Moonstone Beach

Located in Cambria, San Luis Obispo County, central California, Moonstone Beach is made up of a dark sand the colour of brown sugar. Located within Hearst San Simeon State Park, it has also no facilities.

However, Moonstone Beach does boast a number of attractions that make it well worth a visit. A mile-long boardwalk runs from Moonstone Beach Park at Santa Rosa Creek to Leffingwell Landing. You can find parking at either end, although they can both be busy on summer days.

In addition, Moonstone Beach is so well known as a good place for sighting grey whales and white-sided dolphins that it is part of the state’s Whale Trail. Tidal pools also provide a window into the world of some of the Pacific Ocean’s smaller inhabitants.

There is a slight drop onto the sands from the surrounding vegetation, which means the beach can all but disappear at high tide.