Loved the hike especially during the fall! It was so beautiful being up there. Our dog loved every…read moremoment of it. Parking was really easy to find. If there aren't any in the lot, there is overflow right before you enter. There were a ton of hiking routes to try. We just kept walking until our dog got tired (which was after hiking for 2.5 hours) Towards the end of the hike there was a rattle snake that another hiker warned us about that forced us to turn around to find another route down since it was blocking across the trail. Otherwise, it was great! Tons of off leash dogs on trails and families of varying ages so very kid friendly as well.

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!

Always loved hiking here and it hasn't lost its beauty. The only problem is you do share the trail…read morewith bike riders. Who sometimes do not announce a warning as they rush by. Overall a gorgeous trail. Large wide open trails and views of Salinas farmlands when you get to the top. Plenty of parking and few toilets in the parking lot. No parking pass needed. Keep valuables hidden. Get out and enjoy the sunshine!! SYOY!

I might be somewhat biased about this area, born at Fort Ord when it was still an active army base…read moreand lived around Monterey Bay all my life. It really is beautiful. All that keep the BLM lands clean and in usable conditions are not thanked enough...thanks again. Walking,hiking,trail running,mountain biking and horseback riding it can all be done here. Plenty of trails for all levels of fitness. Wide open fire roads to tight single track with well marked signage. Restrooms at the well maintained parking areas where you can pick up a trial map. Dogs are allowed and welcome. Last words...it's free!

Fantastic views and breathtaking overlooking bay almost over the clouds from peak. Good parking and…read morecamping options.

Smelled like shit from the campsite bathroom could smell 50 feet away, so many bugs, DO NOT GOread more

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.

This is a fairly new state park. It is a small section of coastline in the town of Marina, just a…read morecouple of small towns north of Monterey. It used to be owned by Fort Ord which was a US Army base from World War 2 to about 1994. They used this coastline which was mostly sand dunes to train soldiers mostly in rifle and artillery fare. There are a few remnants of structures from the past but most are gone. There are plaques now to tell you what used to be where. I found it to be a good educational read. Some of the trails are going under renovation so I had to improvise my hike here. The trails seem like they come close to the highway and a few entry points going to the beach. The beach I went to was very empty due to the rough coast. It is usually pretty windy, and the water very cold, rough and with rip tides. Not really a beach to lay a blanket and/or play in the water. It was very peaceful tho in that strong nature sense. Parking is free, low crowd density, good for shorter non-strenuous hikes, I think I can find a purpose for this place.

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.

Clean access. Plenty of large, mature trees and green grass. Very safe lot of parking.read more

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 is my favorite beach from Santa Cruz to Carmel. It's just a jump off the freeway. Not a whole…read morelot of parking but that's ok by me. It has lots of room and perfect to clear ur mind & get in a lil earthing. It's a nice beach. Clean too

saw LOTS of wildlife (sea otters, sea lions, harbor seals & so many different birds even a…read morekingfisher!) the guides were so knowledgeable & funny & even offered hot beverages & a local brand of cookies which was amazing. hour & a half long tour but honestly flew by it was so much fun :) perfect for any age!!

Both our captain and naturalist seemed to truly love what they were doing and that really comes…read moreacross in the experience. It was clear that they worked with other groups to help track animals and when we stopped to take pictures of tagged otters and mating it made me feel like we were part of the scientific team. I learned more about otters than I had ever imagined. They are very endangered. I learned lore about seals that I ever imagined. Truly amazing trip. Worth every penny. Don't forget to tip your guide and captain.

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.