This is a fairly new state park. It is a small section of coastline in the town of Marina, just a…read morecouple of small towns north of Monterey. It used to be owned by Fort Ord which was a US Army base from World War 2 to about 1994. They used this coastline which was mostly sand dunes to train soldiers mostly in rifle and artillery fare. There are a few remnants of structures from the past but most are gone. There are plaques now to tell you what used to be where. I found it to be a good educational read. Some of the trails are going under renovation so I had to improvise my hike here. The trails seem like they come close to the highway and a few entry points going to the beach. The beach I went to was very empty due to the rough coast. It is usually pretty windy, and the water very cold, rough and with rip tides. Not really a beach to lay a blanket and/or play in the water. It was very peaceful tho in that strong nature sense. Parking is free, low crowd density, good for shorter non-strenuous hikes, I think I can find a purpose for this place.

Name That Dune…read more Formerly part of the Fort Ord Army post, this 1k-acre oceanfront state park consists of four miles of beach lined with the eponymous sand dunes. It is also one of California's newest state parks, as it has only been officially open since 2009. The Good: * Private parking lot * Free to visit! * Dogs allowed on recreation trail but not the beach or spur trails that lead to the beach. * Great beaches with amazing views * Great place to ride your bike as there's a little over 4 miles of paved trails The Meh: * Port-o-potties in the parking lot * Local Outdoor Enthusiasts™ hanging out in the parking lot. The Ugly: * Part of the paved trail was closed during our visit (April 11th, '26) Conclusion: Great state beach with not many amenities.

Absolutely lovely location.Be careful of High Tides. Cold,cold water right now, so bundle up while…read morestrolling. Will definitely experience it again!! Possibly Summer camping again!!

This is my favorite beach from Santa Cruz to Carmel. It's just a jump off the freeway. Not a whole…read morelot of parking but that's ok by me. It has lots of room and perfect to clear ur mind & get in a lil earthing. It's a nice beach. Clean too

it's a very secluded beach. Richard gave some great directions. I prefer starting from Fort Ord…read morebeach parking and walking north as he described. I agree after the big drainage pipe across from the remains of an old support structure in the water (it looks like big rocks in the surf) the people disappear. As Richard said from there you are pretty well on your own. I took a 3 mile nude walk from that point north and back and never saw another person except some para gliders over head. great spot to try with a shy first timer as there is no one around. I like a some others to share the clothes free experience with. so if you want to be more social there is north baker beach, bonnie dune, grey whale cove, and red rocks.

Indian Head Beach is a great place to go shed your clothes and get some air on your body and sun on…read moreyour skin! As someone who is a fan of getting naked at every opportunity...without offending others...this place is worth the trip. It's a clean and seldom frequented beach, making it perfect for clothing optional folks to enjoy themselves! Getting here does require a bit of a walk...so remember to pack water for both the hike in, while you're relaxing...and for the hike out. Plus snacks are always a good idea....just please remember to take your trash out with you. You can reach Indian Head Beach by following the directions below... http://www.bayareanaturists.org/ftord.html Or you can go to the Shopping Center off Highway 1 in Seaside off Imjin parkway where Target and Kohls is located and go from there to the Fort Ord Dunes parking lot. https://goo.gl/maps/M7kbnRbCefq Once parked at the Ford Ord Dunes parking lot...walk South and follow the easily defined access path to the beach. Once on the beach, turn North...and walk about a good mile...if you look at the cliff face from time to time, as you walk, you'll see a large drainage pipe sticking out of the cliff...once North of that pipe, it's generally OK to get naked. Actually, If nobody is on the beach, when I get off the path...I'll strip down there and make the walk. Anyway, Indian Head beach is almost dead in the middle between Marina State Beach and Fort Ord Dunes State Park. Because of the walk to reach it...generally, not to many people venture very far from either area...and normally, aside from a few locals who go on long walks...or the occasional jogger...you will have the Indian Head section of the beach to yourself. I'm hoping more naturists/nudists and clothing optional fans begin to frequent here...again...as they have in the past. Just remember to be respectful...because even though Indian Head beach is a traditionally nude beach...if enough complaints begin to occur...the Rangers that rarely patrol the beach and generally don't care about nude beach goers...could start patrolling more and insisting on covering up. Most of the times I've been here...the very few people that pass by people don't seem to care about my lack of clothes...or give a simple curiosity induced glance and sometimes a nervous albeit friendly smile and or wave. The other nice thing about this section of beach IS the fact it's only reachable from the two State parks...this gives you about 3/4 of a mile visibility to see people approaching a long ways off...and if you felt inclined, the opportunity to cover up. Though, again, I've never felt the need to do so...but often will move toward the cliff face to keep some distance between those passing by on the beach. Again, just trying to be respectful of others choice to wear clothes and not to have to see me naked. Last, there are no facilities here...so keep that in mind. Bring a plastic bag or two to deal with any restroom related issue that may occur...solid waste should be packed out and disposed of rather than leaving it behind on the beach.

One of our extended families favorite beaches. We usually all meet up there a few times a year. We…read morecan all bring our dogs (leashes required) It is an extremely quiet and uncrowded beach. Hardly ever any crowds. Possibly the reason it is so quiet could be the hike to get to the beach... The walk is long slogging through the sand on the trail. The dunes are roped off to preserve them (please follow the rules). Once you make it to the beautiful beach you are rewarded with the peaceful sound of the waves and birds. Families building sandcastles and dipping their toes in the ocean. If you're lucky it will be hot enough for a quick dip! The waters are calm, the sand is clean and the sunsets magical... Whales have been sighted at almost every visit. They are far out so unless they breach you're pretty much just getting a glimpse of their spouts spraying. A few amazing times tails slapping! Maybe if you have binoculars you can see better! Please keep it clean and pack out whatever you bring, it's a nature preserve and no garbage cans on the beach. Take only memories leave only footprints!

Lovely beach to visit, although parking is EXTREMELY limited. But if you're patient you'll…read moreeventually get a space. Or you could park out at the beginning of the entrance and walk in. Not too crowded as well.

I participated in an easy yoga hike on The Spiral trail in Fairfax. I've taken yoga classes with…read moreAmber before, and she did not disappoint here! The trail was easy as promised, and Amber took care to make sure that the two yoga flows offered (two different views!) were customized to the day's participants. I had a sore ankle and wanted a lot of hip openers, another hiker had some knee problems, and a third was working especially on deepening her Bird of Paradise pose. Amber offered modifications for those of us with injuries as well as incorporating poses that are favorites or points of work for others. I would recommend this as a fabulous early-morning activity for anyone visiting Marin!

From the owner: Hike. Do yoga. Hike Back. We specialize in providing vinyasa flow yoga on hilltops :)read more

So much fun with beautiful scenery and wildlife. We saw tons of seals and otters and we caught a…read moreperfect weather day to do it. The staff were friendly and helpful especially when we went to the wrong location to meetup for our kayaking trip. I will definitely go again next time I'm in Monterey

We rent kayaks from this company whenever we are in town. They are efficient. They provide us with…read morewater-resistant pants and a waterproof bag for personal items. This past time, a dolphin, an otter, and a sea lion swam close to us! What a treat!!!

We had a easy breezy time with renting from here . Such kind people great customer service!read more

Have rented bikes in past here, but the attention to detail on the bikes upkeep / maintenance has…read morediminished.

Monterey Bay Kayaks delivered a true five-star experience and ended up being one of the highlights…read moreof our time in the area. We arrived right around 9 AM when they opened on a Wednesday, which I highly recommend. It wasn't very busy, so getting checked in and ready for our adventure felt relaxed and easy. I also have to give their team credit: this may be the first time I can remember a company making a safety briefing genuinely fun and engaging. It immediately set the tone for the experience. We kayaked through Elkhorn Slough, which is an absolutely gorgeous setting. The landscape is incredibly serene, with wildlife everywhere--we saw numerous sea otters, seals, and birds gracefully flying overhead in formation. Super important to keep your distance and be respectful! I definitely recommend going in the morning. The winds and currents tend to be calmer, and there was something particularly beautiful about being on the water as the morning marine layer slowly lifted. As the fog gave way, more and more of the surrounding landscape and spectacular mountain backdrop revealed itself, giving the entire experience an almost mystical quality. We spent about four hours paddling through the slough, taking our time and simply enjoying the wildlife and natural beauty around us. It never felt like four hours. If you enjoy being outdoors and want to experience a completely different side of the Monterey area, I can't recommend this enough. Go early, give yourself several hours, and take your time. It's peaceful, beautiful, and an incredible way to experience this unique ecosystem.

This outfit and Elkhorn Slough did not disappoint! The set otters were plentiful, playful, and so…read morecute. Getting in and out of the slough can be tough due to the current and wind. This was especially true since I was on double kayak and my partner had "issues". All the necessary gear is provided, along with a good amount of training. Getting cleaned up afterwards is a breeze as well. What is also great is that there is a good place to eat (Sea Harvest) in the same area. That restaurant is at the mouth of the slough which gives you the ability to see fellow kayakers coming and going.

Lily was a fantastic guide. It's amazing how skilled she is at keeping everyone safe, giving…read moreinstructions, protecting the sea life, sharing knowledge, helping a kayak in our group that needed support with navigation and still making light hearted jokes, smiling and taking pictures for everyone. You can tell she knows what she's doing and wants to make sure everyone feels confident while kayaking. I also want to mention the two phone encounters I had were so helpful and kind (unfortunately I did not catch their names) and the person who checked us in was also so pleasant.

We had a blast kayaking with the otters and seals!…read more Parking was easy as was check in at the store. They gave an informational overview of where to paddle to see wildlife as well as other recommendations and safety tips. They provide life jackets, waterproof jackets and pants which were great too keep water off your clothes. There are porto potties available if you need to use the facilities. The staff were well very nice and helpful. The main con of our trip was the two person top sitting kayak we were on seemed to have problems with steering. No matter how hard we tried to turn right, the kayak always tended to veer the other direction which was frustrating. We got another kayak to check if they saw anything wrong visually on the water, but they couldn't see anything so maybe there was something going on with the underside of the kayak. Besides that, we had a nice time on the water and were able to enjoy seeing all the birds and cute otters and seals out and about. Later in the morning and early afternoon we even got to see the otters get more active and go diving for mud worms that looked like bright orange cigars. It was super cute seeing the otters sleeping nested in the kelp too. Try not to disturb them though since they need to conserve energy to stay warm! We unfortunately saw one tour group led by a guide that went right next to a sleeping pod of otters and woke them all up. Overall, fun place to go kayaking with wildlife! Glad we went on this trip here!