacking camping trip at Waddell Creek. The water was cold and it was really windy, however the kids still had loads of fun. In fact, they found these puddles of water further out in the beach and submerge themselves in them. They told me it was like they were in a bathtub because the water was much warmer than the ocean water. If you're on Highway 1, stop for a while and enjoy the view.

At least 30 windsurfers and kite boarders tearing it up right now!
Leisyka P.

Epic beach, you can't miss it. Always a kite or wind surfer tearing it up out there. Perfect sand to build sand castles. Across the highway from Big Basin. If the coast is foggy, there is often a bit of sun at this location. Don't just stop to take a photo. Park, find a nice patch of sand, and stay awhile.

Zhirafo V.

One of the best wave spots in the world. Surfing in the morning, kiteboarding after noon. Super advanced riders, a lot of fun. BTW, While you go kiteboarding, your family may enjoy a hiking trail to the creek, absolutely no wind there.

Michelle C.

Great beach along Highway 1. We stayed in Davenport in November and stopped here. It's so different than beaches just down the road and we could have spent hours here looking at rocks. Not to busy and a great place for photos.

Big Basin ends at this beach

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Review Highlights - Waddell Beach

I tend to just park along the highway, for quick visits and beautiful views.

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Davenport Beach - The relics of the Davenport Pier at low tide

Davenport Beach

4.4(161 reviews)
7.5 mi

Favorite beach. Love the walk to and around. Took my wife there for the first time a few months…read moreback and she loved it

OMFG...I finally made it to the swing at the Davenport Beach?! :D…read more I did not read any reviews about this spot before coming here. I just bookmarked for a couple of years, and I finally visited it. My boyfriend and I along with his doggie were having a day out in Santa Cruz. I told him that we should visit this place so that we can swing on the beach. He was down for it, but once we found the way to get down to it--he said, "No way, I'm doing that." I *did* not let that stop me from going down there to experience the swing though. My boyfriend and his doggie stayed at the top of the cliff and watched me climbed down to the beach. Yes, it was pretty treacherous. Thank goodness there was a rope with knots to hold onto. Otherwise, I don't think I would be able to do it successfully without that lifesaver rope. Thank you so much to whoever secured that rope there! Also, I do want to point out I did this in a dress and flipflops?! Crazy right.. Then again.. I'm crazy, I do admit it. ;) There were a four gals and guys down there chilling. I asked them if there was another way to get in and out of here, but they confirm that that was the only way in and out. I got to swing on the swing and took some videos. The swing looked cool from the photos that I seen, but it doesn't swing well straight. It does swing sideways. Lol... It took me about 7 minutes to go down and about 4 minutes to climb back up. I know this because my boyfriend recorded me. Lol... I'm very grateful that I was determined to do this despite the company that I had didn't want to do it. Years ago I let someone that I was with who didn't want to do it influence me to also not do it when we visitied Alamere Falls so I won't let that happen anymore. If there is something I want to do, it's okay to do it alone when other people don't want to do it. That's on self-love, baby! There is two parking areas. We initially parked in the one right across the post office, but then we follow this group to the other one right next to it because it was closer. We walked across the railroad tracks and found the opening to the climb to the beach. I was sore for a few days afterwards in my legs from climbing the side of the cliff, but oh gosh... It was so worth it!

Photos
Davenport Beach - Engagement photo | By Luke Cunningham

Engagement photo | By Luke Cunningham

Davenport Beach - Engagement Session | 1985Luke Photography

Engagement Session | 1985Luke Photography

Davenport Beach - Waterfall flowing out of cave

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Waterfall flowing out of cave

4 Mile Beach - Cool tunnel

4 Mile Beach

5.0(1 review)
10.8 mi

Enjoying this secluded beach starts with a small concrete parking lot with severely damaged uneven…read moresurface and plenty of dips, and no actually "spaces" (just find a way to make your car fit)... an adventure for your car! The trek from there involves following a dirt path among plantlife and walking down a rocky hill, even crossing over train tracks along the way... only a quarter mile, but feels a lot longer (Is that why they call it "4 mile"?!?). It's all worth it once you lay eyes on the beautiful sandy shore, And the moment you enter and step onto the sand, there's a small pond to your right with ducks! What a pleasant surprise to be found at the beach :D On a Sunday afternoon, there were just a handful of visitors, couples and families stretched out on their mats or little tents, enjoying the sunshine and sound of the waves. Surfers doing their thing on the water. A few dogs running free. Surfboards sitting inside a small cave-like tunnel, a cool formation along the mudstone cliffs, that you can actually go inside. A piece of advice, on a windy day, be prepared for sand to blow onto your belongings, especially if you have food or drinks, you may want to have your back to the wind to prevent the sand from ruining a good meal while picnicking. But it's easy to shake off your blankets and tents and such, so don't be afraid to get a little dirty as you lie in the sun and enjoy the peaceful atmosphere. One thing I did not like is that there is no cell service here (T-Mobile). But other than that, I loved everything about this place. And if you're not a big fan of all of the crowds closer to the Boardwalk but you want to be near the water, Four Mile Beach is definitely worth checking out.

Photos
4 Mile Beach - Rocky area

Rocky area

4 Mile Beach - Pond with ducks

Pond with ducks

4 Mile Beach - Beach

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Beach

Boony Doon Beach - Beach sign

Boony Doon Beach

4.0(9 reviews)
7.9 mi

Absolutely appalling. A nude beach -- with zero warning signs posted anywhere. How is this even…read moreallowed? We saw families arriving with young children, completely unaware of what they were walking into. Two different families set up early in the morning, only to pack up and leave within the hour -- we quickly realized why, I'm sure they didn't want their family around all this. Nudity shouldn't be allowed on a public beach with zero warnings. As noon approached, the beach filled with fully nude adults, many of them elderly. Even if they stayed in their own area, they were still completely visible to everyone on the beach. It was disturbing and frankly disgusting. We didn't have kids with us, so we stayed a little longer, but it ruined our Sunday morning. There should be clear, visible warnings -- this should not be allowed in a public space without them. I attached pictures of the signs...not a single warning or disclosure that nudity is allowed.

First time in the area, very beautiful hike and views. We took the trail from shark fin cover and…read morefound this beach. Had no idea it was partial a nudist beach. Until we saw them from above (no big deal) we thought it was cool. We kept on with our hike and on our way back we see a 3some going on. Two guys and a woman. Broad daylight, there's kids and families to the left of them about 100 feet but it's an open concept so I'm sure it was visible to them. Just wasn't expecting to come across that on a Monday evening. Rules should definitely be enforced specially since it's also gonna be a family beach.

Photos
Boony Doon Beach - Beach sign

Beach sign

Boony Doon Beach - Nice place to relax.!

Nice place to relax.!

Boony Doon Beach

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Coast Dairies - The path from the lot is steep.

Coast Dairies

3.3(10 reviews)
9.4 mi

This beach is picturesque, but dangerous and difficult to access. It's not recommended for children…read moreor anybody who can't handle the steep incline. There's no bathrooms, jellyfish are abundant on the shore and wash up and back with the waves...with violent riptides even near the shore. Out on the rocks people are able to fish for perch, but the whole area is very windy and when lying down you'll be inundated with sand. The parking area is the second one past Laguna when driving north on PCH. It's far easier to navigate the steep cliff going down in shoes. Many of us were barefoot or in sandals and it really slows you down. As such, you're not going to easily get large objects like cool chests down to the beach. You'll not likely want to make multiple trips to the car either. The trash is still a concern as young people leave cans and bottles everywhere. Like some Yelpers have posted, I didn't experience any nudity, nor did anyone ask me to have sex with them, however, I suspect this area is not patrolled often because of it's limited access. I saw people drinking beer without impunity and so it's not hard to imagine, given this beach also appears in nudist beach listings in search results. In my experience, it was younger adults in groups, everyone was dressed. Two people were fishing. There's an arch in the cliffs which leads to another beach to the left, and then rock formations you can carefully walk out on to the right and fish from. It appears high tide covers these areas, so keep that in mind. There were at least 60 people on the beach, so I don't understand the posts about being quiet and secluded, either. This property used to be owned by a dairy company and was ceded to the state, which explains it not having a long public history and the abandoned railroad tracks paralleling PCH. Nobody was surfing or out in the water and that's good, because the riptides are especially fierce and very close to shore. If there's no jellyfish you can walk in the surf washing up but that's about it. I wouldn't recommend going into the water and wouldn't stay on the other side of the arch on the beach when the tide is rising. I also noticed there's no cellular reception, either.

Beautiful, hidden beach with crashing waves and nary a soul. Park at the dusty little lot straight…read moreoff of Laguna Rd on Hwy 1. If you can't find it, the coordinates are (36.986927, -122.156281). From there to the beach, cross the road, go over the railroad track, past the field of poison ivy and down the sandy, rocky ledge. Needless to say, this path is not for the handicapped. The waves are rough and the wind strong; swimming is not advised. But the sand is warm and untouched. Walking further along, there's a lagoon of waste water surrounded by seagulls (and seagull poop!) Along the cliffs at the edge of this small stretch of peaceful and picturesque, tide pools with sea anemones and sea snails can be seen at low tide. This is your chance to go off the beaten track and take the road less traveled. At least until this too becomes popular.

Photos
Coast Dairies
Coast Dairies
Coast Dairies

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Greyhound Rock State Marine Conservation Area

Greyhound Rock State Marine Conservation Area

4.0(2 reviews)
7.2 mi

Greyhound Rock is one of my favorite stops along Highway 1. There's lots of parking, the beach…read moreitself is massive, and it's easy to spread out and explore. The tide pools are fantastic, and there's so much marine life to find -- I even saw my first octopus here, which was incredibly exciting. The beach is full of different little areas to wander, and it's a great spot if you enjoy exploring and looking for critters. That said, the access is a real problem. The trail down is very steep and not elderly-friendly at all. The main path has collapsed toward the end, and while there's an alternative route, it's not well set in or particularly safe. The trail is also very overgrown, which makes the descent even more difficult. The park service really needs to address the access issues, because the beach itself deserves better infrastructure.

To me and my BF Joe K, there is nothing better than visiting a coastal town or city along the…read morePacific Ocean. Santa Cruz is one of our favorite vacation spots. And what is even better, we can visit a marine conservation area. While we were visiting a friend who lives in said city, he gave us a site seeing tour of a few of his favorite public beaches that were actually somewhat secluded. Davenport is a nearby town outside of Santa Cruz, where you will find some nice accessible beaches, like Greyhound Rock. It doesn't look like a Greyhound to me, but it is grey. It almost seems like a private beach, because there are less tourists who are aware of this location. There is plenty of parking in the lot with restrooms nearby. It is government protected and mostly the locals seem to make use of the area, because it is a bit out of the way from the more touristy places of Santa Cruz. We spent some relaxing and leisurely time gazing from the look outs and listening to the crashing waves of the ocean. I never get tired of the scenic views, and contemplating and appreciating what Mother Earth has created. I just wish that all human beings were aware of how important protecting this planet is for our survival....

Photos
Greyhound Rock State Marine Conservation Area
Greyhound Rock State Marine Conservation Area
Greyhound Rock State Marine Conservation Area - Tide pools!

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Tide pools!

Waddell Beach - beaches - Updated May 2026

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