San Onofre State Beach - Trestles Beach(Cottons, Lowers, Middles, Trestles Wetland Natural Preserve, Uppers)

Located near US Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Trestles Beach is a two-and-half mile-long popular surfing spot renowned among surfers throughout the United States. Trestles Beach is a part of a 3,000-acre state park called San Onofre State Beach. Trestles Beach has pale cream sand and is named after a wooden train trestle bridge that used to run near the beach. The San Mateo Creek forms a wetland near the beach. The beach is also mentioned in the hit Beach Boys song "Surfin’ in the U.S.A." 

The water near the beach is regularly patrolled by lifeguards on boats, and a lifeguard is present on the beach during weekends. However, the beach offers no other amenities except washrooms and trash cans. You can get to Trestles through two ways - you can park at the paid parking lot at the intersection of South El Camino Real and Cristianitos Road near California Interstate Highway 5, and walk to the beach via a walking trail. You can also park at the San Onofre State Beach paid parking lot and hike up north to reach Trestles Beach. We recommend visiting the beach early as these spots can often fill up quickly.

Trestles Beach offers many fun activities including beach walking, sunbathing, surfing, surf skimming, boogie-boarding, bodyboarding, kitesurfing, wildlife watching, hiking, beachcombing, and boating. The beach is arguably one of the most famous surfing spots in the United States due to its underwater topography - the San Mateo Creek deposits rocks along the beach while flowing into the ocean during rains, creating a unique surfing sandbar. The waves at Trestles Beach are also consistent and have a large swell window which is ideal for surfers. However, we recommend being careful about rip currents and great white sharks. If you are an amateur surfer, we recommend heading to the adjacent Surfing Beach which has less risky yet equally fun waves.

Trestles Beach hosts a variety of surfing competitions throughout the year including the only Association of Surfing Professionals World Championship Tour in the mainland United States. If you aren't a surfer, you can walk through the wetland area near the beach and explore the unique biodiversity found around San Mateo Creek. Depending on the time of the year, you can see seals, sea-lions, and migrating whales in the water. San Onofre State Beach, the state park within which Trestles Beach is situated, also offers a number of activities including fishing, picnicking, and camping.

If you're looking for a restaurant, L'Hirondelle Restaurant is a high-end French Restaurant that is 18 minutes away by car and offers delicious French onion soup and roast duck with cherry sauce. A more family-friendly dining option is Cafe Calypso which offers delicious breakfast dishes. The modestly priced The Ramen Cafe is a great budget dining option offering delicious ramen noodles and Vietnamese banh mi sandwiches.

If you are looking for a hotel near San Onofre State Beach- Trestles Beach, there are many great nearby options. The 5-Star Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach is 22 minutes away and offers a number of amenities including private beach access, a pool, a restaurant, a golf course, a fitness center, and a spa. A more affordable option is the Oceanfront Hacienda San Clemente Pier Vacation Rentals that features heritage Spanish hacienda-style buildings. A modestly priced option is camping at the campgrounds at San Onofre State Beach. The state park has two campsites, both of which accommodate RVs and tents. The Bluffs Campground provides a rustic oceanfront camping experience but doesn’t have any amenities, but the San Mateo Campground has showers, electrical and water hook-ups, picnic areas, and fire pits.