Coyote Point Recreation Area

Coyote Point was once an island in San Francisco Bay, a knoll about 80 feet high ringed by salt marsh. Today it is a San Mateo County park of about 670 acres on the line between San Mateo and Burlingame, according to Wikipedia. The knoll is covered by a eucalyptus grove you can pick out from planes landing at SFO. Around it are a sandy beach, a marina, picnic lawns and the CuriOdyssey science museum and zoo.

It is the closest big bayfront park to Palo Alto that offers a real beach and steady wind. Families come for CuriOdyssey and the playground, windsurfers and kiteboarders for the afternoon breeze and plane spotters for the parade of jets. This guide covers the drive and fees, the winter closures, trails, water sports and the rules.

Getting there

From Palo Alto, take Highway 101 north about 15 miles and exit in San Mateo, then follow signs for Coyote Point Recreation Area along Coyote Point Drive. The drive takes 20 to 25 minutes outside rush hour. The park address is 1701 Coyote Point Drive. Pay the vehicle fee at the entrance station.

Cyclists can arrive on the San Francisco Bay Trail, which runs through the inland part of the park. Our Bay Trail guide covers the Palo Alto end of the route.

Hours and fees

The county says the park is open every day of the year, including holidays, from 8 a.m. Closing times change through the year:

• Vehicle entry: $6. CuriOdyssey admission is separate.
• Annual pass: the county's pass, listed at $72, covers vehicle entry at all county parks.
• Fee waiver: the county offers an entry fee waiver for those who qualify; ask at the entrance or on the county site.

Hours can change for weather or emergencies. Check the county's park page and its advisories before you go.

What is closed this winter

The county posted these notices for the 2026 to 2027 season:

• Magic Mountain Playground and the surrounding picnic sites closed on September 14, 2026 for construction of a new playground. Picnic reservations there will not be available until the area reopens, expected in spring 2027.
• The parking lot behind Magic Mountain and its EV charging stations are closed during construction. The RV camping area and the restroom near Magic Mountain remain open.
• Eucalyptus Playground has been decommissioned because of old equipment and a lack of replacement parts. The county has no immediate plans to replace it.

The old Magic Mountain, reopened in 2006 after a redesign, was known for its 42-foot castle and purple dragons. In August 2026 the county announced the winning design for its replacement: "Magical Adventure in a Seaside Land," chosen by 78 percent of more than 840 survey responses. It features a sea-themed landscape for free-range play and, in the lower area, a 50-foot zipline for all abilities.

The county also warned of possible flooding from high tides during a strong El Niño this fall and winter. On the highest tides, low paths near the shore may flood.

Trails

The county says its trails page is being updated to reflect changes in the trail system, so use the current park map or brochure. Paved paths link most areas. The named trails:

• Bay Trail: the regional trail's segment through the inland side of the park.
• Bluff Trail: through the eucalyptus grove on the knoll, overlooking the bay.
• Marina Trail: a short loop on the marina breakwater.
• Promenade Trail: paved, along the beach promenade, looking north across the water toward SFO.
• Shoreline Trail: the park's only unpaved trail, good for watching birds along the salt marsh.

Bikes and motor vehicles are not allowed off designated paved areas. For birders, our birdwatching guide compares the marsh here with the Palo Alto Baylands.

The beach, windsurfing and the marina

The Promenade on the north shore was rebuilt and reopened in May 2022, the county says, with a new crescent-shaped beach designed to cope better with rising seas, a seat wall, accessible beach access points, more parking and a better-placed restroom. Families play in the sand. The county says the cool water is refreshing on hot days and that open-water swimmers use the beach. Food and drink are allowed on the beach but alcohol is not.

Steady winds from spring to fall have made the Promenade one of Northern California's best-known windsurfing spots. Three launch ramps serve windsurfers, kiteboarders, sea kayakers and paddleboarders. Launching from the Promenade is free; launching from the marina costs a fee. Boardsports School, just off the Promenade, rents gear and teaches lessons. The county's advice: wear a PFD, expect choppy water on some days, bring a wetsuit for longer sessions and check the tide book and the Third Avenue wind meter. Our kayaking and paddling guide lists calmer water closer to Palo Alto.

The Coyote Point Yacht Club, a private club of more than 300 boat owners, sits just south of the marina. Its restaurant is for members, guests and affiliated clubs.

CuriOdyssey and other attractions

CuriOdyssey, on the knoll, is half science museum and half small zoo of native animals. Its winter hours, from November 2, are daily 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The county notes that CuriOdyssey members may park only during museum visits, in the museum lot or the overflow lots near the marina.

Other things in the park:

• RV camping: the county's fee schedule lists RV camping at Coyote Point only, $45 a night including one RV and one vehicle.
• Pistol and rifle range: open to the public Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 7 to 10 p.m.; $5 adults and $4 for youth 17 and under. Rangemaster: (650) 573-2557.
• Kiddo's Chu Chu: a trackless kids' train that ran weekends from May 2 to September 27, 2026 for $6 a ride. Watch for its 2027 return.
• Plane spotting: the paths give views of the San Mateo Bridge and jets taking off and landing at SFO.

Dogs, bikes and park rules

• Dogs: allowed on leash on designated and posted trails and areas. Dogs are banned inside CuriOdyssey and in a signed zone near it, to protect the museum's animals and your pet. Other pets are not allowed. Coyote Point is one of the few San Mateo County parks open to dogs; see our dog-friendly hikes guide for others.
• Bikes: paved roads and parking areas only.
• Fires: only in park barbecue pits.
• Alcohol: beer and wine only, in certain areas; none on the beach.
• Banned: drones and other remote-control models, smoking, amplified music, feeding wildlife and Mylar balloons, which can foul the high-voltage power lines.

Safety and history

Shell mounds on the point show the Ohlone used it, likely for feasts or ceremonies, the county says; Wikipedia adds that human remains about 4,000 years old turned up during marina dredging in 1987. The Howard family bought the land in 1850, built a beach bathhouse in 1880 and planted the eucalyptus, cypress and pine on the knoll. In 1922 promoters opened the Pacific City amusement park on the beach. A fire in its second season destroyed about a quarter of it and it never reopened. From 1942 to 1946 the knoll held a Merchant Marine cadet school, then the College of San Mateo. The county took over the site as a park in 1962.

What pairs nearby

• San Mateo: lunch downtown and the Japanese Garden in Central Park.
• Burlingame: Burlingame Avenue is a few minutes north.
• Poplar Creek Golf Course: the city course next door, on the old marsh between the island and the mainland.

Frequently asked questions