Many people are drawn to the plethora of San Mateo County beaches for their beauty, but they stay because of the California lifestyle. With so many options, it can be difficult to decide which beach is right for you.
This list will help narrow down your search by highlighting 15 of the best San Mateo County beaches in California!
- The Beaches of San Mateo County CA
- The 15 Best Beaches in San Mateo County CA
- 1. Bean Hollow State Beach
- 2. San Gregorio State Beach
- 3. Pescadero State Beach
- 4. Pebble Beach
- 5. Rockaway Beach
- 6. Pomponio State Beach
- 7. Sharp Park Beach
- 8. Linda Mar Beach
- 9. Venice Beach
- 10. Cowell Ranch Beach
- 11. Francis Beach
- 12. Roosevelt Beach
- 13. Esplanade Beach
- 14. Dunes Beach
- 15. Blufftop Beach
- Conclusion:
The Beaches of San Mateo County CA
San Mateo County is one of the ten counties that make up the San Francisco Bay Area. The population of San Mateo County, California is 718,451. Redwood City is the county seat of San Mateo County.
The beaches in San Mateo County are a popular tourist attraction for the area. Because of their location in Redwood City, they have easy access to highways 101 and 280 making them accessible from all over California!
The 15 Best Beaches in San Mateo County CA
This list will highlight the 15 best San Mateo County beaches in California.
1. Bean Hollow State Beach
Bean Hollow State Beach is one of the top beaches in California. Bean Hollow features a long sandy beach that you can walk for miles and it has many tide pools to explore if you’re up for an adventure!
Bean Hollow State Beach is a great beach to enjoy the winter sunsets. This San Mateo County beach has tide pools and many hiking trails where you can see some of the animals that live in Northern California!
You can find this San Mateo county beach just off of highway one. Best time to visit is in the morning before 11am or after sunset!
2. San Gregorio State Beach
San Gregorio State Beach is located in San Mateo County and only an hour’s drive from Silicon Valley. This California beach has a long stretch of white sand with excellent swimming conditions, but the real draw here are the amazing views! You can even see across to Monterey Bay on clear days!
The water at this San Mateo County beach is great for surfing, but the waves are beginner friendly. If you’re looking to learn how to surf while visiting San Gregorio State Beach, there are instructors available!
San Gregorio State Beach has a parking lot that fills up fast during busy seasons so make sure to get there early if you want a spot! Best time to visit is during the weekdays as it will be much less crowded.
You can find this San Mateo County beach just off of highway one near Half Moon Bay, CA. You’ll know you have arrived when you see a large sign for the “World Famous San Gregorio General Store”, which is just a 6 minute walk to the beach.
3. Pescadero State Beach
Pescadero State Beach is a popular beach for surfers from all over California. Because of its location near San Francisco, Pescadero features consistent waves and great conditions for surfing!
The best time to visit this beach is in the early morning hours when there are not many people around.
When you’re done with your day of surfing, make sure to check out the nearby Pescadero Marsh Natural Preserve!
4. Pebble Beach
Pebble Beach is a popular beach in the Pebble Beach Golf Links. This San Mateo County beach has two beaches, one for swimming and another for surfing!
This California beach will have sharks so be careful when you’re at this San Mateo county beach that it isn’t mating season if you want to go into the water!
The water is freezing so it’s best to visit Pebble Beach during the summer months.
You can find this San Mateo County beach just off of highway one and you’ll know that you have arrived when you see a sign for The Lodge at Pebble Beach! Just follow the signs from there and then stay on course until you reach the beach.
5. Rockaway Beach
Rockaway Beach is a popular beach for many reasons. Rockaway Beach features great waves and an amazing view! This San Mateo County beach also has a pier where you can see sea life from above the water as well as rock formations that make this area beautiful to visit even if it’s not sunny outside.
The best time of day to visit this San Mateo County beach is in the morning when it’s not too crowded and there are still lots of parking spots available. You can find Rockaway Beach off highway one, but make sure you stay on course until you reach a sign for Nicks Cove/Nicks Point!
Rockaway Beach is another great place to learn how to surf if you’re a beginner!
You can find this San Mateo County beach just off of highway one, but make sure you stay on course until you reach Nicks Cove/Nicks Point. Just park in the parking lot and walk over to the sand for some fun at Rockaway Beach!
This is where we will stop writing for the day.
6. Pomponio State Beach
Pomponio State Beach is located near Half Moon Bay and has easy access off of highway one. This San Mateo County beach features a long stretch of sand where you can find some great tide pools to explore!
The water at this California beach is freezing so it’s best to visit in the summer months when it’s warmer!
Pomponio State Beach has restrooms, but they are located near the parking lot so be prepared to walk a bit. You can find this San Mateo County beach just off of highway one and you’ll know that you have arrived when you see signs for Half Moon Bay! Be sure to check out Princeton Coastal Adventure if you want to see some sea animals!
7. Sharp Park Beach
Sharp Park Beach is located in Pacifica, CA. This San Mateo County beach features a long stretch of sand where you can enjoy the water or just park yourself on the shore and watch as people surf!
The best time to visit this California beach is during low tide when there are more interesting things to explore along the coastline! You can find this San Mateo County beach just off of highway one and you’ll know that you have arrived when you see signs for Sharp Park.
Sharp Park Beach is another great place to learn how to surf if you are a beginner!
You can find this California beach by following the signs until they lead to Sharp Park Beach. Just park in the parking lot and walk over to the sand for some fun at Sharp Park Beach!
8. Linda Mar Beach
Linda Mar Beach is a San Mateo County beach located near Pacifica, CA. This California beach features sandstone cliffs to explore as well as tide pools!
Best time of day to visit this San Mateo County beach would be in the early morning hours when you can beat the crowds and find parking easier. You can find Linda Mar Beach off of highway one and you’ll know that you have arrived when the roads split into two! You can park on either side, but stay to your left.
This San Mateo County beach is a great place for surfing if you want to try something new while visiting! Linda Mar Beach also has some sea animals in the tide pools if you’re interested in learning more about the wildlife in California.
Make sure to pop into Linda Mar Shopping Center when you’re done visiting this San Mateo County beach!
9. Venice Beach
Venice Beach is a San Mateo County beach located near Venice, CA. This California beach features some great waves and views of the Santa Monica Mountains!
Best time to visit this San Mateo County beach would be in the afternoon when it’s not too crowded and you can find parking easily.
You can find Venice Beach just off of the Pacific Coast Highway and you’ll know that you have arrived when you see signs for Venice Beach! Make sure to stop by Muscle Beach while at this San Mateo County beach because who doesn’t want to try out some of those sweet moves?
Venice Beach is another great place to learn how to surf if you are a beginner!
10. Cowell Ranch Beach
Cowell Ranch Beach is located in Santa Cruz County and features tide pools to explore! This California beach also has a great view of the waves crashing against the cliffs below.
The best time to visit this San Mateo County beach would be during low tide when you can see more interesting things along the coastline. You can find Cowell Ranch Beach off of highway one and you’ll know that you have arrived when the roads split into two! You can park on either side, but stay to your left.
This San Mateo County beach is a great place for surfing if you want to try something new while visiting! Cowell Ranch Beach also has some sea animals in the tide pools if you’re interested in learning more about the wildlife in California.
11. Francis Beach
At the southern tip of Half Moon Bay State Beach, you’ll find Francis Beach. There is a lovely grassy park with several barbecues areas as well as picnic tables on Francis Beach. Francis Beach also has great views of the ocean and cliffs. During low tide, you will be able to see many sea animals in the tidal pools near Francis Beach.
12. Roosevelt Beach
Roosevelt Beach is a San Mateo County beach that features some great views of the cliffs as well as tide pools to explore!
Best time of day to visit this California beach would be in the early morning hours when you can beat the crowds and find parking easier. You can find Roosevelt Beach just off highway one and you’ll know that you have arrived when the roads split into two! You can park on either side, but stay to your left.
This San Mateo County beach is a great place for surfing if you want to try something new while visiting! Roosevelt Beach also has some sea animals in the tide pools if you’re interested in learning more about the wildlife in California.
13. Esplanade Beach
Esplanade Beach, on the other hand, is the only leash-free beach in Pacifica. This is a great place for dogs and their owners to spend the day at. Esplanade Beach also has some great views of the coastline as well!
Best time of day to visit this San Mateo County beach would be in the afternoon when it’s not too crowded and you can find parking easily.
You can find Esplanade Beach on Esplanade Avenue and you’ll know that you have arrived when the road ends! You can park your car at one of the many parking lots near this San Mateo County beach.
14. Dunes Beach
Dunes Beach is a San Mateo County beach located near Half Moon Bay, CA. Dunes Beach features some great views of the cliffs as well as small sea animals in the tide pools!
Best time to visit this California beach would be during low tide when you can see more interesting things along the coastline. You can find Dunes Beach just off of highway one and you’ll know that you have arrived when the roads split into two! You can park on either side, but stay to your left.
Dunes Beach is another great place to learn how to surf if you are a beginner! Make sure to pop into Half Moon Bay Brewing Company after visiting this San Mateo County beach because they have some great happy hour specials that you don’t want to miss!
15. Blufftop Beach
The Half Moon Bay Blufftop Beach is in California’s San Mateo County. This exquisite beach is rather difficult to reach. Blufftop Beach is at the foot of a long cliff wall, with numerous access points. Make sure you know where you’re going so you can get back up.
This beach isn’t the greatest location for transporting grills or coolers, and there is a limited number of parking spots. All of which adds up to make this beach, as well as the Blufftop Trail stroll, ideal for a peaceful getaway.
Conclusion:
The best time of day to visit these beaches would be in the early morning hours before they get too crowded and you can find parking easily. Taking some time off into the beaches of San Mateo County is a great way to spend your weekend!
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