"Where is the sea glass?!" I heard one man ask another. You might see nothing. Also You might find…read morelittle glass pieces on the beach, depending where you go. There are 3 sites for the beaches, some harder to find than others. Some beaches were hard to get down to, always be careful and safety first! If it is too steep then don't chance it Beautiful spot to look out into the ocean, enjoy the cliff views and just be present. Nice to be in the sun! And out! Check out the sea glass museum in fort Bragg town to learn more about it, which really helped me prior to going. If made it more meaningful

Nice place to come for the first time visitor to Fort Bragg…read more My wife, her mom, and I came to visit Fort Bragg (named after the same person that the more famous Fort Bragg in North Carolina is named after) on our way down from redwood forest parks to spend the night in San Francisco. One of the more famous tourist attractions in the area is Glass Beach, so named for the once plentiful sea glass that dotted the shoreline. It was stop number 12 (14:01) on day 5 of our road trip. It is located in Noyo Headlands Park, where there was plentiful parking, even later in the afternoon. The glass originated from a city dump that operated until 1967. There wasn't much left. Thus most colors of the glass pebbles were the common green, brown, and clear color of beer (and soda) bottles. To get down to the area where the glass accumulates, requires going down a non-paved hill from the bluff, so wasn't possible for Mom. We did get some good pictures of the area. And there was a cool carved piece of driftwood, resembling a whale near the benches where we sat, admiring the scenery.

This was a cute little place to stop and take pictures at we really enjoyed the view. It is very…read moresketchy to go down into the beach area and we almost fell a few times. There is a lot of different people around all over the place taking pictures. Overall definitely a nice rest stop. Idk if I'd go out of my way to visit though but it's cool to have come once.

A few miles south on Hwy 1 from Pt. Arena. Takes a few minutes to get there, park at the beach sign…read more(heading south) AND make sure to look for the trail head to the North side on that lot. Get there 30 mins, or an hour BEFORE LOW TIDE, walk down the trail (Be Careful) and watch the tide head out- you'll see the massive Bowling Balls. Keep track of the tides, Be safe.

Absolutely love this place!…read more I just wish that there were reviews on how to actually get to the trails/paved walking areas. So for all of you out there that are wanting a nice, serene hike/more of a walk and listen up! First, you're going to want to locate the Beachcomber motel (the green one). The , you're going to want to go one parking lot north of that. On your left side as you're heading north you will see a small parking lot. This is where you want to park. On another note, there is access to that pedestrian bridge through a residential area that is south of the motel. You'll have to map it because we did not come this way and I cannot advise you on how to get here. Lol. There are so many opportunities to walk along the ridge as well as paved areas that share space with all of the coastline motels. Your options are vast and you could easily get a 3 to 4 mile walk/run in this area. I'm actually not sure how much further down it goes because the pup and I got tired. Lol . If you're walking along the ridge, consider wearing pants. I don't recommend tights because there are a lot of branches and bushes that stick out on the dirt trails. Wearing some windbreakers or sweatpants is likely your better option. There are breathtaking views from anywhere you go along the coastline. Either from the paved road or from the dirt paths. I do recommend clothed toed shoes if you are going off the paved path. There are some parts where the sand is loose and other parts where is completely rock. This is where I wish I would've had my hiking boots on, but my running shoes held up just fine. As you get further from what we'll call motel row, it gets quieter and more serene. More importantly, there's less foot traffic and bike traffic. It is very congested by the bridge itself, both on the bridge and below on the beach. This seems to be one of the longest areas in Fort Bragg to walk or ride your bike. There are some cooler places south of Fort Bragg in Mendocino that are also worth exploring. ***PSA*** This is a special announcement for all you doggy owners. Please don't be that person that does not bring poop bags. Your dog is almost guaranteed to shit on that bridge and we witnessed it TWICE. Once from a very large dog, whose poop was kicked around. As well as a smaller dog, who had the case of the runs. Neither of those situations are flattering. If anything, they are embarrassing... for YOU. Forgot to add that parking is free and there is a restroom (use at your own risk).

This spot is nice. You can either walk the Trestle along the long path and have the view of the…read morePacific Ocean, or you can go down to the beach area and explore. There's not a bad phot spot around the whole area. Would love to go there again next time I visit.

Beautiful and peaceful spot on the picturesque Mendocino coast. It is one of the least traveled…read morespots outside of locals. Great for shells, surfing and just getting some sun. Has an RV park close with a store. Probably my favorite spot to get away.

We've been going to this beach since before I could remember! The sand is so soft, warm, and silky…read more When the tides are out, there is this hidden cove/arch way area which is so beautifully secluded & great for photo ops or being with nature. Further to the left side of the beach are various jagged, giant rocks with some little passage ways. Our family dubbed this beach as "Sunset Beach" because they are un-real at this beach. The best is to climb the hill on the right side of the beach, & watching the sunset from there. One bummer is the amount of shell/wolf-life poaching. I remember being a child, wading through the shallow waters on the far left hand side of the beach, & there were tons of whole sand dollars everywhere. Now, people are too focused on the capital/social media "likes". Please, if you can, refrain from taking stuff in the beach.

Favorite Fort Bragg Beach by far. Close to Road, and great for little ones. The rock tunnel is so…read morecool! Sand can get really hot! Bring flip flops! The hidden beach is truly hidden. You have to walk around to go find it! Today I saw a small shark and sand dollars! Great day at the Beach!

Worth it for the baby seals. We didn't actually go down to the beach and instead chose to stay on…read morethe cliff and do the trails. Trails are easy from the parking lot and is dog friendly. As you get to the viewing point for the seals though, dogs are not allowed. (We saw a seal turn around and go back into the water after making eye contact/smell contact with our dog as we were walking near the cliff!) There were also seal docents who can explain what you're seeing and share binoculars.

This is a lovely cove beach, but I didn't find many shells! We were there at low tide and only…read moresaw a couple other people.

A total coastal sanctuary that's off the beaten path. When it comes to beaches on the Mendocino…read moreCoast, Greenwood State Beach is the key to peace and seclusion. It's located in the small town of Elk, so you can expect less crowds. Getting down to this beach requires a short but steepish hike from the parking lot. Keep this in mind if you plan on lugging anything down there. But it's well worth it to pack a picnic because you could literally spend your entire day here. There are restrooms right at the parking lot, and you'll be able to see the beach from the top of the hiking path. Once you make it down to shore, your eyes will be met with the most majestic views of the Mendocino Coastline. This is where shallow white waves meet soft white sand in essence. Where sunny blue skies and picturesque mountain top views conjoin. The sand dunes seem to be endless and you'll feel like you're almost in complete solitude. I love when I have beaches all to myself. Since it's located further down, it has that cove-ish feel, making it nice and warm during the summer. And yes, the water is teal! A beautiful teal. Super clear, clean, and beautiful. It's also the perfect temperature, so hop on it or have fun just getting your feet wet. I brought a bottle of Rosé and a sandwich to this beach and had an amazing little Sunday afternoon picnic here. It was so relaxing that I honestly didn't wanna leave. But alas, I had to get back home. It was my favorite beach stop whilst road trippin' down the Mendocino Coast. It's definitely out there, but if you're driving down the coast, I'd would absolutely recommend that you stop and explore this lovely beach.

I can't believe I stumbled across this beautiful location on my tour of HWY 1. Make sure to enjoy…read morethe view as it is worth the drive.

Come at high-tide to feel insignificant and small. The waves are large and overpowering at this…read moretime and the wash goes all the way up the the cliff edge. There are giant overlapping crests and troughs of waves and you can easily imagine being swept away by the backwash. The first thing you see is a sign that says "This is one of the most deadly beaches in California". The next thing you see is a wooden rickety looking staircase that you use to descend down about 3 stories down to the beach. It was too wild at high tide to watch two children so I just went down with my brother, the wind and waves make almost deafening noise at the bottom. The sand is dark and there are black rocks jutting out of the water. Worth stopping at, its a short walk to the parking lot and if you don't want to brave the staircase at high tide you can always take great pictures from the top of the cliff.

Usually when up on the Sonoma Coast, I don't go further than Salt Point. Last weekend, I decided to…read morekeep driving north and see if there were any new beaches to check out. This was during a 100+ degree heat wave in the inner Bay Area, so the escape up to 65 degree coastline was much needed. After seeing the signs for Sea Ranch, and just past the Sea Ranch Lodge, there's a small sign pointing out coastal access. There's a small lot (10 cars, maybe) for Black Point Beach. It was full on a sunny July Saturday but I lucked out with someone getting ready to leave. There's a short trail, 1/4 mile or less leading to the beach and a 3 story staircase to get down to the sand. I came at lower tide so there was plenty of room for a walk along the length of the beach. There were interesting bluffs with water floating down in a couple of areas and mossy, smaller caves. The water seemed pretty rough but it was a nice day and lots of people were out enjoying sitting out on the sand. Much of the surrounding area is private property, so stay on trail too and from the beach. Nice stop if you're way up the coast.

Relaxing beach in a cove at Sea Ranch, naturally formed to feel intimate and private. The sand is…read moremade of tiny dark pebbles and it feels foreign to the California Coast and will remind you of the black sand beaches at Hawaii or Iceland. At low tides there are tidepools at the south end, at high tides the water becomes violent and furious while still somehow remaining soothing to the eyes and ears. Some other things we loved at the beach: -3 small waterfalls, 2 on the south end and 1 on the north. Relaxing water sounds and you can walk right up to them and get close with no barriers. -Large log right in front of the stairs, I've never seen a beach log so large. -Very short walk from the parking area and easy access to the Coastal Trail if you also want to see some wind-whipped trees and greenery.

This beach provides very close access to a large number of tide-pools during low tides, where you…read morecan observe an entire ecosystem at work comprising of small fishes, crabs and other creatures. I'd recommend paying a visit to this beach if you're interested in viewing these tide pools as well as having a relaxing time at the beach. As a callout, this beach is not wheelchair friendly or accessible.