Daily: 6am-10 pm
Vehicles are not admitted after 9pm

Located across Pacific Coast Highway from the 350-acre Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve, Bolsa Chica’s surf is mellow and rolling with consistently ride-able waves, making it a perfect place to test your burgeoning surfing skills. Because the bottom shelf here is shallower than at the other beaches, it produces smaller waves and several surf schools teach here. Surfing is allowed the entire day (no black ball) all year long, except south of the main tower during summer.

Bolsa Chica is also known for its “Grunion Runs.” Grunion are small silvery fish 5”-6” inches in length that for a few hours, six to eight nights a month between March and August, rush towards the shore in schools of thousands. They jump completely out of the water and unlike most fish, lay their eggs on land. The Grunion time their arrival right after the peak of the high tide. It’s an amazing sight. You can stand in the shallow shoreline during the runs, grabbing the fish with your bare hands and loading them into buckets, except during the “no take” season from March to May.

Surf fishing is also excellent at this beach with Perch, Corbina, Croaker, Cabezon and Sand Shark commonly caught. Another great thing about Bolsa Chica Beach is you can camp overnight at its RV campground all year long, which is a wonderful way to fully experience the natural wonders of HB.

See the accommodations section of this website for RV parking information about Bolsa Chica State Beach.

Open to foot traffic at Warner Avenue. Only accessible by car through one entry point at the stoplight one mile south of Warner Avenue across from the entrance to Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve.