Where are the tide pools?

Tide pools can be found along the open coastline where the sea meets the land and where boulders or rocky benches are present giving organisms a hard substrate to live on or attach to. The locations of numerous sites being monitored along the California coast are located in the map to the left. Other popular locations where tide pools can be accessed can be found from a variety of resources including:

• California Coastal Access Guide by the California Coastal Commission
• The Beachcomber's Guide to Seashore Life of California by J.D. Sept
• California State Parks
• Kid Friendly Tidepools in California

For optimal enjoyment, it is best to visit tide pools during minus low tides so that plants and animals are not underwater and that the ecosystem is safe to explore. Consult your local newspaper or online source, such as

• wavecast.com/tides
• www.saltwatertides.com/
  dynamic.dir/californiasites.html

to find the low tide magnitude and time.