James V. Fitzgerald Marine Reserve Beach(Moss Beach)

Locatedin the community of Moss Beach, James V. Fitzgerald Marine Reserve - also known as Fitzgerald Marine Reserve - is a county-protected reserve that has an unnamedbeach with beige sand. The beach is situated below oceanfront bluffs. A vast plantation of cypress trees is present near this beach. The San Vicente Creek also flows near the beach. 

The beach in James V. Fitzgerald Marine Reserve does not have lifeguards. However, it has a few other amenities including benches, restrooms, and picnic tables. Dogs are not allowed on the beach.

The beach in James V. Fitzgerald Marine Reserve offers many fun activities including tidepooling, hiking, and wildlife watching. Depending on the time of the year, you can see many kinds of animals in the water near this beach including seals, sea lions, and migrating whales. An immensely popular activity on the beach in James V. Fitzgerald Marine Reserve is tidepooling – during low tides, you can view many kinds of wonderful creatures in these tidepools including sea stars, sea urchins, limpets, barnacles, anemones, sponges, and crabs. The hiking trails present near this beach offer a fun hiking experience through the woodlands near the beach. One of the trails - known as the Bluff Trail – also provides access to an observation area that offers amazing views of the Pacific Ocean. A small visitor center is also present within the reserve which shows educational videos about the reserve and the local marine life.

Getting to the beach in James V. Fitzgerald Marine Reserve is easy – it is located to the west end of Lake Street. A free parking lot is located near the intersection of California and Lake Street, and from there, a short sandy path at the end of Lake Street leads to the beach.

There are many attractions near James V. Fitzgerald Marine Reserve. McNee Ranch State Park is a scenic state park that offers an amazing biking experience and is famous among local mountain bikers. The state park also has an eight-mile-long hiking trail that is only moderately difficult, and you can see an amazing variety of wildflowers while hiking here. Pillar Point Bluff Park features many hiking and biking trails including the Jean Lauer Trail, Frenchman’s Reef Trail, Ross’ Cove Trail, and the Pillar Point Bluff Trail. These trails offer amazing Instagram-worthy views of the Moss Beach coastline. If you are looking for another attraction near James V. Fitzgerald Marine Reserve, Rancho Corral de Tierra is a federally-protected park in western San Mateo County that offers many fun activities including hiking, horseback riding, and mountain biking. In addition, you can also spot a wide variety of animals here including grey foxes, bobcats, coyotes, and mountain lions.

If you get hungry, there are many great restaurants near James V. Fitzgerald Marine Reserve. Old Princeton Landing Public House & Grill serves delicious fish tacos, cobb salad, fried calamari, fish and chips, and buffalo wings. Mezza Luna Restaurant is known for its amazing Italian dishes. The restaurant has a pleasant ambiance and serves excellent meatballs, ravioli, and lasagne. Odyssey Pizzeria & Cafe is famous for pizzas and sandwiches which have a Greek culinary influence. If you are looking for another good and affordable restaurant near James V. Fitzgerald Marine Reserve, El Gran Amigo Taqueria features a Mexican menu and serves fajitas, burritos, and tacos.

If you are looking for a hotel near James V. Fitzgerald Marine Reserve, there are many great nearby options. If you are looking for an upscale hotel, the 5-Star Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay is 16 minutes away by car and offers many amenities including a pool, an outdoor fireplace, a tennis court, kids club, and a fitness center. An upscale hotel, the 4-Star Oceano Hotel & Spa Half Moon Bay Harbor offers many amenities including a restaurant, a spa, a fitness center, and bicycle rental facilities. A more affordable hotel is the 3-Star Cypress Inn On Miramar Beach that offers,tour assistance services, a spa, and complimentary breakfast. If you are looking for another good and affordable hotel near James V. Fitzgerald Marine Reserve, the modestly priced 2-Star The Miramar Inn & Suites offers complimentary breakfast.