Pillar Point Marsh Beach

Located in Pillar Point Harbor, Pillar Point Marsh Beach is a wide beach with light brown sand. The beach is present near the Pillar Point Marsh Wetlands along with the town of Princeton-by-the-Sea and has sparse vegetation and interesting rock formations along its shoreline. A creek flows through Pillar Point Marsh Beach into the Pacific Ocean. There used to be a wharf near this beach called the Romeo Wharf which was torn down in 2018. Pillar Point Marsh Beach does not have lifeguards. However, the beach has restrooms and walking trails. While the beach allows dogs on leash, they are not allowed on the adjoining wetland. 

Pillar Point Marsh Beach offers many fun activities including sunbathing, beachcombing, wildlife watching, swimming, paddleboarding, kayaking, canoeing, fishing, boating, and jet skiing. While the water near this beach does not have good surfing waves, its calm nature makes it ideal for children, amateur swimmers, and paddleboarders. However, if you are planning to go into the water near Pillar Point Marsh Beach, we recommend being careful as the water here can be cold and have unpredictable currents. The beach and the area around it are home to many kinds of seabirds and shorebirds. In addition, you can also see harbor seals occasionally in the water near Pillar Point Marsh Beach. A popular activity in Pillar Point Marsh Beach is having a fun kayaking session in the water near the beach and exploring Pillar Point Harbor on a kayak. If you don’t have a kayak, you can get a kayak on rent from many shops present in the nearby town of Princeton-by-the-Sea. Another activity is chartering a boat from Pillar Point Harbor Beach for wildlife watching trips and fishing excursions along the Half Moon Bay shoreline. Depending on the time of the year, you can catch many kinds of fish in the water near Half Moon Bay including sole, halibut, and salmon. You can also explore an interesting blufftop area present near Pillar Point Marsh Beach named the Pillar Point Bluff which has hiking trails that offer a memorable way to explore the beautiful coastal landscape around Pillar Point. In addition, this blufftop area also is a great wildlife watching spot and offers fantastic Instagram-worthy views of the Pacific Ocean and the San Mateo County shoreline.

Getting to Pillar Point Marsh Beach is easy - you can access Pillar Point Marsh Beach by parking your car in the free parking lot near the intersection between Princeton Avenue and West Point Avenue and simply walking to the beach. Alternatively, you can drive to the western end of West Point Avenue, where there is another free parking lot. From this parking lot, you need to walk on the access trail which diverts towards the left and leads to Pillar Point Marsh Beach.

There are many attractions near Pillar Point Marsh Beach. Quarry Park is a 517- acre county park that has many amenities including barbecue spots, 10 picnic tables, a restroom, a playground for children, and has a hiking trail set amongst eucalyptus tree groves along a hillside that offers Instagram-worthy views of the Pacific Ocean. The park also has a community garden under development. La Nebbia Winery offers exciting wine tours within its picturesque wine gardens on weekends along with wine tasting sessions, a bocce court, and picnic areas. If you are looking for another attraction near Pillar Point Marsh Beach, Dinosaurs of Spanishtown are a series of interesting and fun metallic dinosaur sculptures that are situated at the outskirts of the city of Half Moon Bay and are easily accessible from Pacific Coast Highway via California State Highway 92.

If you get hungry, there are many restaurants near Pillar Point Marsh Beach. Navio is an upscale restaurant offering a memorable oceanfront fine dining experience and serves excellent steaks and seafood. The Barn offers delicious sandwiches, burgers, soup, chili, hot dogs, macaroni-and-cheese, and salads all made with farm-fresh ingredients. If you are looking for another good and affordable restaurant near Pillar Point Marsh Beach, the modestly priced Half Moon Bay Coffee Co. offers delicious soups, salads, sandwiches, quesadillas, and wraps. The restaurant also serves breakfast dishes including eggs, french toasts, pancakes, and bagels.

If you are looking for a hotel near Pillar Point Marsh Beach, there are many great nearby options. The 5-Star Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay offers many amenities including three restaurants, a spa, two golf courses, a lawn with firepits, a fitness center, a tennis court, a pool, and a spa. As another upscale option, the 4-Star Oceano Hotel & Spa Half Moon Bay Harbor offers many amenities including a restaurant, a bar, a spa, and a fitness center. A more affordable hotel is the 3-Star Aristocrat Hotel, Bw Signature Collection which offers many amenities including complimentary breakfast, a gym, and a convenience store. In addition, the hotel offers free accommodation for kids staying with an adult. If you are looking for another good and affordable hotel near Pillar Point Marsh Beach, the modestly priced 2-Star Harbor View Inn is located conveniently close to some of the major attractions in the city of Half Moon Bay and offers complimentary breakfast.