Arroyo De La Cruz Beach
San Simeon, CA

Arroyo De La Cruz Beach is reached by roadside parking within Hearst San Simeon State Park, a mix of rock and sand along a stretch of coast still largely undeveloped this far north of the more visited elephant seal beaches. It's a quiet stop for anyone willing to pull over without a marked lot to guide them.
Genuinely undeveloped and easy to have to yourself, though the lack of a marked lot means it takes some attention to find.
How we score beachesWatch for the roadside parking carefully, there's no dedicated lot or sign making this stop obvious from the highway.
Free roadside parking is available.
A path leads from the roadside parking down to the beach.
Fog is common most mornings year round, typical of this stretch of the Central Coast.
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