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    Carmel River State Beach

    4.6 (79 reviews)

    Carmel River State Beach Photos

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    Sunset at the beach
    Joyce T.

    Small beach with limited parking. Visited the beach during sunset, the sea breeze was mild, we had a great time there.

    Melissa D.

    We stopped here after work last month. The parking lot was closed, so we had to walk past beautifully landscaped homes to get to the beach. It was too cold for a long walk on the beach, so we just took some pics, sat on a log for a few seconds, breathed in the clean air, climbed down a sandy hill, and ran back up when the waves came crashing in, then left. That was my workout for the day. ;-) Short and sweet visit. Gorgeous and clean beach!

    Evangelene G.

    I like to consider this the quieter little sister of Carmel's Ocean Beach. The Carmel River runs out of here and to the ocean. Dogs are permitted on leash only. There is a public restroom on site. What makes this one so unique is there is limited parking, so less crowds. The sand here is more coarse and golden compared to the powder white sand at Ocean Beach. The views are still amazing!

    Darren K.

    This is quiet little beach nested in a beautiful neighborhood. Parking is limited and there was broken glass in the parking lot, but the beach was fairly empty with only a few other visitors strolling along the sand. You can see lots of driftwood structures piled along the coast. It was definitely a great beach to visit to start the morning away from the crowds.

    Informative signs.
    Lianne K.

    Home of stunning "Carmel Blue" waters, clean, soft sand, and free parking. We'd been in San Jose for a family gathering, and heading south last Monday. I took the day off so that we would have some relaxation time after the big doings. Neither Dear Hubby or I had been to Carmel in a very long time, and the weather was delightful, so we decided to make it our getaway for the afternoon before getting back on the road. After driving along the ocean in Pacific Grove, we headed the waterfront in Carmel. I did the driving so DH could relax and enjoy the view. We've both been here many times in our past lives before we got together. There haven't been nearly enough times in this beautiful area with us together as a couple. Being able to stop here at the State Beach on a Monday afternoon meant that parking was easy / free. We made our way across the sand, taking in the sights and sounds of the beautiful natural scenery all around us. There were a few others similarly enjoying the venue, but we mostly had it to ourselves. It's good to revisit special places, and this one definitely qualifies. We didn't linger too long, but took a piece of serenity back with us, along with photos taken at the scene.

    Hidden Gem
    Shannon P.

    We found this Hidden Gem by accident and will be our forever spot got forwarded. I is absolutely gorgeous and has such a relaxing ambiance

    How we do
    Tara T.

    Great parking, great views, white clean sand, it's the perfect place for a little picnic. We had a little afternoon meditation session here accompanied with prosecco and pistachios. The breeze was nice and steady and not too cold; although it did get a little chilly in the later afternoon. I ran by this beach in the morning during my morning run and I was shocked by the pretty views from the one way scenic road above. It's a nice place to play frisbee or football or just watch the waves. Have fun!

    Sarah T.

    Beautiful! Came here on a Thursday and there was plenty of parking and hardly anyone on the beach.

    Jaymie V.

    Parking is a struggle on the weekends but other than the the beach was beautiful and feels clean. It was such a nice sunny day that we went. We decided to eat our sandwiches on the bench at the stairs and enjoyed the view. I'd probably come back on a weekday

    Nice, lagoon water that is warmer than the ocean water
    Rosmond P.

    This is one of the best beaches that you can come to and visit. The hardest part of course is finding parking which is limited but once you do find parking then you have the option of sitting next to the ocean side hearing the sound of the splashing Waze and of course the wonderful sand. Or you can go and check out the little lagoon area where you can swim in the water is nice and calm as well. The lagoon area is where most families go to and kids can swim with their floats in the water and also just relax without the coldness of the ocean the water in the lagoon is a bit warmer even in the 65 to 70Degree weather

    Beautiful day at the beach
    Tina K.

    Stumbled upon this gem today a bit south from the main Carmel beach. We came on a sunny but cool day and there was free parking available in their parking lot (not sure how that goes on busy days). Lots of birds- a great place to explore different species. The beach is clean and had some huge waves today. There are public restrooms adjacent to the parking lot.

    too beautiful
    Marisela S.

    My niece actually introduced us to this beach. One day we were driving around and we parked a ways away because we were going to walk and take in the 17 mile drive, and she showed us this little round about beach and it was perfect! We dipped our feet in, we explored the rocks and climbing and finding seashells, and the little cove was not populated, and it was a nice walk around, just perfect for a nice chill afternoon. Very peaceful and had bathrooms on the other side with a little inlet and just overall great for us to explore and not have to worry about too many people and my little being out of sight.

    Erich L.

    Off the beaten path, this hidden little beach is a nice place to see the ocean and the coast. It's small but worth a short visit. It's free and not as crowded as the main Carmel beach. It's free and there's a small parking lot.

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    4 months ago

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    1 year ago

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    11 months ago

    A beautiful scenic tour of the beach. Lots of people enjoying the beach and cars parked on both sides.

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    2 years ago

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    9 months ago

    Absolutely beautiful. It's a hidden gem in the area! Love that is family friendly. Get there early because parking lot is tiny.

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    Ask the Community - Carmel River State Beach

    Review Highlights - Carmel River State Beach

    The parking isn't really designated, so make sure you don't block a residential drive.

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    Point Lobos State Natural Reserve - Point Lobos State Natural Reserve

    Point Lobos State Natural Reserve

    4.9(1.1k reviews)
    1.4 mi

    This is one of the most gorgeous state parks in California!! I've been wanting to visit for years…read moreand we finally made it here this past weekend. We were staying in Monterey, so it was about a 25 min drive to get there, we arrived before 11am. We parked before the park entrance along Highway 1 where there were NO signs saying "No parking at any time" THIS IS IMPORTANT because as we were walking towards the entrance, there was a parking enforcement officer giving tickets to all the other cars parked where the signs were clearly posted closer to the entrance. So make sure you pay attention! There is parking inside the park too for only $10. Once inside there were park rangers helping you with questions and guiding you on deciding which trails to go on, which was very nice and convenient! We took a picture of the map and choose to do the Cypress Grove, and the Sea Lion Point Trails. We only had about 3 hrs to hang out at the park, so those two were perfect easy hikes and roughly about 2.5 miles if you do both loops. We got spectacular views everywhere, you could hear the Sea Lions and see so many beautiful birds flying around. Wish we would've brought binoculars, so bring some with you if you remember. We can't wait to come back another time and do a full day of hiking because there are so many other trails! The park and restrooms were clean and well kept too, it's definitely a must visit once in your lifetime at least!!

    Absolutely stunning scenery! Easily one of the best hiking trails I've experienced! I've visited…read moretwice now, and both times have been fantastic. The coastal trails are well marked and offer breathtaking lookout points throughout the hike. Today was a little foggy but we were still able to enjoy the beauty. It's definitely worth arriving early to secure parking. The main lot was full when we got there, but we were able to find a spot along Highway 1. While it was a bit crowded, the variety of trails helps spread people out, so it never felt too overwhelming. We hiked about 3.5 miles and made it to the cove where seals birth their pups, Bird Island, hidden beach coves with beautiful blue water and tide pools. There were also docents and volunteers we spotted along the way. Next time I'd like to go further down the trail and explore more of the park.

    Photos
    Point Lobos State Natural Reserve - Point Lobos State Natural Reserve

    Point Lobos State Natural Reserve

    Point Lobos State Natural Reserve - Point Lobos State Natural Reserve

    Point Lobos State Natural Reserve

    Point Lobos State Natural Reserve - Point Lobos State Natural Reserve

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    Point Lobos State Natural Reserve

    Ribera Beach - Ribera beach aka Middle Beach , Carmel CA  4/14/2021

    Ribera Beach

    4.8(4 reviews)
    0.4 mi

    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!

    Photos
    Ribera Beach - Pt Lobos as viewed from atop Ribera Beach.

    Pt Lobos as viewed from atop Ribera Beach.

    Ribera Beach - Ribera Beach from above. Carmel and Pebble Beach beyond.

    Ribera Beach from above. Carmel and Pebble Beach beyond.

    Ribera Beach - June 27 Sunset From Ribera Beach Cliffs

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    June 27 Sunset From Ribera Beach Cliffs

    Carmel River State Beach - beaches - Updated May 2026

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