Bean Hollow State Beach
State Park · Pescadero, California
Bean Hollow State Beach lies on the San Mateo County coast along Highway 1, a few miles south of the village of Pescadero. It is a small park of two coves joined by a bluff-top path, with rocky shelves, tide pools and sandstone carved by salt and wind into honeycomb patterns. The northern cove is known as Pebble Beach, where the shore is covered in smooth, water-polished stones instead of sand - confirm the exact layout and the rule against taking stones. Fog and wind are the norm even in summer, the water is cold and the waves are powerful and unpredictable, so this is a place for walking, photographing and watching harbor seals, not for swimming. Pigeon Point Light Station and Pescadero State Beach are separate places along the same road. It suits geology fans, tide pool families and photographers, and it is a poor pick for a warm, sandy beach day. Plan on an hour or two, bring layers, and expect few services.
11000 CA-1, Pescadero, California, 94060, United States
California State Parks has generally run Bean Hollow as a day-use beach from around morning until sunset, with a couple of parking areas off Highway 1 rather than one staffed gate - confirm which lots are open, whether a pay machine collects a day-use fee (older notes say entry was free) and the exact closing time. Fog often sits over the coast until midday in summer. Winter storms bring heavy surf and can close the bluff path or the stairs to the shore, and a high tide covers most of the pebbles and rock shelves. Check the State Parks page and local road alerts on the day you go.
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