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.

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.

Great camping spot with amazing views! One of my favorite places in the Monterey Bay Area!read more

5 stars for the views! But our plans to camp here at Valley View campground over Labor day weekend…read more2025 ended with us fleeing due to flies, mosquitos, and overgrown everything- including poison oak. The overgrown brush was also dry as could be and in the fierce heat, it seemed this place would spontaneously combust. I have backpacked and camped all over CA and have never fled before. If you do go, avoid Valley View site 11. Absolutely no shade and it's right by the stinky outhouse. We got permission to move to shady site 12 (the overflow site) but still couldn't find a reason to stay. Maybe this place is better in Springtime!

A very nice place to walk with good views and mostly peaceful surroundings. The two downsides are…read moreits lack of safe walking access to the main entrance, being located right on the edge of a busy road, and the fact that the noise from the cars tends to permeate the otherwise wonderful atmosphere unless you get deeper into the preserve. Other than those two things, it's a wonderful place to walk, particularly in the evenings.

Short quarter mile hike in the heart of Del Rey Oaks, California. Heck, most people don't even know…read moreit's here. In the rainy season there is a small pond and running creeks due to water run off in the surrounding areas. In the summer time, it is really weird. The pond has dried up and the poison oak is abundant. Great little hike with lots of flowers and birds to see IMHO: wait fir a good rainstorm.

I visited the Fort Ord Dunes State Park in Marina, CA [Beach Range Road] on Tuesday, 9/30/25,…read morearound 2 PM. I decided to come here for a nice, chill beach day. What I enjoyed most about the beach was the tranquility, peacefulness, and calmness. The entire view of the area was gorgeous. I was able to soak up the ocean air and breeze. To top it off, the beach was not crowded at all. Overall, I spent about four hours there. On-site, parking was complimentary. There were portable restrooms available at everyone's convenience. There were signs to help navigate the walking trail or even heading towards the beach. I highly recommend visiting this place. I'd return in the future.

Name That Dune…read more Formerly part of the Fort Ord Army post, this 1k-acre oceanfront state park consists of four miles of beach lined with the eponymous sand dunes. It is also one of California's newest state parks, as it has only been officially open since 2009. The Good: * Private parking lot * Free to visit! * Dogs allowed on recreation trail but not the beach or spur trails that lead to the beach. * Great beaches with amazing views * Great place to ride your bike as there's a little over 4 miles of paved trails The Meh: * Port-o-potties in the parking lot * Local Outdoor Enthusiasts™ hanging out in the parking lot. The Ugly: * Part of the paved trail was closed during our visit (April 11th, '26) Conclusion: Great state beach with not many amenities.

Great park for "family days" This place has been a staple…read morein my life. I enjoy this place for family parties. You do have to make reservations ahead of time to reserve a picnic area. Bathrooms are near by, and plenty of parking space area.

Checked into the wrong thing earlier. I made the Grumpy White Man hike with me today. It was his…read morefirst real hike. Of course he was complaining. He was composing for the first 45 mins. Because he wasn't eating. He needs to become a good blogger. At the end of it, he was happy. It was nice out there, but wished they labeled their trails a little better. I feel like San Jose does a better job of labeling trails. Grumpy White man found an old wind mill, and got distracted for 10 mins. He was doing a photo shoot.

Otters, sea lions, whales with a beach and bench to watch the ocean. Well worth your time…read more Port a potties only. Uneven sandy trails but amazing views. Not wheel chair accessible. But sea otters! Sea lions! Whales!

Elkhorn Slough is a great place to visit on kayak - or even by foot if you enter the path across…read morethe road from the Elkhorn Yacht Club to view wildlife from two big viewing platforms. I went on for two kayak trips over the weekend -- Friday mid-day was choppy and windy, ebb tide with a LOT more animals and birds. Sunday early morning started out flat water at flood and got a bit windier as the ebb started. Fewer animals than Friday but more tourists, and also, jellyfish that blew in with the flood. Keep well clear of the animals - the guidelines I learned this weekend are: - keep 100 ft away (5-8 kayak lengths) - if a seal or otter is looking AT you - you are too close! - if a seal or otter takes evasive action, you are too close Just go out, keep your voices down (they carry well over the water and scare animals and birds) and enjoy watching nature!

Absolutely lovely location.Be careful of High Tides. Cold,cold water right now, so bundle up while…read morestrolling. Will definitely experience it again!! Possibly Summer camping again!!

This beach is a quiet, smaller spot within walking distance of the Marina Dunes RV Resort. It has a…read morepeaceful, almost private feel to it. We stayed at the resort and loved the easy access, there's a direct path that leads from the resort straight to the beach. On both sides of the path, fencing helps protect the local wildlife and their habitat, which adds to the natural charm of the area. The parking lot can get a little hectic, especially in the mornings and around sunset. There are public restrooms nearby, which is a nice convenience. Many people head here in the evening to catch the beautiful sunset. Overall, it's a lovely beach worth visiting.

This is such an amazing experience. I've been on three tours of the slough with this group and will…read moredefinitely be back. The naturalists and captains are well informed, warm and friendly people. As a photographer, I've gotten some incredible photos and videos on this tour. Lots of seas otters, many holding baby sea otters, a black skimmer, a white pelican diving for food, many other birds, a pair of seals fighting, a pair of otters fooling around, seals with their babies, sea lions, the Western Flyer, John Steinbeck's boat. There's so much to see with every trip.

We took an otter tour on the occasion of my 50th birthday, and it was incredible! We saw 67 otters…read moreand 12 pups, not to mention countless fascinating shore birds and seals. The naturalist was an extremely effective communicator, completely engaging, and Captain Joe was welcoming and fantastic as well. We loved it so much and it definitely exceeded our expectations; we'll be back and have already recommended the tour to many friends. Thank you!

Great place to hike, visit a museum and see their native plant garden. This organization does great…read morework.

You'll Slough the Day…read more 1,700-acres Marsh and tidal preserve located in scenic Moss Landing and overlooking the Monterey Bay. The Good: *Free entrance *Visitor's Center with restrooms *Spectacular views of the water and great spot to view native wild birds and sea life. *You can probably explore the whole park in one day, as there's only ±5-miles of trails to navigate. *Trails are very flat and easily navigable *If you have a kid who's a rail fan, then this would be a great spot for trains and nature. The Meh: *Closed Mondays & Tuesdays The Ugly: *No shade on the trails, so it's not a great option on really hot days. TLDR: Great place for nature and ocean lovers and a really great place to bring young kids to introduce them to hiking and nature.

Stayed here with my fiancé for a night. It was pouring rain so that kept us up, but the electric…read moreblankets were amazing!!! The ambiance was also very cute! Was about $120/night for our stay in February. There are showers and restrooms on property. Would definitely consider coming back!

This was a pretty nice glamp site! We stayed 1 night during our road trip to Big Sur, which is…read moreabout an hour away from Carmel. We booked a Luxury Tent - Lower Grove through Airbnb for about $200 for 1 night (we did book pretty late - about 1 week in advance - so the price might be cheaper if booked earlier). Instructions on getting there were pretty easy, and check in is in their central office building 3-8pm. Staff were super friendly! The office closes at 9pm, and then security comes onto the site, so I felt very safe. The whole campsite is small so a lot of the sites are pretty close to each other. They have cabins, RV spots, drive-in sites, walk-in sites, and some really nice luxury tents. Some spots have a nicer view up the hill, but the Luxury Tents in the Lower Grove were on the steep downhill road near the exit, more tucked in under some trees. I did like that the Lower Grove felt a little more private than the Upper Grove. But we did have to walk up the steep hill to get to the nearest bathroom. Our Luxury Tent (50Q) was pre-built and sturdy, and had space for our car right on the site. Our tent came with a queen sized bed, heated blanket, 2 side tables with reading lights, USB plug, a small shelf at the foot of the bed with some towels, and a small side table with a electric kettle and coffee packets. Outside on the small patio was also 2 adirondack chairs for lounging, and a propane grill with grilling utensils. I do wish we got a small table outside for our food, and a fire pit at the site would have been nice. We also ran out of propane in the morning but I'm sure they would refill it if we were staying longer. Our tent was perfect for 2 people. Some other Luxury Tents are much larger and can fit many people, and had large patios, tables, and firepits. Since our site was under some trees, it was quite shaded, which I'm sure would be awesome in the summer! We stayed during early November, so the evening was cool and morning was brisk, but it wasn't freezing. The campsite amenities were very cool: a heated pool, sauna (can fit 6-8 people), multiple fire pits and lounging areas, ping pong table, cornhole, horse shoes, basketball hoop, playground, and hiking trail. There were some sports equipment and games at the front that were available to use as we please. I super enjoyed the clean bathrooms, showers, and dishwash area - with provided hand soap, paper towels, dish soap, and body soap in the showers! It was always clean and never crowded. I thought this was worth it for our site and luxury tent - super duper convenient to not have to bring & set up a tent/sleeping bag. We basically arrived and were able to get comfortable right away. Saddle Mountain is a good choice if visiting the Carmel-by-the-Sea, Monterey, or Big Sur areas.