Harvey Accessway Beach(Harvey Street Beach)

Located below a blufftop residential area in the southern part of Cambria, Harvey Accessway Beach – which is also known as Harvey Street Beach - is a rocky and pristine beach with stretches of brown sand and sparse amounts of vegetation. 

Harvey Accessway Beach does not have any lifeguards or other amenities, so plan accordingly. Harvey Accessway Beach allows dogs on leash. 

Harvey Accessway Beach offers many fun activities including swimming, surfing, kayaking, canoeing, bodysurfing, kitesurfing, windsurfing, boating, paddleboarding, tidepooling, sunbathing, beachcombing, and wildlife watching. Harvey Accessway Beach is a great spot to launch your kayak or canoe and explore the beautiful rocky shoreline around the beach. However, if you are planning to go into the water near Harvey Accessway Beach, we recommend being extremely careful since the water here is known to have rip currents. In addition, the rocky shoreline near the beach can inflict grave injuries. The water near the beach is home to many animals including seals, sea lions, dolphins, and migrating grey whales (between December and April). During low tide, you can explore the tidepools here which contain a variety of animals including crabs, sea anemones, and sea stars. Please note that fishing is prohibited here since the water near the beach is part of a marine reserve.

Getting to Harvey Accessway Beach is easy - the access stairs to the beach are located near the intersection between Harvey Street and Sherwood Drive, where a very small free parking lot is also available. Street parking spaces are also available at nearby Harvey Street in case the parking lot near the beach fills up. 

There are many attractions near Harvey Accessway Beach. The Nitt Witt Ridge is a house that is also a California Historical Landmark. The house was constructed by the reclusive artist Arthur Harold Beal almost entirely from trash and discarded materials including beer cans, abalone shells, discarded car parts, and even some materials from the nearby Hearst Castle. Fiscalini Ranch Preserve has a vibrant landscape that is home to 150 native plant species and 430 varieties of birds. The preserve has around eight miles of trails to explore the beautiful oceanfront landscape which has coastal grasslands, wetlands, pine forests, and oak forests. If you are looking for another attraction near Harvey Accessway Beach, Cambria Historical Museum is set in one of the oldest homes of the town of Cambria and has interesting exhibits offering a unique insight into Cambria’s history.

If you get hungry, there are many great restaurants near Harvey Accessway Beach. The upscale Madeline’s Restaurant & Wine Cellar offers a delicious fusion of French-American dishes and also serves great steaks and seafood. In addition, the restaurant also has a dining area adorned with artworks by local artist Nadezhda Tselikova. Wild Ginger is a Pan-Asian restaurant that serves delicious wontons, pad thais, samosas, and noodles. If you are looking for another good and affordable restaurant near Harvey Accessway Beach, the modestly priced J.J.’s Pizza offers a range of delicious pizzas, burgers, and sandwiches. In addition, the restaurant was also awarded Tripadvisor’s Travelers' Choice award.

If you are looking for a hotel near Harvey Accessway Beach, there are many great nearby options. The 4-Star Blue Dolphin Inn presents incredible oceanfront views and also serves complimentary breakfast. A more affordable hotel is the 3-Star Castle Inn that has many amenities including complimentary breakfast, a pool, and a hot tub. If you are looking for another good and affordable hotel near Harvey Accessway Beach, the modestly priced 2-Star Bluebird Inn Cambria offers many amenities including a lobby lounge with a fireplace, flower gardens situated along the Santa Rosa Creek that have loveseats, bridges, a patio, and stone pathways.