Poplar Beach(Blufftop Beach)

Located in the city of Half Moon Bay, Poplar Beach - also known as Blufftop Beach - is located along the central part of the San Mateo County shoreline. The beach is situated below a bluff-top grassy park, is narrow, and has light brown sand. Poplar Beach is popular among pet lovers as it is one of the very few beaches in Half Moon Bay to allow dogs on leash. Additionally, trail runs are popular in the area, providing an adventurous way to explore the coastal landscape.

Poplar Beach does not have lifeguards or other amenities except restrooms.

Poplar Beach offers many activities including boogie boarding, swimming, sunbathing, wildlife watching, kayaking, canoeing, horseback riding, boating, fishing, sailboarding, bodysurfing, surfing, kite surfing, beachcombing, and surf-skimming. Poplar Beach is not only popular with pet lovers but also equestrians as horses are also allowed on the beach. You can book a horse riding tour of Poplar Beach from the nearby SeaHorse Ranch. It is advisable to wear footwear as uncleaned horse manure has been often reported on Poplar Beach. The water in Poplar Beach is known to have dangerous rip currents and accidents have also been recently reported here, so we advise being careful. Depending on the time of the year, you can view a variety of animals in the water near the beach including seals, sea lions, dolphins, and migrating grey whales from December – April. Poplar Beach is also a great fishing spot - catches here include surfperch, rockfishes, and halibut. The blufftop grassy park near Poplar Beach has a walking and biking trail known as the Half Moon Bay Coastal Trail – it’s great for exploring the vivid landscape present near the beach, and also features a variety of birds including sandpipers, hawks, doves, owls, and kestrels. Access to the beach is made easy through these trails, enhancing the overall beach access experience.

Getting to Poplar Beach is easy - it is located near the intersection of Poplar Street and Railroad Avenue. To access Poplar Beach, you can simply turn towards the ocean side of Poplar Street from California State Highway 1 / Pacific Coast Highway and follow it until you reach a large bluff-top paid parking lot for Poplar Beach. From the parking lot, you can access the beach via a steep access trail.

Many attractions are present near Poplar Beach. La Nebbia Winery offers exciting wine tours on weekends along with wine tasting sessions, a bocce court, and picnic areas. Not far from La Nebbia Winery is Half Moon Bay Art Glass which offers informative glass-blowing lessons for you to create your very own glass masterpiece. If you like to shop, the downtown area of the city of Half Moon Bay has some exciting designer and branded stores, galleries, restaurants, and frequent live music performances. It also hosts a farmers market every Saturday from May through December featuring some of the best fresh produce, gourmet dishes, and handicrafts in San Mateo County.

If you're looking for a restaurant, there are many great nearby restaurants. Pasta Moon is an upscale Italian restaurant offering a delicious variety of pasta and pizzas made from farm-fresh seasonal ingredients and has been praised in many publications including the MICHELIN Guide. Another great option is Cafe Capistrano which offers delicious Mexican dishes with a Mayan twist and has also been mentioned in the MICHELIN Guide. Another restaurant is the modestly priced, family-friendly Tres Amigos which offers great fajitas, tacos, and burritos served in generous portions.

If you are looking for a hotel near Poplar Beach, there are many great nearby options. The 5-Star The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay offers numerous amenities including three restaurants, a spa, two golf courses, a lawn with fire pits, a fitness center, a tennis court, a pool, and a spa. 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, and offers free accommodation for kids accompanying an adult. Another good and affordable hotel is the modestly priced 2-Star The Miramar Inn & Suites which is located conveniently close to some of the major attractions in Half Moon Bay and offers complimentary breakfast.