01
Best overall pick
MacKerricher State Park Beach
Cleone Shoreline • Wild Oceanfront State Park • Best Overall Coastal Experience
A long sweep of rugged beach backed by dunes, boardwalks, and coastal bluffs just minutes from Cleone.
This is the closest and most versatile beach for Cleone, with easy pullouts along the park road and a mix of sand, tide pools, and rocky points. It’s a good place to spot harbor seals hauled out on offshore rocks and to catch dramatic winter swell. Pack layers for the wind and fog, and give wildlife plenty of space.
02
Best for big horizons
Ten Mile Beach
North Of Cleone • Wide, Windswept Strand • Best For Long Walks And Solitude
A broad, often quiet beach with mile‑after‑mile of sand, low dunes, and open ocean views.
Accessed from the north end of MacKerricher, Ten Mile feels wilder and more remote than the park’s main day‑use areas. Once you drop onto the sand, you can walk for ages with only the surf and seabirds for company. It’s a favorite for reflective strolls and photography, but the currents are strong, so most people stay on the sand rather than swimming.
03
Compact and scenic
Virgin Creek Beach
South Of Cleone • Compact Surfy Cove • Best For Surfers And Tide Pooling
A small creekside beach tucked below bluffs, popular with local surfers and sunset watchers.
Just a short drive toward Fort Bragg, Virgin Creek feels intimate, with a creek cutting across the sand and bluffs framing the cove. Low tide reveals tide pools and interesting rock formations, while higher swell days draw surfers just offshore. Parking is limited and tucked in a neighborhood, so be respectful of driveways and keep noise down.
04
Most famous shoreline
Glass Beach
Fort Bragg • Quirky Glass‑Strewn Cove • Iconic Must‑See Stop
A series of small coves where wave‑polished sea glass sparkles among the pebbles below bluff‑top paths.
Once a town dump, Glass Beach is now a heavily visited landmark with formal access and fenced overlooks. It’s more about the novelty, coastal views, and short walks than a classic stretch of sand, and crowds are common on weekends. Take photos, leave the glass in place, and wander the adjoining coastal trail for quieter viewpoints.
05
Easiest family stop
Pudding Creek Beach
Fort Bragg North End • Family‑Friendly River Mouth Beach • Best For Easy Access And Short Outings
A sheltered beach where a shallow creek meets the ocean, framed by a photogenic wooden trestle.
Just south of Cleone at the edge of Fort Bragg, this beach is an easy choice when you want simple parking and a short walk to the sand. The creek side often stays calmer than the open surf, giving kids space to splash under close supervision. The old trestle bridge above doubles as a coastal trail, offering quick, scenic views of the shoreline.