Context <p>Sandy shorelines, including beaches and embryo dunes, are important spaces for both recreation and nature. Balancing these landscape functions remains a challenge. Directing recreation pressure via visitor footpaths (pathways) is widely used to mitigate recreation pressure in nature reserves. However, its potential to support multifunctionality on beaches is poorly quantified.</p> Objectives <p>To assess the response relationship between directed recreation pressure and the establishment of characteristic plant species alongside associated topographical development on the upper beach.</p> Methods <p>We experimentally introduced seeds and rhizomes (diaspores) of five common dune-building plant species in 30 locations at varying distance from main pathways at a beach near The Hague, the Netherlands. Species were a mix of grasses and herbs and ranged from pioneer to early successional species. We measured shoot emergence per species and initiation of embryo dunes, as well as environmental conditions and visitor numbers across one growing season.</p> Results <p>We found that the likelihood of establishment and shoot density were significantly higher beyond the first 20 m from pathways, irrespective of species or diaspore type, suggesting a limited zone of influence of beach visitors. Similarly, the number of surviving species and embryonic dune initiations were significantly higher beyond the pathways. Indeed, visitor observations showed that most visitors followed existing pathways across the beach, confirming the limited zone of influence of recreation pressure in the presences of pathways.</p> Conclusions <p>Recreation hampers the establishment of plant species and associated dune initiation on the upper beach. However, constraining recreation pressure on the upper beach by stimulating development of pathways can improve coexistence between nature development and recreation in coastal areas.</p>