Half Moon Bay State Beach

Half Moon Bay State Beach has a total length of around 4 miles, and is officially comprised of four separate broad sand beaches. They are named Francis (Kelly) Beach, Venice Beach, Dunes Beach, and Roosevelt (Naples) Beach.

The Francis Beach section of Half Moon Bay State Beach lies at its southern end. A popular spot for picnics, it has public barbeque facilities. There is also a visitor centre that is open on weekends and will be of interest to anyone looking to learn a little more about this area of California’s coast.

Immediately north of Francis Beach is Venice Beach. Less popular, parking spaces are easier to come by. Facilities include outdoor showers to remove any sand, and public toilets. There is no longer any immediate parking next to Roosevelt Beach, the most northerly of the four, but it is an easy walk from Dunes Beach. Spaces at each of these spots requires payment, which goes to supporting the work of the state parks.

The cold waters and presence of rip currents means swimming is not generally recommended from Half Moon Bay State Beach, however sunbathing remains a popular pastime. The various parking lots can be found in San Mateo County, just off Highway 1.