20 Attractions to Explore Near Poplar Beach

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Francis Beach

Francis Beach

1.11km from Poplar Beach

This is the main hub of Half Moon Bay State Beach, is located at 95 Kelly Avenue. The beach is easily accessible with a paved ramp leading down the sand. The day-use area features a large picnic area with barbecues and restrooms with running water. The campground hosts tent and RV camping with sites offering electric hookup or dry camping.

Dunes Beach

Dunes Beach

2.35km from Poplar Beach

Dunes Beach is one of the northern beaches in Half Moon Bay State Beach.Short steep sandy trails take you down to the beach through the dunes on the bluff. South of the beach access the beach is below sandstone bluffs and north of the access are the beach’s namesake dunes. The Half Moon Bay Coastal Trail runs north-south behind the parking lot for running, walking, and biking. This paved path extends the entire Half Moon Bay shoreline from Pillar Point to Redondo Beach.

Roosevelt Beach

Roosevelt Beach

3.73km from Poplar Beach

A pretty white sand beach located on Young Avenue off of Highway 1 in San Mateo County. It is one of the many Half Moon Bay beaches and offers beautiful views of the water, especially from up on the hiking trails. There are no pets or fires allowed on the beach, but it is a great secluded spot for surfers who want to catch some waves or beachgoers who are seeking solace. A horse trail parallels Coastside Trail from Roosevelt Beach to Francis Beach.

Miramar Beach

Miramar Beach

4.44km from Poplar Beach

Miramar Beach is a sandy beach in western San Mateo County, California. Miramar Beach is one of the numerous beaches on Half Moon Bay, a Pacific Ocean embayment noted for its surfing and extensive visitation. It is one of the iconic beach where you can enjoy with your family and friends.

Burleigh H. Murray Ranch State Park

Burleigh H. Murray Ranch State Park

5.56km from Poplar Beach

This historic ranch property is hidden in a pristine valley south of Half Moon Bay. The area offers solitude and a rich assortment of plants and wildlife along the riparian corridor of Mills Creek. The ranch is sheltered from wind and fog and is often several degrees warmer than the town of Half Moon Bay. A trail from the parking area consists of the old ranch road along Mills Creek. After a mile it passes a 1930s bungalow that serves as a park residence.

Pillar Point Harbor

Pillar Point Harbor

6.26km from Poplar Beach

Pillar Point Harbor is a boat harbor created by a riprap jetty in San Mateo County, California. The contemporary hamlet is the site of a small cluster of resort hotels and restaurants, and the harbor is now used largely by pleasure craft.

Mavericks Beach

Mavericks Beach

6.41km from Poplar Beach

Mavericks is a surfing location in northern California outside Pillar Point Harbor, just north of the town of Half Moon Bay at the village of Princeton-by-the-Sea. After a strong winter storm in the northern Pacific Ocean, waves can routinely crest at over 25 ft and top out at over 60 ft. Routinely, waves that break can be recorded on seismometers. The break is caused by an unusually shaped underwater rock formation.

Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve

The Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve is located on the western slopes of historic Kings Mountain in Woodside. Purisima Creek Redwoods doesn’t have any old-growth redwood groves; its two canyons are instead filled with dense stands of small to mid-sized second-growth redwoods. The popular Redwood Trail is wheelchair accessible. Like many parks in California, dogs are not allowed. The preserve is home to many species of animals, including bobcats, mountain lions, coyotes and rabbits.

Montara Mountain

Montara Mountain

8.34km from Poplar Beach

Montara Mountain is a challenging oceanside hike on the northern edge of the Santa Cruz Mountains, mixing Hawaii-like greenery with beautiful coastal views. Its Trail starts as a meandering jaunt through the Blue Gum Eucalyptus forest with striking glimpses of coastal Pacifica and the ocean beyond.

Rancho Corral de Tierra

Rancho Corral de Tierra

8.55km from Poplar Beach

Rancho is one of the largest undeveloped parcels of land on the San Mateo peninsula. Once planned for development, this land is now protected as part of our nation's natural legacy. The park contains sensitive habitat for several rare and endangered species, including the San Francisco garter snake and the Montara manzanita. Hiking, biking, and horse trails are present, but are still being developed, and may not be in good condition until repaired.

Martin's Beach

Martin's Beach

9.62km from Poplar Beach

A public beach in front of a private gated community. The property is surrounded by high cliffs and farm lands so there is just one way to the beach – the gated road.For many years Martins Beach has been a popular spot for families, surfers, photographers, fishermen and others.

J V Fitzgerald Marine Reserve

J V Fitzgerald Marine Reserve

9.96km from Poplar Beach

Fitzgerald Marine Reserve is a marine reserve in California on the Pacific Ocean. The reserve is a 32-acre holding which extends from Montara light station at the north to Pillar Point on the south. The reserve consists of a three-mile stretch of beach.

Crystal Springs Reservoir

Crystal Springs Reservoir

10.73km from Poplar Beach

A pair of artificial lakes located in the northern Santa Cruz Mountains of San Mateo County. It is one of the beautiful recreational location in this area and also there are so many things to ee and do in this natural area.

The Crystal Springs Regional Trail

The Crystal Springs Regional Trail

11.05km from Poplar Beach

The Crystal Springs Regional Trail is a planned 17.5-mile trail that, when finished, will extend from San Bruno to Woodside. 15.3 miles of the trail are now complete. It provides an alternative recreational route to the 1,210-mile Juan Bautista DeAnza National Historic Trail.The trail serves over 325,000 visitors annually. People of all ages can be seen on a given day, from parents with children in strollers to distance runners.

Point Montara Lighthouse

Point Montara Lighthouse

11.18km from Poplar Beach

The Point Montara Light is a lighthouse in Montara, California, United States, on the southern approach to the San Francisco Bay, California approximately 25 miles south of San Francisco.The lighthouse is not open to the public, and is the site of a youth hostel sponsored by Hostelling International USA.

Phleger Estate

Phleger Estate

11.66km from Poplar Beach

This 1,084-acre park on the San Francisco Peninsula anchors the southern terminus of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area and lies between Huddart County Park and the historical Filoli mansion.This area was once a portion of Rancho Cañada de Raymundo which was aggressively logged during the nineteenth century. After entering the estate from Cañada and Edgewood Roads, Phleger Road immediately crosses the south fork of Laguna Creek which flows north to Upper Crystal Springs Reservoir.

Pulgas Water Temple

Pulgas Water Temple

11.75km from Poplar Beach

Pulgas Water Temple is a beautiful monument complete with a reflection pool lined with cypress trees and meadows of grass. it was designed in the Beaux Arts style by William Merchant, a San Francisco architect trained by Bernard Maybeck. The water temple was originally built in 1934 (and revamped in 1938) as part of a massive project to bring water to San Francisco by damming up the Hetch Hetchy valley, 160 miles away in the Sierras.

Montara State Beach

Montara State Beach

11.92km from Poplar Beach

Montara State Beach is a wide mile-long beach just north of Montara along the San Mateo County Coast. It is a popular spot for sunbathing, strolling, nature study, surfing, and more. It is one of the cleanest beaches in the state and there are bike, hiking, and horseback trails. The Devil's Slide is at the north end of the beach and the trail starts from a beach parking lot. A lighthouse operated as a hostel is part of the state park.

Filoli Historic House & Garden

Filoli Historic House & Garden

11.96km from Poplar Beach

Filoli is a country house set in 16 acres. It was built for Mr. and Mrs. William Bowers Bourn II. Now owned by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which is open to the public now.

McNee Ranch State Park

McNee Ranch State Park

12.47km from Poplar Beach

McNee Ranch State Park is a beautiful, scenic, and surprising park. Comprised almost entirely of wide, multi-use fire roads. The highest point in the 690-acre ranch rises to 1,898 feet above sea level. An unpaved fire road, the North Peak Access Road, accessible from the Pedro Mountain Road, provides access to the summit by hikers.

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Poplar Beach

Poplar Beach

Poplar Beach, Poplar St, Half Moon Bay, CA 94019, USA

A beautful beach, which lies at the end of Poplar Street west of State Route 1. The Coastal Trail links Poplar Beach to Half Moon Bay State Beach along the top of a bluff with scenic views of the Pacific Ocean and the Mavericks surfing location to the north. This hiking trail is also open to horses and dogs.