Cayucos State Beach

Located in the town of Cayucos, Cayucos State Beach is a large state-protected beach that is managed by San Luis Obispo County. The beach has light brown sand, cold water, and a gradual sloping incline. Cayucos Creek meets the ocean near the northern part of the beach. The Cayucos Pier is also present on the northern part of the beach. Lifeguards are generally present in Cayucos State Beach during peak summer months. Cayucos State Beach offers many other amenities including lifeguards, picnic tables, restrooms, showers, and a children’s playground. The beach allows dogs on leash and also offers accessibility to people with disabilities. Getting to Cayucos State Beach is easy - the beach is located near the intersection between Cayucos Drive and Ocean Front Avenue, where there is also a large free parking lot nearby on Ocean Avenue and Ocean Front Avenue.

The beach is present near the Downtown area of Cayucos, which has many interesting antique stores and restaurants. In addition, Downtown Cayucos hosts many events including the Cayucos Farmers’ Market (held on Fridays between 10 am to 12:30 pm), the annual Sea Glass Festival (held in the first weekend of March), Cayucos Wine & Food Festival (which is held in November), the semi-annual Cayucos Antique Street Faire, and the Cayucos 4th of July Celebrations.

Cayucos State Beach offers many fun activities including beachcombing, sunbathing, swimming, fishing, tidepooling, wildlife watching, surfing, kitesurfing, windsurfing, bodysurfing, boogie boarding, paddle boarding, kayaking, canoeing, boating, jet-skiing, surf-skiing, parasailing, and wakeboarding. The gradual slope of the beach makes it safe for beginning swimmers and surfers. In addition, the water near the northern part of the beach offers fun and consistent surfing waves during spring and summer. However, if you are planning to go into the water near Cayucos State Beach, we recommend being careful as the water here is cold and known to have rip currents. The water near the beach is home to many animals including seals, sea lions, dolphins, and migrating grey whales (between December and April).

The Cayucos Pier (also known as Cass’ Wharf) was constructed by Captain James Cass, the founder of the town of Cayucos, in the 19th century. This iconic Cayucos landmark has benches and offers marvelous views of the Cayucos shoreline, the distant Morro Rock, and the Pacific Ocean. In addition, this 950-feet long pier is a very popular fishing spot - you can catch a large variety of fish in the water near different sections of the pier including walleye, surfperch, rockfish, bonito, barracuda, and Boccaccio. In addition, fishing on the pier does not require a fishing license and the pier also has lights for night-fishing sessions. The end of the fishing pier is a great spot for catching sharks including soupfin sharks, horned sharks, and angel sharks during the night.    

There are many attractions near Cayucos State Beach. Whale Rock Reservoir is a 38,967-acre reservoir that was formed by the construction of an earthen dam on Old Creek. The reservoir and the area around it is a popular recreational area and offers many fun activities including hiking, fishing, and birdwatching. Norma Rose Park is a grassy park that offers many amenities including restrooms and an off-leash area for pets. The park is currently being developed to include the following improvements - a skate park, a children's playground, a basketball court, and picnic areas. If you are looking for another attraction near Cayucos State Beach, Cayucos Art Association has an art gallery that exhibits many interesting artworks by local artists. In addition, the gallery also displays artworks by children and hosts art demonstrations.

If you get hungry, there are many great restaurants near Cayucos State Beach. Port House is an upscale restaurant that serves amazing seafood and steaks. Schooners have nautical-themed decor and an oceanfront dining area. In addition, the restaurant serves delicious seafood. If you are looking for another good and affordable restaurant near Cayucos State Beach, the modestly priced Ocean Front Pizza offers a variety of amazing pizzas.

If you are looking for a hotel near Cayucos State Beach, there are many great nearby options. The 4-Star Pier View Suites offers many amenities including two restaurants, a creamery, a bar, a spa, and a salon, barbecue spots, and gardens. A more affordable hotel is the 3-Star Best Western Tradewinds which offers many amenities including complimentary breakfast, a waterfront sundeck, and a hot tub. If you are looking for another good and affordable hotel near Cayucos State Beach, the modestly priced 2-Star Estero Bay Motel is located conveniently close to some of the major landmarks in Cayucos.