Such a beautiful beach! Lots of empty pockets to have space, and also lots of pockets where you can…read morebe in a other group's company. Parking available on the street level via parallel parking along the side of the road. I didn't see any bathrooms available where we were.

This is such a beautiful beach with miles to meander while enjoying the sea breeze. I absolutely…read morelove the tide pools.

A calm, peaceful and clean beach. It's located next to the…read morepier - which has good food places. The parking near the beach is paid and has a relatively clean washroom.

A very beautiful beach where my partner and I went towards the end of the day to catch the sunset…read more It ended up being quite foggy - so, the views far off into the ocean were very difficult . We were still able to appreciate the beach - and were even surprised to see some California Sea Lions close to the shore. Overall, a beautiful beach with literally power soft sand!

Such a beautiful spot to lay a picnic out and walk around catching beautiful scenery of the sun set…read moreand wildlife. We saw many chipmunks, seagulls, and otters! I will say if you bring food, beware of the very brave and bold seagulls and chipmunks who are not scared of humans! We lives how accessible it was as we were able to stroll around with our stroller very easily.

This park is great for a first stop before heading out for an adventure or watching the sunset…read morewhile dining on some pizza from Gianni's. Lover's point offers plenty of opportunities for the kids to get worn out, like a public beachside swimming pool, beach volleyball, an actual beach area just inside the cove, and a grassy area for picnicking. even though this beach/park was packed, the vibe was still super chill and didn't feel overcrowded. This beach also offers some great opportunities for people to enjoy tide pools, watch wildlife, and take-in gorgeous views. There is a public bathroom here, but if you can avoid. Not the most clean.

Adj: Less popular beach in Seaside, so less crowded!…read more So we came on a Monday mid/late morning about 11a, so maybe that's why it wasn't crowded at all. What a nice change from most of the beaches along the Monterey coastline areas. This is a State beach, but there was no admission fee. Parking lot is kind of small, so spots are limited, and maybe tough on weekends, but again, a Monday would be a good time to come enjoy this beach. We had just checked out of our hotel and was on the way out of town to get back home, but we wanted to spend some extra time at the beach and say bye to this beautiful area before headed out. How perfect that we finally got to spend some time here, a beach we'd passed dozens of time on our way into Monterey and Pacific Grove deeper into the bay. Anyhow, this beach is pretty natural, there's no built up landscaping or benches or anything really, just the ocean and sand, which is perfect. Park in the lot and then walk along a sidewalk covered in sand, of course, till you get to the beach, then it's a relaxing time of walking, playing, running, and splashing as you listen to the waves of the ocean, nice! There's an estuary that's like a short cut to get to the beach, if you don't mind getting your feet and legs wet. Otherwise, you will take a longer walk to get to the beach. I noticed there are some natural debris and a bit of litter and this beach does seem less pristine than others in Monterey. Some parts of the beach had smells that were unpleasant. Maybe some decay of natural ocean creatures? Overall, this is a lovely place to enjoy our beautiful CA coastline. We've not been, but I imagine it's even nicer at sunset, maybe next time!

This beach is beautiful and not crowded. The parking is very limited. I don't like the porta potty…read morebecause it's very dirty and no where to wash your hands.

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.

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.

A lovely beach in the Monterey . It is fairly closed to the Cannery Row and Monterey plaza hotel &…read morespa . The beach has a state park and lots of paid parking right in the front . Lots of launch chairs to sit and enjoy the ocean view . There are big green lawn for the kids to run and play frisbee or have a picnic , play your fur babies to run around and play . The most popular sight are the sea lions and the beach front . The beach is long enough for people to go down to swim . Sea lions and birds stay on the other side and sun bath . The weather is cloudy in the morning and usually turns nice in the afternoon that you can see blue sky and the ocean is beautiful under the sun . We stayed there for 2 hours in the afternoon . Some free parkings are in front of the Monterey plaza hotel . There are a few area build for closer access to the ocean and a better view . There are public restrooms in the beach plus you can walk one block to the hotel lounge for drinks and snacks . We love to visit this beach park and we come often.

Very nice and relaxing beach/park area. There is a small parking lot in front. We got lucky and…read morefound parking. You do have to pay for parking but I believe it's $2/hr. Big steps down to the beach area. Weather is perfect. The sand was actually really soft. I saw a lot of families and groups on the beach. It's next to the pier where they have rentals for scuba diving and kayaking. They had a seating area with tables and benches on top of the stairs with the view point. I can see people coming here to bring their own food to eat and relax. They also had a huge grass area for dogs. It was surprising for a Saturday on memorial weekend it wasn't busy.

We stopped to walk along this trail in Pacific Grove for a while, and it was a gorgeous day for it…read more Our 13-year-old dog, Zoey, cannot walk far anymore, so we brought a stroller. This path is not the best place for one, but we made do. First, though, we took her down to the water. We did not explore the tidepools on this occasion, but Zoey had a great time walking in the ocean water. In this area, the tide moved in a gentle motion, yet it still managed to sneak up on me and get my shoes wet! The path was alive with vibrant color today, and offered lovely views. Unfortunately, some cars drive faster than they ought to on this road considering how close the walking path is situated to it.

Nice trail with bike lanes. Lot of things to see. There are lots of seals laying on the beach after…read moreyou passed the Hopkins Marine Station. It's a pleasant walk along the shore.

This was our first visit to the playground. I saw the size and diversity of structures here and…read moreknew we had to visit. Since we were going to be in the area, it was added to our agenda for the day. From the parking lot, you see a baseball field, life size train behind black gates and restrooms. The parking lot was adequate in size and held about 20-25 cars. We were fortunate to obtain the last open parking space while others circled and departed. At the entrance of Dennis the Menace, there are the restrooms, a case for free books to leave or take, a stand on the background of the playground, an oversized lion who's mouth serves as a water fountain (so cool!) and a Dennis the menace comic strip page. Directly behind the train, to your right as you enter, is an oversized figure of Dennis the Menace enclosed in the gate. There are 2-3 stands sharing the history and significance of the trains presence. There are large rocks to climb with two tunnels to walk through, a rock climbing wall, a cross bridge connecting two large rocks, swings, slides, a maze made from gates leading to a smaller play structure, a tube based slide, an oversized sunshine staircase, a boat, and so much more. This space is incredible to experience as an adult, our daughter ran around for hours allowing us to share in her fun running along side her. There were few spots offering refuge from the sun and seating was minimal. There are a few benches, but mostly the stone structure surrounding the play area was used. The gnats...they were everywhere in swarms making it difficult to navigate and fully enjoy. We were constantly swatting at the tiny buggers, our daughter was existing free as a bird making her way around the park - doubt she noticed. There were a few spots on the park we were able to find relief, very few. It would be great if the park implemented some bug deterrent to lessen the presence of the gnats. Other than that, it was an incredible experience we all enjoyed. We were there for a few hours and only departed because she needed to eat dinner. 4.5 due to the presence of the gnats. In their absence a solid 10.

Dennis the Menace Playground, Monterey…read more August 2026 I've been here a few times with my family. This is an awesome park and it's pretty big! This park is great for all ages even for adults too! I highly recommend going on the weekends, although there are a lot of people, I think they close during the weekday since there's a preschool nearby. Right next to this playground entrance, there's a baseball field and there's a small snack bar, it's called El Estero Snack Bar, they sell hamburgers, fries and drinks. We ordered the nacho cheese fries with jalapeno peppers on the side. It came out piping hot! Although it seems so basic, it was really good on a cold day! Highly recommend this playground and would come back if I'm in the area. This place is awesome!

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.