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.

If you're in the Carmel/Monterey area with kids, you have to stop here. It's a total hidden gem…read more There are so many wonderful play structures that kept our kids (ages 2 and up) entertained for hours--everything from the suspension bridge to the hedge maze and the classic steam engine. The park is also very well-maintained and clean, which isn't always a guarantee with public playgrounds. It's the perfect place to let the kids burn off some energy in a safe, fun environment. Highly recommend!

PLEASE place updated schedule on website/Yelp!!!!!…read more Went on a Tuesday and it was closed. Other than the aquarium this was the main reason we chose to come to Monterey and stayed an extra night just to have the day to visit the park. Lucky (I guess) I saw a worker and asked why it was closed. He said if kids are in school, then Tuesdays is when they close for maintenance.

Haven't been here in over a year since moving away. It was fantastic to see the regrow th from all…read morethe rain in CA this past year. And the pond at the top of the trail looks like it did from years ago when I first hiked here. They had done some major work around the pond and sort of landscaping. The view at the top is a still gorgeous! Views of Carmel Valley sand the white sand beach. A new building with restrooms is at the front too. Nice change from all the port a potties. Enjoy nature and get out there. Cheers and happy yelping.

So beautiful, full of a variety of wildlife and sweeping views of the ocean and surrounding…read morelandscape. Highly recommend.

Had been meaning to check out this park for a long time, but usually got pulled away to Point…read moreLobos. A few weekends ago we were down in Carmel for the long weekend with some friends and got a later start to the morning. Anticipating that Point Lobos would be super crowded, I picked out a few hikes at Garrapata State Park, just a few miles south. We parked near the Soberanes Canyon trailhead and hiked the Soberanes Point trail, first going north, then doubling back to take the loop around (and up) Whale Peak. I was worried about leading a group of 20 astray (with kids who had different tolerance levels for hikes), but my fears were immediately put to ease by the gorgeous oceanside views, full of greenery, wildflowers, and the powerful ocean waves hitting the rocks below. We even spotted a sea otter in the surf. Got some nice photos and everyone made it back. At this point our group split up. A few of us went down to Calla Lily Valley. The lilies were beautiful (though I heard they were cut down recently), but there were a ton of people, and the trail was quite muddy. The beach nearby was really nice - the kids spent some time playing there. Parking immediately near the valley is tight but there is parking at this beach and trails to both the beach and the valley from there. Will definitely be back, love that there's an alternative to Point Lobos so close by.

My husband and I stopped here for the first time before hitting up Big Sur and I'm glad that we…read moredid. Parking is off the side of the road and there's easy trails to explore and just enjoy the scenic highway 1 coastline. Awesome place to take in the ocean air/breeze, great spot to take pictures, and just enjoy the ocean views!

Awesome park! We were looking for a place for our kids to get their energy out and this place was…read moreso wonderful! They have two playgrounds for different age groups which always helps. I love that they have so much nature areas that the kids can run and climb on besides the playground. They also have a basketball court, tennis court and basebAll! Downside: bathroom is not clean but I know I shouldn't expect much from a park. Best part: little library right next to the tennis court. It also has a lot of trails! We saw 2 deers too!!! This is what happens when you come from LA! Nature is a wonderful thing!

Awesome little park! It's super clean, manicured, quiet, and well layed out. I grew up going to…read morethis park since I lived in the neighborhood and now I take my toddler there. There is a playground for 2-5 year olds right next to a playground for 5-12 year olds. Across the grass from the playgrounds, there is a baseball field, with a basketball court next to it. On the other side from the playground are some very quiet tennis courts. Plus there are bathrooms, benches, and a fairly large picnic area up above. Also, there's walking paths around it and a canyon behind it. We took my dog today and did not see any No Dog signs, except understandably, on the baseball field and in the tennis courts. You should definitely keep them on a leash though because there are squirrels and other wildlife (deer, birds) in the park. Plus the park is surrounded by streets.

My 1st review of 2026!!!…read more I've visited Lovers Point Park twice so far, and I love it here. :) My first visit was back in April of 2025, and I remember that I parked in the residential street and walked two blocks to get to the park. The place has nice walking paths, beautiful ocean views, and pretty park area with picnic tables. The squirrels are so friendly and will approach you without any fear. So friendly! My 2nd visit was today with my boyfriend and his doggie. It was his visit here, and we got a nice walk in plus we enjoyed our bagel sandwiches here. There's a long walking path, but we didn't get to walk all of it. Next time we will do it! :) You can also walk down to the beach area and climb the rocks if you're feeling adventurous!

Great little picturesque beach area and park to visit both during the day and even at night for a…read moredifferent vibe. As with most places along the coast on the peninsula, the weekends can be pretty busy, so visit mid-week if you can.

Another great Ca.state park. A short drive from Carmel down the Hwy 1. Plenty of parking. A nice…read morevariety of walking trails. Some short flat trails. We saw a lot of campers heading out on the trails for some overnight camping. Nice to see some hard to find California native flowers. FYI no cell service. Download your maps, or bring a paper map

We stayed two nights at Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park and while the scenery is absolutely stunning…read more(as expected for Big Sur), the experience was seriously impacted by poor enforcement and lack of oversight from staff. Right off the bat, our check-in experience was frustrating. We had reserved and paid for an ADA campsite, only to arrive and find someone else already occupying it. Apparently, there is no system in place to verify IDs against reservations, which seems like a huge oversight--especially for ADA-designated spots. After spending time sorting that out, things settled temporarily. Our first night at the Weyland campground quickly went downhill once "quiet hours" (10pm-6am) began. Instead of quiet, the majority of the campground was loud, playing music, and talking well into the night--until nearly 4am. There was zero enforcement of quiet hours, and no visible presence from a camp host or ranger to address it. It honestly felt more like a free-for-all than a state park campground. Hoping for a better experience, we moved to the South campground for our second night. Unfortunately, things got worse. The bathroom across from Site 45 was in unacceptable condition. The ADA shower stall took three of my paid shower tokens without working, and to make matters even worse, there was literal human feces on the floor. Not just dirty--completely unsanitary and clearly not being maintained. We attempted multiple times to contact the camp host about both the bathroom situation and earlier noise issues, knocking several times with no response. It was incredibly frustrating to have no support or accountability when problems came up. It's really disappointing because this park is naturally beautiful and has so much potential. But the lack of basic management--no ID checks for reservations, no quiet hour enforcement, and poorly maintained facilities--completely takes away from the experience. It honestly feels like the park is being let down by the very people responsible for running it. Would love to return someday, but until there are major improvements in oversight and maintenance, it's hard to justify coming back.

Magnificent views and short hikes…read more I had a very pleasant short hike along some of the trails. Outstanding views of the sea and cliffs where the water carved out scenic scenes. Keep an eye out for seat otters in the water and seals on the sand in secluded coves. Parking can be a bit challenging on more popular days. I suggest driving to the end where China Cove is and keep an eye out for parking spots along the way. Be ready to backtrack to those open spots.

Absolutely breathtaking views. This gorgeous cove is hidden away deep in Point Lobos State Natural…read moreReserve. The parking lots fills up fast so you may have to park outside the park. We got there fairly late in the day, so we were able to go into the entrance with our car ($10 fee per car, it's free to park on the street outside). We were able to park all the way down in the last parking lot, then walked on the Bird Island Trail to get to China Cove - it's barely 5 minutes into the trail. The seals are so fun to watch down there and the view is like a postcard! I also highly recommend continuing to walk along Bird Island Trail to see Pelican Point and more gorgeous beach views. It's a fairly easy trail with a stunning view throughout. This is a must see!! Last entrance to the park is 6:30 pm and everyone has to be out by 7 pm. This wasn't confirmed anywhere online so we called them to get correct info on their current hours.

Garland Ranch Regional Park -- Where Nature Went to College and Got a Degree in Enchantment"…read moreOh, you think you've been on a hike before? No. You've merely walked on ground. Garland Ranch Regional Park is where the Earth decided to get fancy -- rolling hills, whispering trees, and trails that seem designed by a benevolent chaos god who wanted you to get lost just enough to find yourself. The Vibe: This place doesn't just have nature -- it radiates personality. The air smells like enlightenment and expensive essential oils. Every oak tree looks like it has witnessed ancient wisdom and is judging you for not bringing reusable water bottles. The wind flirts. The grass gossips. The clouds... perform interpretive dance. The Trails: Sky Trail: Don't let the name fool you -- it's 80% up, 20% existential crisis. But at the top? A view so stunning, I briefly ascended into my third chakra and forgot my email password. Waterfall Trail: There's water. There's falling. There's also a high chance of spotting a woodland creature that may or may not be a druid in disguise. Saddle Trail: Not for the faint of calf. You'll meet at least one hiker who swears they saw Bigfoot running a mindfulness retreat. Wildlife Report: The deer here are too confident. They'll make eye contact like they know you left your stove on. Lizards do push-ups just to assert dominance. A hawk once circled above me for 20 minutes; I think I passed its vibe check. Local myth says the coyotes form an a cappella group at dusk. Their debut album, Howl to the Moonlight, drops every full moon. Random Fun Facts (Questionable Accuracy Edition): The park's elevation shifts based on how hydrated you are. 47% of the trees are rumored to be undercover dryads doing field research. If you say "Garland Ranch" three times at the visitor center, a ranger appears and hands you a perfectly ripe trail mix. Final Thoughts: Garland Ranch isn't just a park. It's an experience. It's Narnia with better signage. It's where fitness apps go to prove themselves. I came here seeking a light jog; I left spiritually rearranged, emotionally hydrated, and slightly sunburned.

Wonderful park to explore and hike if you are ever in the Carmel Valley area. Plenty of parking…read moreboth on the street as well as in a designated parking lot. Much of the area in the lower section is flat and easy to walk around, however, there are also some trails with steeper elevation climbs for those who want to get more of a scenic view of the area. Cool historic barn is easy to get to and on hotter days you will definitely want to take some water as some of the trails are exposed to the sun. There is a public bathroom area by the visitor center.