Just south of the village, the Big River empties into the Pacific at a broad beach sheltered from the full force of the ocean. The estuary — one of the longest undeveloped estuaries on the California coast — extends about eight miles inland and is a designated wilderness area. The calm waters are ideal for kayaking and canoeing, and the wildlife is exceptional: harbor seals haul out on the sandbars, herons and egrets work the shallows, and river otters are occasionally seen. Catch-a-Canoe and Bicycles Too, based at the Stanford Inn just above the beach, rents canoes, kayaks, and outriggers by the hour or the day and will orient you to the estuary.
The beach itself is a good place to look for driftwood and agates, and the dunes at the river mouth have a protected quality that the headlands trails, which can be windswept, lack. This is a good destination for a calm afternoon.