I love this area. The wildlife spotting is amazing, and the views are spectacular. The beach is…read morenice, 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.

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

A calm, peaceful and clean beach. It's located next to the…read morepier - which has good food places. The parking near the beach is paid and has a relatively clean washroom.

A very beautiful beach where my partner and I went towards the end of the day to catch the sunset…read more It ended up being quite foggy - so, the views far off into the ocean were very difficult . We were still able to appreciate the beach - and were even surprised to see some California Sea Lions close to the shore. Overall, a beautiful beach with literally power soft sand!

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.

This beach is beautiful and not crowded. The parking is very limited. I don't like the porta potty…read morebecause it's very dirty and no where to wash your hands.

Beach about 10 minutes north of Monterey. We've seen paragliding out here and always wanted to stop…read moreby to check it out. The parking lot is small and gets packed quickly and getting in and out can be challenging with the amount of people parked in the parking lot waiting for someone to leave. There is an estuary right next to the parking lot so if you bring swim clothes or roll up your pants you can walk across it for pretty quick access. If you don't the walk is longer to get to a secluded part of the ocean. It's much colder near the water than at the parking lot so bring warm clothes. A lot of the beach is littered with burnt firewood even though fires aren't allowed and there are small sections that are roped off for fragile native plant habitats so you feel less integrated with nature. There are some driftwood logs I saw couple leaning on and watching the waves together. For some reason this is very romantic to me and it looks like a good place at sunrise or sundown for a date.

I absolutely love Carmel Beach. Some of my happiest memories are here with my great-grandparents,…read moreBarbara and Montford Bryan, so coming back always feels special and nostalgic. Getting to bring my daughter now makes the experience even more meaningful. Watching her enjoy the same beautiful beach and scenery that meant so much to me growing up is such a cool and rewarding experience as a parent. Carmel Beach is just magical, with beautiful views, peaceful vibes, and the perfect place to slow down and make memories. We'll keep coming back every chance we get.

Our visit was a good experience. We parked super far though because we didn't want to risk not…read morehaving a space down at the beach lot but it turned out there were plenty of spaces there. Anyway, scenic walk allowed us to tour the shops there. The steep walk back up to our car was challenging though so a great workout. Aside from people letting their dogs run around unleashed, it was a pleasant time.

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.

Quaint little beach area and park just south of Cannery Row where you can catch some beautiful…read moresunsets and listen to the sea lions in the distance

A news release and television report in late August 2025 talked about a sea lion takeover at this…read morebeach. When I checked into my hotel, the reception person mentioned the sea lions were still on the beach so I walked here shortly after putting my luggage in my room. Being my 1st time in Monterey, I wanted to make the most of my time while here. About three blocks from my hotel, it was an easy stroll on Cannery Row that took about ten minutes. With the sun fully shining, most of the sea lions found refuge on the shady rocks with many already sleeping while other sought a cozy comfy spot (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q&start=120&select=297vYH9CqB5Uk6Zu8NT59w). The smell is distinct aside from the obvious saltwater aroma. There were not many on the actual beach, sea lions or people, mainly observers like me standing along the railings above the rocks (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q&start=96&select=1qFPLvh2p35M1YrzeafGMg). Though I've seen them many years ago at Pier 39 in the city where I'm from, but I've yet to be this up close and personal with sea lions. With the aquarium about fifteen minutes away, it's easy to see why Monterey is a landmark for people who appreciate sea life.

We stopped to walk along this trail in Pacific Grove for a while, and it was a gorgeous day for it…read more Our 13-year-old dog, Zoey, cannot walk far anymore, so we brought a stroller. This path is not the best place for one, but we made do. First, though, we took her down to the water. We did not explore the tidepools on this occasion, but Zoey had a great time walking in the ocean water. In this area, the tide moved in a gentle motion, yet it still managed to sneak up on me and get my shoes wet! The path was alive with vibrant color today, and offered lovely views. Unfortunately, some cars drive faster than they ought to on this road considering how close the walking path is situated to it.

Nice trail with bike lanes. Lot of things to see. There are lots of seals laying on the beach after…read moreyou passed the Hopkins Marine Station. It's a pleasant walk along the shore.

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.

Made my beach weekend with my family last summer so fun and easy. We just booked for what we need…read moreonline and when we got to the beach, it was all setup and ready to use. And when we were done, we just leave. So easy and I will absolutely use them again.

From the owner: Enhance your beach day with our hassle-free beach gear setup, making your outing a breeze for fun…read moreand relaxation. From comfortable seating and shade to beach games and bbq equipment, we've got you covered, so you can focus on enjoying the sun and surf without any worries.