Will Travel for Tacos: A California Photography Location Guide, Stinson Beach

This isn't your average location guide! 

This is everything your anxious brain needs to know in order to make a location decision. From detailed descriptions of parking, the lowdown on the bathroom situation, any permit costs, fees, or tolls, average crowds, directions from Sacramento, and most importantly, where to get the best post photoshoot tacos!!

Think about this more as a travel blog, aimed at helping you find the most epic location for your photoshoot. That fits your vibe, style and meets the needs of you and your family!

Photoshoot Location: Stinson Beach California

Stinson Beach is a favorite of mine for photoshoots with couples, families, and for elopements! Here are all the important details to help you decide if this is the spot for you!

First, parking…There is a ton! It is free most days, or $15 in a select few lots. Most parking lots have direct access to the beach, with a fairly easy walk. No giant rickety staircases or steep cliff side trails. This is a major perk, and not aways the case for California beaches! My favorite lot to park in is the far south lot, close to the Stinson Beach Boulders (pictured above). The South parking lot is gravel and sand. If you have a wheelchair or walker, it is not the easiest or most accessible, I recommend the north lot instead. You can get beach wheelchairs through the park services upon request. But they are not available day of.

Second, bathrooms! I am not a huge fan of the bathroom situation at Stinson Beach. This is the biggest negative for this location. There are Bathrooms in the parking lots. But they are not as maintained as other beaches in California. However, they are certainly not the worst! The south lot bathroom does have a ramp, but it is also the lot with the most gravel and sand.

Third is getting there…From Sacramento it will take about two and a half hours. Traffic can pile up, so I always give myself an hour buffer. Worst case you arrive early and get tacos (more on that later). The most difficult part of the drive is when you have to catch Highway One. It is a tight road, with sweeping turns on a cliff side. If you get car sick, or have a family member that does, you may want to consider a different beach. There are turn outs for slower traffic. If you are not familiar with the area, just turn out into one of these small shoulders and let people pass. There are people who do this drive daily, you may think you are going fast enough, but to them you are so slow they want to pull their hair out…so just pull over, enjoy the view and let the locals get around you!

Next are tolls. You can get to Stinson without tolls, but it adds about 45 minutes to the drive. I opt for the toll. If you haven’t been through the toll areas in California, they are now unmanned. Drive through the stalls that say Fastrak or invoice. You will get an invoice in the mail from Fastrak, it isn’t a scam. It is just a wildly inconvenient billing system. The toll is $7.00 as of July 2024.

Once we get there: The Crowds! Okay, this isn’t exactly a secret beach y’all. It is absolutely crowded in the summers and on weekends. However, the majority of people start clearing out near sunset, when we will be arriving. In the photo above, you can see people in the background. I can edit them out, but I wanted to show you the real look! There were also people just off frame, to the right of the couple in the image. But we did not feel crowded at the time. There was plenty of beach for us to find our nook and enjoy the sunset and photoshoot! If you want zero people, this is not the beach for you! If you can make a midweek session work for your schedule, there will be considerably less people. If it is 110 degrees in Sacramento all bets are off. It will be wild!! But we will also not be in the 110-degree heat LOL

I will say, when the tide is low, we can play around the boulders, and walk to the other side of the boulders. This area is generally way more private, and at sunsets tends to be empty. However, we will be mindful of the tides. When they rise, the access is limited. I will have the tide times and will be mindful of our safety!

Finally, what to wear…The age-old conundrum. For Stinson beach, as well as other beaches in California, I recommend light layers, no shoes and a flexibility about hair and makeup. It will be windy, even on the calmest of days. We are in fact on the Pacific Ocean, wind will happen. Avoid high gloss lips…you will just have sandy lips.

I would also recommend not wearing your photoshoot outfit in the car on your way down to Stinson Beach. You can change in the bathrooms, or by the cars. I have a changing tent for privacy I always bring on sessions. I also advise you bring clothes to ride home in. If everything goes as hoped for at your photoshoot, you will end up playing in the surf and getting a little wet and sandy! I like to bring a big plastic tote to throw my beachy, wet and sandy clothes in. And cozy clothes to drive home in.

A special note for our four-legged friends: There is a section of the beach that does allow dogs. It is however, the most jam-packed part, not great for photos, and overall, overstimulating. This is not the location if you want to bring your dogs.

Okay, now the most important part!! 

My Favorite place to get pre or post-photoshoot tacos!!

I love tacos. Fish tacos are my favorite, but all are wonderful! I have said it for years…I will travel for tacos! And I mean it. I named this blog after this tried-and-true statement…Will Travel for Tacos!

Any who, when at Stinson Beach I stop at Breakers and get their crispy fish tacos. They serve everything in to-go boxes, with utensils, so you can easily grab and go to the beach. The portions are HUGE! Two people can absolutely share one plate.

Breakers is also a very walkable distance from the middle and south parking lots. If you are in the middle lot, there is a little pathway on the inland side of the lot, walk over it, and boom, you are basically at Breakers!

To be honest every eatery in the area is awesome, serves things to-go, and are a walkable distance! I just really love Breakers.

Overall, Stinson Beach is one of the more photoshoot friendly beaches! It is super casual has good wide-open parking, usable bathrooms, and of course great tacos!

I love that you do not have to hike to get to the beach. However, it does bring crowds. So, you have to be okay with people. But it is truly a California surfer vibe: despite the volume of people, it is laid back and chill. We can always find a private nook or two…and the sunsets last forever!

And the major perk for photographers: no permits required for photo sessions!

My travel fee for Stinson Beach photoshoots is $100 to account for gas, tolls, and time for travel.