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.

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!)

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.

Bird Rock is situated along the 17-mile drive in Monterey, CA…read more It's a beautiful spot to observe various birds, seals, and sea lions resting on the same rock, about three to five hundred yards offshore. This location provides visitors with a great opportunity to see wildlife up close in their natural environment. Unfortunately, the fog rolled in quickly and was thick during our visit, making it hard to see the animals clearly. The area offers parking for 20 to 30 vehicles, along with clean men's and women's restrooms.

8/18/25 and this guy claimed this as His Rock Simply,…read morebeautifully stunning! Slowly driving through this wonderful scenic route, we stopped at Bird Rock. You can't mistake the smell once you're there, bird poop! But the view is spectacular as you listen to the crashing waves against the rocks Leave no trace behind, keep this place as pristine as possible for the rest of the visitors & Mother Nature. Enjoy the lovely sights

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.

Such a cute spot on 17 mile drive. Equipped with a rest area to use the restroom and stretch your…read morelegs. Endless beautiful views and areas to sit and enjoy yourself. Very clean and well maintained, let's hope we can all continue to keep it this way for us to enjoy.

Our favorite beach to watch the sunset. The sand is soft and sparkly white and the water is clear…read more Amazing views, relaxation at its finest.

A beautiful little relaxing place that you can just watch the waves crash. Not too far of a walk…read morefrom the parking place.

What a find! We were hiking on the South Plateau Trail at Point Lobos Preserve, and came across…read morethis beach. There is a path to your left. The stairs down to the beach are quite narrow and steep, so be careful going down! We walked down, took some pictures and rested a bit. There were people there, but not as many as in Carmel Beach. Definitely a must see if you're in Point Lobos!