Know before you go
A little care.
A better day out.
Public access
Use the signed memorial-beach day-use area. Pier access may differ from sand access.
Keep the coast wild
Keep an eye on swell and the rising tide. Leave shells and wildlife where they belong; use signed access and never climb around a closure.
With your dog
Leashed dogs at Hearst Memorial Beach, but not on San Simeon Pier or all adjoining trails.
Current dog-zone rules ↗A family day
Picnic tables and an established beach day-use area.
Shells along this shore
Look along the strand line and photograph the shells you spot. Shells and fragments vary with weather and season.
Look along the strand line as the tide recedes, when access is safe. High-water marks can hold empty shells too; finds are never guaranteed.
Ask the land manager about current shell-removal rules. An empty shell is not automatically permitted to take.
Current shell-collection rules ↗