While visiting the Carmel/Monterey area a month ago we wanted to take in some of the local scenery…read more Point Lobos State Natural Reserve came highly recommended, and it did not disappoint Located just 10 minutes outside of Carmel, this incredibly picturesque seascape is a must see while visiting. There are multiple trails through the Point, and each of them showcase stunning views of the sea and saw well as flora and fauna It was barely raining while we were there and it never dampened our spirits. The trails got a little slick, but nothing too dangerous. In fact, this is more of a seaside walking path than a physical intensive hike We saw many seals and otters on our hike. There was also a rest stop that had park rangers and an interactive exhibit that was very cool. You could feel the skin of a seal, otter, and even the baleen from a whale Some tips: If you haven't explored Carmel or Monterey you are just a short drive away There are many coastal hikes and scenic points/beaches to explore. We also enjoyed a more physical hike at the Pinnacles, but that is an hour or so away Cheers!!

Adj: beautiful, breathtaking natural reserve…read more Always a nice place to visit and "hike" (really just trail walking). I love coming here. It's so serene, scenic, natural, cool, and both the botanical plantlife as well as the animals (air, land, and ocean wildlife) you can find and view here are just so amazing. Being it's in the Monterey Bay, it's almost always cool when it's hot in the valley, so it's another great place to escape to. It's just a very nice and unique point in the bay and although you can spend the whole day here, or even several days, a couple of hours will also be very rewarding for a change of scenery for those of us who are urban dwellers who want to reconnect with God's natural wonders once in awhile. Overall, Point Lobos is an authentic, breathtaking, and calming place for those who enjoy seeing the ocean and taking in all the native plants, vegetations, and all the air, land, and sea creatures one can encounter or at least observe here.

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!

6/26-6/28 Overall…read more3.5 rating Group Booking We booked all the cabins and a few tents for our annual gathering this year at Saddle Mountain. Our extended friends have stayed here before and have had great things to say and we were looking forward to coming this year. It was a bit of a mixup with the quotes and rates we were all charged all over the place. Something with system changes and someone made some rate adjustments but larger cabins were charged lower rates and smaller cabins were charged slightly higher rates. We all placed a deposit for the reservations. Some of us paid half the stay shortly after while others didn't have to and the rest of us paid the balance in full 30 days upon arrival. Once you arrive, checkin is fairly easy. Site is really pretty. Cabin is stocked and has essentials. Staff is friendly. Parking is avail close by. Unavoidable in these type of environments but beds are not as comfy and we did find some mosquitos and a few tiny bugs in the cabin. The fire pit by the pool wasn't working and was out of propane. We called it in but it took hours and we had left before it was replaced. Hopefully the next guests were able to enjoy it. There aren't enough community bathrooms to share between the guests sharing tents from my understanding. I was in a cabin so didn't have that problem but did see lines by the office when I walked by. All else amenities wise offered were great. Our friends tent was a great gathering place for us to meet and have smores and meet for lunch. The staff here are serious about quiet time at 9pm on the weekend! Eeeek! Hard when there is 40+ of us with kids that just want to have fun but we took it indoors. Pool available on premises, sauna, etc. Checkout is at 10:00! The deduction of stars for us was really the booking experience and inconsistent experience across the group in rates, charges. Would have been a strong 4.5 rating otherwise!

Working with the people here to schedule our Land Rover experience was easy. I did have a few…read morequestions to begin with, so I gave them a call and they were able to answer them quickly and went ahead and made the reservation right then. The instructor was very knowledgeable and tailored the experience to our level of driving abilities. We enjoyed this so much I am planning another experience next year for the more advanced techniques. For the price we got everything we wanted out of it.

We had a blast! Came here to see what Rovers could do, having bought one recently…read more My wife was apprehensive about the whole idea, but towards the end of a 4hr. tour she was also driving the course and she was absolutely stoked! They go over some really fun terrain and it was much dicier than most of what we usually cover on our journeys down forest roads. I would have passed on some of the steeps prior to today. Not now! Our guide Cole was great! Excellent instruction and confidence-building in the onboard tech as well as technique. Great guy to have in the passenger seat! Yes, as some have mentioned, this is not Baja. You're not going 70mph across the desert. That's not the point - you're in 4 low...for a reason. Totally worth it if you just bought one (and intend to actually use it how it was designed to be used) or are kicking around the idea of buying one. Even if you're not in the market, this is a great adventure and a great way to spend some time doing something very unique while visiting the area. I Highly recommend!

Such a fun and beautiful day in Marina, CA to experience being in an Electric Rail Bike. My husband…read moredid most of the pedaling! The Crew, Jake, Wes and Sarah were amazing and very knowledgeable and cheerful individuals. They really added to the experience! The views of the landscapes were very scenic and when you get to the top of the loop, you see a beautiful view of the coast! This adventure is about an hour long and definitely worth it! You get to enjoy the beautiful outdoors and get in some not too strenuous exercise too. Sadly, this business will be closed permanently at the end of August 2025. This is a must before then and you'll definitely enjoy every minute!

First time Everything was pro, friendly and organized…read moreMore of a workout than I thought Overall was great Will come back

I love Garland ranch. There are several different walking trails. They have a visitor center and…read morebathrooms. Make sure you have on good hiking shoes and bring sunblock and water on warm days. Bring your dog or come solo, the beauty of nature is always so peaceful here. Our kiddos definitely enjoyed getting out to enjoy the area, we will return!

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.

When i was about 5 yrs old my father and 4 friends moved to Carmel to build this temple. I remember…read moreplaying by a river with two of the boys who also were living on the property during the build. We lived in these dome shaped Yurts with wood construction covered with a heavy plastic. Very cold in the winter. It was an adventure for a kid my age. Almost like a long camping trip. I believe we were there only one season. That was a long time. I dont remember a lot but my father has some great pictures. Most of the construction process and the builders hoisting up these very large beams. Some of around the camp and of the builders. I'm now in my 50s and would love to visit this magical place again. I will be taking all the photos with me to compare.

Sambosa means "Three Jewels," and stands for the Buddha (teacher), Dharma (the teaching) and Sangha…read more(spiritual community.) This tranquil Temple was created in the early 70's, and is the first Korean Buddhist temple ever built in the U.S. They opened their doors to the public and on opening day, 400 people, including the mayor of Carmel and other prominent monks, flooded Sambosa. The Temple has had its shares of ups and downs, including an unfortunate fire in the 1980's that burned down the main Dharma Hall. But it has withstood the test of time and still remains a graceful and quiet symbol of peace in the Valley. The current abbot is Bom Hugh Sunim, and his teachings explore his particular vision of a nonsectarian approach to religion, philosophy, and life. My mother was friends with one of the followers of the Temple, and being the same age as her twins, we often played together. It's a beautiful place to reflect and slow down, even if you are not a practicing Buddhist...although it seems like the ideal religion for every walk of life.

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.

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.

We had a wonderful time with Steve and another couple on a recent trail ride. The horses were great…read moreand Steve was super friendly, supportive and took lots of photos and videos for us without us even asking. Highly recommend! Just a tip that it's not a beach side ride like I had thought from other pics. Instead we went through a pretty hillside with lots of opportunities to go fast. Thanks Steve!

We didn't get the ride we paid for, one of the horses would not walk with the group, and started 3…read morehrs late, and we had to move locations because Steven didn't have the facility permits in place for us to use the park he said to meet at.

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.

Great service and I loved one of the baristas, Paige! She provided excellent customer service and…read morekept the work environment so positive and uplifting. My coffee was amazing as well!

This review is for the Carmel guided bike tour. Our guide was Leslie who was very knowledgeable and…read morelively which made the experience memorable. She was also very helpful and patient in setting us up with the proper equipment and going over the functionality of the electric bike before the tour. Having been to Carmel and 17 Miles before I had not expected much, but experiencing it on the bike with a guide was much much better and rewarding and enjoyable. I highly recommend this tour! My wife and I had a blast! And don't worry about not being able to handle the heavier electric bikes over the hilly terrains, you'll get use to it and the boost from the electric motor makes the climbs simple!.