Santa Claus Beach — Local services in Toro Canyon

Last month, on a weekday in the middle of summer, is when I dropped in to this beach known by several names... Santa Claus Beach (unofficial name) and Padaro Beach (offical name). It was so hectic to get to this beach due to all the road construction. And the beach was packed due to the various local children's summer camps and tourists.

First, thing to note is the road construction. Possibly it's over by now. But when I visited, the road had no parking for the stretch right along the public access to the beach. It's free access and parking. The normal spots were taken by the construction crew and their equipment and materials. They were digging up the road. I saw a lot of folks parking in the road construction zone. The crew were calling tow trucks depending on where those cars were parked.

Anyway, we parked really far away and hoofed it in while dodging dozers, street traffic, and construction crew. The access to the beach is limited to the open stretch where so happened the construction was occurring. Other access points are private property. Don't be tempted to cut through, it's illegal. Once you get to the public access area, you'll need to hike a wee bit of sandy elevation to cross the train tracks. Have your wits about while trekking near and on the tracks. They are live tracks. Look both ways from afar and be ready to move to a safe distance if there is an incoming train.

We ventured further to the far edges of the beach. The beach was clean. Sand was soft. Good vibes. Watch out at high tides if you venture to the far sides, the beach shrinks at high tide. And a rocky outcropping is beyond the sand. Plus there are no plumbed public restrooms, but I did see...

After lunch at Padaro Beach Grill (see other posts on that little gem), we strolled down to Santa Claus Beach. With the namesake of the Jolly Ol' Elf himself, how could it go wrong?

Fairly easy access but did require climbing over the rocks that abutt the shore and separate it from the trail and Surfliner train tracks. I spotted a woman who was about 6 months pregnant safely traverse the rocks as well as a couple who appeared to be in their late 60s or early 70s. No one seemed affected so I figured I should be up to the 4ask, as well. Getting from the trail, that ran directly off the road, to the beach, took about 3 minutes. No big deal.

Once on the beach, it was spectacular. No bugs or sand flies, no trash, no bad smells, and the sand was clean, fine, and soft. The water temp was not bad and I'd have gone all in had I planned ahead and brought change of clothes. Best of all, no crowds or raucous groups....

Starting going to this beach in 1982. There were only three people on the beach. That continued up until about 84. Now on a Sundays and holidays the beach looks like the crowed Coney Island beach. Parking is crazy and, the beach is crowed. Week days less crowed. Beach is beautiful. But picked clean of most sea shells; and there are no longer any sand dollars that used to be in abundance. On a good day dolphins hang out off shore. At lowtides you can access the beach area near the houses. My advice is on sunny warm weekends pick another beach. Or, if you don't mind the...