Absolutely beautiful park! If you love hiking and walking, I recommend spending a full day here…read morebecause you can explore the entire park on foot If you're short on time, drive to the end and walk to the last viewpoint -- the view is absolutely stunning

One of our favorite places in the world and a place I'm certainly glad is in our proverbial…read more"backyard." Ok, so it's like 3-4 hours away, but wow, really pretty here. The natural landscape is just phenomenal. God's fingerprints all over this place. Pros: - not a bad drive down here from the touristy parts of Monterey and Seaside where we usually reside for the weekend - a bit windy, but a truly lovely and incredibly scenic twisty, turn-y road that keeps me on my toes - once you're here it's just breathtaking. - trail walk/stroll is pretty easy, nothing real rigorous as long as you're still in decent health. - more challenging "hikes" available for those who are looking for more, I've not stepped up to that (huffing and puffing doesn't sound fun), so I'm not sure where those trails are, but easy to find online. - so much fauna and flora to look at. - the coast here is just so rugged and ridiculously jawpdropping. - kids love this place too. There's a ranger station/little nature stop/house of sorts, not quite a "museum", but it's got the history, the nature, the strange facts you'd not otherwise know about unless you stopped by. - very kind and dedicated volunteers that will tell you all you want to know about Point Lobos - the nature, the creatures of sky, sea, and land, the past, present and future, whatever you want. - Plus they often have binoculars they will let you use to look out at the coast for seals and sealions and otters and more galore, oh my! Cons: - parking is the suck here. It's not too expensive to get in, but most people seem to park along the main road/highway that leads to Point Lobos which is kind of dangerous and a good trek to get to the State Reserve, so you've got your exercise before you even start exploring. That could be a plus? All in all, a magnificent and marvelous natural state reserve, well preserved, more than maintained, must see to appreciate.

Devendorf Park should get 5 stars for the proximity to Carmel by the Sea, shops and restaurants…read more It's aesthetically pleasing landscaped garden setting and lawn area. Park benches under tree shade, walking paths and koi pond. Public restroom as well is located on-site. I only gave it 4 stars because I wish it was larger in overall area and allowed dogs to visit as well. It is a beautiful space regardless.

This was a petite park in the downtown Carmel area, and it was pretty lovely. I'm glad that they…read morehave restrooms there, and they were pretty clean. We walked our doggie there after brunch.

Our family loves this park! Favorite parts: - Fun playground…read morewith swings and play structures to climb - Space to roam around where the kids love to build "spy bases" and find banana slugs - More nature to explore - Great location near downtown so we can run around and then go out for lunch and shopping - Clean restrooms Parking can be a bit challenging but if you put "Forest Hill Park parking" in your maps app, you can find a good option for street parking.

Biggest issue is no parking. It's very clean and tidy but the play structures have a lot of caution…read moretape on the edges that were covering up where the structure had sharp edges and holes. Also both structures seemed to be leaning... possibly from tree roots and probably the cause for the tears in the edges.

My son literally said "this sand feels expensive" hahaha. Seriously though, the sand is so fine…read moreand soft. White smooth sand. A bit of a hill to climb back up from the beach, but the views are gorgeous. Nice walk from the shops and restaurant area. Very lucky for those that live around. Definitely detected auras of either a rich local, rich tourist speaking foreign language but can afford to go on international trips, or out of town visitor like me who can't afford to live there or anywhere near 'by the sea'

Briefly stopped by the beach after having lunch in downtown Carmel. Now clearly understanding why…read morethe beach is loved so much. Carmel Beach is recognized as having the 'whitest' sand in the United States, and number 14 globally. This color comes from quartz deposits eroded by the waves. There is a parking lot at the north end of the beach on Ocean Avenue (maybe 30 spots or so), that is usually filled, meaning people are constantly idling in the parking lot, waiting for a spot. The parking lot is elevated from the beach, requiring carefully going down a sand bank. My wife and her mom decided to admire the view by sitting on a retaining wall at the top of the bern, while I happily went down to the shoreline to admire the views. The sand here is more golden than white. The road that runs parallel to the beach and boardwalk in Carmel is Scenic Road and we took it as we headed back to our cottage. There was street unmetered parking spots available and I noticed how much brighter/whiter the sand was in this area (a lot less crowded as well). Thinking back, wish we had stopped so I could have admired this part of the beach a bit more.

Such a tranquil spot. After shopping all day, my feet were killing me. I was…read moreso glad to find a quiet place to just sit and relax. This place is very calming to the soul and so beautiful.

Piccadilly Park is a cute functional park sandwiched between galleries in the downtown of…read moreCamel-By-the-Sea. The plaque says, "This park would not exist were it not for the diligence of two civic - minded citizens , Carol J. Stratton and Jean B. Mitchell 1979 they launched a campaign to save this parcel , the home the former Piccadilly Nursery , from commercial development In the process they founded the Carmel - by - the - Sea Garden which raised funds to create this city - owned park almost 20 years later . The Garden Club continues to maintain this property for the enjoyment of all , residents and visitors alike." Thanks to the city for maintaining the unisex public restroom and recycling bins. It looks like a great place to take a lunch break at enjoying the tranquil atmosphere.

Really enjoyable nature trail tucked right across from the Mission and unassumingly in…read moreneighborhood! Parking got full fast on a Saturday morning with lots of joggers and dog walkers enjoying the trail. Trail was well maintained with portions on dirt or tan bark or pavement. We meandered around the park, checking out the botanical gardens and mansion at the peak as well as scoring some views of the ocean. Many wildflowers were in bloom in mid-July, from lillies to monk's cress dotting the landscape. A variety of sunny and shaded trail but pleasant ocean breezes also made for a great experience. Overall not the biggest park but such an accessible bit of nature that truly makes you forget you're in the middle of town. Well worth a pleasant visit!

First timer Nice hike…read moreCame late but still nice walk Went the back way so no parking Parked at the streets

These enchanting homes, often called the Comstock cottages, are a hallmark of Carmel's unique…read morecharacter. They were designed and built primarily in the 1920s by Hugh Comstock--initially to showcase his wife Mayotta Brown's popular "Otsy‑Totsy" rag dolls. One of the most famous ones is Hansel and Gretel, created in 1924, and located Torres Street, between 5th and 6th Avenues. Enthralled by the first cottages, Carmel residents began commissioning Comstock to build similar homes. Over time, this blossomed into a small architectural movement--by the late 1920s and into the 1930s, around 21 Comstock cottages had been built across the town. Absolutely stunning!!! Suggested route -- and the route we took is: 1.) Go to the Carmel Visitor Center on Ocean Avenue between Junipero Street & Mission Street. Park your car nearby and do a self-guided walking tour. 2.) Pick up a map at the Visitor Center, take a "fairy-tale cottages" handout or take a picture of the handout. 3.) The walking tour is about 1-1.2 miles only. Very enjoyable walk. Small elevation. Wear comfortable shoes. Enjoy!!!

While in Carmel by the Sea we did a nice stroll into the neighborhood looking for the Hansel and…read moreGretel Cottages. I am giving 4 stars for the peaceful and scenic walk away from the hustle and bustle of the main street tourist area. I would give the walking tour 3 stars as the houses are not clearly marked and difficult to determine what we were looking at. That being said the cottages we stopped to look at were beautiful and very well maintained. Its worth the effort and time to go on this adventure. There are a few dramatically modern homes built in the neighborhood as well which seem out of place considering we were looking for fairy tale cottages. The walk is a bit hilly so plan accordingly. Nice and peaceful, be considerate as people do live in these adjacent homes.

This is our third visit to the Big Sur area this year. This is the first park three miles past…read moreCarmel. Since we were staying nearby, I wanted to hike here. There is limited parking inside, but there's plenty of parking off Hwy. 1 on a first come, first serve basis. We decided to take the Lace Lichen trail and then take the North Shore trail where we passed the Whaler's Museum (closed) before heading back to our car. Both hikes are fairly easy, lots of picturesque views of the oceans and Big Sur coastline. Out of the parks I have visited in the area, this is probably my favorite. However, all the parks in Big Sur have been my favorite that I'm willing to skip a visit to Carmel By The Sea to go play in a park! We went on a Monday, so there were fewer crowds and everyone has their own personal space. I will definitely go back!

Best place to go for a walk and spend some time with the family. Would go back anytimeread more

Carmel Pinnacle State Marine Reserve is a marine protected area in and around Carmel Bay. It is…read moreroughly 0.53 square miles in size. This area is known for its unique pinnacle underwater formations, kelp forest, submarine canyon ( steep sided valley cuts into the sea-bed of the continental slope.) Divers as well a kayakers are attracted to this area due to its unusual underwater formations, granite reefs, and kelp forests. Carmel Pinnacle State Reserve lies just beyond Carmel Bay State Marine Conservation Area. California marine protected areas do encourage recreational use of the ocean. Activities such as kayaking, diving, snorkeling , are allowed unless otherwise restricted. As always be aware of your surroundings and be safe ! Enjoy !