The California coast spans a little over 1,000 miles with Highway 1 (Pacific Coast Highway) running almost that entire distance. Whether you’re visiting Northern, Central or Southern California, there are countless coastal towns that are just waiting to be explored. So we’re going to show you 12 towns to visit on the California coast, focusing on mostly Northern and Central California.
POINT REYES & INVERNESS
Point Reyes and Inverness are both towns we highlighted in our 11 UNIQUE PLACES TO VISIT IN CALIFORNIA (THAT YOU PROBABLY HAVEN’T HEARD OF) article. You’ll actually find a number of overlapping locations in both of these articles, and for good reason.
POINT REYES
These two towns are located about 1 hour north of San Francisco. Point Reyes is a National Seashore with absolutely incredible views of the California coast. They have a very similar look to those of places like the Iceland, UK and France. You’ll also find over 20 different hiking trails ranging in length and difficulty here. But the wind can get quite intense. To the point where some of the roads may get closed off due to safety risks. So we’d recommend checking weather conditions before going.
One of the most popular spots to visit is the Point Reyes Cypress Tree Tunnel. This spot is also home to the KPH Maritime Radio Receiving Station which is a Historic RCA Building used during the World Wars to communicate with the ships out to sea. Here you can walk through the historic building and tour all the original equipment which is still used today by volunteers who help maintain this historic spot.
INVERNESS
Inverness is a small quaint seaside town on Tomales Bay named after Inverness Scotland. Here you’ll find a post office, library, a couple of restaurants and markets, and gift shops. One of the cooler, more popular and unique highlights of Inverness though is the Point Reyes Shipwreck, which owner had intended on restoring, but ended up abandoning it on the shore. Locals and visitors eventually petitioned to have this shipwreck left as-is when the area was taken over by a wetlands restoration firm. The ship still remains on private property, but the owners welcome visitors and even have a sign posted guiding visitors to the ship.
Accommodations are quite limited here, so we might recommend finding a place closer to San Francisco and driving up from there. Both of these places make for a great day trip! However, if you enjoy small bed and breakfasts, and lodges, there are a few options which you can find HERE.
What’s unique about Point Reyes and Inverness: Point Reyes Seashore, Historic RCA Building, Point Reyes Cypress Tree Tunnel, and Point Reyes Shipwreck.
SAUSALITO & TIBURON
Sausalito and Tiburon are both seaside cities and towns in Marin County on the northern side of the Golden Gate Bridge. They sit across one another on the Richardson Bay overlooking the San Francisco Bay. Each have their own cute little downtown areas with shops, restaurants, bike rentals, paths for walking, running, and biking, and incredible sweeping views of the Bay.
Our favorite activity here is to go up in the morning, find a restaurant like Sam’s Anchor Cafe in Tiburon, and enjoy a lovely outdoor breakfast of brunch while staring at the view of San Francisco and The Bay. And when you’re done, go for a nice walk around the town on either side popping in and out of shops. Or maybe go for a nice little bike ride.
VIEWING GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE
Alternatively, if you like hiking, you could start the day by visiting Marin Headlands. Hiking here will give you even more incredible views of the Golden Gate Bridge. You can read more about that in our 9 WAYS TO VIEW GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE9 WAYS TO VIEW GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE article. And when you’re done and ready for a break, head over to either one of these little towns for a nice brunch or lunch. You really can’t go wrong no matter what you do. A fun fact about these places is that they were quite popular with bootleggers and rum runners during prohibition. In fact, if you go to Sam’s Anchor Cafe, they have a story on their menu that talks about how secret passages underneath the restaurant were found where rum runners would smuggle alcohol through.
Also another fun pastime here, look up housing prices…😳 Luckily, accommodations are not as expensive as the homes are! You’ll find lodging available in both places, which offer the ability to wake up and walk right out to the beautiful bay. You can search of places to stay HERE.
What’s unique about Sausalito and Tiburon: Unique views of San Francisco Bay, yacht clubs, cute downtown areas and incredibly expensive cliffside homes.
HALF MOON BAY
As we continue to head south, you’ll find Half Moon Bay which is about an hour south of San Francisco. It’s actually less than 30 miles, but the drive through San Francisco can take up a good chunk of time.
Half Moon Bay is a small city along the Half Moon Bay Coastside. The Coastside actually encompasses a number of cities in addition to Half Moon Bay. Miramar, Montara, Moss Beach, El Granada, San Gregorio, La Honda, and Pescadero are all included. All of these places have beautiful coastal views, beaches, and hiking trails along the coast. However Half Moon Bay has the larger of cities and downtown areas which surf shops, restaurants, breweries and more. One of our favorite activities here is exploring the tide pools when the tide is low. And if you like the Point Reyes Cypress Tree Tunnel, then you should also check out the Cypress Tree Tunnel at Seal Cove. It’s also quite famous for being the home of the famous surf spot Mavericks.
Here you have quite a number of options for lodging and accommodations which you can find HERE. There is a stretch of just 1-2 miles along Highway 1 where you’ll find Inn after Inn after Inn. And if you’re looking for a true luxurious stay, take a look at the Ritz Carlton Half Moon Bay.
What’s unique about Half Moon Bay: Cypress Tree Tunnel at Seal Cove, tide pools and Mavericks surf spot.
PESCADERO
25 minutes south along Highway 1 from Half Moon Bay is Pescadero. Pescadero is largely known for Pescadero State Beach, Pigeon Point Lighthouse and Pescadero Marsh which is a wildlife refuge. There you’ll find a number of easy to moderate hiking trails such as the Franklin Point Trail which is less than a mile out and back. But if you’re looking for a bit more of a challenge and more views, you can try the Atkinson Bluff Trail. Atkinson Bluff Trail is 3 miles and has access to Whitehouse Creek Beach. And when you’re ready to head on to the next stop, make sure to check out the Highway 1 Brewing Company.
What’s unique about Pescadero: Pigeon Point Lighthouse, Pescadero Marsh and State Beach.
DAVENPORT
Honorable mention – in between Pescadero and Santa Cruz is a small town called Davenport. If you are roadtripping the coast, it’s impossible to miss. And one of the coolest spots along the coast to visit, is Shark Fin Cove. So make sure to add this to your itinerary!
SANTA CRUZ & CAPITOLA
Santa Cruz and Capitola both, are just under an hour further south from Pescadero. They’re only a few minutes away from one another, but both have their own unique identities.
SANTA CRUZ
If you haven’t heard of Santa Cruz in some capacity, we’d be very surprised. From the skateboard brand, to the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, or the downtown Santa Cruz area, this place has something for everyone.
West Cliff Drive is a stretch of road known for its incredible cliffside views, and beautiful and unique seaside and cliffside homes. Along this drive you’ll also find Lighthouse Field State Beach and Lighthouse Point with an idyllic lighthouse view of the California coast. From there, you’ll find the Santa Cruz Wharf and Pier right next to the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. This amusement park has roller coasters, rides, arcades, games, food, beach access and so much more. And during the summer months, they do Friday night beach concerts. This was and is every Bay Area kids weekend getaway.
As you head in to the downtown area, you’ll find pizza, coffee and ice cream shops. A movie theater, a concert venue, breweries, surf shops and so much more. You could easily spend hours just walking around exploring this super laid back surf town.
We love coming down here and going to The Crows Nest for breakfast or brunch before heading in to the downtown area to walk around, or spending some time at the beaches. And you’ll find tons of accommodation options all over the place, which you can search HERE.
What’s unique about Santa Cruz: The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk and downtown area.
CAPITOLA
If you’re looking for something a little smaller and less hustle and bustle, then head over to Capitola. The main area of Capitola consists of one main looped road which is less than a mile long and consists of small boutiques and shops, and a few restaurants and cafes all with seaside views. Our favorite is Margaritaville. I mean, how can you go wrong with a margarita, some chips and guacamole, and a view of the ocean? The answer is: you can’t.
What’s unique about Capitola: Capitola Beach and the multi-colored Venetian Court which is a seaside resort as well as the SS Palo Alto shipwreck which is just south of Capitola in Aptos.
MONTEREY & CARMEL
Roughly 45 minutes south of Capitola, you’ll find the Monterey Peninsula which overlooks Monterey Bay to the north. Similar to Half Moon Bay, this area consists of a number of towns and cities: Monterey, Seaside, Carmel, Marina and Pacific Grove. We’re gonna touch on two of these as they stand out amongst all the others. In our minds at least. That being said, given their close proximity to one another, you could (and should) probably visit them all.
MONTEREY
Monterey is one of the larger cities we’re covering here, much like Santa Cruz. Here you will find just about anything you could possibly want to do or experience: shops, restaurants, cafes, etc. But you’ll also find things like the world renown Monterey Bay Aquarium, whale watching excursions on the bay, sunset cruises, Monterey Museum of Art, and a blues festival.
Monterey is known for its marine wildlife, which is why the aquarium is so popular. In addition to whale watching, you can also find sea lions, sea otters, harbor seals, dolphins, pelicans and more!
You will find tons of accommodations around the entire peninsula making it incredibly easy to access all of the cities we noted above. But our recommendation, find something on or close to Cannery Row which is a historic district and street right on the water. You can search HERE.
What’s unique about Monterey: Cannery Row, Fisherman’s Wharf, Monterey Aquarium.
CARMEL
A hop skip and a jump southwest of Monterey, is Carmel (By the Sea). Despite being so close to one another, these two places can feel quite different from one another. Monterey is much larger and much more commercial, with more of a fishing town feeling, whereas Carmel is much smaller and much more of a boutiquey feel. In fact, Carmel is quite quirky. For example: Carmel has a law prohibiting the wearing of high heels taller than 2 inches. Additionally, houses do not have addresses. They are identified as being on the east, west, north or south side of a particular street. For example, a home may be the 3rd house on the west side of 12th street. Chain restaurants are also banned from Carmel, in order to maintain the sustainability of local eateries.
Given that last little bit, you won’t find the major chain hotels here either. But you will find an abundance of smaller boutiquey inns. You can check them out HERE.
In terms of activities and things to do, Carmel sits right next to the famous Pebble Beach Golf Course, so if you’re in to golfing, then this is a perfect opportunity to golf at a famous golf course. You’ll also find a number of beaches around Still Water Cove, and Carmel Bay that also have walking paths and trails. This is a place to kick back, relax and enjoy the laid back (but upscale and boutiquey) feel.
What’s unique about Carmel: Do we need to answer this? The above kind of nails it.
HIGHWAY 1
Many of the previous places have been within an hours drive of one another, but Cambria is about a 2.5 hour drive south from Carmel. But let us tell you, you will appreciate and love every minute and hour of this drive. The coastal views along Highway 1 here are some of THE BEST including passing through Big Sur. Make sure to stop at Bixby Bridge and McWay Falls along the way. You won’t regret it. You’ll also find Hearst Castle along the way as well. Hearst Castle is an estate that was built by the Hearst family in the early 1900s. The estate has “165 rooms and 123 acres of gardens, terraces, pools and walkways—all built to Hearst’s specifications and showcasing a legendary art collection”.
CAMBRIA
Cambria is a small seaside village that we knew absolutely nothing about and had never visited until this year. And after spending 3 days there, we found ourselves feeling like we hadn’t spent nearly enough time there.
One of Cambria’s most popular areas and spots is along a street called Moonstone Beach Drive, which is named as a result of moonstones which wash up on the shore. Here you’ll find Moonstone Beach, numerous eccentric seaside homes and inns, and a boardwalk that runs along the entire coastline of the street. People will often rent bikes, walk and run along the path, or enjoy a day at the beach. Less than a mile away you’ll find downtown Cambria which includes coffee shops, boutiques, restaurants and winey tasting rooms. We went to lunch one day at a restaurant called La Terraza Mexican Grill and were astonished to find that there was a pickleball league across the street! How cool is that!?
Most of the accommodations will be small Airbnbs, and Inns along Moonstone Beach Drive. But you’ll also find some hotels like Oceanpoint Ranch as well which has s’mores pits and bags boards (corn hole). We enjoyed an evening walking across the street and watching the sun set Leffingwell Landing, followed by s’mores back at Oceanpoint Ranch. Made for a perfect evening.
What’s unique to Cambria: Moonstone Beach Drive and the Moonstone Beach Boardwalk.
Alternate uniqueness: If you’re visiting from the north, getting the opportunity to stop in Big Sur is a MUST.
MORRO BAY
Last but most certainly not least on this list, is Morro Bay which is about a 30 minute drive south of Cambria. Morro Bay is unmistakeable due to the large volcanic plug called Morro Rock which sits just along the coast. The areas around the rock including Morro Rock Beach are accessible to the public, and was even the home of the SLO CAL Open Surf Competition in 2020. But there’s much more to do than just visit Morro Rock, although we think that is pretty cool.
You will also find much like all of the other towns and cities on this list, a really cute and unique downtown area with shops, cafes, restaurants and more. You’ll also find numerous beaches and hiking trails as well. If you’re a fan of Cinnamon Rolls, then you need to stop in at Old West Cinnamon Rolls. It’s quite popular though, so be prepared to wait in line.
For accommodations, you won’t find any major chain hotels, but you’ll find all sorts of smaller hotels, inns, and Airbnbs. We’ve opted for both a hotel on the Embarcadero as well as an Airbnb off the strip giving us more amenities. You really can’t go wrong either way, search HERE.
What’s unique to Morro Bay: Morro Rock and the many species of birds that live there!
CALIFORNIA COAST
As you can imagine, there are MANY more seaside towns and cities along the California coast that we didn’t touch on given that we only covered one-third of the coastline. But what we didn’t cover are some of the more well-known and popular towns and cities like Santa Barbara, Ventura, Huntington Beach, Long Beach, Newport Beach, Oceanside and so on. These are typically super well-known and we wanted to give you some options that you may not have heard of. So we hope these 12 towns to visit on the California coast were helpful and give you some inspiration for some places to visit outside of the usual suspects.
If this was helpful, or you have some other recommendations that we didn’t touch on, please let us know below in the comments!
And if you’re looking for some other California inspiration, check out some of our other California articles:
- 10 THINGS TO DO NEAR SAN JOSE CALIFORNIA
- 9 WAYS TO VIEW GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE
- 11 UNIQUE PLACES TO VISIT IN CALIFORNIA (THAT YOU PROBABLY HAVEN’T HEARD OF)
- 10 NATIONAL PARKS IN THE U.S. YOU PROBABLY DIDN’T KNOW EXISTED
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Thanks for stopping by!
Ryan & Katy
