Limekiln State Park

Located in Monterey County, Limekiln State Park Beach is a small and remote beach situated in the southern part of the Big Sur region. Limekiln State Park Beach is a part of a state park known as Limekiln State Park. The beach is situated near a bridge through which California State Highway 1 passes above the state park. The beach has both sandy (comprising grey sand) and rocky areas. Limekiln Creek also meets the ocean near this beach.

Limekiln State Park Beach does not have lifeguards or any amenities except restrooms and picnic tables, so prepare accordingly.

Limekiln State Park Beach offers many activities including surfing, skimboarding, kitesurfing, windsurfing, bodysurfing, boogie boarding, swimming, wildlife watching, kayaking, canoeing, sunbathing, fishing, and beachcombing. If you are planning to go into the water near Limekiln State Park, we recommend being careful since the water here is known for rip currents and strong waves. Moreover, if you are planning to fish here, we recommend reviewing the water conditions as fishing here is generally difficult due to the rough water conditions. Nevertheless, the water near the Limekiln State Park Beach is home to a large array of fish and a wide variety of marine mammals including seals, sea lions, dolphins, and migrating grey whales (between December and April).

Getting to Limekiln State Park Beach can be a bit hard - Limekiln State Park is located near Mile Marker 20.95 at Cabrillo Highway/ California State Highway 1. The entrance road to the state park is located near the southern end of a bridge running over Limekiln Creek. You can use the paid parking lot near the state park entrance and then hike west through the state park area towards the coastline to access the beach.

Limekiln State Park offers many exciting attractions - you can explore the vibrant landscape and the vivid biodiversity of the state park through a variety of hiking trails. The state park has a wide array of flora ranging from redwood trees to yucca plants and is also home to more than 200 bird species. In the 19th century, the state park area was used for processing limestone, and the state park still features lime kilns left from that period which offer an interesting insight into the history of both the Big Sur region and California. Limekiln State Park gets its name from these lime kilns, and the park also has a mesmerizing waterfall known as Limekiln Falls which offers some excellent Instagram-worthy photos.

If you get hungry, there are many great restaurants near Limekiln State Park Beach. Wild Coast Restaurant & The Sushi Bar is an upscale restaurant offering a pleasant oceanfront dining experience and serves delicious sushi along with other delectable seafood dishes and burgers. Lucia Lodge Restaurant was awarded Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice award in 2020 and offers a pleasant oceanfront dining experience. In addition, the restaurant also serves great seafood and sandwiches. If you are looking for another good and affordable restaurant near Limekiln State Park, the modestly priced Whale Watcher’s Cafe features an exquisite marine-themed dining area and serves excellent seafood dishes.

If you are looking for a hotel near Limekiln State Park Beach, there are many great options. If you are looking for an upscale hotel, the 5-Star Ventana Big Sur is 45 minutes away by car and offers many amenities including a restaurant, a clothing optional pool, a sauna, a fitness center, a spa , complimentary breakfast, wine-and cheese receptions, yoga and tai-chi classes, and arrangements for guided tours in the Big Sur region. The 3-Star Treebones Resort offers accommodation in exquisite yurt tents and offers numerous amenities including two restaurants, a pool, a hot tub, complimentary breakfast, and arrangements for yoga classes. The 2-Star Lucia Lodge offers many amenities including a restaurant, a deck, a patio, complimentary breakfast, and a seasonal convenience store with a gift shop. If you are looking for a campground near the beach in Limekiln State Park, Limekiln State Park Campground offers an exciting camping experience in the Big Sur wilderness. In addition, the campground also accommodates both RVs and Tents and also offers many amenities including showers, restrooms, fire rings, and picnic tables.