Point Sal State Beach

Tide pools are the only amenity offered at Point Sal State Beach. 

There are many fun activities at Point Sal State Beach including hiking, fishing, tide pooling, beachcombing, and beach exploration. Please note that camping is not allowed and swimming is not advised because of sharks at Point Sal State Beach. 

Getting to Point Sal State Beach can be difficult – the access trail to the beach is situated at the intersection between Brown Road and Point Sal Road – and there are free parking spots available near the gate at Point Sal Road. After parking, you will need to take a ten-mile-long old and eroding trail with about 2,000 feet of elevation gain near Point Sal Ridge. It is advised to start early as Point Sal State Beach is a day-use beach only.

If you are looking for nearby attractions, there are many within a 40-minute drive of Point Sal State Beach. The beachside Mustang Waterpark has an incredible stampede ride, two 600-foot-long waterslides, kiddie pools, three mini-slides, and bikes and karts. Monarch Butterfly Grove is a nature preserve center and home to thousands of monarch butterflies that visitors can see starting from late October to February. If you like photography, Swinging Bridge is a beautiful 171-feet-long bridge suspended 40-feet over Arroyo Grande Creek and is a great spot to take Instagram-worthy pictures. Another great attraction near Point Sal State Beach is Price Historical Park, a four-acre landmark that incorporates history from the Chumash tribe.

If you get hungry, you can drive 15 minutes to many restaurants near Point Sal State Beach. The vegetarian-friendly restaurant Mason Bar & Kitchen was mentioned in "Highway 101: The Best Roadside Eats" by The Mercury News. If you like Mediterranean food, Jaffa Café serves shawarmas, kebabs, wraps, and gyros. Another good restaurant near Point Sal State Beach is Village Café, a breakfast restaurant featuring pancakes, omelets, sandwiches, tacos, burgers, and homemade pies.

If you are looking for a hotel near Point Sal State Beach, you can drive 30 minutes to the upscale 4-Star hotel The Casitas of Arroyo Grande, a Spanish-styled hotel that is spread across 7 acres and has a nice pool and courtyard with fountains. The Agrarian Hotel, Bw Signature Collection is a 3-Star pet-friendly hotel offering a pool, spa, and fitness center. If you are looking for an affordable hotel near Point Sal State Beach, the 2-Star Beachway Inn Motel features a water park, restaurant, golf course, and hiking, fishing, and horseback riding tours.