Half Moon Bay State Beach, CA

This is a beautiful beach just off Highway 1 in the city of Half Moon Bay, that offers 4 miles of sandy and rocky coastline. The following post describes my hike between Dunes and Poplar beaches (and back), which are separated by 1.5 miles of coastline. For a better experience, do check the tides and weather beforehand.

I started my hike at Dunes beach, which is a northern access point. It is not too crowded here and a good place to walk, hangout with family, and sunbathe. There are many bird species here for the bird watching enthusiast.


Walking southbound, the waves get slightly larger until reaching Venice beach (popular with surfers). Continuing, the next beaches are Francis, then Poplar beaches. The coastal cliffs are taller here, and the rock formations are interesting to note. At early to mid-afternoon, it's way past time to turn around for the long walk back.


Note 1: I strongly recommend getting back to your car well before sunset, and bringing a flashlight. It is not safe or fun getting caught in the dark alone with the tide rolling in, finding a ticket on your car, and relying on the park officials to keep the gate unlocked for you. Safety first! Don't let this happen to you!