The Non-Market Value of Beach Recreation in California

Beach-going represents a major economic use of the California coast and ocean. Concession stands, paid parking lots, and waterfront restaurants reveal that beach-goers contribute to a thriving coastal market economy. We draw on estimates of beach non-market values and estimates of beach visitation in California to estimate the potential economic value of day-use beach-going in the state. A number of different sources estimate beach visitation days for California. These estimates of annual beach visitation range from 150 million visits to more than 378 million beach visits. Using a conservative estimate of 150 million beach visits, we estimate that market expenditures by beach-goers in California could substantially exceed $3 billion each year. Less obvious, however, is the economic magnitude of beach values that never enter the market. These non-market values represent the value that day users place on access to the beach beyond what they pay in terms of travel costs, parking fees and tolls. Beaches in California represent a recreational and open-space resource that provides a level of public access rarely matched elsewhere in the United States. Using a conservative estimate of 150 million beach visits, and a range of estimates for the non-market value of a California beach day, we estimate that non-market expenditures by beach-goers in California could substantially exceed $2 billion each year.