Moss Beach is a coastal census-designated place in San Mateo County, California, with a year 2020 census population of 3,214.

Located in Moss Beach are the Fitzgerald Marine Reserve, a marine sanctuary; the Half Moon Bay Airport, the historic Moss Beach Distillery; and the Seal Cove Inn, a destination lodging property.

Moss Beach is a cool coastal microclimate that gives one a sense of separation from the nearby metropolitan San Francisco Bay Area and assures that summer temperatures are generally mild.

Nearby towns include Montara to the north, El Granada, Princeton-by-the-Sea, and Half Moon Bay to the south.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 2.3 square miles (6.0 km2), all land.

There were 49 (4.6%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 14 (1.3%) same-sex married couples or partnerships.251 households (23.6%) were made up of individuals, and 68 (6.4%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

The area experiences some warmer degrees than Half Moon Bay due its proximity to San Francisco and coastal influence fog all year round and an Indian summer.

Hot weather is not unusual; the average annual days with highs of 90 °F (32 °C) or higher can occur in summertime.

[10] Federally, Moss Beach is in California's 16th congressional district, represented by Democrat Sam Liccardo.

Situated along the coast of Moss Beach is the Fitzgerald Marine Reserve, a California designated area of Special Biological Significance.

The reserve has a scenic blufftop trail through cypress groves overlooking the Pacific Ocean, historically significant tidepools, and a variety of marine animals and pelagic birds.

Off State Route 1 is Moss Beach Distillery, a restaurant that has its roots in bootleg liquor during Prohibition.

The restaurant, which claims to be haunted, was featured on the television series Ghost Hunters, where they revealed that owners of the distillery have created hoaxes simulating paranormal activity.