I LOVE to take trips down Highway 1. Local day trips often just take me anywhere from Bodega Bay up north to Monterey down south, but most times just from the stretch of Pacifica to Santa Cruz. And when I cruise down leisurely down this glorious highway, I won't just gun the vehicle and go from destination to destination. I like to randomly stop at little towns, beaches, roadhouse eateries that's dotted along the way. There are so many beaches on highway 1. I'm still exploring around myself. Pulled in onto this beach as they had a big parking area on the cliffside. This is in-between Santa Cruz and Half Moon Bay, super close to the road that you can take to go to Big Basin. This is not a lying around type of beach. It is very raw and very windy for some reason. Lots of seabirds on parts of the beach, lots of stranded seaweed and due to the wind, lots of white water surf. And a big attraction here actually is due to the surf and wind conditions. Lots of surfers and wind-surfers here that it'll catch your eye even from the highway. Wind surfers are these skilled and brave souls that go out in rough seawater with a parachute like apparatus connected to them, as so they can take flight and take leaps almost at bird level. And they are able to surf more waves without being pounded by rough waves, as they are able to jump from wave to wave via air/wind. Even tho it was too windy for me to sit out there for longer than 30 minutes, it was a blast watching these guys bounce and float around in what would otherwise be dangerous waters. I'm eventually going to knock out all the beaches from Santa Cruz to Half Moon Bay, and this one was a special one to knock out. read more

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Such a beautiful beach! It was very windy and cold and I imagine it's like this all the time. But I still enjoyed my 2 mile walk along the beach. This place has bathrooms and parking. It's pretty big so I can't see it getting crowded. read more

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Waddell Beach (Big Basin Redwoods State Park) in Santa Cruz County has free parking, restrooms and easy access to the beach. Lots of surfers and kite and windsurfers here as this area is known for steady strong northwest winds. Great for families to explore tide pools, see elephant seals and great for bird watching. read more

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We were camping at the koa with our dog. A lot of the beaches dont allow dogs however several people at the koa told us about this one just a few minutes away. It was so perfect. Didn't have to hike down to the breach it was right at the parking lot also a great thing as a lot of people just park along the road. Our dog had never been to the ocean and it was epic. It was perfect there were no other people actually on the beach so no worries of the dog bothering anyone. He had the best time read more

Nice place to sit and meditate; watch the waves and surfers. Sometimes you can catch the sailboarders. My wife and I like watching the sunset here... read more

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Waddell Beach is a one my favorite stops along Highway 1. This beach is utilized by surfers, windsurfers, and kiteboarders. When the conditions are right you may see kiteboarders skimming across the water or performing freestyle tricks. Some of them are very skilled and are a treat to watch. The bathrooms can be really bad. My advise is to find another place to use. There are four Pit Toilets and the same two are usually locked up. Toilet Paper is sometimes gone. It is located 30 Miles South of Half Moon Bay and 19 North of Santa Cruz. It is across the highway from the entrance of Big Basin State Park. Parking is free in the designated lot and along the highway. read more

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This place is my morning & afternoon commute hang spot. When I need to take a break while on the way to Half Moon Bay or back home to Santa Cruz. You can park up and down highway one or in the parking lot. I tend to just park along the highway, for quick visits and beautiful views. Some rad surfing of all kind goes down here, w/ a beautiful cliffside view and a beach that goes on further than the eye can see. My friend even had the pleasure of saying "hi" to a great white shark after he found himself a little too far past the break. read more

Waddell Beach - Morning sunrise. - Beaches Near Me - Davenport, California

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Legit wilderness beach and coast forest setting! Amazing offshore reefs and beach peaks for all types of surf crafts. One of the true gems of the coast between SF and Santa Cruz! Worth a walk and a moment to be one with the natural world! read more

Waddell Beach - Beaches Near Me - Davenport, California

Great place to surf! Big waves. Wind surfing also very popular. Of course you can just lay on the sandy beach if that's what you prefer. There is ample free parking and a bathroom. Cons: no place to change, and the bathroom is stinky read more

Surfing/Kite surfing Sign up here! I continued this rolling down the State HWY 1 and took in what a dear friend does on a consistent basis in SF: kite surfing. When I use to hang out with him often (he's now married) I'd hear about his exploits running off the minute the wind reports came in to his Blackberry: Chrissy Field, along the Delta, Santa Cruz, Ocean Beach. He was there. Regardless of where he was at. Talk about living in the moment. So it was only a matter of a few seconds of driving and then pulling over to see close to twenty-thirty people kite surfing, their kites a colorful display in the rising winds. After I pulled in, I propped myself up against my windshield, settling on my hood and watched the entire process of unloading, unwrapping and unwinding, then getting the kite up into the air and then swoosh, off they went. Whipped along the water by the strong winds. I even watched as some of them were airborne 6 ft +. How awesome is that! A nice beach with lots of recreational potential. Today it was packed with kite surfers, but the guys mentioned that surfers and windsurfers would be out here, slicing the waves. In addition, lots of tourists, such as myself, were pulling off just to catch the players out teasing mother Nature. Clean facilities and ladies, if you want to see a bunch of rugged good looking men in unzipped wetsuits, this is your place for the wicked wet dream that will pleasantly haunt you well into the evening. Not to mention, especially friendly half naked men. Several guys still wet from the water, saw me snapping away and casually mentioned that there was a BBQ taking place nearby and I was welcome to join them. I usually don't blush much, but come on! They were half naked, wet, and definitely not something I needed in terms of encouragement. I peeled out of there before consenting to something I would not even trust in my best judgement :p No dogs allowed here on the beach, however. Boo! On to the next beach.............. read more

Waddell Beach - Kitesurfers lighting up the beach. - Beaches Near Me - Davenport, California

The kite surfers are really what make Waddell special, but on not-so-windy days it's just a quiet beach with lots and LOTS of seagulls. We were there last Saturday, and while there were kids chasing the birds and the occasional surfer on the somewhat tiny waves, the beach was virtually deserted. Unlike the rocky and pebble-riddled beaches to the north and south, Waddell's a fine-grained sandy wonderland. read more

Waddell Beach - When there aren't kite surfers, the seagulls take over - Beaches Near Me - Davenport, California

I wish I knew how to surf like all these surfers with parachutes!! It's a great sight to see them all above the ocean with the sky as their background. So jealous of their picture perfect adventures. This beach is absolutely beautiful. My family and I came here after our backpacking camping trip at Waddell Creek. The water was cold and it was really windy, however the kids still had loads of fun. In fact, they found these puddles of water further out in the beach and submerge themselves in them. They told me it was like they were in a bathtub because the water was much warmer than the ocean water. If you're on Highway 1, stop for a while and enjoy the view. read more

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Epic beach, you can't miss it. Always a kite or wind surfer tearing it up out there. Perfect sand to build sand castles. Across the highway from Big Basin. If the coast is foggy, there is often a bit of sun at this location. Don't just stop to take a photo. Park, find a nice patch of sand, and stay awhile. read more

Waddell Beach - At least 30 windsurfers and kite boarders tearing it up right now! - Beaches Near Me - Davenport, California

One of the best wave spots in the world. Surfing in the morning, kiteboarding after noon. Super advanced riders, a lot of fun. BTW, While you go kiteboarding, your family may enjoy a hiking trail to the creek, absolutely no wind there. read more

Waddell Beach - Beaches Near Me - Davenport, California

This is my best friend and I's favorite go to beach spot. The views are amazing. I love how the redwood Forrest on the other side of the road. I wish I wasn't so far away or else I would go here so much more often read more

My husband and I wanted to go to the beach, but didn't want to fight the usual crowd that you would find at Cowell's or Seabright. After looking up a few beach locations along the 1, we decided to go to Waddell. Oh boy we cannot be happier with the choice we made. Long story short, this particular beach has a LONG stretch of sand/land and while there are waves, they don't go up really high. This means you can put your blanket down somewhere that's close enough to the water (so you can see all your stuff if you decide to go for a dip), but still have it be far enough where you won't have to move your stuff every 30 minutes. There's also not much of a crowd (we went on Sunday around 1:30pm), which in itself is awesome. The people that were there though were all pretty scattered so you didn't have to fight for a space on the beach. The surfers are nice, they don't bug you or get all mean or anything. Plenty of parking (you can park across from the beach where there's a little bit of parking or right along the beach), and there are bathroom facilities (that's handicap accessible). The facilities are generally pretty clean for a beach bathroom, which is always appreciated! No trash on the beach other, which is great :) Let's keep it that way! read more

Great beach along Highway 1. We stayed in Davenport in November and stopped here. It's so different than beaches just down the road and we could have spent hours here looking at rocks. Not to busy and a great place for photos. read more

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Waddell Beach is an amazing find. We were driving along Highway 1 from Santa Cruz to Pescadero and we stumbled upon the windsurfers in Waddell Beach. It was a windy and sunny day... perfect for windsurfing and we had a blast watching them play with the wind. So very very cool. http://www.flickr.com/photos/junflickrbug/3677653332/ read more

I am quite tempted to leave an awful review if just to keep this place a secret! If you have the joy of stumbling across this small scenic beach you will most likely find yourself memorized by the many wind surfers. This small beach lies at the end of the Skyline to the Sea Trail and is quite a triumphant finish! Strong cool breezes and soft sand will ease your aching feet if you've been hiking. The views are stunning from this beach and make you feel like you're all alone with the giant Pacific! Make sure to leave no trace! And enjoy the above average clean outhouses. read more

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This is a wonderful beach, just a little too far from either Santa Cruz or SF to be overcrowded. There is a seal sanctuary nearby. Watch for the wonderful blue stones on the beach and the sand dollars. read more

Great beach off the beaten path. Not crazy crowded like other beaches if you like to drive a bit farther. Great place to relax on the beach and watch some para- sailors fly by. read more

This is a beautiful scenic beach with a lot of life. Makes me wish that I knew how to surf or kite surf, or possibly hang glide! I stumbled into some amazing tide pools here during low tide that I did not expect to find. I got to photograph some beautiful starfish and other sea creatures. Rock formations are amazing here too. A great beach to love your special someone at. read more

We went this beach yesterday. Not too far from San Jose. Beautiful beach with a creek on the other side. Luckily we found parking and spent a couple of enjoyable hours, more at the creek than the beach. Would love to go again. It's a great place for kids! read more

If you wanna really do it right and you have the stamina for it then take the 15+ hike from Big Basin up and over and down to Waddell and then catch the bus or have a friend pick you up from there. This was one of the best hikes that I've ever been on and said to be the most beautiful trail in the Bay Area. You can either take the Skyline-To-The-Sea Trail from Big Basin Redwoods State Park or do what we did and take Dool Trail to Sunset Trail that eventually drops down from Sunset Falls to Cascade to Berry Creek Falls. -If you take Skyline all the way, be sure take a moment to hike up and see the other two waterfalls as the Skyline trail only passes Berry Creek Falls. The rest is all downhill from there as you follow Berry Creek to Waddell Beach. The next time I'll be sure to camp as there are a few lovely spots on the creek that we passed on our way. (I believe you must reserve one beforehand) Savor the extraordinary beauty in your area folks and fall in love with your home all over again! read more

No cell reception, very secluded, hard for tourists to get to, food and supplies are far away. It's very clean and visitors keep it that way! Home away from home, my favorite spot, I love it here! As a California native and one who grew up on the beaches, this place calls me. Please, don't visit this place- unless you're willing to leave no trace and make it cleaner! It's a very precious... read more

If you come here be very careful where you park. We parked on the side of Hwy 1 to look at the beach and our car was broken into and everything stolen. Another car had the same thing happen. Im sure the beach is great but this ruined our impression of the place. read more

Great Beach and easily accessible for elders to get onto the beach. The sand is very clean and soft. But watch out for winds sometimes it becomes too windy. I am not sure if its windy always here. With kids it would be a very difficult place to stay for long time. Parking is very close to the beach. read more

Hike up the Skyline to the Sea trail - 6 miles up to Berry Creek Falls - very nice redwoods - gorgeous hike. Takes a whole day, but well worth it... read more

Beautiful beach but check the winds before you go. It was a terrible experience with the kids, but definitely worth visiting if you know it's not too windy. I would probably call the fruit farm near by to make sure of the wind the next time I plan to go. Also there's nothing much close by so I would pack everything for a peaceful time, specially first aid. read more

If you are looking for a place to walk on a boardwalk, and eat cotton candy, and listen to 'Tifany" being alone, this is not the place for you. On the contrary, if you enjoy 20' flames from a bonfire, or maybe you like to have a 10,000 watt sound system while you do keg stands, and dance your ass off to bumpin' house music, this is the beach for you. It is located aproximately 18 miles north of Santa Cruz, on the One. This beach has mad personality. the first sign of this is the rustic, barbed-wire gate, followed by the rusted "keep out' sign. Take a leisurely stroll through some killer bushes (trippy trees as some call them,) and you will find your way to a short drop off overlooking Waddell beach. To the north you will see the crazy parasailors, and to the south, just more rocky cliffs. But to the west, ah, to the west You will have one of my favorite sunrise, or sunset spots. anyway, before I ramble for too long, this beach is killer. It's great for a family picnic, or for a full on keger-rager. have fun at it, and make sure you pick up all your trash on your way out! read more