Not far from San Francisco, is the rural town of Montara CA, with its historic charm. Montara State Beach is dangerous for swimmers due to the steep sandy drop, but popular with experienced surfers. Gray whales are a constant sight at Nearby Gray Whale Cove State Beach. Visit beautiful Montara State Beach with it’s wide mile-long beach just north of Montara along the San Mateo County Coast. Behind the beach are stunning sculpted sandstone cliffs making this a very photogenic spot, or head to the historic lighthouse at Point Montara Light Station, with restored and preserved buildings from the 1870’s. Anything you do in Montara CA will be amazing, start planning today! For all the great area beaches, click here.
Weather – When to Visit Montara
In Montara, the summers are short, comfortable, dry, and mostly clear and the winters are long, cold, wet, windy, and partly cloudy. Over the course of the year, the temperature typically varies from 44°F to 66°F and is rarely below 38°F or above 75°F. The best time of year to visit Montara for warm-weather activities is from mid July to late September.
The Best Montara CA Beaches
Montara State Beach
Montara State Beach is a wide mile-long beach just north of Montara along the San Mateo County Coast. Behind the beach are stunning sculpted sandstone cliffs making this a very photogenic spot. At the south end of the beach you can climb up a steep narrow path to a little promontory surrounded by astonishing natural beauty.
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Gray Whale Cove State Beach
Cliffs surround this sandy beach, where whales are often spotted close to the shore. The beach (also known as Devil’s Slide) features a sheltered cove surrounded by cliffs that drop abruptly into the Pacific Ocean. A steep trail leads down to the beach. There is a small picnic area on the bluff above. Gray whales can often be seen close to the shore.
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Point Montara Light Station
Point Montara Light Station is located between Montara State Beach and the city of Moss Beach, CA. The waves crash hard on rocks below the lighthouse grounds, but there is a small sandy beach with access. A footpath leads north from the lighthouse through a picket fence to the edge of the bluff. It quickly splits and the left trail goes out to a point and down to the rocks. The right trail leads back to a creek drainage and down to the beach. This is a good place to just enjoy the view, take pictures, and look for whales offshore if it’s their migration season.
McNee Ranch State Park
Montara mountain (also known as McNee Ranch) is part of Montara State Beach. The mountain is a northern spur of the Santa Cruz Mountains and features the only undisturbed Coastal Mountain Habitat found over 100 miles of coastline. There are steep mountainside trails for hiking, biking & dog walking, with sweeping views of the Pacific below.
Gray Whale North Beach
Edun Beach is the local nickname for Gray Whale North Beach. There is a clothes-free area is to the right at the bottom of the stairs. It is sometimes just confined to the north side of the line of rocks and the prominent rock wall that sticks out into the sand, but it spills over into the other areas of the north end. High above the beach is a strange-looking structure called the Devils Slide Bunker. It is an old WWII lookout that once protected the Bay Area from air and sea-based intruders.
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Best Restaurants in Montara
$-Inexpensive $$-Moderate $$$-Pricey $$$$-Ultra High End
La Costanera $$$$
Perched on Montara Beach overlooking the Pacific Ocean, La Costanera is a contemporary Peruvian restaurant serving coastal cuisine of Latin America. They also offer a full bar, domestic and imported Peruvian beers and a hand selected wine list. Telephone: 650-728-1600 Web: La Costanera
Gherkin’s Sandwich Shop $
They serve craft sandwiches with your choice of turkey, roast beef, pastrami, ham, salami and unique offerings for their vegetarian guests.
Their salads are made with only the freshest ingredients and they have the best burgers in town! Try their special breakfast and frittata sandwiches made with all your favorites. Telephone: 650-728-2211 Web: Gherkin’s Sandwich Shop
3-Zero Cafe $$ – $$$
The 3-Zero Cafe offers distinctive family meals. Kids love the Mickey Mouse pancakes, adults rave over the brioche french toast. The decor consists of model planes and other airport-related memorabilia and is sure to make a positive impression, leaving your family with a fun memory from your visit to the California coastline. Telephone: 650-728-1411 Web: 3-Zero Cafe
Moss Beach Distillery Restaurant $$ – $$$
The Moss Beach Distillery sits at the edge of a cliff in Half Moon Bay, California overlooking the ocean. We offer delicious steaks and fresh seafood alongside a haunted setting provided by our resident ghost the “Blue Lady.” For the more casual outing they offer a heated outdoor patio that comes fitted with warm blankets and fire pits. Telephone: 650-728-5595 Web: Moss Beach Distillery Restaurant
Mezzaluna $$ – $$$
Mezzaluna offers southern Italian dishes with a California flair, serving only the highest quality meats, fish, and produce, much of it locally sourced. The restaurant, located in Princeton by the Sea, is just 20 miles south of San Francisco, near the heart of Silicon Valley. Telephone: 650-728-8108 Web: Mezzaluna
Best Montara Nightlife
The Wine Room
A great little wine bar. Coast-side cute on the outside. Modern on the inside. Nice and warm making for the perfect place to curl up with a friend, a group, or just you and your glass. The music talent is usually from the local area, but widely known and in many cases, published more than a few times. Telephone: 650-728-9463 Web: The Wine Room
Old Princeton Landing Public House & Grill
They host live music, private events, festivals, sporting events, plus pool and dart tournaments. Their garden back patio is dog friendly! Every weekend they host the best bands from around the Bay Area and coming through on tour. Telephone: 650-728-7096 Web: Old Princeton Landing Public House & Grill
Hop Dogma Brewing Company
They specialize in creative, handcrafted ales and lagers always made with exciting and premium ingredients which they personally source. Hop Dogma enjoys brewing small batches that enables them to constantly experiment and perfect their products. They partner with Lamas Restaurant to provide great food with your craft beer. Telephone: 650-560-8729 Web: Hop Dogma Brewing Company
Cheers of Pacifica
Locals bar in beautiful Pacifica Beach. Cool bartenders. A great 3 piece band comes on at 7 pm. And the band is great! Great tunes and cold drinks. Can’t get better! Telephone: 650-359-1225 Web: Cheers of Pacifica
Devil’s Slide Taproom
The main focus is west coast craft beer but if a certain brewery makes a beer that the customers are asking for, it will be brought in so that everyone can enjoy their favorites. The menu may be simple but what is on the menu is done well. With a head chef that has over 30 years of experience, these bar bites have been elevated. Telephone: 650-898-8855 Web: Devil’s Slide Taproom
Best Hotels Near Montara
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Montara sounds like one of those coastal spots where the ocean writes the itinerary for you. The mix of dramatic cliffs, whale-watching views, and that historic lighthouse vibe makes it feel peaceful but still full of things to explore. I especially like that you mentioned the swimming caution because that kind of local insight really helps travelers plan safely. The restaurant suggestions also add personality since coastal food stops often become the most memorable moments of a trip. If someone only had one day there, would you recommend focusing more on the beaches or exploring the hiking trails and viewpoints first?
A one-day visit usually works best when you blend both. Start with the trails or lighthouse viewpoints while the marine layer is lifting because the views often sharpen later in the morning. Then shift toward the beaches for sunset since that stretch of coast really knows how to put on a show. Adding a relaxed meal afterward keeps the whole day feeling unhurried. Would you lean toward photography, wildlife spotting, or just soaking in the coastal calm if you visited? 🌊
Montara sounds like such a peaceful coastal gem — I love that it’s so close to San Francisco yet feels a world away. The cliffs and lighthouse views sound absolutely breathtaking, and I’d definitely want to visit during whale season to see the grays passing by. La Costanera’s oceanfront setting sounds perfect for a sunset dinner, too. I’m curious though — is Montara more of a quiet day-trip destination, or are there enough things to do and places to stay to make it a good weekend getaway spot?
Thank you! You captured Montara beautifully — it really is that perfect blend of rugged scenery and quiet charm. It’s often visited as a day trip from San Francisco, but it absolutely works as a weekend escape too. There are a few cozy inns and B&Bs nearby, and with beaches, scenic hikes at McNee Ranch, and restaurants like La Costanera and Moss Beach Distillery close by, you’ll have plenty to fill a couple of days. Plus, the sunsets here are incredible — especially from the cliffs near the lighthouse. It’s the kind of place where slowing down feels effortless!