This is still work in progress. Please excuse any inconsistencies and misspellings. Thank you for visiting!
Hidden beach park
Hidden Beach Park is a small hard-to-find park in a creek ravine that empties out on a sandy beach in the Rio Del Mar community in Aptos.
The park has grass lawns, a kids playground, and picnic tables. Unfortunately, there are only eight spaces in the parking lot and the street is too narrow for shoulder parking. A small overflow lot is just down the street, but that’s it parking-wise. A paved ramp leads to a wide section of beach that is between housing developments built right on the sand. Half way down the hill are two benches next to the path that look out to the Pacific Ocean. To find Hidden Beach Park from Highway 1, take the Rio Del Mar Boulevard exit and follow it west to Cliff Drive which eventually ends at the parking lot.
It takes about 15 min to get down to the beach by foot and a bit longer to get back to the house as you will be walking uphill.
How to get to the Hidden Beach
It’s a very nice hike down the forested area and a romantic old rail bridge.
Turn right on Loyola drive
Continue down and make left turn on Doris Avenue
Continue walking downhill; Turn right on Los Altos Drive
Cross and turn left on Sumner Ave
On you right you should notice wooden stairs and a path to the forest area. Take that path!
Continue walking. You will cross under the old wooden railroad bridge and eventually get into small parking lot
Look for the road with the metal gate that leads to the kids playground
Follow this road. It will lead you to the beach!
Follow Google map:
Use you phone camera to scan the code or continue to the link:
Other beaches to visit in Aptos
You can find beach towels in the hallway sideboard. There is also a blanket you can take to the beach..