Rio Del Mar State Beach

Located in the city of Aptos, Rio del Mar Beach is one-mile long and situated between the waterfront area at the end of Rio Del Mar Boulevard to the north and the end of Beach Drive to the south. Rio del Mar Beach is to the south of Aptos Creek – from the creek visitors here can see a well-known fishing pier named Seacliff Pier as well as shipwrecks of the famous SS Palo Alto concrete ship.

Rio del Mar Beach is a dog-friendly beach and offers many amenities including lifeguards, restrooms, showers, barbecues, ATMs, benches, and a volleyball court.

There are many fun activities here including swimming, surfing, picnicking, fishing, biking, hiking, camping, and beach walking.

Getting to Rio del Mar Beach is very easy – the beach is situated at 202 Beach Drive. Beach Drive provides free street parking spaces and a sidewalk promenade with access stairways in various spots. You can also use the paid parking lots at both ends of the beach.

If you are looking for nearby attractions, there are many within a 25-minute drive of Rio del Mar Beach. Bigfoot Discovery Museum is devoted to an American folklore ape-like creature Bigfoot and features tchotchkes from the 1970s Bigfoot boom and the 1980s resurrection with Harry and the Hendersons memorabilia. Another great museum near Rio del Mar Beach is Aptos History Museum that is home to many historical exhibits, photographs, and antiques from Aptos. The gravity-defying Mystery Spot is among the most prominent illusion-based tourist attractions – visitors can experience demonstrations that disobey gravity inside a wooden building and while walking up a steep hill here. Another great attraction near Rio del Mar Beach is Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Exploration Center which offers many multimedia exhibitions including theatre, touch pools, and an underwater robot.

If you get hungry, you can drive five-minutes to many restaurants near Rio del Mar Beach. The upscale Sanderlings Restaurant is a vegetarian-friendly American bar-restaurant offering breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner, and dessert options in an elegant patio setting. If you are looking for a family-friendly restaurant, Café Rio Aptos features seafood, steaks, desserts, a dog-friendly patio, and incredible views of the North Pacific Ocean. Another great restaurant near Rio del Mar Beach is Village Host Pizza & Grill, a pizza restaurant that serves pizza, garlic bread, burgers, and sandwiches at very reasonable prices.

If you are looking for a hotel near Rio del Mar Beach, you can drive eight-minutes to the upscale 4-Star hotel Seascape Beach Resort that offers many amenities including a pool, bar, sauna, spa, restaurant, golf course, tennis court, and fitness center. Best Western Seacliff Inn is a 3-Star hotel that was awarded the Travellers’ Choice 2020 Award by Tripadvisor. If you are looking for an affordable hotel near Rio del Mar Beach, the 2-Star Rio Sands Hotel has a pool and kids club.