Arena Cove
Point Arena, CA

Arena Cove is Point Arena's working waterfront, a fishing wharf with a boat launch and a restaurant right on the pier. Surfers work the break near the pier too, giving this small cove more going on at once than its size would suggest.
A genuinely lively small working cove with real surf and a good restaurant, though the pier and boat traffic keep it busier than a typical beach stop.
How we score beachesGrab a table at the restaurant on the pier if you want to watch the surf break while you eat, it's one of the better vantage points in town.
Free parking is available near the cove.
The cove is reached directly from parking near the pier.
Leashed dogs are allowed on the Arena Cove pier under city ordinance, though the cove itself has little sandy beach.
Winter swells bring the most consistent surf here, while summer mornings tend to start foggy.
More Pacific Coast beaches

Zuma Beach
Malibu, CA · Pacific Coast
A wide stretch of sand backed by the Santa Monica Mountains, with reliable swells that draw surfers year-round and plenty of room to spread out even on busy weekends.

Huntington City Beach
Huntington Beach, CA · Pacific Coast
Known as Surf City USA, with a mile-long municipal pier, consistent breaks for surfers of every level, and a laid-back boardwalk scene along Pacific Coast Highway.

Main Beach
Laguna Beach, CA · Pacific Coast
Tucked between rocky headlands, with tidepools to explore at low tide, calmer coves for swimming, and an arts-town backdrop of galleries and cafes just steps from the sand.
