A California Coast Beach Day at Montara State Beach

The Highway 1 route along the California Coast is known for its plethora of beaches to choose from and Montara State Beach is not one to skip out on.

While beach days are usually reserved for sunny days in the summer, beach days along the California Coast are not always filled with sunshine. At beaches like Montara State Beach–where the weather is changeable and sunny days come and go quickly–the type of summer weather visitors are most likely to experience in this part of California the ones where there are more gray skies than blue and temperatures are not quite freezing, but not quite warm enough for resort wear.

Montara State Beach–part of the California State Parks–is located south of San Francisco and just north of Half Moon Bay along the ever-popular, picturesque California Highway 1. The 0.8 mile stretch of sandy beach with active waves and an abundance of sea life make it a popular destination for surfing, fishing or lounging around.

Though the sun may not be shining, a late-summer, fog-filled day at Montara State Beach can be just as nice. With people generally opting out of a day at the beach as soon as the fog rolls in, the beach remains uncrowded and quiet–a treat for those who are prepared or don’t mind the gray days.

Once the beach day is done, another destination less than a mile south of Montara State Beach is Point Montara Light. The once functioning lighthouse now operates as a youth hostel, but the surrounding areas boast stellar views of the small-but-mighty Point Montara Lighthouse Cove Beach.