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!

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.

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.

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.

Nice location and safe. The park is in good condition and well kept. The variety of slides are good…read morefor all ages. Also, basketball courts, dog, park, volleyball, picnic tables, and restrooms.

Nice park, but I never use it because of the "no trespassing military only" sign. Today I'm here as…read morea guest, but I live locally and feel sad that I can never bring my son here unless as an invited guest. Minus one star for excluding the general public and the scary sign.

This park has a lot to do. They have the Dennis the Menace park for the kiddos, boating for…read moreeveryone and lot of trails to get steps in.

What a great place to practice wildlife photography…read more.. Park up near crane island, set your shutter speed to something useful and just wait and watch the world go by at a slightly slower pace !..

This is a beautiful place ideally located next to the beach. Several volleyball courts located here…read moreand lots of grass to lay on. Great place for frisbee play. Lots of kayakers launch from here and a geat place to start riding on the bike trail, which I did most of he time here. Lots of families enjoying having bbq's here and picnic lunches. Can get cold at times so binge your sweater.

Window on the Bay project of Monterey has continued to expand this beautiful recreation area…read more Overlooking the Del Monte Beach and Monterey Bay there are BBQs to rent and picnic tables. Volleyball courts are available. This includes a portion of the coastal bike/ walking trail. A nice place to enjoy some sunshine!

So safe. Smells so good. Smells like pure nature. I saw some deer and birds. So quite . People ade…read morewalkung, running or riding a bike

Beautiful place ! high recommended! Go and check it out,…read moreGood experience,and exercise at the same time

Neat little walking spot, we knew butterflies wouldn't be around but spotted a blue jay and walked…read morethe path. Interesting how many non natives are planted, but then again so are eucalyptus, so maybe that's not the focus. Limited street parking on the grove acre road side, please be respectful of the surrounding apartments.

Not to much to hype up. Recent visit was Early October - way too early in season. Best time is…read moreduring Thanksgiving weekend - super crowded with butterflies and people. LOL.... Nice trail and a cool place to check out when visiting the Monterey Pacific Grove area....also cool rocks and tide pools nearby...Will be back later on this season.....

We went pedal boating here and I really enjoyed it, it was something different for us. It was me,…read moremy husband, and my daughter and we got to pedal around the lake together, which was really nice. The staff was great, very informative and made sure we understood everything before we got on. They had different types of boats too, not just regular ones, but fun ones like ducks, swans, and even dragon boats, which made it feel more exciting, especially for kids. It's very family friendly and I felt like everything was safe. They provided life jackets and made sure everyone was good before heading out. We'll definitely come back, probably on a warmer day so we can enjoy it even more.

This was such a fun family outing to do. We have a 3-year-old and two year old and they just had…read morethe best time they wanted to go again but we were definitely done after 30 minutes. It's quite a workout pushing those boats especially if it's windy but it's worth it for those smiles on their little faces and the views were really nice it was just a really relaxing experience. The service there is fantastic the gentleman that get you in the boats are so patient and even took a photo for us really nice spot to make special memories. All of the duck boats were gone and my three year old only wanted a duck so they were very patient and got us one as soon as it came in.