Portuguese Beach
About
Portuguese Beach is a public ocean beach in California, part of the Sonoma-Lake Napa Unit and about half a mile from the town of Carmet. It's a simple stop with restrooms on site, no fee to visit, and no swimming allowed. Dogs are not permitted, so plan to leave them at home. The most comfortable stretch for a visit runs from late summer into early fall. Typical averages from a nearby weather station show September highs around 66°F with only about four wet days, while winter months bring highs in the mid-50s and roughly 11 wet days. For more time outdoors, Pomo Canyon Trail and the Pomo Canyon climbing area are both about 3 miles away. Red Hill Trail is a little farther, and Russian Gulch Creek offers canoeing about 9 miles off.
Beach Details
Swimming
Not allowed
Dogs
Not allowed
Parking
Available
Fee
Free
Restrooms
Yes
As published by the managing agency. Lifeguards, fees and dog rules are often seasonal, so check posted signs before you swim.
Location
Portuguese Beach
California
Data: California Coastal Commission, YourCoast public access data. Source metadata
Facts about this place
When to go
Best time to go: Jun–Oct. The mildest months here, with typical highs of 61–66°F and lows of 49–52°F.
Typical monthly averages (not a forecast) from the Bodega 6 Wsw, CA weather station, 3.9 mi away. High / low in °F.
- Jan56° high45° low
- Feb56° high45° low
- Mar57° high46° low
- Apr57° high46° low
- May58° high48° low
- Jun61° high49° low
- Jul62° high51° low
- Aug63° high52° low
- Sep66° high51° low
- Oct62° high49° low
- Nov59° high47° low
- Dec55° high44° low
Where it is
- Sonoma-Lake Napa Unit · Public land
- Nearest town
- Carmet, California · 0.5 mi
Source: NIFC Jurisdictional Units; USGS GNIS populated places
Nearby
- Pomo Canyon TrailHiking3.1 mi
- Pomo CanyonRock climbing3.2 mi
- Red Hill TrailHiking3.3 mi
- Lower Old Barn TrailHiking3.5 mi
Super SlabRock climbingPhoto: Apuch, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)6 mi- Main RockRock climbing8.3 mi
- Russian Gulch CreekCanoeing8.9 mi
- Estero AmericanoCanoeing9.9 mi
Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)
Best time to visit Portuguese Beach
Best months: April–February. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.
Jan
56° / 45°
11 wet
Feb
56° / 45°
11 wet
Mar
57° / 46°
13 wet
Apr
57° / 46°
8 wet
May
58° / 48°
5 wet
Jun
61° / 49°
4 wet
Jul
62° / 51°
4 wet
Aug
63° / 52°
4 wet
Sep
66° / 51°
4 wet
Oct
62° / 49°
6 wet
Nov
59° / 47°
8 wet
Dec
55° / 44°
11 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Bodega 6 Wsw, CA, 3.9 mi away at 63 ft. We don't have this place's elevation, so higher spots nearby can run cooler. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
