Cooks Beach(Bourns Landing, Bonham Beach, Bourn's, Glennen Gulch)

Located a couple of miles north of Gualala, Cooks Beach is a small beach with light brown sand and a few rock formations. The beach is situated in a deep cove below steep rocky oceanfront bluffs and also has sparse vegetation. The beach has three alternative names - it is also known as Bonham Beach, Bourns Landing, or simply as Bourns. The Glennen Gulch Creek flows into the beach and often forms a lagoon here. Cooks Beach is also sunnier and warmer than other beaches along the Mendocino County shoreline. In addition, this beach is rarely windy. 

Cooks Beach does not have lifeguards or any other amenities, so plan your trip accordingly. Dogs are allowed on the beach if they are on a leash. 

Cooks Beach offers many fun activities including beachcombing, sunbathing, wildlife watching, swimming, surfing, tidepooling, bodysurfing, paddle boarding, boogie boarding, kayaking, canoeing, boating, and jet skiing. If you are planning to go into the water near Cooks Beach, we recommend being careful as the water here is known to have rip currents. Depending on the time of the year, you can see many animals in the water near Cooks Beach including seals, sea lions, dolphins, and migrating whales. If you like tidepooling, tidepools are present near the southern end of the beach and can be explored during low tide. In addition, there is another small sandy cove near the southern end of Cooks Beach which is a popular spot for beachcombing. However, if you are planning to beach-comb on this cove, we recommend being careful and visiting during low tide as during high tide you can get trapped into this cove by the advancing water. The blufftop area above Cooks Beach has an observation point that offers marvelous Instagram-worthy views of the Pacific Ocean and Mendocino County shoreline.

Getting to Cooks Beach is easy - the access trail to the beach, known as the Bonham Trail, is located near the intersection between Coast Highway / Pacific Coast Highway and County Road 526. A small free parking lot is also available near this intersection. From the parking lot, the access trail for Cooks Beach takes you through a pine forest before opening onto the beach. We recommend visiting this beach early as this small parking lot can fill up quickly. In addition, we recommend visiting this beach wearing appropriate footwear as it is known to have driftwood.

There are many attractions near Cooks Beach. Gualala Arts Center has interesting artworks and sculptures. In addition, the center also hosts many interesting activities and performances throughout the year including a chamber music series, jazz performances, plays, and many festivals throughout the year including the Fine Arts Fair in May, Whale & Jazz Festival during April/ May and the Holiday Festival of Trees in November. Gualala Point Regional Park is an oceanfront county park which is located at the mouth of the Gualala River. The park offers a unique way to explore the vibrant oceanfront blufftop landscape of the Mendocino County shoreline and the interesting riparian habitat around the Gualala River. The park offers many fun activities including swimming, kayaking, canoeing, hiking, fishing (seasonal), wildlife watching, and biking. The park also has picnic tables and a campground that accommodates RVs and tents and has many amenities including showers, electrical outlets, washrooms, and a dump station for RVs. The park has a visitor center that offers interesting information about the local geography, history, and biodiversity. The park also has beautiful wooden serge posts that were carved by craftsmen from the Sakha Republic of northeastern Russia in 2014. If you are looking for another attraction near Cooks Beach, Sea Ranch Golf Links offers two fun and challenging nine-hole golf courses designed in the Scottish links-style by Robert Muir Graves.

\If you get hungry, there are many great restaurants near Cooks Beach. Cove Azul Bar & Grill serves delicious steaks, seafood, burgers, and pasta. Trinks Cafe offers a pleasant oceanfront dining experience and serves excellent breakfast dishes including granola & yogurt, oatmeal, and bagels. In addition, the cafe also serves amazing burgers, sandwiches, and desserts. If you are looking for another good and affordable restaurant near Cooks Beach, the modestly priced Gualala Pizza & Bakery offers fantastic pizzas, sandwiches, desserts, and Mexican dishes including nachos, burritos, tacos, tortas, and quesadillas. 

If you are looking for a hotel near Cooks Beach, there are many great nearby options. If you are looking for an upscale hotel, the 4-Star Elk Cove Inn is 42 minutes away by car and offers many amenities including a rooftop deck, a day spa, a beachfront gazebo, a guest lounge, and complimentary breakfast and wine and cocktails. A more affordable hotel is the 3-Star Hotel Breakers which offers an Instagram-worthy view of the North California shoreline. In addition, the hotel offers many amenities including a restaurant, complimentary continental breakfast, and a walking trail that offers incredible views of the Pacific Ocean. As another moderately priced option, the 3-Star St. Orres offers many amenities including a restaurant, a bar, complimentary breakfast, and a spa with a hot tub, a sundeck, and a sauna. If you are looking for another good and affordable hotel near Cooks Beach, the modestly priced 2-Star Gualala Country Inn is located close to some of the major landmarks in Gualala and offers complimentary breakfast.