Monterey County has 99 miles of spectacular coastline, but relatively few of those miles translate into sandy beaches suitable for swimming or paddling. Beaches generally do not have lifeguards, and at even the most protected, bathers and waders should remain aware of our cold water and unpredictable surf.  However there are many sandy strands perfect for walking along, tide-pooling beside, or surfing towards.

Big Sur

Although Big Sur has no specific boundaries, most definitions of the area include the 90 miles of coastline between the Carmel River and San Carpoforo Creek, and extend about 20 miles inland to the eastern foothills of the Santa Lucias.  Big Sur enjoys several outstanding wild beaches, but visitors should expect to hike to reach most of them.

The 4800 acres of Andrew Molera State Park are laced with hiking and biking trails, and the Big Sur River. Bobcat Trail is an easy 3-mile hike that passes the Cooper Cabin, Big Sur’s oldest structure, and ends at a pleasant, sandy beach. State park admission fees include parking; there are no facilities at the beach, but restrooms are available at the parking lot.

Pfeiffer Beach is one of Monterey County’s handsomest beaches, located within Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park. After almost a year of renovations, you can now enjoy a wide array of improvements.

Garrapata State Park

Garrapata State Park is located seven miles south of Carmel. Within its 2879 acres of Big Sur beauty are trails leading through piney forests to great beaches. Beach accesses are clearly marked with signs at the turnouts. Soberanes Point is a favorite because of its panoramic views. Rock climbers can enjoy the rocks at the south end of the beach.

Point Lobos State Reserve

If lavish sands are your beach requirement, don’t bother with Point Lobos State Reserve, three miles south of Carmel. That said, it is truly one of the most beautiful places in the world, beloved by divers as much as photographers, painters and nature lovers. The Reserve takes in 750 acres of underwater wonders; whales and dolphins can be seen in the distance, seals bark on the rocks, and a variety of birds soar over-head.

Carmel

Carmel is blessed with several pleasant stretches of sands. To the south of town, Carmel River State Beach at Carmelo Road, is also known as Carmel River Lagoon and Wetlands Natural Preserve. By whatever name, it’s a wonderful place to watch birds and other wildlife while the children play in the shallow lagoon (but be very cautious of walking on the ocean side, due to dangerous surf). A small overland trail leads to Monastery Beach. A modern cross marks the spot where Gaspar de Portola erected a cross in 1769.

In Carmel-by-the-Sea itself, right at the foot of Ocean Avenue, is Carmel Town Beach, locally renowned for good surf and excellent dog-walking conditions. An annual sandcastle contest is testimony to the quality of the silvery sands, punctuated by outcroppings of rock

Pacific Grove

Asilomar State Beach is a narrow one-mile strip of sandy beach and rocky coves.  Asilomar State Beach is part of the Pacific Grove Fish Garden Refuge and the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary.  Each fall visitors are treated to the annual migration of the Monarch butterflies

The water in the vicinity of Asilomar State Beach is remarkably clear. When standing on the beach one can look through the cresting waves like a window to the rock reefs just offshore and see the kelp and fish. From above the color of the ocean is a light turquoise dropping to a deep blue offshore, much like the coloration seen in locations like The Bahamas. The water is also very cold compared to other beaches in the Monterey area, due to its exposure to the open ocean and the upwelling of cold water from nearby Monterey Canyon which funnels the icy water right to shore at this location. Despite the cold water the area is popular among snorkelers and SCUBA divers where they can be treated to magnificent rocky reefs filled with colorful sea life.

Monterey

Monterey’s tiniest beach must be Mac Abee Beach, located in the midst of Cannery Row. Kayakers launch from it, scuba divers occasionally wade ashore.

San Carlos Beach marks the end of Cannery Row, right beside the Coast Guard Pier. The large parking areas (pay-and-display) make it a popular ‘jumping-off point’ for groups of scuba divers, heading for the remains of cannery gear just off shore. A relatively shallow grade makes these sands a good choice for families.

The recently created Window on the Bay Park frames Monterey’s largest beach, Monterey State Beach, stretching from Wharf #2 virtually to Seaside. The soft sand shelves gently into the bay, making this one of the safest beaches for paddling with small children.  Public amenities include beach volleyball courts, kayak and canoe rentals, restrooms, snack bars and restaurants, and ample parking.

Seaside

Highway One may be humming just a few hundred feet behind you, and The Beach Resort hotel stands high above you, but the dune-backed beach at Seaside is a fantasy land of kites, kite-drawn sand buggies, and excited kids playing in the surf.  It’s possible to walk several miles on the beach, southwest towards Monterey or northeast towards Sand City.

Marina

Marina State Beach off Highway One has 170 acres of protected dunes and sandy beaches. It’s very popular with locals for kite-flying, hang-gliding, and surf-casting. Although surfing is allowed, the shoreline waters are dangerous for wading or swimming.