Cancel

Open app

Search

Mussel Shoals

4.5 (10 reviews)

Mussel Shoals Photos

You might also consider

Recommended Reviews - Mussel Shoals

Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
Yelp app icon
Browse more easily on the app
Review Feed Illustration

Reviews With Photos

The shoals
Debra R.

Great little hidden beach area with a few houses along a piece of Historic Hwy 1, private access to the man made island, and Cliff House Inn/Shoals restaurant. There is access to the bike path and parking for the hidden beach, (so hidden it disappears at high tide). Follow the trail at the south end of the parking area and scramble down the rocks to find the tide pools. We usually see anemone, and sea stars while dolphins cruise by. Fall and winter are the best time to find seashells at the shoals.

Lucky S.

It was high tide when I visited so not a lot of tide pool discoveries. :( Still, a beautiful spot to walk around if you're staying at the inn.

See all

3 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

1 year ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 1
Love this 1
Oh no 1
Photo of Ben A.
4993
1741
5075

5 years ago

Helpful 10
Thanks 2
Love this 8
Oh no 1
Photo of Kim K.
371
1147
7689

8 years ago

Helpful 6
Thanks 0
Love this 5
Oh no 0

10 years ago

Helpful 8
Thanks 0
Love this 8
Oh no 0
Photo of Lucky S.
56
1266
3912

9 years ago

Helpful 8
Thanks 0
Love this 5
Oh no 0

10 years ago

Helpful 7
Thanks 1
Love this 4
Oh no 0
Photo of Dean P.
175
981
4626

9 years ago

Helpful 2
Thanks 0
Love this 2
Oh no 0

8 years ago

Helpful 2
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0
Photo of James S.
28
258
7

8 years ago

Helpful 2
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

Ask the Community - Mussel Shoals

What's your Saturday hours? Menu?

Mussel Shoals is a neighborhood along the coast north of Ventura. Nice beach access by car or bicycle. Saturday dawn to dusk would be your answer, I guess. The Cliff House Inn is in Mussel Shoals and has an excellent restaurant, the Shoals, open… Read more

Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

Review Highlights - Mussel Shoals

Follow the trail at the south end of the parking area and scramble down the rocks to find the tide pools.

Mentioned in 3 reviews

Read more highlights

You might also consider

Verify this business for free

People searched for Beaches 3,161 times last month within 15 miles of this business.

Verify this business

Harbor Cove Beach

Harbor Cove Beach

4.4
(27 reviews)
20.3 km

We recently held our 2026 Corporate Games at Harbor Cove Beach for a day of Beach Volleyball, and…read moreit couldn't have been a better choice. Whether you're looking for a spot for a large-scale organized event or just a relaxing day by the water, this beach delivers. The conditions were quintessential California. While it started with a breezy chill that kept us on our toes, the sun ultimately came out in full force. That cool breeze actually ended up being a blessing during the more intense matches, keeping everyone from overheating while we enjoyed the clear, sunny skies. If you're planning a team-building event or a sports outing, Harbor Cove Beach is a top-tier pick. Great views, manageable wind, and plenty of sunshine made our Beach Volleyball tournament a massive success!

This beach is located very close to Ventura Harbor Village and Shopping Center, as well as the…read moreRobert J. Lagomarsino Visitor Center, Channel Islands Nat'l Park, so if you visit the area it's a quick walk over to enjoy the beach! I visited on a morning weekday, and there were only an handful of people there. The beach is very clean; I didn't see any litter anywhere. The water smelled fresh. There are shorebirds to watch and a few surfers in the ocean, and the waves near the shore were calm. There is ample free parking on the paved lots as well as street parking, and flush toilets. There's even a little mesh path to the water to help people in wheelchairs or strollers navigate the sand.

Photos
Lifeguard closed for the season
Lifeguard closed for the season
Harbor Cove Beach
Harbor Cove Beach

See all

Marina Park

Marina Park

4.4
(107 reviews)
19.8 km

This is my FAVE park in Ventura because - IMO - it has everything you need for a great day at the…read morebeach. Let's start with FREE PARKING! Some local beaches are starting to charge, but this one still offers PLENTY of free parking. In addition, there are multiple playgrounds - including a pirate galleon from when the park was established during my childhood, a THOUSAND years ago! It doesn't have the zip line that caused me to smash my leg into the concrete side, leaving a still visible scar 1,000 years later, which is probably for the best, but a kinder/gentler playground with more modern amenities for today's active child. There is also an expansive grass area, where you will find many local pups bounding about with joy. On the grassy areas, BBQs! Also a protected, man made beach cove with an easy enter, small to no wave water entry. Lots of families prefer to set up their space on the green grass and then make their way to the beach, which is an ideal way to have your picnic sand free! A foot shower is also available to rinse the beach off before you settle back onto your blanket. Plenty of benches, tables and a bathroom that is, if I'm being completely honest, acceptable, but could use an upgrade. If you're more active, make your way to the public dock to launch your kayak, paddle board, etc. I've also seen people fishing from this dock and launching remote control boats - so cute! If you haven't brought your own board or boat, there is a rental kiosk handily available. This is also a great park to stroll through. A clear path goes from the parking lot to the tip of the Ventura Harbor entrance, known as Soter Point, where a beautiful sculpture stands. When I think of the perfect beach park, I think of Marina Park in Ventura. Cheers! "CC"

Marna Park is a city park that offers close and comfortable access to the beach. There's plenty of…read moreparking, broad lawns, varied picnicking spots and bathrooms. There's a nice oceanfront walkway that leads to a sitting area at the end of the north jetty that guards the entrance to the Ventura Marina.

Photos
Marina Park
Big breakers
Big breakers
Marina Park

See all

Mondos Beach

Mondos Beach

4.6
(29 reviews)
7.5 km

Great dog beach with easy parking! Waves are consistent, good place for beginner surfers. Parking…read moreis free on the right side of the street, never had an issue with finding parking.

This is a great spot for beginning surfers…read more My friends and I used to surf here often. Lately we have been surfing at County Line, but we are planning on coming back soon. This is a real nice place to surf. The break is gentle and rolls in and sometimes reforms, so it is great for longboards. The atmosphere and friendliness of local surfers here is better than anywhere else and this is a great beginner spot to surf; granted, it is up there and way up, just north of Ventura. It is worth the drive though and parking is free just off PCH next the railroad tracks. Be warned, you cannot park here prior to 7am. So if you are here for a dawn patrol be ready to move the car if the park rangers are ticketing. Also, during parts of the year, their are many rocks on entry and exit so booties can be a must here for beginning surfers. Also, the Yelp map for this location is slightly wrong. Keep driving NW (north on PCH) until you reach a distinct white bicycle set up as a memorial to a fallen rider/surfer and you have arrived. As far as the below reviews about the steep rocks, this is true but there is a concrete step like path down next to the chain link fence next to the 1st residential house at the beginning of this spot. See my photos and it is just left of the photos.

Photos
Mondos / Seacliff
Mondos / Seacliff
Dog
Dog
Mondos on a nice morning.

See all

Mondos on a nice morning.
Ventura Pier

Ventura Pier

4.3
(118 reviews)
16.7 km

Ventura pier is a long walk over the ocean. Offering cool breezes, the smell of fish and lots of…read morepelicans and seagulls hoping for a bite. I spent many cool summers here as a kid fishing with my dad. The slits in between the wood used to be a lot longer when I was a kid. The pier is a great way to get away from the world. Sometimes you can catch sight of dolphins and seals.

I visited there two days after that Ventura-to-Barstow CHP chase, where a Subaru drove 200 miles in…read moretwo hours while being pursued by the CHP the entire way. Even NBC 7's helicopter eventually ran out of fuel while trying to film the event! It took me almost an hour in the morning to drive from Pasadena to Ventura Beach. I set the GPS to navigate to the pier, where there is a garage nearby. I drove in and found it completely unattended; the fee booth was empty. After driving around inside, I found an outdoor parking lot that was even closer to the pier. There was no one at the entrance, likely because it is the "off-season." It was less than 20 meters from the parking lot to the wooden steps of the pier. There were fewer than 20 people on the pier that morning, even though it was nearly 8:00 AM. The restaurant wasn't open yet, and they likely don't open during this time of year. Walking on the pier is very peaceful, even if the sound of the sea is quite loud. The public restrooms were clean as well. It is a wonderful break to have on the drive from Los Angeles to San Jose. My recommendation: go there early during the quiet season.

Photos
Merry Christmas
Merry Christmas
Ventura Pier
Ventura Pier

See all

Oxnard Beach Park

Oxnard Beach Park

4.5
(78 reviews)
27.1 km

Our go-to spot for a relaxing day at the beach with our husky. It is a bit of a drive from LA, but…read morenot much further than getting to Long Beach or Huntington Beach for us (the other dog friendly beaches near LA). This beach is on-leash and has never been crowded. That makes it a good spot for our senior dog to walk a bit and then curl up by our beach blanket for bird watching and napping under the sea breeze. The humans like the fact that it is usually clean, parking is very easy and inexpensive in the two large lots, and the restrooms are usually clean enough (bring hand sanitzer, though - the soap and paper towels often run out). There's also paths for people riding bikes and jogging, and a large park that is often lively with picnics, barbeques, volleyball games, and people working out. As people in our early 40s, it is refreshingly unpretentious and un-scene-y, too. Most people are friendly and there are a lot of families. One tip: The water here can be rough with rip currents, and there is no life guard present.

We were so full from our breakfast at IHOP that we felt the need to walk. In looking around at the…read morearea, 'olołkoy Beach Park was less than a mile away. The park is small, but well maintained and clean. The palm tree lined walking path is wide and flat. Nice playground. The beach is a short walk over -- just follow the sand. :) We ventured into the neighborhood behind the park to check out the lovely homes, each with their own personality. The people were so friendly to wave and say 'hi' as we walked by. There's two good size parking areas -- pay to park machines are easy to find.

Photos
Walking Path
Walking Path
Tsunami Evacuation Routes
Tsunami Evacuation Routes
Beach access along walking trail

See all

Beach access along walking trail

Mussel Shoals - beaches - Updated June 2026

Loading...
Loading...
Loading...