Bean Hollow State Beach

📍 Local Knowledge

Bean Hollow State Beach in San Mateo is a fairly exposed beach and reef break that only works when conditions align perfectly. It features a preferred left-hand reef break and performs best around mid tide during summer, with offshore winds from the east and swells coming mostly from the southwest. The spot is rarely crowded but poses hazards like rips and sharks. Optimal surf conditions occur when a southwest swell coincides with offshore winds from the east, with the most consistent clean waves typically found in winter, especially in January.