Parking at El Matador State Beach costs from $8/day. Compare 2 nearby lots and garages by price, walking distance and how full each one is right now, plus metered street parking. Lot locations, rates and hours are real and geocoded. Tap a pin for driving directions.
2 lots · 75 spaces. Scrub the time slider for the crowd estimate.
On-street parking
0 metered spaces · N/A · No legal street parking on PCH at El Matador -- lot only. Pay by plate or ParkMobile.
Local moves
El Matador has a small state beach lot -- arrive before 8 AM on weekends or expect to circle.
Overflow parking spills onto PCH shoulders -- illegal and ticketed, so don't risk it.
La Piedra and El Pescador (nearby state beaches) have their own small lots -- check all three if El Matador is full.
Low tide is the best time to visit -- check tide tables and aim for 1-2 hours before low.
The $8-12 state beach fee is cash only -- bring exact change.
Parking at El Matador State Beach costs from $8/day. The cheapest paid lot is El Matador State Beach Lot at $8-12/day.
Parking at El Matador State Beach is paid — there is no free beach lot. Lots start at $8/day. Arriving early or late in the day is your best bet for a spot.
El Matador State Beach has 2 lots within walking distance; the largest is El Matador State Beach Lot (45 spaces). The lots nearest the sand fill first, so the ones a block or two back usually have room. Use the live map above to compare walking distance and how full each lot is right now.
On warm, sunny weekend days the closest El Matador State Beach lots fill by mid-morning. Arrive before 10 AM or after 4 PM for the easiest parking, and scrub the time slider on the map above for the crowd estimate hour by hour.
More El Matador State Beach
happy hunting
Lot locations, counts, rates and hours are real, geocoded from each address. No live space-count feed is published, so availability is estimated from typical beach crowds and today’s weather. Your location is used only in your browser to sort by distance.
Main parking at El Matador State Beach: El Matador State Beach Lot ($8-12/day) and La Piedra State Beach Lot ($8-12/day), plus street parking at N/A. Check today’s water, surf and UV on the conditions page.