Pomponio State Beach

Had a really nice time here with the family this weekend. We started at San Gregorio beach, but when we couldn’t get to the real beach due to the lagoon, we just made our way to Pomponio which we had visited before. Still a beautiful beach. They even had a couple of lifeguards on duty which was good to see and fairly unusual. Perhaps it was due to the holiday weekend.
Pomponio is a pleasant, clean, huge beach with beautiful views of the waters and surrounding cliffs.
The waves can get a bit heavy duty, so if you have young kids, just be prepared to go into the water with them for when the occasional wave knocks them around. It’s all good fun as long as you remain alert and attentive and don’t underestimate the current…

Gorgeous Beach! I’m so happy that my friend found this place. If you’re looking for a beach that isn’t too busy and is adorned with cute sand dollars, this is your beach.
Rundown:
1. The drive to this beach from Fremont is pretty windy but its also very beautiful. You’ll drive past a huge redwood forest and through cute towns.
2. When my friends and I finally got to the beach, we realized that the parking lot was full so we parked up the hill from the beach.
3. If you park in the parking lot there is a fee
4. There is a bathroom at the beach! Big plus in my opinion… just hold your breath when you go.
5. The beach is between two cliff sides and is absolutely gorgeous.
6. We didn’t see too much trash but there was some interesting debris including a bird’s wing, dead crab shells, and jellyfish.
7. There aren’t too many sea shells on this beach but there are a lot of sand dollars. I found my first whole sand dollar here!
If you ever get the chance, definitely check this beach out for yourself.

What a hidden gem! My friends and I came here on a Saturday afternoon (around 2pm-​ish) and it wasn’t packed at all! I kind of really like the seclusion you get from this beach because this beach is not too well-​known and it’s kind of underrated. The parking is pretty bad though, but you can drive up a bit and park on the right side of the road, like everyone else! You save on the parking fee from that, too!
The drive here isn’t all that bad, coming from Fremont at least. You do go through the hills and the windy roads, but it’s actually pretty okay. I usually get car sick during these long drives down Highway 1 or just windy roads, but I was completely fine this time!
Aside from that, the beach was beautiful! We went on a pretty sunny day but it had a nice breeze. The sand was soft and the water was really nice (and not too cold). There was also a small lagoon where all the kids were playing in. To be honest, I wouldn’t want to go in there because it looked pretty dirty.
Overall, this is definitely one of the lesser known beaches in the area. I love beaches in all shapes and sizes, so this is no exception. You should definitely check this beach out if you’re looking for a new place to explore!

I enjoyed a relaxing afternoon at Pomponio State Beach. All I did was sit there by the seashore and wait. Patiently listening for the ripples in the water and within 20 mins, a whole & beautiful sand dollar washes up ashore. I quickly picked up the sand dollar and called it a day :)
Sand dollars are a symbol of peace and it looks like an Easter lily with a star in the middle which serves as a reminder of the birth of Christ.

We came to Pomponio beach over the labor day weekend and the weather could not have been any better. When we decided to come to Half Moon Bay on this holiday I was expecting a horrible drive (via 92) and just hoards of people and terrible traffic.
The drive over wasn’t too bad and Pomponio beach is about 12 miles south of 92 so it wasn’t as crowded as San Gregorio or the other beaches. Yes, the parking lot was almost full but we had enough space between everyone to feel that we were on top of each other.
The beach it self is pretty clean however there are some debris from bon fires. The water was pretty cold but once your feet get used to it, its not that bad. Our 3 year old twins LOVED playing in the sand and in the waves (with supervision of course). There was a lifeguard on duty walking down the beach talking to everyone reminding to hold the hands of the little ones because the waves can definitely sweep them into the ocean.
Be sure to bring some umbrellas or some form of tent because there is no shade here. Also be sure to pack water, beverages, and snacks as there are not stores near by.
The bathroom int he parking could use more frequent cleaning but Im sure it was just abnormally busy yesterday.
Also, the drive to this beach on HWY 1 is beautiful!

This beach is beautiful! It’s located in Halfmoon Bay, about five miles from intersection of highway 84 and highway 1. Pomponio state beach is not as hilly as the other beaches in Halfmoon bay, so its easier to get around. There are picnic tables and bbq pits along the parking lot. Also, there’s an accessible bathroom. The entrance fee is $ 8.00. The park ranger comes over to collect the fee or you can pay it at Gregorio Beach that has an assigned park ranger. To sum it up, Pomponio beach is beautiful, clean, and family friendly.

What a gorgeous beach! My boyfriend and I came here on a hot sunny day (101 °F in RWC) so we headed over to Pomponio to escape the heat. There were a couple of people, mostly families, at the beach, but for the most part it was nice and quiet. Unfortunately, there a was a tad bit of an overcast, but that faded away within an hour upon our arrival. There was a parking fee of $ 8, which is a total bummer but hey, you gotta pay up to enjoy this gorgeous beach! My only complaints would have to be the overwhelming amount of seagulls, but what can you expect when you have families having beach picnics everywhere? Definitely a nice escape from the nasty SF and Pacifica beaches!

I think this is our new go to beach on tehe coast, but I still love the majority of them down there. Pompano Beach is spacious wonderful sand to walkk in, love the waves, and definitely love the warm water in the inlet and of course, yesterday being as nice as it was, it was picture perfect. My niece loved collecting sea shells aned getting dirty in the sand. I took off one star because the restrooms were filthy. We were going to go to another beach but decided this was better and the ranger gave us an $ 8.00 day pass. This beach has amn electronic pay system. We will definitely have to come back for a bbq.

Best beach between Pacifica and Santa Cruz.

Are you kidding me? What? Get in the water, and swim?
Most sane people would say NO.
Enter me. No wetsuit, no worries, no problem, but a whole heck of fun.
Pomponio is sandwiched between San Gregorio and Scott’s Creek. Guess which of the 2 don’t require parking fees? Hint: Pomponio is one of them.
Pros:
family oriented
bathrooms available
no parking fee
quick access to the water and on a good day some awesome surf.
BBQ pits and some seating
Cons:
family oriented
birds
stinky lagoon, although you may consider that a con.
If you are so inclined, you can walk for miles and miles either north and south, and discover more and more beach. Just watch out for the cliffs!

beautiful!

I think this is one of the best beaches within two hours of SF. There was enough parking on a Sunday ($ 8), and it wasn’t overly crowded. A ten minute walk from the parking area provides enough solitude to clear your head.

This is probably one of the highest population beaches I’ve been to in the Half Moon Bay stretch. But it’s definitely worth it. It’s a multiple use piece of land. If you’re out in Half Moon Bay with family or friends then this is a good spot. There’s ample parking, beach access, lagoons for rugrats to play in and even BBQ pits. It’s not a place where you want to escape city life. Try a different more secluded beach off the beaten path.

If I am reincarnated into a seagull in a future life, Pompino State Beach is where I’d reside. Birds reign supreme at Pompino State Beach, so consider yourself warned!
Beyond the aggressive seagulls, it’s a pretty nice beach off of Hwy 1. Easy access, there’s no Ranger there to collect the fee to park, not a lot of trash left behind and, assuming you steer clear of the bird poop, nice for laying out or taking a nap. Just be careful if you bring a picnic lunch with you… you might have some new friends!
Side note: do not swim or wade in the «lagoon» — so gross! I see kids in there all the time and think how sick they’re going to be for swimming in stagnant water full of feces. Sure, it’s warmer than the ocean. But join a gym with a pool or hot tub. Much safer!

What:
— Beach
— Birds
— Lagoon
More Info:
— $ 8 car parking fee (applicable to all the state beaches along CA-​1 S for that day)
— Restrooms
— BBQ pits
— Plenty of parking spaces
Honestly, the Pomponio State Beach was not too different from the San Gregorio State Beach (
). The shallow lagoon serves as a good playtime for the kids. We spent a few minutes here and took off. It looked like every beach along this coast had barbecue pits for those interested to have a ducky lunch along the shores on a beautiful sunny day.
Pomponio State Beach —

What an awesome beach! My beach partner and I live near San Jose and wanted to find a beach that wouldn’t be super crowded on Memorial Day – seems impossible, right?
This place was perfect. We walked about 50 yards and were away from virtually everyone! Super calm and quiet. Great weather at the end of May. Clear and warm but not super hot with a nice breeze.
The only thing I didn’t like about it seems to be a symptom of all nearby beaches: Those little cricket-​like bugs that hop around under the sand. We did a bit of digging near the water and the bugs are enormous! Like horrible sand roaches! Luckily the bigger ones stay burrowed in the sand. Yech.
Once you see San Gregorio State Beach lot the Pomponio lot is just another minute or two South. $ 8 parking fee, probably because of the holiday.

Pomponio is one of our favorite beach along Highway 1. One of the main reason is the lagoon for kids to swim in the shallow and not so cold water. The beach is not huge with white sands but it has many little things which make it perfect for the families:
— Maybe 6 – 8 benches with BBQ pit
— 2 clean restrooms but no water
— Easy access to the beaches
— Plenty of parking spaces (people come and go)
— Small lagoon for kids to swim
— A small nearby cave for you to explore
— Friendly park ranger
It would have been a perfect 5 stars if they have provided water at the restroom for you to wash your hand or feet. It cost $ 8 to park at the State beach but you can use it for any state beach along highway 1.

The bf and I played hooky on Tuesday when the weather was scorching and I wanted to go to the beach!
Since we live in Pacifica, I suggested we get on Hwy 1 and commanded the bf to just DRIVE… hence we ended up here.
It’s about 10 miles past half moon bay and a cool, relaxing drive along the coast.
We had our nifty beach chairs WITH built in canopies (gotta love Costco!)
We set up our chairs and proceeded to CHILL! What a fun way to spend a Tues afternoon!
They have tables and bbq pits also if you’re inclined.

I was married on this beach almost one year ago and it will forever hold a very special place in my heart. Dark and stormy or bright & sunny this beach is GORGEOUS. Perfect for a run or to sit and relax. My suggestion: go to Duarte’s Tavern before grab some Artichoke soup and sip it on Pomponio beach while watching the waves.

Continuing this rollin’ rollin’ rollin’ down the Cabrillo HWY.
So here I am, sitting in a local café reminiscing about my sunny drive from a few days ago while the rain patters away at the glass in front of me. I yearn for such days of sunny and warm bliss.
Again, another gem along the famous Cabrillo HWY. Pull over, park and go for a stroll along the beach. Sit in the warm sand and nestle your toes. Reflect. Ponder. And imagine. Restroom facilities and a clean stop. I’d still carry that little antibacterial wipes, however.
Back into my car for the next stop.