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Beaches

Fort Ord Dunes State Park

A short trail leads to a gorgeous 4-mile-long beach with stunning bay views. From the parking lot, visitors may take a boardwalk to a new bluff-top viewing platform with educational panels about the park’s history. Open for bicyclists and dogs on a leash.

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Asilomar Beach

This lovely beach is located at the western edge of Pacific Grove and is overlooked by Pebble Beach’s Inn at Spanish Bay. The southern section is a broad flat stretch of white sand; the northern portion consists of rocky promontories interspersed with a few small beaches. It has a long boardwalk

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Carmel Beach

World-renowned Carmel-by-the-Sea has inspired artists, sparked romances, and attracted celebrities for decades. Rated a top-10 destination in the U.S. year after year, Carmel-by-the-Sea is an amazing, European-style village nestled above a picturesque white-sand beach where everything is within walking

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Carmel River State Beach

On Carmel Bay, the mile-long beach features a bird sanctuary in a lagoon (just before the Carmel River empties into the sea) featuring a wide variety of waterfowl and song birds. Monastery Beach, also known as San Jose Creek Beach, is part of the park and is popular with scuba divers. Swimming,

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Point Lobos State Park

Long considered the “crown jewel” of the California State Park system, Point Lobos State Natural Reserve is a magnet for nature lovers the world around. From its breathtaking beauty to its fascinating wildlife to its friendly and knowledgeable volunteers, Point Lobos is a place where one

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Del Monte Beach

This is a great beach for family outings. Not only is the surf calm but there are picnic tables, fire pits and benches. A boardwalk wends through the dunes. Dogs must be on leash; no bonfires. Off Del Monte Boulevard at Casa Verde Way, Monterey.

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Marina State Beach

Popular as a hang-glider launching area, this 171-acre beach has sweeping views of Monterey Bay. It can be windy, thus the attraction for hang gliders, which also makes it a great place for flying kites. It features a wheelchair accessible boardwalk through the sand dunes.

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Monastery Beach

Located 2 miles south on Highway 1, Monastery Beach, which edges Point Lobos, is gorgeous but dangerous. The beach is steep with a strong undertow, so not only is it unsafe for swimming, but visitors are advised not to turn their backs to the waves. Experienced scuba divers occasionally use this beach

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Lovers Point Beach and Park

This idyllic little beach in Pacific Grove has something for everybody. The surf is perhaps the calmest on the Peninsula so it is a great place for families with young children. Surfers like it for its predictable waves and it is an easy spot for kayakers to launch for explorations of Monterey Bay. Scuba...

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