The winter holidays are on the horizon and there is always the need to purchase a birthday present or a gift for a new arrival. Not to mention a housewarming or anniversary event. We hope you’ll take a moment to stop by one of our park stores and pick up a unique gift that will be much appreciated while also helping to raise funds for our beloved parks along the San Mateo coast.
Coastside State Parks Association manages three park stores located at Half Moon Bay State Beach, Pigeon Point Light Station and Año Nuevo State Park. Merchandise in the stores is unique and reflective of the spectacular natural resources and rich history of our parks.
At the stores you will find a wide variety of merchandise. The best sellers are logo clothing items including custom tee shirts, hoodies, hats and socks, along with pins and coffee mugs. The stores display many adorable stuffed animals such as otters, octopuses and elephant seals – perfect for the newborn in your world or a birthday gift for a youngster. The stores also carry a great selection of books covering topics ranging from Lighthouse and other local history to local plant, bird, butterfly and animal guides, to the story of the ecosystem of Monterey Bay, many of which are written by local authors. There are also handsome reusable water bottles in case you want to help reduce plastic in our oceans. And don’t overlook the really cool jewelry, postcards and magnets.
The Pigeon Point location will be carrying new 150th Anniversary merchandise including bookmarks, patches, pins, coffee mugs, tee shirts, hats and vests. The store will also be displaying custom hand-painted wood ornaments, new ceramic ornaments as well as the ones that are plated with gold.
HALF MOON BAY STATE BEACH
The store at Francis State Beach in Half Moon Bay is located in the day-use parking lot at the end of Kelly Avenue. The store shares the space with the visitor center.
Half Moon Bay store is only open Saturdays and Sundays, typically from 10am to 3pm. You can call (650) 726-8819 to confirm whether the store is open.
PIGEON POINT LIGHT STATION:
At Pigeon Point our store is located in the historic building that was once the Carpenters’ Shop. It is usually open Thursday through Mondays from 10 am to 4 pm (longer in the summer). Right now there’s a lot of new merchandise to celebrate the 150th Anniversary. Make a plan to visit the lighthouse and surprise your loved ones with the new merchandise while supplies last! You can call the store at (650) 879-2120 to check the availability.
AÑO NUEVO STATE PARK:
The store at Año Nuevo is in a section of the Marine Education Center which was formerly a historic dairy barn. The Ano Nuevo store is staffed by volunteers from April to mid-December, usually from Sundays through Tuesdays. Then during the breeding season from December 15 until the end of March it will be open every day. Store hours vary but are usually 10-4. Best to call the kiosk to confirm hours (650) 879-2025 if you are heading to the park just to shop.
Whether you have visited one of our park stores or not, we hope to welcome you soon! And we expect that you will find something for everyone – kids and adults!