Chadbourne Gulch Beach(Blues Beach)

Located near the town of Westport in Mendocino County, Chadbourne Gulch Beach - also known as Blues Beach - is a beach with pebbly stretches and brown sand. The Chadbourne Gulch is situated behind this beach and during rainy weather a creek flows through the beach into the Pacific Ocean. The water near this beach is cold and has strong currents, and there are many rock formations present just offshore near the northern part of this beach including a natural rocky archway. 

Chadbourne Gulch Beach has no lifeguards or any other amenities, so plan your trip accordingly. However, Chadbourne Gulch Beach allows dogs. 

Chadbourne Gulch Beach offers many fun activities including sunbathing, beach driving, beachcombing, fishing, wildlife watching, swimming, surfing, kitesurfing, windsurfing, boogie boarding, bodysurfing, kayaking, canoeing, boating, and jet skiing. The water near Chadbourne Gulch Beach is one of the few Mendocino County spots that is known to have occasionally consistent and good surfing waves. However, if you are planning to go into the water near Chadbourne Gulch Beach, we recommend being careful as it has an extremely low temperature and dangerous currents. The water near the beach is home to many animals including seals, sea lions, and migrating grey whales (between December and April). Another popular activity near the beach is fishing - depending on the time of the year, you can catch many kinds of fish in the water near the beach including salmon, steelhead trout, and cabezon. However, if you are planning to fish in the water near Chadbourne Gulch Beach, we recommend complying with the local fishing regulations. 

If you like beachcombing, we recommend visiting the beach during low tide as during high tide the narrower southern and northern portions of the beach can be significantly submerged, resulting in less area to explore for beachcombers. A popular activity in Chadbourne Gulch Beach is driving vehicles right on the beach in order to have a thrilling and memorable oceanfront beach-driving session. However, it is important to note that certain portions of the beach, especially around the creek, have very soft sand which can result in your vehicle getting stuck.

Getting to Chadbourne Gulch Beach is easy - the access point to the beach is easily accessible from Shoreline Highway / Pacific Coast Highway. The access point to Chadbourne Gulch Beach is located near the northern side of Chadbourne Gulch, where Shoreline Highway takes a steep hairpin turn. There is also a free parking lot near the beach access point.

There are many attractions near Chadbourne Gulch Beach. Pacific Star Winery offers interesting and memorable wine tasting sessions. In addition, the winery also offers Instagram-worthy views of the Mendocino County coastline and the Pacific Ocean. The winery is also a great spot to watch migrating grey whales usually between December and April. Westport Headlands Park is a blufftop park that has picnic areas overlooking the Pacific Ocean and the North California shoreline. The park also has a stairway leading to a rocky cove below, which was earlier used as a ship landing. The park offers many activities including fishing, wildlife watching, picnicking, and tidepooling. If you are looking for another attraction near Chadbourne Gulch Beach, the Westport Whale is a large whale statue above a small pool. This statue is a major local public artwork.

If you get hungry, there are many restaurants near Chadbourne Gulch Beach. Oscar’s Restaurant is 20 minutes away by car and offers delicious steaks and seafood. Westport Hotel & Old Abalone Pub offers excellent seafood and gourmet dishes. If you are looking for another good and affordable restaurant near Chadbourne Gulch Beach, the modestly priced Cravingrill offers delicious Mediterranean food including dolmas, falafel, and baba ganoush.

If you are looking for a hotel near Chadbourne Gulch Beach, there are many great nearby options. The 4-Star The Inn at Newport Ranch offers magnificent Instagram-worthy views of the Mendocino County shoreline. In addition, the hotel offers many amenities including complimentary breakfast and evening snacks, access to spa services, a sauna, and a hot tub. A more affordable hotel is the 2-Star Westport Hotel including a pub, complimentary breakfast, sauna, and a wraparound porch. If you are looking for a good and affordable hotel near Chadbourne Gulch Beach, the modestly priced Westport Inn is located conveniently close to some of the major landmarks in Westport and offers complimentary breakfast along with morning coffee and tea.