Fun at the Beach:
Your Guide to Central California
Beach Activities
"Fun at the beach" doesn't come in a "one size fits all" container. What's fun for me might be boring for you. That's why we've come up with this multi-page listing of some of the available activities here in Central California beaches. Just below here is the list which will take you to your preferred fun thing...
Beach Fun - page 2 | Beach Fun - page 3
"Fun at the beach" can come in a wide variety of activities and adventures.
While you determine what's "fun" for you, I am providing a list of the more popular activities and adventures that can be found around the California central coast and from which you can choose.
The Basic Ingredients
So, the beaches have the basic ingredients...sand, water, sun. And that just leaves you to add the fun thing that will relax and refresh you.
So here is the list, in alphabetical order, of fun beach activities on the Central California coast:
Click on the links below to drop down the page (or to a new page) for information on the desired activity...
A List of Fun Beach Activities for you
Page 1 (this page):[Biking] [Birding] [The Dunes] [Fishing] [Hiking] [Horseback Riding]
Page 2:
[Kayaking] [Kite Flying] [Marine Mammal Watching] [Photography] [Picnicking] [Sailing]
Page 3:
[Sea glass, shells and jade] [Surfing] [Swimming] [Tidepooling] [Walking]
Beach Activities and Adventures
- Pismo Beach
- Avila Beach
- Monterey - Monterey has a wonderful Coastal Bike Trail, the great majority of which is dedicated bike paths. It spans the area from Pebble Beach all the way north to Castroville.
Great places for Biking fun at the beach on the Central Coast:
- Peregrine falcons: Morro Rock
- Morro Bay hosts the annual Morro Bay Bird Festival. 217 species were sighted during the recent 2012 event. The next event will be held January 16-19, 2015.
- Pelicans: most anywhere along the coast
- Snowy Plover and California Least Tern: Rancho Guadalupe Dunes
- Oso Flaco Lake Natural Area is another nice birding area. Just behind the dunes it is a riparian and lake environment with a nice walkway.
- Elkhorn Slough Estuary Reserve - Over 200 bird species have been recorded here making this one of the richest bird havens on the central coast. Located north of Monterey at Moss Landing, there are tours of the Reserve every Saturday and Sunday along with a birding tour on the first Saturdays of the month. More information along with directions are available at the Elkhorn Slough page.
Great places for birding on the Central Coast:
- There are a number of ATV rental places in Pismo Beach and Oceano if you want "hands on" fun in the sand.
- If you would prefer a guided tour, there is a company offering Humvee rides through the dunes.
Fun at the Dunes:
- Pier Fishing: No license is required for fishing off a pier in California. Here is a page with maps and information about piers in the area.
- Surf Fishing
Fishing fun at the beach on the Central Coast:
- Grunion Runs - Though some suspect that grunion are fictitious, something like "snipe hunting" or watching the "submarine races", this is for real. The grunion is a fish that periodically comes to shore and lays its eggs in the sand. A fishing license is required, the grunion can only be caught by hand and more information can be found here.
- Deep-sea fishing - There is very good fishing off the Central California coast, with many varieties of game fish to be had over the course of the year - cabezon, rock cod (very good eating), halibut (even better eating), salmon and tuna. Sport fishing boats leave from Avila Beach, Morro Bay and Monterey. In Avila Beach, Patriot Sport Fishing is the place to go. Virg's Landing in Morro Bay has been a fixture for over 60 years. If you're in Monterey, check out Randy's Sport Fishing.
- Point Sal State Beach - A "moderately strenuous" round-trip hike of 12 miles from the parking area to the beach; an elevation change of 1200'; NO facilities at the beach - if you're game for this you probably won't find many other visitors here. It's a wild and undeveloped part of the coast. Part of this area is owned by the County of Santa Barbara which has information on how to get to this beach. The State Beach phone number is 805-733-3713.
- Estero Bluffs State Park - This is another undeveloped area, but the hike is much easier than Point Sal.
Finding this is a bit tricky since there are no signs announcing this park, nor does the State Parks site have directions. These are the best I've found:"Oceanside pullout couple miles north of Cayucos. Park a half mile north of San Geronimo Road. Follow the path to the fence then down to the tidepoolsand/or continue north on the path around the bluff back to north of the parking area."
The turnout area is 8.25 miles south of the Highway 46 and Highway 1 intersection. GPS coordinates for the parking area are: 35.4508 / -120.9417. - Harmony Headlands State Park - HHSP is another nice and easy hike from the parking area to the beach area.
GPS coordinates for the parking area are: 35.4783 / -120.99187. Approximately 5.75 miles north of Cayucos and 4.75 miles south of the intersection of Highways 1 and 46. There is a portable toilet not far down the trail. No dogs allowed since there are nesting sites for snowy plovers. State Park information: (805) 772-7434. The hours are 6am - sunset. - Garrapata State Park - Beach hiking in the Big Sur area - all the information you need is right here.
- PG&E Hikes: Point Buchon and Pecho Coast Trail - The local utility company, Pacific Gas and Electric, owns a sizable portion of the coast between Montana de Oro State Park and Avila Beach. There is no free access to this area but the company has established guided hikes into the area from either end. The Point Buchon trail enters from the south end of Montana de Oro while the Pecho Coast trail is accessed from the Port San Luis pier. Reservations are highly recommended and a waiver is required for these hikes. Days, times and descriptions along with online forms for reservations are available at the PG&E Trails! page.
Beach Hiking on the Central Coast:
- Andrew Molera State Park - if you thought riding on the beach is a great idea, how about riding on a Big Sur beach? Molera Horseback Tours - all rides go on the beach.
- How about a tour on horseback through the Oceano Dunes?
- If you are in the Cambria area here is another option for a trail ride with beach views.
Horseback Riding:
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