Irish Beach

Located along the Mendocino County shoreline, Irish Beach is a remote beach with light brown sand. This beach is situated below steep oceanfront bluffs and is a part of a gated residential neighborhood which is also named Irish Beach. 

Irish Beach does not have lifeguards or any other amenities, so plan your trip accordingly. 

Irish Beach offers many fun activities including sunbathing, fishing, beachcombing, and wildlife watching. The water near this beach is unsafe for aquatic recreational activities including swimming and surfing as it is known to have extremely strong currents. Depending on the time of the year, you can also view migrating whales in the water near Irish Beach. If you are planning to fish in the water near Irish Beach, we recommend that you ensure compliance with the local fishing regulations. There is a blufftop overlook to the north of Irish Beach with a free parking lot along Shoreline Highway that is named Vista Point and offers fantastic views of the North California shoreline. In addition, this overlook is also a great spot for watching migrating grey whales (between December and April).

Getting to Irish Beach can be slightly difficult as the area around this beach is a part of a gated residential community that does not allow non-residential visitors in. The easiest way for the general public to access Irish Beach is through another beach named Alder Creek Beach. The access road for Alder Creek Beach is easily accessible from Shoreline Highway / Pacific Coast Highway. There is a small free parking area near the beginning of this access road (named Alder Creek Beach Road) along the Pacific Coast Highway. After parking here, you need to first walk a mile on the access road to Alder Creek Beach. After you reach Alder Creek Beach, you need to walk a mile north along the shoreline to finally reach Irish Beach. We recommend visiting this beach wearing appropriate footwear as it is known to have lots of driftwood. 

There are many attractions near Irish Beach. Greenwood State Beach Visitor Center & Museum has interesting exhibits highlighting the vibrant history of northern California. B. Bryan Preserve offers guided tours in land rovers/ trucks within its conservation area that has many interesting and extremely endangered herbivores from the continent of Africa including roan antelope, greater kudu antelope, sable antelope, and Grevy’s zebra. If you are looking for another attraction near Irish Beach, Manchester State Park also has a variety of habitats including coastal scrub, sand dunes, grasslands, and wetlands which you can explore via hiking trails. These hiking trails offer fantastic views of the Northern California shoreline. The state park also offers a unique insight into Northern California’s vibrant biodiversity and you can also occasionally see sheep and cattle grazing around this state park. In addition, many wildflowers are present in the Manchester State Park including California poppies and baby blue eyes, which bloom during spring and create memorable coastal scenery. The state park also has a campsite. If you are interested in camping in Manchester State Park, you can visit Manchester State Park’s webpage at California Department of Parks and Recreation’s website for more information. 

If you get hungry, there are many great restaurants near Irish Beach.  The Harbor House Inn has an upscale restaurant that offers a pleasant oceanfront dining experience and serves a seasonal-inspired menu. In addition, this restaurant has also been praised by many reputed publications including the Food & Wine magazine and the prestigious MICHELIN Guide. QUEENIE’S ROADHOUSE CAFE serves amazing breakfast and lunch dishes including burritos, burgers, salads, sandwiches, eggs, pork chops, waffles, and salads. If you are looking for another good and affordable restaurant near Irish Beach, the modestly priced Rollerville Cafe offers outstanding breakfast dishes French toasts, omelets, pancakes, and waffles. In addition, the restaurant also serves great sandwiches, burgers, seafood, tacos, and pastas. 

If you are looking for a hotel near Irish Beach, there are many great nearby options. The 4-Star Elk Cove Inn & Spa 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 Coast Guard House Historic Inn & Cottages that offers accommodation in rustic cottages which offer interesting views of the Pacific Ocean. If you are looking for another good and affordable hotel near Irish Beach, the 2-Star Lighthouse Pointe Resort has a pool.