Pescadero State Beach offers a stunning stretch of coastline with some of the best tide pools in…read morethe area. There's tons of marine life to find, and it's a great place to walk around and explore. There are multiple staircase entry points, though the access isn't very elderly-friendly. Once on the beach, the terrain is uneven, so it's better suited for people who are comfortable walking on rocks and sand. This is a great spot for people looking to gather mussels, rock crabs, and for fishing. The starfish here are massive, and the anemones are everywhere -- really impressive to see up close. There's plenty of parking, and we prefer the north entrance, which tends to be our favorite access point. The main downside is the bathroom situation. They're in pretty rough shape, and the park could really use some maintenance here -- it's clear many people avoid using them, which unfortunately leads to waste showing up in parking areas.

Beach Slapped…read more One-mile stretch of CA coastline that's just as jaw-droppingly beautiful as the rest of the area with its sandy beaches, high cliff line, and almost always cool, temperate climate. The Good: *Right off the PCH, which is always fun to drive. :) *Beach is separated into a north end and south end by Pescadero Creek. *Fishing is OK (I mean it's in the name!) *South End had picnic tables and a fairly clean restroom and was free to park. *North end also had restroom, but there's an $8/fee to use that end. *Must come here (South lot) to access the Marshland Nature Preserve across the highway. The Meh: *North side only has parking but no restrooms that I saw. *No dogs *No camping *No fires *Area is kinda desolate, as there's not much around. It is, however, only ±20min from HMB. The Ugly: *While a great Beach, it is kind of a schlep to get here from SJ, as you have to go North in order to go South to get to the beach. Conclusion: Great little lowkey Beach that has access to an amazing marshland nature preserve that's great for bird watchers.

A smaller beach, but pleasant…read more There's a small parking lot. Plenty of restrooms. I actually prefer going there when there is a storm, to watch the waves crash on the rocks. It's a nice beach and I recommend visiting all the state beaches along the coast.

A hidden California beauty. However, #1 rule, especially here, is leave the beach as you found it!…read moreIt is illegal to remove pebbles from the beach, leave them be so that others can enjoy this special place along the California coast. Please also remember to keep our beaches clean and leave no trace of your visit, litter or otherwise. I remember visiting this beach as a child and I made it my post New Years 2025 goal to rediscover its beauty as an adult. These photos were taken in January of '25, for reference. Nestled in Pescadero, CA, Bean Hollow State Beach offers a vast expanse of different terrain along the coastline. There are technically two beaches here: one is south, but the northern beach is what locals refer to as "pebble beach." (This is NOT the same as the official Pebble Beach residential area near Monterey and Carmel.) The beach is downhill on the right side from the northern parking lot. There is also a beautiful hiking area from the north to south beaches if you are up for the trek. If you are careful, you can go down to the sandstone/rock formation area to the left of the actual pebble beach past the parking lot. It's a beautiful view to watch the waves crash against the rocks, but always keep away from the wet areas and don't turn your back to the ocean. Stay safe by wearing good shoes and only walk along the dry areas on the rocks. These waves are very unpredictable and you have to be aware of the tides as well. Most of this state beach has no cell reception, so either don't go alone or let people know your plans. Absolutely one of my favorite places on the coast off of Highway 1, it is about 25 minutes south of Half Moon Bay. Bean Hollow State Beach also boasts collections of Tafoni sandstone cavities/holes, a special geological formation that is native to California coasts. Well worth a visit in any season, as long as you're dressed for the weather. If you're lucky, you might even see some aquatic life, too: we saw a few seals bobbing in the water.

Nice beach with plenty of birds to watch…read more Free parking and restrooms. Not many people visit this beach so it's quiet and clean.

Beautiful beach to hang out on a hot day. Plenty of parking and so much real estate the beach never…read moregets too crowded. It's also a hidden gem since not so many know about it unlike other popular beaches on the coast. Took my drone out there o

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!!!

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.

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 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

Don't Marsh my Mellow…read more Update July 2025: the main Sequoia Audibon Trail is currently closed for construction until (allegedly) Oct 2025. There's a website to track the construction if you're interested: https://www.sanmateorcd.org/project/pescadero-marsh-habitat-restoration-and-resiliency-project/ In the meantime all the other trails are open and hikeable but be aware none of them actually connect and are all out-and-backs: 1) Butano Trail: access by parking in dirt lot on Pescadero Road. Put in 1958 Pescadero Creek Rd into your GPS. 2) Round Hill Trail: access at the end of Water Ln, by the park offices. 3) North Pond Trail: Access by parking at the north end of Pescadero Beach, and then you'll have to high-tail it across the PCH to get there. Normally, this Trail connects to the aforementioned Audibon Trail, but not with the current construction. Put in 18253 Cabrillo Hwy into your GPS for the parking lot.

I love this place! The first time we came was back in 2022 and we did the Sequoia Audubon Trail but…read moreit was closed yesterday due to construction. So we did the Butano Trail instead. And what a beautiful trail it was! It's not very long--about 2 miles out-and-back. But simply gorgeous with lots of birds, wildflowers and so peaceful. We had the entire area to ourselves (except for one couple towards the end). There's plenty of parking (there's about 3 different parking lots in the area depending on which trail you want to do or if you want to check out the beach), free and there are bathrooms. Not the best bathrooms but they're decent. We're always so surprised that no one comes here. But that's okay. We love the quiet.

This is a very nice location to stop and stretch your legs, not to mention an awesome place for…read morephoto opportunities!! There is some construction going on near the light house but you can still walk around it and enjoy all the wonderful views. There are walking paths that you can go on and walk down to the beach area when the tide is low as well there are also paths that you can take along the cliff area. Don't worry about parking as there is plenty and there is no parking fee to park your car. Overall this is a must stop to just walk around, take some pictures and take in Gods coastal creation, soooooo beautiful and peaceful.

Sweeping vistas and interesting history. Had our dog so did…read morenot visit museum. Did check the vistas and watched the waves crash in.

Planned out a day trip including a stop at Pescadero first followed by a hike at Butano State Park…read more The park itself is quite small and cozy and it's easy to see why it's often referred to as one of the least known California State Parks, because you really do have to make an effort to come here. That being said, the road to the park is quite well paved and there should be no trouble accessing it. We unfortunately visited the park during one of the controlled burns. I would not recommend visiting at those times because the smell of smoke lingers for quite some time even though we visited over a week after the burn ended. There was even one area of the park that was still smoking. It's also sad to see the extensive damage from the CZU fire that ripped through this area back in 2020. But overall there are still tons of beautiful redwoods and the trails are well maintained. Also not many people visit this park so you'll have plenty of peace and quiet on the trails!

Butano, as it once was, prior to the summer of 2020, CZU fire, is no more. It's prior lushness is…read moremarked by charred redwoods and lack of undergrowth. But that doesn't mean it's not worth a visit. As of December 2024, all trails in the park are open. I commend the crews that restored the trails-they did an amazing job restoring safe access to the park. While camping remains closed, there are limited facilities (no drinking water and only pit toilets that are in sad shape.) However, if you come with an open mind and an appreciation for how forests regenerate after fires, it's quite an interesting park. I'd hiked an out and back last summer on Jackson flats and then, on NYD 2025, hiked the recently reopened loop of Little Butano Creek, Goat Hill Trail and Olemo Fire road. The creek was still low but there were too many banana slugs and mushrooms to count. Yes, lots of charred trees but also lots of green coming back. The lower trails aren't particularly steep or challenging and it's never crowded. Very peaceful park. It will be interesting to come back, over time, to see how the park regenerates and changes.