Leo Carrillo State Beach — Attraction in Rolling Oaks Ranch

Leo Carrillo State Beach: Where California Lets Its Hair Down

Leo Carrillo is what happens when the California coast stops posing and just hangs out. Tucked a bit farther up the Pacific Coast Highway than its flashier Malibu siblings, this beach feels like the locals’ answer to a state park postcard—unpolished, expansive, and buzzing with quiet possibility.

This is a place where dogs sprint leashless through the surf, kids dig moats to nowhere, and tide pools hide tiny dramas in miniature—starfish clinging, crabs skittering, anemones pulsing like alien lungs. There’s a sense of permission here: to explore, to get dirty, to disappear into nature for a while.

The beach is big—plenty of space for surfers chasing steady breaks, sunbathers staking out their sandy square, and families stringing together days with picnic sandwiches and SPF 50. It’s not pristine in the Instagrammable sense. It’s better. It’s real. Driftwood litters the shore like forgotten sculptures, seaweed tangles at your feet, and the cliffs that fringe the beach feel ancient, windswept, and wise.

What sets Leo Carrillo apart is its versatility. Want to surf? Go north. Want to nap under a bluff? Head south. Want to hike inland a bit, then come back and cool off in the ocean? Totally doable. Even camping is on the table. You can stay here overnight, falling asleep to a chorus of waves and the occasional coyote call echoing from the hills.

And yet—it never feels overwhelming. It holds space for everyone, without trying too hard. No showbiz, no curated vibes. Just raw California coast, with a name that sounds like an old film star and a soul that feels stubbornly wild.

Rating: 9.1/10 — Leo Carrillo is the beach that remembers why we go to beaches in the first place: to breathe, to play, to reconnect with something quieter and older...

A great beach, with caveats. The beach has smooth sand, lots of rocks & decent breaking waves for surfers. We spent hours here this week with our grandkids (10 & 6). Portable toilets were plentiful and clean. No water. Caveats - It is more small, cobble rocks than tide pools, and it's pretty picked over, with a few crabs but no starfish or sea anenomes. A seal swam by and there's lots of kelp. The only parking we could find had a dicey access route. You can't park next to the beach, so you're going to have to slog your gear to the beach under an overpass. The path is in shadow for abt 15 yards, with cobbles and uneven surface. This is not a wheelchair or...

Beach goers beware - our family and four-legged partner just left Leo Carrillo dog beach, north of life guard stand #3, and we have tar all over our feet and shoes.

Worst of all, it got in the paws of our Indiana Jones. There are no warning signs of any sorts posted, so beware of where you step.

Many others were all cleaning their belongings, feet and sandals before leaving in the parking lot as we were leaving.

Great beach, awesome waves, great weather. The clean-up seemed to dampen the mood.

Update; fortunately we did not have to take our puppy to the emergency vet. Used some veggie oil and Dawn dish soap and was able to get out 95%. Lucky it was only...