bean hollow state beach

So happy we were told by friends to stop here & go down the trail to explore tidal pools and sea life among the rocks. Go when its low tide if you can and you get to see to most amazing sea creatures you can imagine. We found purple sea urchins, little fish, orange and red sea stars, many different shells and even a small white octopus: just awesome ! The different types and colours of the rocks are interesting as well.Don't miss this beautiful, unspoiled area and look out for the sign "bean Hollow". It is easy to drive by as there is only 1 sign for the small parking area.

Bean Hollow is my favorite beach in Pescadero primarily because it is dog-friendly but also because most people seem to drive right by it. I have never seen it very crowded and the people who are there are very relaxed and mellow. There are tide pools, cool pebbles and interesting rock outcroppings. The best part is that dogs can run on the beach and frolic in the waves. It is a beautiful spot.

My wife, dogs and I went to Bean Hollow near the end of October. What a gem! Beautiful region, low crowds, cool pebbles and dogs allowed. This is now my favorite NORCAL dog-accessible beach. I was surprised by how few people were there. Will go back frequently.

The beach is really nice with lots of place to pitch a tent on a hot summer day and enjoy the waves. There are a lot of tide pools that kids can play around in . There is a path that leads up the rock and gives access to a small narrow channel, where the waves gush in. It is fun to play in. Cost: $0 = awesomeTips:If you don't get there early enough parking might be a hassle, but there is a plenty of roadside parking available and you just need to walk a bit.

We have often stopped at Bean Hollow State Beach. The beach has interesting rock (pebble) type formations The geologists call the sculpting of the rocks in this area "tafoni". It is where rocks are sculpted by a weathering process.The area also has an interesting historical past. In the 1880s this area was part of Rancho Butano, first owned by Ramona Sanchez and then purchased. One of the purchasers, Loren Coburn, built a large hotel, hoping to make it a popular vacation destination. At the time an Ocean Shore Railroad was planned. With the great San Francisco earthquake of 1906, the plans for the railroad were cancelled. As such, the hotel was built but never had any guests. There are some interesting sign boards here with more information about the history of the area - it is also called Pebble Beach (not to be confused however with the popular Pebble Beach area in Monterey).The park is part of the California State Park system, There are hiking/walking opportunities, picnics (one table only that I saw), photography, and possibly seeing sea animals. For those who do not mind cold water, swimming or wading also a possibility. There is a parking lot.

Visiting from Arizona we stopped to visit the beaches along highway 1, we visited a few beaches & settled for bean hollow, it was awesome! The sand was soft, the view was beautiful, the air was great & the weather was perfect! Not too crowed & plenty of space. Only criticism were the port a potties, they were rundown & just as smelly as expected. Besides that it was a really good day with the family

This is a great little beach to stop at and climb on the rocks. Kids and adults alike get a little adventure of discovery - sometimes crabs, sea lions too. There is a beach too for swimming - but that is not why we stop

Bean Hollow is one of those beaches that motorists zoom by, not realizing that this little gem is there. It's a small cove, really.Very minimal insofar as facilities.This is the San Mateo Coast, folks. That means wind, fog, waves many days of the year, so dress accordingly and be sure to be mindful of wave warnings.

Bean Hollow Beach is small compared with some others along Highway 1, but is the best, in my opinion. It overlooks dramatic tidepools and has a good view of seabirds resting on a large rock. There is a well maintained trail with lots of lovely wildflowers in bloom (in May), picnic tables, and a fairly clean outhouse. This beach is easy to miss as it is so small and if you are going north, you can easily miss the sign.

It is less than 3 miles (round trip) and you can see a lot of the coast. There are tide pools, some climbing involved to get to them, we saw harbor seals along with a distant whale or two. The weather was fantastic. The waves were breaking kind of high but for not going in the water this was fine with me. A great photo op!

So happy to have discovered this scenic, dog-friendly beach cove near Pescadero. The trails from the parking lot are wonderful and offer great seal-watching because the seals and sea lions sun themselves on the rock outcroppings bordering the trail. Our dog loved romping along the ice plants and coastal path, where you can go down the trail to explore tidal pools or sea life among the rocks. We were nervous about our new dog going off trail in some spots and if your dog is the adventurous type (like ours) there are places among the cliffs where it's best to have them leashed or they'll go running full steam down the rocks. You can drive past the parking lot and park at one of the pull out spots to enter the coastal trail at various entry places, just down from the beach. Don't miss this beautiful, unspoiled, tranquil area when cruising down Hwy. 1.

WOWOWOWOW......what an great spot on the pacific coast. Nice 2 mile RT walk along the cliff of the ocean with tide pools below and interesting rock formation. I visited twice in two weeks. 1st was a glorious October day and the weather was 77 and sunny....spectacular. The following week it was cool and sunny and we were treated to 8 sea lions playing in one of the coves. They have a small parking lot and an outhouse. This is also a destination for kid field trips. Easy to find and what a find!

this is one of our favorite beaches on the half moon by, pescadero coast, it is small and secluded, and it is easy to get too, great for picnics.

The beach is small but fine. The real reason to visit, though, is the Arroyo de los Frijoles trail that connects the beach to the parking area. Along the trail is some of the best seal-watching in the area. The seals and sea lions sun themselves almost every day around noon on the large rock outcroppings just at the water's edge. What a hoot! And the area is also some of the best rock exploring in the area with plenty of tidal changes and sea life to be found in the resulting tidal pools. The parking area is very small--- don't be surprised if you can't find a spot in the afternoons.

The San Mateo coast has all sorts of state parks. We stopped at Bean Hollow for a walk on the beach on our way back to San Francisco. Being a Wednesday, we were the only ones on the beach besides the sea gulls. The wind was blowing, the swell was up, and it was just gorgeous. But most of the San Mateo coast south of Half Moon Bay is like this!