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.

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.

Views, trails, tide pools, ocean waves, shells, and lots of poison oak!…read more Parking is limited and we arrived later than we wanted. We were able to park on the side of the road like a lot of others, but other than that it's a worthwhile stop. Gorgeous state park, easy walking trails, there was even a park volunteer at the trailhead with maps answering questions and giving good advice (both when we got there and a different volunteer posted there when we left!)

Maybe folks are trying to keep this place a secret, but this place is quiet and beautiful. A little…read moreslice of heaven here!

We stopped by here over 5 years ago, cute spot to see the sea lions, they were all napping, it was…read moreneat to do the 17 mile drive and check out this spot, the weather was good but cloudy, we checked out a few spots in the area. The water is gorgeous color, and its neat to see the seaweed and rock formations. Overall a cute spot to check out.

It is Pebble Beach - enough said right there. The location is perfect, the grounds are immaculate…read moreand planning a golf outing and stay soon.

Easter sunday 2025, we visited carmel beach carmel, calif…read more it was the most beautiful drive one way along the ocean the white sands the peaceful energy.. i would highly recommend visiting carmel for the ocean views.. there is parking near the entrance and restrooms a bit crowded weekends .. but the drive along to the other end is amazing also available parking at the end it's slower driving one way only and able to enjoy the views . I have many memories as a young teen going to carmel and i'm glad we chose carmel for easter sunday was an amazing peaceful drive. pet friendly place as well. highly recommend this beach as the sand seems softer and looks easier for lounging on a sunny day i've included photos videos to enjoy

Beautiful beach, bathroom on site and parking. Very clean sand. I totally recommend this place for…read moreeveryone!

Devendorf Park should get 5 stars for the proximity to Carmel by the Sea, shops and restaurants…read more It's aesthetically pleasing landscaped garden setting and lawn area. Park benches under tree shade, walking paths and koi pond. Public restroom as well is located on-site. I only gave it 4 stars because I wish it was larger in overall area and allowed dogs to visit as well. It is a beautiful space regardless.

This was a petite park in the downtown Carmel area, and it was pretty lovely. I'm glad that they…read morehave restrooms there, and they were pretty clean. We walked our doggie there after brunch.

This is my favorite beach in Carmel! It's a little nestled away from downtown, but the best part of…read moreit is watching the sunset over Point Lobos - it's beautiful! The beach isn't too crowded and there's a good mix of soft sand, pebbly sand, and tide pools. It's perfect for a more laid-back atmosphere. The northernmost part of the beach has some really nice sand and is secluded, with some awesome views of the ocean.

Gorgeous beach with a fun walk. I like to look at the ocean from the hike. We hired a tour guide…read morefrom our stay at the Hyatt Carmel Highlands Inn, and we enjoyed it very much. Her name is Wanda. She is a very good tour guide. You can take a lot of great photos and see this big cross that used to be there for a lost ship. It's not a hard hike but it's really nice for the views. I would definitely do it again. I am an avid hiker and this was very easy it was like a stroll but my mother really liked it. There are beautiful wild flowers and plants and lots of rocks and trees and grasslands. During May, it is pretty cold, so make sure you wear a jacket and that you are ready. I love to hike so I would definitely recommend this to anyone who likes to see nature. You can even see where the salt water and lake water mix. Apparently there is a beach where a lot of children drowned near here, I think that would be a very interesting thing to write a movie about!

First time in Carmel with the wife and we decided to walk the beach during the noon time. A nice…read morestroll from the main downtown area. A nice trail to walk around. And views you can't miss. Definitely a spot worth hitting if you want to make your stay worth it. Even the dog got to enjoy the views and walk too!

Nice quiet beach in the Carmel Highlands. We didn't feel like heading downtown and Point Lovos was…read moreway too crowded. I spent Thanksgiving day here for a bit reading a book. It was relaxing. The sand is sandy (lol) with some pebbles, so not too smooth or powdery, but it's a beach, haha! Parking is in the shoulder so be careful getting in and out of your vehicle. Swim at your own risk. I felt safe here as there were handfuls of folks passing through.

Really enjoyable nature trail tucked right across from the Mission and unassumingly in…read moreneighborhood! Parking got full fast on a Saturday morning with lots of joggers and dog walkers enjoying the trail. Trail was well maintained with portions on dirt or tan bark or pavement. We meandered around the park, checking out the botanical gardens and mansion at the peak as well as scoring some views of the ocean. Many wildflowers were in bloom in mid-July, from lillies to monk's cress dotting the landscape. A variety of sunny and shaded trail but pleasant ocean breezes also made for a great experience. Overall not the biggest park but such an accessible bit of nature that truly makes you forget you're in the middle of town. Well worth a pleasant visit!

First timer Nice hike…read moreCame late but still nice walk Went the back way so no parking Parked at the streets

Something we thought that would be a quick "outdoor walk" turned into an hour stay at the beach. It…read morewas quite empty, which was a plus, and the sun was shining with a slight ocean breeze. Being able to walk along the coast and soaking in the sun rays and enjoying the sounds of the waves crashing is very, very soothing. You can walk along the beach or walk on a trail or go up a small hill to overlook the ocean!

Location: corner of Ribera Rd and Cuesta Way…read more Parking : enough for three cars. Street parking allowed It's inside the residential area therefore not as crowded/popular as the nearby Carmel Beach. Nicely maintained wide trails wide enough for wheelchair however unfortunately not a ADA compliant, only a staircase to go down /up. Full of wildflowers during spring time and since it's adjacent to the Bird Sanctuary, you can spot the variety shore birds . The trail leads to the Carmel Beach to north and the monastery beach to south.