14 Bay Area Tide Pools You Want to Visit [+ How to get there]

Are you looking to visit the best Bay Area tide pools? Then you’ve come to the right place. 

How long has it been since you last went tide pooling? Or perhaps you’ve never been. 

With hundreds of miles of coastline, there are plenty of tide pools in the Bay Area that you can drive to and explore alone, with friends, or with the whole family. 

This list narrows down your options to 14 of the best Bay Area tide pools, along with the essential information and links to each of their tide charts to help you plan your trip.

Best Bay Area Tide Pools

This list of the best Bay Area tide pools covers 14 spots located in San Mateo County, Marin County, Davenport, Santa Cruz, and Monterey Bay. 

All these tide pools are in protected areas, so when visiting, you have to make sure not to take anything home. 

Also, aside from the few very accessible ones, most of the tide pools on this list would require a bit of hiking and scrambling over rocks, but the end destination is well worth the effort. 

Visit when the tides are especially very low, and you’ll most likely spend hours just trying to identify the beautiful sea creatures you will find.

Fitzgerald Marine Reserve (Moss Beach)

Fitzgerald Marine Reserve is located just 20 miles south of San Francisco, north of Pillar Point Harbor in San Mateo County. 

This tide pool in Moss Beach is best visited when the tides are about 1 foot or less, and it can be accessed by going down a relatively steep set of stairs along the rocky terrain 

You can pick up a self-guided brochure by the Friends of Fitzgerald Marine Reserve, or if you’re lucky enough, you might catch volunteer naturalists roving around who’ll be very happy to answer questions. 

This reserve is home to sea urchins, crabs, limpets, the occasional red octopus, and more. 

Some would say no two visits to this reserve are ever the same, so keep this at the top of your must-visit Bay Area tide pools.

Local Tip: Make sure to wear shoes with good soles due to the rocky terrain.

Agate Beach (Bolinas)

Agate Beach and the Duxbury Reef are part of the Duxbury Reef State Marine Reserve with their beautiful rocky tide pools. 

This means it’s one of those places where it’s a law for you not to take anything from the beach, no matter how pretty. 

Because of the abundance of Coralline Algae and Encrusting Coralline Algae, you will observe more pink hues in its tide pools which is fascinating to the adults and small kids in your group. 

This beach in Bolinas has a large parking lot, so you won’t have to fight for a spot here.  

Local naturalists recommend that you arrive at least an hour before low tide and make your way toward the reef farther south to observe the low tide zone first. 

Sculptured Beach & Palomarin Beach (Point Reyes)

Sculptured Beach and Palomarin Beach are part of the Point Reyes National Seashore park, and both beaches offer free parking at coastal trails that provide hike-in access. 

Sculptured Beach is a remote beach near SF is named after sculpted rocks found along its shoreline exposed during low tides. This area is where you’d find its tide pools. 

Palomarin can either be accessed via a steep half-mile descent from the Coast Trail or by walking south of Santa Maria Beach during low tide. 

For optimal tide pooling experience here, visit during minus low tides and check on trail conditions at the Visitor Center first, as some trails seasonally get washed out. 

Muir Beach 

If you want to take your furry friend tide pooling with you and don’t mind a bit of wind chill, Muir Beach just might be that dog-friendly destination you have been searching for. 

Make your way across the 450-foot-long wooden pedestrian bridge from the parking lot to the beach, and you’re ready to go explore some of the most accessible tide pools near San Francisco. 

Just be sure to check the tide charts before you go hunting for hermit crabs and limpets. 

Also, if you have your dog with you, he can munch on the washed-up seaweeds, just not the tide pool sea life. 

LOCAL TIP: Looking for a secret beach in San Francisco? Check out this black sand beach.

Pacifica State Beach (Pacifica)

Located in a wide cove, Pacifica State Beach is not only a surfing destination but also has several tide pools you can explore when the tides happen to be too low to surf near the shore. 

The beach has a large parking lot near Highway 1, but you will have to pay a parking fee of $7 for 4 hours or $9 for a whole day. 

Use the San Pedro Creek at the south end of the beach as your landmark and follow it to a rocky point near the harbor to find the tide pools. 

Watch out for crabs and pretty sea anemones! 

Pillar Point (Half Moon Bay)

Pillar Point is a tide pool in Half Moon Bay located right by Mavericks Beach, further south of the Fitzgerald Marine Reserve. 

Like at FMR, you may catch volunteer naturalists roaming around the tide pools, eager to answer questions at this 3-mile stretch of protected beach. 

You can park for free at the Pillar Point Lot C, then start walking about 1 mile towards the Air Force Radar Station at the end of West Point Avenue. 

You can also park in the parking lot and overflow at the station. Look for the sea-end trail at the station car park and make your way towards the reef. 

If the tides permit, venture farther to the ravine to spot giant green anemones, barnacles, and even nudibranchs. 

Redondo Beach (Half Moon Bay)

Redondo Beach remains one of the beaches to visit in Half Moon Bay if you’re looking for an uncrowded tide pool. 

Located south of downtown Half Moon Bay, the easiest access point to the tide pools is via the free parking found at the end of Poplar Street in Poplar Beach. 

After parking, you can take the short one-mile walk south along the water to the tide pools, where you’ll find plenty of sea urchins, hermit crabs, and more. 

Like most tide pools, make sure to check Redondo Beach’s tide charts ahead so you can plan out your tide pooling trip. 

Otherwise, you might have to settle for a walk on the beach.  

LOCAL TIP: While this may not be considered a warm beach in California, it’s still a beautiful place to hang out when the sun is out.

Pescadero State Beach (Pescadero)

Pescadero State Beach is located halfway between Half Moon Bay and Santa Cruz. 

It has a mile-long shoreline that’s great for various beach activities, from strolling to fishing. 

The beach has three separate parking lots offering visitors access to its sandy coves, rocky cliffs, and picnic areas, but the tide pools can only be accessed via the south parking lot. 

You’ll find picnic tables near the tide pools with panoramic ocean views, and there’s even a sandy cove you can go to during medium-low tide. 

There’s an $8 parking fee for the beach, and since you’re already visiting during the low tide, you might as well snatch a few Instagram-worthy pictures at the natural rock arch near the creek.

Local Tip: If you’re visiting in Spring, you can stop by R&R Fresh Farms to go strawberry picking for a fun day experience.

Bean Hollow State Beach (Pescadero)

Bean Hollow State Beach is located about an hour from San Jose in the South Bay, just further down south from Pescadero Beach. 

Though its tide pools may not have as much marine life variety as other tide pools in the Bay Area, it has free parking, easy access to its rocky tide pools, and is dog and kid-friendly. 

It’s a quiet place to take the whole family for a quick tide pooling adventure during low tides, especially if you happen to be visiting the area hoping to spot some sea lions. 

The beach has cool tafoni rock formations and small sandy coves which also makes it a great place to picnic and watch the sunset.

Pigeon Point Light Station State Historic Park

It’s difficult not to spot the 115-foot Pigeon Point Lighthouse, one of the tallest lighthouses in America, just off Highway 1, south of Pescadero. 

The tide pools are a short walk from the lighthouse and are accessible by going down the trail at the north side of Pigeon Point’s parking lot. 

Make sure to visit the mini tide pools below the lookout only during low tides, and be extra cautious while looking at sea urchins, crabs, and anemones, as the tide can come in really fast. 

The lookout point at the light station is also a good spot for some whale and seal watching. 

Davenport Beach

This is one of the beaches in the bay area that is known to have some of the best tide pools in California because of its unique feature, which is riffs and ridges that run up and down its tide pools. 

These natural features allow species from different tide zones to live closer to shore, so you won’t have to walk as far out to spot sea stars, limpets, and snails.

Secure a free parking spot along the Davenport Landing Road loop, and once you step out of your car, you can easily access the tide pools either at the north or far south end of the beach. 

Natural Bridges State Beach (Santa Cruz)

You might have first come across Natural Bridges State Beach for its arched rock formations, but this location has a great spot for tide pooling. 

Come at low tide, and you’ll find a series of exposed pools in the rocky slab teeming with mussels, periwinkle snails, and anemones. 

Since this is a state park, parking at the beach is a little steep at $10, but if you can find a spot along Swanton Boulevard, you can park there for free. 

Access to the tide pools may require a bit of scrambling over rocks, which isn’t ideal if you have small children. 

If this is the case, drop by the Natural Bridges State Marine Reserve’s Visitor Center and ask for a map and alternate route to the tide pools.

Point Pinos & Asilomar State Beach

Point Pinos and Asilomar State Beach are located in Pacific Grove in Monterey Bay. 

The tide pools can be found on the long stretch that starts from the rocky beaches next to Sunset Drive and goes all the way to the Point Pinos Lighthouse. 

What’s great about the tide pools in this area is that some of them remain exposed even during higher tides which means you can still do a bit of tide pooling here even if you aren’t able to catch the tide when it’s out. 

Just make sure not to turn your back away from the water for too long and to keep your eye on the waves.

Point Lobos State Natural Reserve

Point Lobos State Natural Reserve is one of the most picturesque areas along the California Coast just south of Carmel-by-the-Sea.

The Reserve is known to have one of the richest marine habitats in California.

Weston Beach in Point Lobos, in particular, has the best tide pools in the reserve and is a short hike south and west of the main entrance. 

You can grab a field guide of the tide pool to learn more about the area and its marine life as you explore. 

Schedules for volunteer docents are usually posted a month in advance, so you can make it into an educational field trip for the little ones if you plan your trip around it 

Check the tide schedule so you can also explore the various hiking trails on your visit.

Since you’ll be in the area, make sure to stop by Monterey Bay and Carmel-by-the-Sea and explore these cute coastal towns.

What is the best time to see tide pools?

The best time to visit tide pools is at least an hour to two hours before low tide, which is just when the water starts receding. 

You usually have about another hour or two to explore before the tide starts coming back in. 

To be safe, make sure to check the tide charts of the particular tide pool you’re visiting and plan accordingly.

Bay Area Tide Pools Map

Tips for visiting the tide pools in the Bay Area

1. Check the tide schedule

Tide pools can best be explored when tides are low, and some are even best visited during minus tides. 

That said, make sure to check the tide schedule of the specific spot you plan on going to and arrive at least an hour before the set low tide time. 

Arriving earlier gives you more time to explore as you can follow along the water as it recedes and slowly exposes the tide pools beneath.

2. Dress appropriately

Weather at the beach, especially in the Bay Area, can be windy and chilly even during supposed warmer months, so make sure to bring cold weather clothing. 

Also, the weather can sometimes be unpredictable, so bring a light jacket with you as well. 

Closed-toe shoes with good grip are also recommended, as you might have to scramble over and step on slippery algae covered rocks as you go tide pooling. 

3. Keep your eyes on the ocean

Even if you’ve checked the tide charts and have made a great mental note of the tide schedule, it’s best to keep your eyes out on the ocean. 

No matter how fascinating looking at the beautiful marine life in tide pools may be, don’t forget to look up and watch the ocean constantly, so the tide doesn’t sneak up on you. 

Keeping a close eye on the waves is a must, as rare but very dangerous rogue waves occasionally collide with areas on the California Coast. 

4. Don’t touch the sea creatures

Yes, it can be very difficult to keep your hands off the beautiful and colorful sea creatures you’d find in the tide pools, but make sure you do. 

Picking them up may cause undue stress, which can hurt or kill them. 

Also, most of the tide pools in the Bay Area are protected by law, so you are not allowed to take any souvenirs except for photos.

5. Watch where you step

Make sure to wear appropriate footwear with good grip when you go tide pooling, and always watch your step. 

Seaweed and slimy rock areas may cause you to lose your footing and slip onto the jagged rocks or into the cold water. 

Accidents are common for those who do not take their time and carefully move through the tide pools. 

Also, by watching your step, you ensure that you won’t step on and harm any unsuspecting sea creatures.

FAQs

Are there tide pools in San Francisco?

No, but you can easily visit Fitzgerald Marine Reserve in Moss Beach which is 20 miles from San Francisco. You can also go to Muir Beach, Agate Beach in Bolinas and Sculptured Beach in Point Reyes.

If you are staying in San Francisco with your family, you can easily visit these tide pools nearby.

Are there tide pools at Half Moon Bay?

Yes. You can find the tide pools in Half Moon Bay at Redondo Beach and Pillar Point just south of the Fitzgerald Marine Reserve.

Wrap-Up: Bay Area Tide Pools

Whether you’re out exploring with friends or family, these tide pools in the Bay Area will definitely not disappoint. 

They are much less expensive than visiting an aquarium and much more natural. Going tide pooling should definitely be on your Bay Area to-do list. 

So, what are you waiting for? Check the tide charts and tide pool away.