Paradise Beach

It might be confusing trying to figure out where to park and find the "beach," but I'm here to help you out 😊 Best option: park between Glenn Hall Pool and Glenn Hall Park. There's a small parking lot located there for about 30-40 cars. It's free, and there's usually some life jackets available. If there's no parking available, you can park on the street. Once you park, head up the hill, and you'll see a couple of different dirt pathways. If you just want to go for a walk, you can go directly left or right. If you're going to the "beach," go straight down and take a slight left. There's a barren area that you'll walk across for about a minute. You can either venture right— where there's a more shallow area, or you can continue going straight— where there's plenty of spots to choose from. Follow the pathways closest to the shore. The farther you go back, the better the chance that no one else will be in that area (if you're looking for a quiet spot). The walk is not long at all. People bring chairs, tents, umbrellas, and even strollers. You'll often see people on jet skis, paddle boards, and floats. Alcohol is not allowed. There is no restroom available, but there's some trashcans. I really love coming here [when there's not kids running around screaming]. It's very peaceful, and the views are beautiful. Be careful of the current. Also, be wary of sitting/laying down— apparently, people don't know how to pick up their dog's poop. It's relatively clean, but every now and then, people will leave behind trash or personal items.

Can park at Glenn Hall Park and probably no less than 10 minutes (depending on what trail you take) to the beach. Area is currently being renovated, but if you’ve been here before you will definitely notice the upgrades. Excited to see what this place will look like when its done. Good vibes 4sure 🔒

I liked that this spot felt pretty secluded — a nice escape from the busier areas of the river. That said, actually getting there was tough. The walk in the summer heat was brutal, and with ongoing construction, large trucks crossing the road made the trip a bit frustrating. It’s a cool place to check out once, but with the current access challenges, it’s probably not somewhere I’ll be returning anytime soon.

It was our first time visiting five days ago, we were gonna turn back and head home. It is a bit of a walk to the riverbank so pack smart. With three pups in 100° heat & sand and gravel to walk on, that was not a pretty picture. Once by the riverbank, all the frustration went away. Took the pups for a several dips and we all were refreshed. We came on a Tuesday afternoon and there were some people when we first got there. I can only imagine how crowded it can get on holidays and weekends. Some parts of the riverbank had trash. People need to be more responsible and clean up after themselves. We brought a day tent which came in handy for our meal. Pack plenty of water for hydration. There are several people who walk their pups and have them play fetch in the water. So if you are not a dog person, look elsewhere.

Nice and peaceful, very tiny beach along the river (if you can find it). One of the best kept secrets of Sacramento. Bring your own everything and leave nothing behind!

I wanted to find the beach where people played in the sand. I pulled into the parking lot, climbed the little hill and saw nothing but this desert 🏜 looking place lol. So I hiked a little through the trails heading out to the river because I saw some people headed in that direction. It's like a spider web of trails and i had no idea where I was headed lol until one led me to this tiny ledge off of the river. It felt like paradise lol. I just never found the beach where everyone was hanging out🤣 no parking fee

The paradise beach itself is very small and mildly beautiful but if u find your way through the jungle to the secret island in the middle, then it’s a 5 star spot, but can you find it? 😉

Very chill..cleaner than some spots.. water not deep. Got to see a very beautiful sunset with my friends. Stay safe everyone.

The paradise beach itself is very small and mildly beautiful but if u find your way through the jungle to the island in the middle, then it's a 5 star spot, but can you find it?

So we went on probably a bad day overall, but the experience was great. I could only imagine what this place would be like on a "normal" day. The day and time we went was during the Covid crisis, along with the wild fires during the summer. It was a short hike to get to the waters, but we were the only ones around. We took our dog too. There are many trails you can follow, and I would only imagine there are many people hiking and getting their exercise on. We did see some people walking their dogs too. I would imagine this is the place to go on a hot day. I've added pictures on how to get to the water. I would imagine that the tide level may change during the seasons.

Doesn't look like much , you have to walk passed the pools and down the path but it's worth it. Do NOT GO in crocs LOL. Very beautiful and peaceful with ducks and dogs swimming around. Would come back , since they allow animals here as well. I love animals. Kids were swimming here nice family area. There was a family with about 5 kids leaving when it was getting dark so people go there very often and feel safe enough to bring their children for a nice picnic/ lake day ! Pure happiness from dogs and children while at this place just because it's so open free and beautiful. Enjoy! Thanks for reading hope this helps !

This isn't even a beach. It's just like your typical grounds next to a river. They should change its name to Paradise River.

It is a little bit of a walk. I went to the left of the actual beach, just cuz I don't like people lol but still a nice spot!

PUT YOUR DOG ON A LEASH. You will get a citation if you let your dog off leash at this park. Not to mention you will ruin the visit for any families with children who are fearful of dogs. You will ruin it for responsible dog owners. Please don't be the as*holes letting your unleashed dog repeatedly charge the play area of young children, terrorizing them while they're just trying to build a sandcastle. If someone asks you to leash your dog, please do so! I'm sure your dog is nice, but idgaf because I don't know you or your dog. It is *illegal* to have your dog unleashed at Paradise Beach. Someone will call a ranger if your dog is disturbing children. We shouldn't have to call ask you to put on a leash. Take your dog to a dog park instead. Or just have some basic consideration for others. Thanks.

Favorite go to river spot for a picnic and afternoon swimming. Super dog friendly with most dogs off leash and playing as a group. Not much shade so please be sure to have coverings for your dogs paws to walk back to the car from the shore. In order to get to the water form the parking lot there is a quarter of a mile walk with steep hills, just a heads up. Enjoy!

Nice beach! Big enough to have your own space even if it gets a little crowded. Def bring some water shoes Bc there's a ton of clam shells on the beach and will hurt your feet. You do have to walk a bit down to the left.. but don't get discouraged it's not as far as it looks

I like this location on the river because it is kind of hidden, you have to walk a little ways until you get to the water, but once you do it's mostly calm and beautiful. There are a lot of shallow areas that are safe enough​ to​ swim in and if you walk down the trail further there are fewer​ people. Wish there were areas with tables and more shade, but it's good overall.

First of all, for those who have written reviews that shame this magnificent location because it doesn't "look like Paradise": Paradise Beach got its name because in the early-mid '70's it was a nude beach. I grew up in East Sac (the neighborhoods that border the American River) during the '70's and let me tell you, I was NOT allowed down to Paradise Beach! Of course, there was pressure from the folk of River Park to stop the nudity. The cops started frequenting the place and so on and so forth...eventually the beach stopped being a hang-out for nude bathers. The area became popular with CSUS students, families, and people who just want to hang out on a lovely little beach. I raised my family in River Park and what a joy it was to take the kids to Paradise Beach and on hikes around the beach! And there were more times I can count when I went down to the beach alone (even at night, which I don't recommend unless you're with several other people). There is no place better to watch the sun set. The region surrounding the beach is riparian and absolutely filled with native plant life, trees, and wildlife. If the river is low you can wade out and cool off; if it's high (as it is this summer) please be very careful. There are undertows in the American River and every year, people drown in the river. So if you want to cool off this summer wade out no further than your upper legs - the current is stronger than it looks. Paradise Beach - 20 stars!

The idiots here can't keep their dogs on a leash. I don't like a strange dog i don't know in my child or dogs face. If your dog attacks someone or someone else's dog off leash. They have the right to defend themselves or their dog or both, and you are accountable for all veterinary and medical bills. The area is beautiful and there is a few really good swimming spots. Also the sunset here can be gorgeous. There is too many entitled irresponsible dog owners though.

Such a cute beach, love the free parking and secluded area. Great spots for exploring and hiking

It's just a great place to swim kids any age will have a great time, parking is usually ok. Check it out you will dig it.

Cute little spot to dip your legs in the water or just to get away in hot day. It's not too crowded, cute little spot for picnics.

There's people that smoke and I don't like that because my children's and other innocent kids inhale it but other than that it's a small mission and it was fun. I did not follow directions from other people's reviews but if it's your first time, wear shoes at first then change to sandals then you're ready to go DOWN THE HILL from Parking lot TO THE LEFT then hit 1 ocklock after 2 min of walking. Don't take too many heavy stuff at first. It was tough but lucky for me I have good cardio. Stay hydrated and have fun be safe. Nice people. Dog friendly place please pick up after your dogs stinky shit though lazy asses

Lots of people and yet no one noticed the poop in the water. Like it obviously came from a grown adult and it's sick because little kids were playing nearby. Be safe !

Paradise Beach itself isn't much of a secret, however Paradise Beach at night is an entirely different story. By day this is one of the less crowded and pretty chill river beach spots in Sacramento, but by night, this is one creepy adventure. I don't technically recommend it because hours posted are sunrise to sunset, but for lovers of heart pounding tomfoolery, it's a must. Located off Carlson Drive quite close to CSUS, some students find themselves here at night for amateur ghost hunting. Not that I know anyone like this or ever did this. *cough* Apparently this is now listed in a few articles as one of the Top 10 Most Haunted Places in Sacramento. You're not kidding?! When it's pitch black, the low hanging trees at the riverbank give way to the beginnings of a small scrubland, so there's a very haunted bayou feel. The hairs on the back of the neck stand up, and it sounds like someone or something is following, breaking twigs as it goes. Again, not that I've done this. And if I had gone, which I didn't, it wouldn't have ever been alone because that's dumb, and if a hand voice recorder had been brought, which it wasn't, likely slight evp could be observed on replay. Dang college kids. So yeah, I'm not exactly recommending this at all from first hand experience *cough*, but if you must try it out, bring friends. There is a rumored wandering ghost of a drowning victim, but this has not been confirmed.

I love this place it's so convenient for where I live to just go here. I did think it was funny because it's not a beach but whatever I love it anyways. Perfect location when I go there I'm usually there for 2-3 hours. It is a good spot for kids and dogs

This is the only beach in Sacramento I go to! Every time I have tried to go to another, they have been PACKED with people or cost money to go to/park, and I always wind up back at good ole' Paradise Beach. It is free, it (usually) has plenty of parking, and it has nice sandy beaches and places to hop in the water. I have had numerous picnics here. We bring some food, a blanket, and inner tubes and float around. I imagine it gets a little busy here on summer weekends, but I have never seen it very packed. When you park, you walk up a little slope and then you can either go left or right. The right has a beach that is a little rockier, but it has a few trees for shade and is still great for swimming. The left side is a little sandier and has a larger beach area with many trash cans. I try to go to whichever side has less people. This does seem to be a popular place for dog owners to bring their pups for some water play time, so if you have some aversion to dogs, it might not be the place for you. It also brings in a lot of students from Sac State, so if you have an aversion to 20-something-year-old college students... It might also not be for you. Just kidding. Kind of. :)

Honestly I don't know why the reviews are so bad for this place. Of course the water is going to be dirty, it's a river and a river in the capitol. Also anybody of water on the west coast side is dirty. You don't have to pay for parking so that's good. It's also right near an actual pool and a field. It's very pet friendly, not crowded either. I've been to this place many times and it has never disappointed me. The hike to the beach isn't even a hike, you literally walk 5mins to get up the small little hill and walk down and you immediately hit the sandy area and the river is right there. You have the option to hike through the woods to get to a more private area if you want to. It's also beautiful

I technically didn't walk far enough to paradise, it's a further hike down and to the left. I stopped and spread my picnic at this little beach with some small rocks and loads of shade instead. Clean, quiet, and dogs on leash allowed. A few locals hiking past had well behaved dogs on leash that kept to themselves and were polite asking if it bothered our dogs, but mine are social so all good. The water is cool and refreshing for a hot summer day and plenty of ducks, geese, sparrows, etc birds to watch while you lounge around. Lots of shallows to walk around in your shorts with no current and pup had a good swim, but strong current further out though so be careful. Plenty of free parking at the park 10min away and it is has gender neutral bathrooms too. It's a mild walk but in the sun it gets hot so don't forget stuff in the car or bring too heavy of stuff. Nice place to have a lazy weekend at the river.

This is a very nice levee and it's nice to walk but it's not a dog park! Don't know why you'd list it as dog park. It has signs all over about "Dogs must be on a leash". Please correct your listing.

This is a great place to hike and check out Mother Nature. This place is also pet friendly and has a good source of water for fun during the hotter days of the year. Also if you have kids they are definitely gonna have a blast.

I like this place Nice and quiet the time I have been I enjoy all the nature walks and the river it's hard to find trails in the middle of sacramento without it looking and feeling like you're still in the city I enjoy going for walks in the evening and morning here

When we went it was horrible their was glass barley any water for kids to play in and smelled this is not a place I would take my kids back too at all

Super fun with the park and the beach but the beach is not exactly clean. It's too bad too it would be perfect if there wasn't trash everywhere in the sand.

Access to the beach is a little bit of a hike from the parking lot. Just follow the crowd and once you arrive at the water, keep walking to the left if you prefer a more peaceful river experience. I'm still trying to find my aquatic "happy place" so fellow river rats please share your secrets. I promise to bring smuggled beers, no new rap, sunscreen and great conversation.

A hike and dirty nothing paradise at all, disappointment. Good if on a bike ride you pass.

Out of all the river spots I've been to this one is one of the worst.from the parking lot you have no idea which way to go, right,left or straight.We go straight.feels like we're going thru a prehistoric jungle (and desolate) anything can happen! It's taking forever, I'm like wheres the water? I hear people and follow it to the right keep trekking thru bushes,I finally come to a clearing to a small area of the river, and it sucks.all that for nothing.It seems dangerous, a potential place to get ripped off,beaten of raped.any other comment on here is bs.women watch out! I'm not super paranoid or anything, I'm just being real

River is beautiful and its a nice area to chill by the water! Definitely worth a visit !

You called that Paradise Beach? It's the river, super dirty water, and small river. This place is not good for kids. A lot of people smoking, drinking beers. Walking from the parking lot to this place, it wasn't that bad. Stop wasting your time come to this place. You'll be disappointed!

Great place to explore and enjoy nature. BUT, I took my 7 year old son there yesterday and we came across a huge rattle snake! Just beware of the shady areas the snakes generally are to cool off.

OKAY so my first experience left me 50/50 about ever going back. But, I took some friends here on a weekend afternoon. It was a little crowded but I felt safer and we did luckily find a private cove for us to hangout at. You can either find your own private sandy shore to hangout at or you can join the festivities (music and people bbqing) down by a main shore all the way to your left. Whatever your mood is

Mouthy locals with decidedly poor knowledge of normal dog behavior. I brought my dog here once and had to listen to this whiny woman ramble on about how my dog was aggressive when her dog charged mine and then came back and put her nose in my dog's face. My dog naturally barked a warning back to the offender and then the owner proceeded to lecture me about how my dog was aggressive. No thanks. I wouldn't bring my dog back to this hill billy swimmin' hole.

One hellofa walk, was not expecting 1/2 mile in on a hot day, glad this old guy heart patient was in good shape. They should move parking much closer in summer, long sandy and gravel trail. Carry "light" beer.

Great beach. My dog loves it and it's so easy to get to the water. There are several paths to take... Go to the left of you want the private area, go straight if you want the main area where they have gatherings or go more to the right for trails and the river banks.

Started going to Paradise Beach back in the 50's stop going in the late 70's. The old gang always played volley ball in the water and drank some beer. Had a lot of fun.. Where's the old gang now? Scattered. Good times always.

Just located this beach (though I have never actually been here - yet) on a list of "The 10 most haunted places in Sacramento" ! Makes me want to visit this location that much more! (A seemingly depressed-looking man- a drowning victim- as the tale goes, walks the beach). Sounds like the making of a good ole time to me! ;-)