Sweeping, romantic, and vast, Garrapata State Park has all the stuff of swoon-worthy scenery. There’s an inland hike you can do, the Soberanes Canyon Trail, and a magical beach backed by hulking cliffs with a hiking trail we like best in the later afternoon, when the beach can be blissfully deserted.

Walk the Garrapata Coastal Trail, an easygoing 1-mile loop along ice-plant-covered cliffs. Views stretch up and down the coast, punctuated by dramatic vantages of the beach below.

Late day sunlight glints off the ocean, and the sand is alight in golden glory. To reach the beach, detour down the stairway and stroll the strand, watching the waves, inhaling the sea breeze, and checking out forts made from driftwood.

Dog-friendly!