It's a great way to walk to the bluff, or the beach. Easy access to the coast from the neighborhood. read more

Blufftop Coastal Park - Early white daffodils - Beaches Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

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Nice Trail to walk my pitbull Zero, your dogs have to be on leash at all times. Parking is $10 all day or park on the street and walk. It's busy on the weekends so make sure to come early. Most dogs are friendly here, but like most places there are always a few overly protective dog parents. Enjoy the beautiful view from the top of the trial or walk down and walk on the beach. We absolutely love it. read more

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The views are amazing!! If you want to get a away and be at peace this location is a must. read more

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If you're looking for a challenging hike, this is not the place; however, it's a great place for leisurely walks with your dogs, biking, sightseeing, people-watching, bird-watching, soaking some sun, beachcombing and photography. I betcha you can do more from what I mentioned, and that's for you to discover on your own. There are several ways to get there and two main parking locations on each end. But if you don't mind walking, there's also residential parking not too far away if the lots are full. I suggest on a busy weekend, don't even bother looking for a parking space as you would just waste your time. There is plenty of residential parking in the area. If you're here for a leisurely walk, there are benches along the coastal trail to rest or enjoy the view. There's also a cool part of the trail called Old Forest, where there's a canopy of Cypress and Eucalyptus trees for approximately a quarter of a mile long. This is a perfect place to be to cool off protected under the hot sun if the weather is scorching hot, or a place to relax and mediate while smelling the fresh leaves and rid your body of negative toxins. It's also a great place to unwind and have your battery re-charged and get rid of the stress from your day-to-day lives and baggage that builds up from work. Ain't it amazing how Mother Nature always heals the mind, body and soul just by spending some time with her? Best part of all, it doesn't cost a dime and a lot cheaper than seeing a Psychiatrist. read more

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The Blufftop Coastal Park is a dog-friendly trail along the magnificent Northern California coast line in Half Moon Bay. From the parking lot at Poplar Beach you can make a right towards the North (HMB) but the actual coastal park will be to your left (towards the Ritz Carlton). Parking comes with a fee but if you do street parking in the neighborhood it's free of charge. Along the path you'll find some informational guides explaining the unique landscape, the plants and animals. Since there is no incline and the paths are well maintained the coastal park is also great for biking. Mind the fog - you won't get the views but it's a beautiful hike. read more

Blufftop Coastal Park - Beaches Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

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Super awesome beach! LOVE IT! Huge waves at this beach! They were great! Lots and lots of beach here, although a lot of it dirty. Many seabirds were around. There's a cool path that seemed to stretch for miles north and south. We walked it for about a mile north. Beautiful flowers! This beach is very accessible from the road, straight from Highway 1 in Half Moon Bay. The super soft sand on the bluffs that you have to walk down to the beach are easy to walk down but a bit of a you-know-what climbing up. My super skinny BFF had a beast of a time and grabbed on to the plants to heave his 110 pound butt up the hill. The parking lot is kinda yucky and needs a good sweeping. It was unclear to us if you have to pay to park here or not since the parking meter looked like someone had beat it to a pulp with the graffiti and what not and total blank screen. read more

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Paid parking lot or park in the nearby neighborhood for free. Portable bathrooms are in the parking lot. This trail connects to other coastal trails. It's mixed use...you'll probably see horses and bikes. Usually windy. Beautiful views out to the ocean, up to the bluffs, and across the bay. read more

Blufftop Coastal Park - The beach that the trail connects to. - Beaches Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

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We sought a beach in Half Moon Bay where our dog could walk with us. This is one. Pluses: + Dogs allowed (on-leash) + Free parking + Not crowded (maybe I shouldn't have written this review!) + Lovely unobstructed view of crashing waves and other beachy stuff Minuses: - Steep grade to get to and from the beach - Navigationally-challenged? Might be easy to get lost here when walking along coast (yep, it once happened to me). - Cold (bundle up!) - Horse poop (watch your step) There are port-o-potties in the parking lot, if you really need to go. read more

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Absolutely loved the beach! Pretty well kept besides the horse poop. When I went there weren't many people which was nice and peaceful. The parking lot is metered and only takes credit/debit cards. I believe 1hr is $2, 2hrs is $4 and so on. My dog loved the beach. He hated the ocean but he is a snow dog :) Most dogs are on leash, but there's always that one owner.. The beach is kind of hard to get to. You have to go down this slope in the hill which can be difficult if your not wearing sneakers. I know I was wearing flip flops (never again!) There's a trail on top of the hill overlooking the ocean, I'll have to walk it next time. I will definitely come here many more times. Very easy to find, right off of Hwy 1. read more

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Just an awesome beach, beautiful views and open parking. There's horseback riding in the area....so on the road down to the beach, it's a minefield of horse "goodies". But that wasn't enough to ruin how nice a view and environment the beach in general is. read more

Blufftop Coastal Park - Beaches Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

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Awesomeness! If your considering this beach, please go. Great views, not over crowded, and you may catch some horse back riders too ;) read more

Gorgeous view, not too crowded but a lot of horse shit!!! When I went there was a dead bird too. Omg I felt like I had to watch whenever I take a step. Parking was $2 per hour CARD only, no cash. read more

This place is gorgeous! Go all the way down Poplar Street and there's a parking lot on the left side. You do have to pay for parking. There is one pay station (card only). You can walk along the bluffs to take in the beautiful views of the ocean without getting in the sand. If you want to go down to the beach there is a path near the parking lot that leads to the beach. Be careful walking down because you may slip, and there's horse poo along this path and on the beach so watch where you step. We came on a Wednesday around 12pm and there weren't that many people on the beach or in the parking lot, which was nice. By the time we left (around 1pm), the parking lot was filling up. This place is dog-friendly so bring your furry friend for a nice stroll along the beach. read more

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The view is amazing. This is a quick stop from Santa Cruz on Highway 1 to San Fran. It was super chilly in the morning but the view is just amazing. There are walk ways down to the beach with safe trails leading you up and down. I would defineitly come back here. Its great walking distance if you live near the beach. read more

Blufftop Coastal Park will immediately grab your attention if you happen to be driving by. I suggest that you don't fight the impulse - go with the flow. This is a great place to take a bike ride or go for a walk along the ocean. It's got what seems like miles of beach, with some truly stellar views to be enjoyed. Tip: This is a great place to bring your dog to enjoy some beach time! The "no dog" rules here aren't enforced, so as long as Fido is well behaved you're good to go :-) There's a public parking area that always looks full, but I managed to find a spot in it after cruising for only a couple of minutes. Generally, the weather conditions in Half Moon Bay are wet, overcast, and foggy enough to make Seattle seem like Honolulu by comparison, but if you're lucky enough to catch a warm sunny day during one of your visits here, the experience will be enhanced no les than ten-fold! While the dog owners who frequent BCP are all pretty good about cleaning up after their pets, the same cannot be said about the Equestrians, so keep a wary eye peeled for the "road apples" their horses leave behind - they can be worse than land mines, and just about as pleasant. read more

Awesome place to watch the sun set. The view is amazing and the its very peaceful. This park connects with the trail that runs along the length of the coastal bluffs of Half Moon Bay. No free parking here though. read more

With so much coastline along Hwy 1 (not to mention the Bay Area) I wouldn't care to come back here. It wasn't HORRIBLE, but still, not worth coming back. Good: -dogs are allowed on the beach -pretty secluded, not crowded Bad: -have to pay for parking, but that seems standard out there, just not used to it since we don't need to in SF -horse poop from the get-go!! you can smell it as soon as you start down into the sand, and not only that, but scattered along the beach! Def cannot see how kids can be playing out there...sanitarily at least. -port-o-potties are EFFING nasty!! it prolly would have been more clean for me to just pull down my shorts and squat at the beach. like REALLY! There was a beer can in the potty, it was pretty full, there was POOP (I kid you not!) smeared on the toilet paper holder (seriously?!?! thats D-I-S-G-U-S-T-I-N-G!!), of course no toilet paper...and supposedly it is cleaned or emptied every 3-4 days, according to the chart....but somethng tells me it's prolly longer than that...hmmm. With the money they collect with the parking, you'd think it would be kept nicer...truly a shame! read more

This is a wonderful place to go for a walk or bike ride. Fabulous views of what seems to be miles of beach....cool trails that take you through all kinds of terrain, and amazing views all the way around. Not too crowded (actually we hardly encountered anyone the last time we were out). Just watch out for "road apples" left behind by the horses. read more

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The husband and I loaded up the car and the pup on a cool spring day and went in search of a nice beach to play and lay on. We made landing in Half Moon Bay and tried this beach. Unfortunately it was significantly more windy than normal on the coast that day and that beach had absolutely no cover. No cover+extra windy= too much sand flying, it stung the skin and the pup could barely keep his eyes open because of it. There was a lot of horse "presents" everywhere, so beware your step. It would have been pleasant to walk around the trails, but we were in search of a beach so we kept driving looking for something more sheltered. (We ended up at Bean Hollow and it was amazing). read more

I've taken my dog here twice now and while it is a dog friendly beach, it is not one of my favorites. There is a lot of parking, but on the weekends, it does get quite busy. The downside is the sandy, steep trek down to the beach. It makes it a little unsafe to be bringing beach chairs and coolers since it is pretty steep. However, once down on the beach, you are all set to enjoy a great day at the seashore. read more

As other have reviewed, massive amount of Horse droppings on the steep path to the beach, no Tiered tines on the path down, a lot of horse droppings on the beach, no plumbed facilities (bathrooms are two outhouses up the cliff; no showers). This beach isn't a good one given the above. Avoid this unless you love the smell of horse manure and flies. read more

I spend a lot of time here when the weather is nice. Amazing walks and views.. My dog gets tired before I do. lol.

Definitely not a difficult trail. This is a must for couples who want to take it easy. Beach is of course on the West side as you walk along the cliffs. Bring a jacket in case if it gets cold, Half Moon Bay is pretty unpredictable in weather. read more

We had some awesome weather, not good for kite flying but great for hanging out with the kiddos. Locals said don't get used to this weather because it is not like this all of the time. There were several horses wandering by which was great fun for the 2 year old to watch. read more

Terrific spot to bring your dog. I live in SF and wanted to spend the Monday holiday somewhere with cute boy & big dog. Searched through our dog's guide to CA, park websites and Yelp until we narrowed our choices to three beach areas off Highway 1 surrounding Half Moon Bay. The Blufftop grabbed my attention as we drove past its Poplar Street entrance and the experience was perfect. There is a small public parking area that seems consistently packed but we quickly found a spot. We walked directly onto a flat grassy trail along the bluffs overhanging the ocean. I hadn't planned to walk along the ocean below because all literature says that dogs are not allowed. But I quickly noticed dogs on the beach AND many of them were not on-leash, which is also specified in Blufftop literature. Everyone who the cute boy and I talked to as we walked the trail said that it's fine to bring your dog along this stretch of the beach. The 'no dog' laws have never been enforced and especially not now with the current low level of employees. The trek downwards from the bluffs to the beach is safe but quite an incline. Make sure that someone in your group (thank you, cute boy) is surefooted enough to carry your bags. We lucked out because the weather was astonishingly warm and beautiful that day. Generally it's somewhat foggy and chilly in both HMB and SF (like the following day, as I write this review). All dog owners, including us, seemed very good about cleaning up after their dogs but there were massive horse droppings along the bluff and the beach. I know that stuff decomposes faster than dog droppings but sheesh, it was a minefield. We walked back to the Poplar street parking lot along the beach. Altogether a three mile walk perhaps. The three of us went to a dog-friendly cafe along the nearby Main street afterward. I think it was called Caldor Cafe. The food was only passable but the wait staff was friendly, the patio was sunny -- again, lucky weather -- and it felt wonderful to sit outside. read more

My poodles and I would wake up at 4am and drive TWO hours just to be at this beach. We come only this early (6-8am) when there's not that many people and dogs around. It's clean enough, despite the horse poop everywhere. Definitely a favorite in this household! read more

Great place to just go and clear your mind. Awesome views of the ocean, and walking trails that outskirt the terrain above the coast line.

Wonderful place to soak in the sun and the ocean air. Benches nearby parking was very appreciated since my guests could not walk far.

2011-02-05: Poplar Beach parking lot is the best access to this trail. This lot is increasingly busy and the city has recently paved and numbered all the stalls. There is even a sign that says "pay here" but no machine installed yet. I head south from here, across the bridge and into the area which is signed as "Wavecrest". One of the great trails is on the edge of the bluffs and traces the beach below all the way to the Ritz Carlton. There is one spot where people get confused. The trail appears to end at a steep ravine. You can go down into the ravine onto the beach and then up again onto the bluffs. However it is much simpler to head east for a quarter mile to an obvious T intersection where you turn right and are now skirting the other side of the ravine. From here it is straight forward continuing to Redondo Beach and then to the Ritz Carlton. If it's a nice day enjoy a drink sitting, on the patio, if not go inside and enjoy sitting at the bar. This 5 miles roundtrip walk provides leisurely strolling with nice views !! read more