Willow Creek Picnic Area

Located in the southern part of Monterey County, Willow Creek Picnic Area - also called Willow Creek Picnic Site - is a picnic area that is a part of Los Padres National Forest. This picnic area has a small beach in its western part – this beach is named Willow Creek Picnic Area Beach. The beach in Willow Creek Picnic Area has both sandy and rocky parts and it is also known to have a very small amount of jade. The Willow Creek sometimes flows through the beach – once the creek passes the beach, it flows into the Pacific Ocean. The Willow Creek also sometimes forms a lagoon on the beach before flowing into the Pacific Ocean. The narrow road leading to the picnic area adds to the adventure of reaching this serene spot.

Although Willow Creek Picnic Area does not have any lifeguards, the area near the beach has a couple of amenities including picnic tables and vault toilets. Dogs on leash are also allowed on the beach.

The beach in Willow Creek Picnic Area offers many fun activities including swimming, surfing, skimboarding, paddleboarding, kayaking, rockhounding, canoeing, boating, surf-skiing, jet-skiing, beachcombing, tidepooling, windsurfing, kitesurfing, sunbathing, and fishing. If you are planning to swim or surf near the beach in Willow Creek Picnic Area, we recommend being extremely careful because the water here is known for strong waves and dangerous rip currents. The water near the beach is also home to a variety of animals including seals, sea lions, dolphins, and migrating grey whales between December and April– please note that seals, sea lions, dolphins, and whales are protected under a law named the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, and harming them can result in a civil penalty up to $11,000 and possible imprisonment.

The beach in Willow Creek Picnic Area is popular with fishermen - you can catch many kinds of fish here including salto, bass, surfperch, and corbina. If you are planning to fish near Willow Creek Picnic Area, please follow the fishing regulations that can be found on the website of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. There are a variety of exquisite rock formations just offshore near the beach in Willow Creek Picnic Area – you can explore these rock formations during low tide. If you like taking pictures with amazing views, a cape named Cape San Martin is located towards the south of this beach – this cape gives a mesmerizing Instagram-worthy view of the Pacific Ocean. Willow Creek offers a perfect mix of natural beauty and recreational activities.

Getting to the beach in Willow Creek Picnic Area might be difficult - while Willow Creek Picnic Area is easily accessible from Cabrillo Highway/California State Highway 1/Pacific Coast Highway, there is no fixed landmark or sign near it– this makes the picnic area and the beach difficult to locate. If you are driving towards the north from Monterey County’s border with the neighboring San Luis Obispo County, please note that the beach in Willow Creek Picnic Area is the first partially sandy beach that you will see while driving on the Pacific Coast Highway. There is a paid parking lot near the picnic area, from where you can easily walk to the beach. We recommend visiting the beach while wearing appropriate footwear because the rocks on the beach are large, uneven, and sharp and can cause injuries. We also recommend visiting this beach during low tide because during high tide this small beach becomes significantly submerged and inaccessible. The Willow Creek Beach Day Use Area is perfect for those looking to enjoy a peaceful day by the water.

There are many attractions near Willow Creek Picnic Area within a 45-minute drive. The Hearst San Simeon State Historical Monument is a state-managed historic site that includes the former estate of the famous newspaper baron William Randolph Hearst - the historic site features the magnificent Hearst Castle, which served as Hearst’s primary home and it has large gardens, multiple guesthouses, and multiple pools. The estate was designed by architect Julia Morgan and its main house – called “La Casa Grande” – has 115 rooms – as an interesting fact, many prominent historic figures stayed at this estate including Charlie Chaplin, eminent playwright George Bernard Shaw, Winston Churchill, and Calvin Coolidge. This site is a part of the United States’ National Register of Historic Places and it has also been designated as a National Historical Landmark and a California Historical Landmark - in addition to the Hearst Castle, this historic site also has interesting art exhibitions that showcase a portion of Hearst’s art collection and it also has historical exhibits, a visitor center, and a gift shop. New Camaldoli Hermitage has lush and beautiful gardens – these gardens offer a pleasant view of the Pacific Ocean. In addition, the hermitage also has a bookstore.

Limekiln State Park has many hiking trails through which you can explore the vibrant landscape and the vivid biodiversity. The state park has a wide variety of plants ranging from redwood trees to yucca plants and it is also home to more than 200 bird species - Limekiln State Park also has a mesmerizing waterfall known as Limekiln Falls and it offers some excellent Instagram-worthy photos. In the 19th century, the state park area was used for processing limestone, and the state park still has lime kilns left from that period (Limekiln State Park gets its name from these lime kilns) - these limekilns offer an interesting insight into the history of both the Big Sur region and California. If you are looking for another attraction near Willow Creek Picnic Area, the Salmon Creek Falls is located within Los Padres National Forest – this scenic waterfall offers some great Instagram-worthy pictures.

If you get hungry, there are many good restaurants near Willow Creek Picnic Area.  The Lodge Restaurant is an upscale oceanfront restaurant that has a rosy ambiance – this restaurant offers a variety of gourmet dishes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner that are prepared from locally sourced and seasonal ingredients.  Wild Coast Sushi Bar is an upscale restaurant that offers a pleasant oceanfront dining experience and serves delicious sushi along with other delicious Japanese-inspired dishes including seaweed jelly and fruits poached in sake – the restaurant’s dishes are prepared using fresh and locally sourced ingredients.  Lucia Lodge Restaurant was awarded TripAdvisor’s Travellers’ Choice award in 2020 and offers a pleasant oceanfront dining experience.  In addition, the restaurant also serves great seafood and sandwiches – it is important to note that this restaurant is currently closed to the public due to being damaged by a fire.  The Ragged Point Restaurant serves amazing dishes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner including tacos, salads, sandwiches, steaks, poultry dishes, pancakes, waffles, and Mexican dishes.  If you are looking for another good and affordable restaurant near Willow Creek Picnic Area, Whale Watcher’s Cafe features an exquisite marine-themed dining area and serves excellent seafood dishes.

If you are looking for a hotel near Willow Creek Picnic Area, there are many great nearby options.  If you are looking for an upscale hotel, the 4-Star Blue Dolphin Inn is 55 minutes away by car and it offers pleasant oceanfront views and offers complimentary breakfast.  A more affordable hotel is the 3-Star Gorda Springs Resort that offers many amenities including two restaurants, an espresso bar, and a general store.  Another moderately priced hotel is the Treebones Resort that offers accommodation in exquisite yurt tents and it offers many amenities including two restaurants, a pool, a hot tub, complimentary breakfast, and arrangements for yoga classes.  If you are looking for another good and affordable hotel near Willow Creek Picnic Area, the modestly priced Plaskett Creek Campground offers many amenities including toilets, picnic area, and drinking water (the campground does not have showers).  In addition, the campground accommodates both RVs and tents.