This is my go to spot to get away from the heat of Silicon Valley and/or to let my dog enjoy the…read morebeach. There is an amazing ridge trail along the top of the cliffs that runs all the way down to the state beach, and beyond. Even during high tide I believe it is quite possibly the longest stretch of walkable beach in the area. Even on "busy "days you'll find plenty of space to do your own thing. We have only run to friendly dogs and no one seems to care that they are off leash and living their best lives.

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!

Beautiful beach and perfect place to relax, go fishing, paddle, or dive. Very rocky and consistent…read moreswells so not a good spot for swimming unless you are a strong one: Oceanfront free parking and outhouse style restroom. Well maintained. Perfect place to relax, go fishing, paddle, or dive.

Excellent state beach about 15 miles south of Half Moon Bay - we visited on the last Sunday in July…read morea week ago. The beach was almost empty. Which suited us just fine, because the few we had driven past on our way here were all packed! After paying the $8 parking fee, we walked onto the sand, which was soft and free from debris, which was great as I was barefoot. This beach features steep cliffs, small caves carved out by the ocean, and a long strip of sand. After claiming a spot a few feet from the surging waves (it was a windy day) the girls drew on the sand and played in ocean while the missus and I went for a stroll. Afterwards, we sat together as a family, drying off, chatting away, and gazing out over the Pacific, happy to have finally made it to the beach (it's been a busy summer). Will be back!

accessible since it is not too steep but ground is uneven. As of March 2026 there are so many tree…read morebranches and trunks all over the sand, just an FYI. The sand area is huge so there's plenty of space for people to set up their space. There is also a beautiful shallow river connecting to the ocean which is perfect for the kiddos. Beautiful beach with many beautiful finds! There are bathrooms on site but they are DISGUSTING, so come prepared.

Love, love, love this beach!!! The walk from the parking lot 2 the water isn't 2 far. The beach is…read moreclean & there's picnic tables by the parking lot as well as bbqs. I live over 2 hrs away, but I don't care. When I want a beach day, this is where I wanna gooooo!!! And today, there was plenty of sun 2 enjoy!!!

This is a really cool beach I like it a lot, but please be careful if you walk the cliffs with your…read morepets. I forgot to check for ticks before we left and when I got home, I found a large brown, what i think is a deer tick. Please keep in mind that some ticks are very small and hardly noticeable, and those tend to be the worst kind that can cause fatal paralysis in your pets. Be careful out there

Gorgeous beach with lots of driftwood. Very cool when you enter and see structures built by…read moreprevious visitors. Or you can make your own. Lifeguards were there during the hours when it's busy with families enjoying a nice day. Bathrooms are portolets so they're gross but at least they have facilities. Bring your own toilet paper just in case they run out. Bring your own hand sanitizer as there are no hand washing stations. If you walk to the right side after the cave, it becomes a "clothing-optional" beach. I did not know this but it's all cool. That side is very quiet and chill. No driftwood. No families. Nice calm beach for a stroll. Leaving from here on a holiday weekend is atrocious! 92 will be a parking lot. You can take Hwy 1 but be prepared for a longer ride home.

This place is a hidden gem. I have passed by this area hundred of times, but never stopped to check…read moreit out. Always ending up at one of my usual beach spots along this stretch of PCH. The place of course has entry restrictions (No thank you Mr. Vinod Khosla) - but there is adequate space to park outside the barrier. What that also means is that the beach is not very crowded. Amazing views, and at low tide you can catch some interesting sea life swimming in the tide pools. Catch a beautiful sunset - relax and enjoy the beauty of northern California coast line.

After reading the reviews on here it seems like this beach is a little controversial. My sister…read morebrought me to this inconspicuous dirt parking lot and told me this is the beach we drove all the way to HMB for. I was confused but trusted her and we walked around a locked gate along a paved road about half a mile down to a serene and unique beachside area. Yes, there are dilapidated beach houses that are no longer in use along the beach. However, this adds to the character of this beach. It seems like only the locals really know of this beach no crowds or tourists. The walk down a steep path and back up is worth it for this view!

A little hidden gem in HMB - it was recommended to me by a friend years ago and now it's my go-to…read morespot. I often take friends and family here when they visit the Bay Area because it feels like a secret private beach. There's a small parking lot that I've never had issues with, fits maybe 10 cars but again - never had any issue securing a spot and I typically visit right before sunset which I imagine is one of the peak hours. There's a bit of a walk from the parking lot to the beach but there's a well worn path with fences on either side making it easy to walk down. It takes maybe 8-10 minutes (depending on how fast of a walker you are) to get to the beach/cliffside from parking so be prepared especially if you've got young children or gear (picnic fixins, chairs etc.). The stairs down from the cliff to the beach are relatively well maintained, I've gone many times over the years and I find they've kept up well. With small children you may have to be prepared for a slow walk or to pick them up and escort them down yourself as it can be steep. Once on the beach there is plenty of space for all to enjoy. We never have any issues finding an open spot for our picnic blankets to enjoy the sunset.

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.

Of all the ways to access a beach in Half Moon Bay, I never would have thought visiting the swanky…read moreRitz Carlton hotel would've been one of them. On a whim we had driven into the Ritz Carlton to see the grounds and found out they had carved out a portion of the parking garage for "Free Beach Access". See the grounds, and the beach - a twofer! Getting to the beach can be a little confusing at points. We took a couple lefts out of the parking lot, climbed some stairs, asked for directions, and eventually passed by the Rich and Famous relaxing on a large open air patio. This was overlooking the ocean and the gorgeous 18th hole of the Ritz Carlton golf course. We continued on past the patio and things got clearer direction-wise. A paved "trail" has the golf course on the left and the ocean on the right. You just keep going and will eventually wind up at some stairs that go down to Pelican Point Beach. The beach is somewhat small, hemmed in by cliffs at each end, but quite pretty. This being a weekday, a number of people were on the path to and from, but less ended up at the beach. Canada Verde Creek terminates at this beach and in September was not strong enough to reach the sea, but offered an attractive bonus to see. You can keep going on the paved trail past the beach if you desire. A bridge goes over the creek with a nice overlook for pictures. The trail goes quite aways further south, marked on the map as the Cowell-Purisima Trail; but exploring that would have to wait for another day.

Gorgeous protected beach just south of Half Moon Bay…read more To find it, head towards the Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay, park at the little public lot, and take the path through the golf course to metal stairs leading down to the sand. Cliffs protect the beach on either side. There are rocks a little further out, which make for lovely tide pools if you arrive at low tide. We stayed a while and enjoyed the soft sand and gentle breeze. We'd have loved to stay longer, but were meeting family for lunch at Pigeon Point Lighthouse further down the coast. We will certainly be back, perhaps to check out those tide pools!

This place sucks dangerous to climb down and dangerous parking someone died here very recently…read moretrying to climb down. Also the high tide comes up to the cliffs and can trap you, no way out for a mile or two, don't go!

Hidden Beach -- at least that's the name I know it by -- can be found by (carefully) parking along…read morethe side of Highway 1 about a mile south of Pomponio State Beach. After parking your car, walk about a quarter of a mile down a chasm, crossing a sometimes treacherous log, and then scaling down about a 15 foot sandstone wall face. Once descended, you will discover yourself to be on one of the area's most pristine beaches. The rip currents and aggressive tides ensure that nothing stray stays on the beach -- no seaweed, no shells, no nothing. So the beach is always clean and raw. The coastline here for about 3 miles long has a 100 foot cliff wall at the back of the beach, which means that this access point is the only one for at least a mile in either direction. People go here to get away from it all, and sometimes you may see some discreet nudists, but I don't think it's known to be a nudist beach. A great place for dogs and people to get close to the elements, listen to the pounding surf, feel sand between you toes, and wonder about how you can feel so far away, yet be so close to the hustle and bustle of the 408, 650 and 415. Please don't tell everyone about this place. Oops, I guess I just did.