Manchester State Park
Manchester, CA
Manchester State Park runs three miles of open sandy shoreline, backed by dunes and reached from the main entrance on Kinney Road or the quieter south end off Stoneboro Road. The privately run Manchester Beach KOA sits just east of the park if you'd rather camp with hookups than in the park's more basic sites.
Three miles of open sand with two genuinely different access points is rare for this stretch of coast, though the exposed dunes offer little shelter from wind.
How we score beachesUse the Stoneboro Road access at the south end if the main Kinney Road entrance feels busy, it's the same long beach with a fraction of the traffic.
A day use fee applies; the exact amount is best confirmed at the entrance station.
A path leads from parking through dune habitat to the beach.
Dogs are not allowed on the beach or trails at Manchester State Park to protect nesting snowy plovers, though leashed dogs are permitted in the campground.
Summer mornings run foggy before clearing, typical of the Mendocino coast, with water staying cold year round.
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