Gray Whale Cove State Beach is one of the best beaches near San Francisco. Montara State Beach is a beach located eight miles north of Half Moon Bay on State Route 1, USA. Montara State Beach is a 0.8-mile stretch of clean, coarse sand north of Half Moon Bay. The dogs didn’t seem to mind where we walked, they just loved racing about with the wind in … Use caution as there are dangerous sneaker waves, and a very strong rip current (NEVER turn your back on the ocean and watch children and pets carefully). Also operates a lighthouse as hostel. The Montara State Beach is about eight miles north of Half Moon Bay and 20 miles south of San Francisco. Montara State BeachDog-Friendly BeachesHighway 1Half Moon Bay,California Montara Mountain (also called McNee Ranch) is part of Montara State Beach. Pack your trash in and out. Greenwood State Beach is where Greenwood Creek meets back with the ocean. Behind the beach are stunning sculpted sandstone cliffs making this a very photogenic spot. Visiting Montara State Beach. You'll need to keep your furry explorer on a leash no longer than six feet at all times, even in the water. We wen to Montara State Beach. This 625-acre park is a unit of the California State Park System. About Montara State Beach: Montara State Beach is a wide, mile-long beach just north of Montara along the San Mateo County Coast. The entrance to the beach can be easily missed but there is a wooden sign right in front of the parking lot turn in. A footpath leads north from the lighthouse through a picket fence to the edge of the bluff. Dogs: Dogs permitted on leash only. Read more. On the East side of the road, you can find an old white fence and wooden arch that looks like it once belonged to a ranch.