Cabrillo Beach Inner Harbor and Tide Pools

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Cabrillo Beach Inner Harbor and Tide Pools

Photo: Tichnor Brothers, Publisher · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

🏖️ Beach · San Pedro

3 hours · Free · No reservation needed

age fit
0–1 yr
★ 4.0
1–3 yrs
★ 5.0
3–5 yrs
★ 5.0
5–10 yrs
★ 5.0
  • 🚗
    About 45 min drive
    From Arcadia · Parking: Beach lot about $1–2/hour (daily cap on summer weekends), right next to the aquarium
  • 🍼
    Stroller-friendly
    Flat surfaces — bring the stroller
  • 🌳
    Little shade
    Handles heat · Great on sunny days · Wind-OK
  • ⏱️
    Typical visit: 3 hours
    Best seasons: Summer · Spring · Fall · Winter

One beach, two ways to play: the inner harbor beach behind the breakwater has almost no waves and shallow water, right next to a playground and the free Cabrillo Marine Aquarium; the outer beach at low tide has the easiest-to-find tide pools in Southern California, with starfish, anemones and crabs galore.

💡 Tips
Always check the tide tables for the tide pools and go at a big low (negative) tide, in grippy shoes that can get wet. The inner harbor water occasionally gets advisories; check the county public health website. You can bring a grill.

What this place offers

✓no waves
✓tide pools
✓playground
✓aquarium
✓grills
✓restrooms
✓picnic

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This weekend's weather in San Pedro

Forecast at the destination itself (coast and hills often differ from home)

☀️
Sat 10/17
Sunny · 79–92°F · 0% rain
☀️
Sun 10/18
Sunny · 76–86°F · 0% rain

Location

San Pedro, California

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