Magnificent views and short hikes…read more I had a very pleasant short hike along some of the trails. Outstanding views of the sea and cliffs where the water carved out scenic scenes. Keep an eye out for seat otters in the water and seals on the sand in secluded coves. Parking can be a bit challenging on more popular days. I suggest driving to the end where China Cove is and keep an eye out for parking spots along the way. Be ready to backtrack to those open spots.

Absolutely breathtaking views. This gorgeous cove is hidden away deep in Point Lobos State Natural…read moreReserve. The parking lots fills up fast so you may have to park outside the park. We got there fairly late in the day, so we were able to go into the entrance with our car ($10 fee per car, it's free to park on the street outside). We were able to park all the way down in the last parking lot, then walked on the Bird Island Trail to get to China Cove - it's barely 5 minutes into the trail. The seals are so fun to watch down there and the view is like a postcard! I also highly recommend continuing to walk along Bird Island Trail to see Pelican Point and more gorgeous beach views. It's a fairly easy trail with a stunning view throughout. This is a must see!! Last entrance to the park is 6:30 pm and everyone has to be out by 7 pm. This wasn't confirmed anywhere online so we called them to get correct info on their current hours.

A beautiful little relaxing place that you can just watch the waves crash. Not too far of a walk…read morefrom the parking place.

What a find! We were hiking on the South Plateau Trail at Point Lobos Preserve, and came across…read morethis beach. There is a path to your left. The stairs down to the beach are quite narrow and steep, so be careful going down! We walked down, took some pictures and rested a bit. There were people there, but not as many as in Carmel Beach. Definitely a must see if you're in Point Lobos!

It's a small beach that's located in cannery row. It's more of a soak your feet beach and relax. I…read morehaven't really seen people surf here or swim far. There's a mural and the restaurants over see this beach.

It was a nice little beach to bring kids to. It's small but there's shade from the buildings, which…read moreI love. It's walking distance to the aquarium so if you're in the area it's definitely a must to stop by.

Bird Rock is situated along the 17-mile drive in Monterey, CA…read more It's a beautiful spot to observe various birds, seals, and sea lions resting on the same rock, about three to five hundred yards offshore. This location provides visitors with a great opportunity to see wildlife up close in their natural environment. Unfortunately, the fog rolled in quickly and was thick during our visit, making it hard to see the animals clearly. The area offers parking for 20 to 30 vehicles, along with clean men's and women's restrooms.

8/18/25 and this guy claimed this as His Rock Simply,…read morebeautifully stunning! Slowly driving through this wonderful scenic route, we stopped at Bird Rock. You can't mistake the smell once you're there, bird poop! But the view is spectacular as you listen to the crashing waves against the rocks Leave no trace behind, keep this place as pristine as possible for the rest of the visitors & Mother Nature. Enjoy the lovely sights

There are pros and cons to every place you might visit, and this beach is no different. I will…read morepreface mine with this: YES, as other reviews mention, there are homeless people who set up near and on this beach. NONE of them are mugging you, though. They want to be left alone and they leave you alone, IF you pay them no attention. Go about your day! Enjoy your stay! Second, yes, dead animals wash up on this beach. Guess what! They do that on ALL beaches worldwide. It's not unique to this one. That being said, this is one of my absolute favorite beaches in the area, for many reasons. Parking is easy and can be free. While there is a pay parking lot attached to this beach for easy access to it, we never use it. We use either the lot across the street, which offers 2-hour parking until 6pm and no limit on time until 10pm, or we go further down the street beside Dennis The Menace Park to park on the street, where it's unlimited parking all day long. It depends on when we arrive and how long we'll be there. Want to go swimming? Teaching your littlest ones about the beach and how to stay safe in the surf? THIS is the beach for it! There aren't exactly waves here. Well, there are, but they're so tiny they can hardly be called waves. They're swells that roll up onto the beach in cute little miniature "waves" and the return back to the ocean is very mild. It's the perfect place to introduce your small children to the ocean, perfect place to take people who aren't strong swimmers, perfect place for you to get in a little ocean swimming time in calm waters. You won't have to worry about boats very close to shore, as they don't come really close, won't have to worry about strong rip tides that may pull you or your child out to sea, you just have to worry about them gulping down too much salt water. ***That's not to say you should be complacent when taking your children here, but that you can be a little more relaxed knowing that it's more gentle a beach than some others.*** If you arrive at the right time of day (NO, I'm not telling you when! Sorry, but I won't give up my 'combing secrets that easily!!), you can find a good amount of shells and it IS legal to pick them up on this beach, as it is NOT a state beach. I've found sand dollars, mussel and clam shells, as well as turbans, oyster, scallop (very small ones...), and more types of shells. You might even find abalone shells if you arrive after a storm! You just have to know what to look for and be there at the right time of day - otherwise they'll already be picked over and/or pulled back out to sea. You'll also find hag stones on this beach. Hag stones are rocks that have been tumbled by water in such a way that the water bores a hole into the stone. These are plentiful along this beach and I sometimes take one if it catches my eye. They're good for hanging near your door to keep unwanted visitors away! Or just to decorate, who knows if that actually works ;) The sand here is an extremely fine type and it WILL get into everything. It sticks to your toes even well after it's dried, but it's not the type of sand that hurts you when it's stuck to your feet, so just brush it off as best you can and go about your day. :) There are bathroom facilities all around this beach. If you don't mind buying yourself something to drink there's McDonald's across the street and those will be very clean. If you don't mind slightly less than immaculate bathrooms, there's also a bathroom at the Dennis The Menace Park between the two landmark buildings at the park parking lot. Another public bathroom is at the kayak place and still more bathrooms are attached to the building across the walkway from the kayak place, and one more is at the wharf. This beach is dog-friendly, just please keep Fido on a leash. So many people bring their dogs here off-leash and it's just not the place for it. Also please be sure to clean up after your pooch. Nobody likes to step in dog doody; we *really* don't like it if it's buried in the sand so that we couldn't see it before it squished between our toes. In all, this is an awesome beach that I hate to leave a good review for because it might just attract more people to it than I care to see - LOL!! - but it is what it is and I'll brag on my favorite beach of the area any day of the week!

This is an excellent beach for sitting and relaxing. Very calm water for playing in the surf line…read more I tried scuba diving here but the water is very shallow for a long way out so was not good for diving Good place for wake boarding. Nice plac to walk along the wharf and watch all the fishermen Trying to catch something. And if they dont catch anything there is a fresh fish market on the wharf. Also good restaurants here. A wonderful place just to enjoy the beach and to wade in the cold water.

Containing one of North America's largest deep-water canyons, this breathtakingly beautiful,…read moreprotected area of California's central coast is home to many marine mammals including: sea otters, harbor seals, and bottlenose dolphins. As well as a breeding site for elephant seals and a migratory path for gray and humpback whales. Although commercial fishing and recreational activities such as diving, kayaking, boating, and surfing are allowed, activities that could harm the sanctuary's ecosystem health, such as seafloor drilling, ocean dumping, or seabed mining are strictly prohibited. It's always such a visual treat driving through this coastline. And the clear, blue waters a testament to how humans and nature can coexist with proper education, respect, and legal regulations.

We had time to explore and grab some food. Saw some sea lions, the weather was great! We hit the…read moreaquarium and explored the city. We also treated ourselves to Ghirardelli - their ice cream and chocolate shop was amazing. The staff were super helpful picking out the best flavors, and we got some different chocolates and hot chocolate too.

I had the most incredible experience visiting the Valley of the Calla Lilies in Big Sur. It truly…read morefelt like stepping into a hidden paradise. The peaceful walk down to the valley, surrounded by nature, set the tone for something really special--and then seeing the calla lilies in full bloom was absolutely breathtaking. The way the flowers blanket the valley alongside the flowing creek is something you can't fully capture in photos--it's something you have to feel in person. It was quiet, calming, and honestly a little magical. I loved how untouched and natural everything felt. If you're looking for a beautiful, serene spot to connect with nature and take in one of the most unique views in California, this is it. I'm so grateful I got to experience it and will definitely be back.

Beautiful scenic stop right by Garrapata State Park. The trail nearby is just as breathtaking!…read moreSince Highway 1 is quite a ways away from most tourists, I would highly recommend putting an hour or two away in your itinerary to walk by the coast and admire the local flora. We visited President's Day Weekend/Valentine's Day when it was chilly and overcast, but the photos my friend took on a sunny day were breathtaking! The cloudy weather added a deeper and darker charm to our photos. There was considerable rainfall the previous days, so the ground was quite muddy. Since the NorCal beaches get pretty cold, I would recommend bundling up before coming here to prevent catching any illnesses. This spot is perfect for any photoshoots and has such a magical vibe about it. I would recommend this for anyone who happens to be in the area already in conjunction with a Carmel/Big Sur trip.

Stopped by here a few years ago on the way to beach, and got to see some sights, enjoyed hiking…read morearound the area and watching the wild life parking is off the highway, can be difficult

On our way to Big Sur, we stopped at this game refuge for some sights and some hiking…read more Spotting sea otters is not always easy. When in the water their wet fur often takes on a hue similar to the kelp infused waters just off the coast. The distinctive high pitched call of otter pups and the sound of crustaceans being banged against rocks often provide the first clue that one or more are in the area. The trails tend to follow bluffs that overlook the beaches below. Where possible stairs descend down to the beach level. There's no tree cover here, just a think carpet of low shrubs. But we had a great view of the Big Sur coast and the rocks, waves and wildlife...A Beauty....