Montara State Beach
Montara State Beach is a 0.8-mile stretch of clean, coarse sand north of Half Moon Bay. Several access points along Highway 1 lead down to the beach. Two spots along the highway have formal parking lots with portable toilets and steep stairs to the beach. Other turnouts have rugged trails that make their way down to the sand.
Beach visitors marvel at the beauty of Montara. Low hills guard either end of the beach. The outside world seems far away. There are no facilities on the beach itself, other than some volleyball poles; bring your own net.
Surfers are often seen on the waves, but the ocean is considered too dangerous here even for wading.