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    Asilomar State Beach

    4.8 (259 reviews)

    Asilomar State Beach Photos

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    View along the path
    Emily C.

    Lovely beach along the coast in Pacific Grove. You can follow the sandy path for miles and enjoy the sun and sea air.

    Bernadette Y.

    I love this area. The wildlife spotting is amazing, and the views are spectacular. The beach is nice, but really, it is all about the wildlife here. On one side, you've got sea otters playing in the water, on the other side, you've got deer wandering through the neighbors front yard. It's currently warm, and it's just such a cool spot. Definitely one of my favorite spots of all time. I love coming back here.

    Victoria S.

    Beautiful place to walk or watch the sunset, it's dog-friendly & there's tide pools at low tide. We even saw deers nearby.

    Gorgeous!
    Kathryn Y.

    The drive along the coast here is stunning. Between Pacific Grove and Carmel By the Sea. Plenary of places to stop and park and put your feet in the sand. The two times I visited recently with family and friends it was a stunning sunshiny day. And the water felt so warm. No waves and views all the way across the bay to Santa Cruz. No restrooms anywhere along this beach. Just so you know. Be sure to drive slowly and enjoy the views. Drive slow also because deer also live in the area. See the photos I took of a large buck with the small herd of deer. And they can be skittish. When I lived in the area I frequently came here for car picnics too. It's a must see for the area!! Enjoy your life. SYOY!

    Look up the tide schedules and go out accordingly (one hour before low tide is recommended to my understanding). The tides can come in fast

    Went on an afternoon in late June after visiting Point Pinos Lighthouse. We were happy to find street parking all along this large beach area. Not too crowded on the beach and lots of different areas to explore tide pools. Keep in mind when visiting that no one is supposed to remove anything (including empty shells or rocks) from this protected area.

    J Lo LOVES the beach!
    Mary Lou S.

    Always a must stop when we are in the Monterey, Pacific Grove area. There is parking along the side of the street. Several places with steps to get down to the beach. Such a pretty area of Monterey Bay. Got a few pics and a nice lady even walked over to us and offered to take a pic of us and our doggie. The beach always has super nice people nearby. How can you not be happy near the ocean?!

    The sign of Asilomar
    Elsie F.

    This is of my favorite spots to visit! It's just a peaceful and serene place to view amazing sea life!! This last visit we saw sea lions napping at a distance on rocks, water hermits, starfish and so many sea anemones in between the rocks!

    Low tide.
    Dave S.

    Solid! This beach does a lot. Tide pools, soaking up them rays and of course plenty of people watching. Doing some touristy things with family from up north and cruised by a few beaches in the area. Always loved this one area. The parking situation has changed over the years but the coast remains. As a kid my brothers and I would run the rocks for as long as our mom would let us. As an adult we would drive our older parents here just to watch the waves and watch a few beautiful sunsets. And now as I'm getting older it's just a wonderful place to relax. Last words...God is very good.

    Ocean waves
    Becky E.

    I would call this pebble beach- the views of the ocean crashing against the Rocks is spectacular! It's easy to get down to the beach area, it's not really sandy like most beaches, it's basically little tiny rocks. Would definitely recommend as it was not very crowded

    Thanksgiving day walk with my best guy
    Dena G.

    I spent Thanksgiving weekend in Monterey, and my hubby and I spent some time walking at Asilomar State Beach. Tranquil, peaceful, and heart-soaringly beautiful, life slowed down by the ocean.

    Sunset 10.24.24
    Kim H.

    Absolutely gorgeous day! Easy parking. Wide open views. Pet friendly, lots of seashells

    Catherine C.

    5/5 Stars! Enjoy pristine shores, scenic hikes, and playful sea otters. Bring binoculars and respect wildlife. Tips: Arrive early, bring layers, and enjoy serenity!

    Appears to be blue mussels or the slimy stuff inside clams
    Nohemy C.

    On 5/10/2025, the trail was closed due to storm damage. Some people didn't care and would jump the fence but given we have an active toddler, we didn't want to take our chances. We walked down the stairs to the beach and the water was very cold. Dogs are allowed on leash but people didn't follow it. Despite this, the beach was clean. There are trash and recycling bins everywhere. On this sunny morning, there were blue mussels everywhere on the shore. I also witnessed some crazy seagulls attacking some families unattended bags and they took out a large ziplock bag of what appeared to be popcorn. They attacked it and ate it out of the bag. I was beyond myself that I didn't record it. I tried to shoo them away but then more showed up. It was something out of a movie and the lesson learned here is that seagulls are like bears. There are no restrooms or showers but it is a nice place to relax or play or walk with free parking. Even if you see a lot of cars parked along Sunset, it doesn't feel packed because it is a long stretch.

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    9 months ago

    Asilomar Beach is quite beautiful and a great place to enjoy the Pacific Ocean it has clean sand and no alligators

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    1 year ago

    I love their camp grounds and the walkways along the water. Not sure how they operate their business but it is worth a try.

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    Asilomar State Beach Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Asilomar State Beach

    Are bonfires allowed?

    No. It's clearly posted at all trailheads.

    Is this open during covid?

    Open! It a huge beach with lots of parking that is always accessible

    Where would you find the best tidepools? North or south end of the beach?

    North end of beach and many more north along the highway curve of the peninsula but not as far as the lighthouse. Free parking all along the road and steps down to the tide pools.

    Do they allow fires on the beach?

    No bon fires 🔥 allowed.

    Can you car camp?

    No. But people sleep in their RVs/ vehicles in the surrounding areas and around Asilomar and Sinex Area ... 🙄

    Where are the tide pools at the beach?

    We live close and we like the cove at the end of Arena Ave and Ocean Blvd ♥️

    Are dogs allowed on and/or off leash?

    Per the Asilomar website: "Dogs are allowed ON leash at Asilomar State Beach. Please consider families with infants and young children who frequent the beach when walking dogs by keeping them under control and picking up after your pet."

    Does anyone know if your allowed to fish there , near the rocks? I'm not from the area but I wanna give it a try

    No this is a marine reserve. No fishing allowed.

    Can you have bonfires?

    No

    Where are the restrooms?

    There are no restrooms or picnicking facilities on the State Beach. Restrooms open to the public are located at the Phoebe Hearst Social Hall inside the Conference Grounds

    Does anyone know if theirs a bathroom near the beach ? Is this Beach normally crowded?

    There a public bathroom adjacent to the golf course/ driving range on Ocean Ave.

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

    Review Highlights - Asilomar State Beach

    “Water is crystal clear and when the tide is lower there a tons of little places to explore the rocks and sea life.”

    Mentioned in 59 reviews

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    Carmel Beach - dusk at 9pm during 2025's summer solstice

    Carmel Beach

    4.7(676 reviews)
    5.4 mi

    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.

    Photos
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    Pacific Grove Shoreline Parkway Marine Refuge

    Pacific Grove Shoreline Parkway Marine Refuge

    4.8(18 reviews)
    0.1 mi

    Gorgeous. Easily accessible and kids love it. Keeps them occupied all day. At one end is a grill…read morefor hamburgers fries etc. Low tide has great tide pools

    When it comes to appreciating California's Pacific Ocean shorelines, Monterey has some of the best…read morevisual scenery in all it's glory! For ecologists, environmentalists, biologists and just plain nature lover's alike, you can't beat Pacific Grove for it's breath taking beauty, and an admiration for Mother Earth. Joe K and I were lucky enough to walk here from our hotel and hike along the state provided trails & paths. Many look-out points can be found along the way, with it's rocky shores or sandy beaches. Visitors can leisurely walk, bicycle, picnic, photograph, or visually take in all that nature puts on display. An abundant amount of wildlife can be seen with it's numerous species of birds, sea lions, sea otters, ground squirrels, tide pools, and even the seasonal Monarch butterflies! Among the points of interest along the Monterey Bay Coastal Trail, (which are Marine Protected Areas), include but not limited to: Hopkins Marine Station of Stanford University Marine Life Refuge, Monarch Grove Sanctuary, Lover's Point, Marine Life Sculptures by local artists, informative signage and paintings on the history of the area, public picnic park with children's pool, small beach, restaurant and plenty of sitting areas for relaxation. Just listening to the continuous crashing ocean waves can bring a sense of peace and serenity to anyone's life! Definitely a "must see" location!

    Photos
    Pacific Grove Shoreline Parkway Marine Refuge
    Pacific Grove Shoreline Parkway Marine Refuge
    Pacific Grove Shoreline Parkway Marine Refuge

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    Asilomar State Beach - parks - Updated October 2026

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