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Carmel Beach City Park
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- Good for Kids:
- Yes
63 reviews for Carmel Beach City Park
Oh how I wish I lived here. My dog loooved the beach. I am amazed at how dog friendly this beach is. It's beautiful. What a gem.
The owners were very responsible and we all sorta tucked away in our corner to respect the sun bathers. And when the dogs approached humans, they were all very cordial. And it's true, the sand is very soft and white!
Note: Going down to the beach was easy, but boooy, the walk back up to the parking lot was no joke!!
I love the beach's soft, white sand. Once I stepped foot onto it I already sank. This beach is beautiful.
JONASAPPROVED!
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Awesome Scenic Walk!
Thank You, Mr. Eastwood for caring and creating the beautiful Carmel beach walking path. Our family and friends have enjoyed it, many times over. A wonderful tribute to Carmel-by-the-sea, a historic artists haven. Of course, to share such a treasure with the world at large is very generous and much appreciated.
Vaya Con Dios!
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THIS PLACE IS BEAUTIFUL! I brought my dog here and he just loved it! Everyone was so friendly and the dogs were just having a blast! Just bring a tennis ball, and you'll see almost every dog gather around and chase the ball. The beach's sand was super soft and clean. Seriously, there's a steep hill to get down to the beach and it's a bitch to climb back up.
Gorgeous beach and family friendly. We were here on Sunday and it was packed with people. I recommend though that you park away from the beach area. It is way too crowded to even attempt to drive around all of the people and cars.
Gorgeous views and plenty of sand for everyone to share. Plus their is a small shaded area at the top of the beach which is perfect if you are bringing a baby like we did last weekend.
See you here this summer!
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Absolutely breathtaking views!
Makes a great place for a bonfire at nights too!
Everyone here was just so happy, including the dogs all running around together...it was like we all lived in peace and harmony...
until we had to leave and drive on the 1... move b****, get out the way!
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Great beach If you like dogs, dog pee and some ppl who think they don't need to clean up after their pet. So nice..we set up a tent and stayed the day. Way to many dogs. When we took out lunch then the dogs were in our tent..I would like to have them on a leash. i am not a dog lover..sorry
The best place to watch the sunset in California!
By no design did I plan my 100th Yelp review to be Carmel, but I cannot think of a better fit.
It happens 365 days a year, all over the world. But in California, this is the spot to be. Drive straight down Ocean Ave and you will hit Carmel beach. Carmel beach is in a large cove bordered by cliffs to the north of the green lawns of world famous Pebble Beach Golf Course and stretches just a few miles south as it curves around. Most of the sand, especially at the top is fine white sand that is so comfortable to place your feet in. There is a large slope but it allows for more "stadium seating" to the main event.... the Sunset.
Parking can be tough on the weekends. Lots of tourists, and usually of the wealthier type. Coming from the south, its a great way to cap off a coastal drive north. The drive from Cambria to Carmel by HWY 1 is the most stunning view of California's coastline. Or a great weekend getaway for Bay Area folks.
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January 12, 2009 @ 5:10 PM
http://static.px.yelp....
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12/25/2008
Every Christmas morning I'll get up kind of early and go out for a short walk.
Usually, I end up at… Read more »
Don't even think of trying to park in the lot!
Outside of that . . yummy beach. Dogs are allowed off leash and the views are fantastic. Beach doesn't close at dark so you can sit and watch the sunset!
Ahhhh, Carmel Beach, a true jewel. With it's white sandy beach, that is super dog friendly, with plenty of room for your pooch to frolic and wear themselves out.
Just looking at the dogs running around on this beach, you can see the smile on their faces. Running in the water, chasing Frisbees, meeting other dogs, sniffing butts and walking besides their owners. You can just tell, they're in paradise.
Having grown up on the Monterey Peninsula, Carmel Beach was always a pleasant get away. Beautiful sunsets with an awesome view of the ocean, just seems to melt the stress away. Dogs aren't the only ones who get the urge to frolic. More than once, I have stumbled upon couples, uhm...frolicking in the coves. Yes, I myself of guilty of this. Years ago, one moonlit night, my girlfriend at the time and I decided to find out how sand can find it's way into various parts of the body. She got the worst of it.
My suggestion for a great way to enjoy Carmel Beach is to pick up some sandwiches and drinks at Brunos Deli at 6th Ave & Junipero Ave. Head down to beach and have a picnic. To avoid the crowds parking at the end of Ocean Ave, drive down Scenic Road and park by the side of the road. They have a couple of spots that have access to the beach.
Carmel-by-the-Beach is an extremely dog-friendly city. Plenty of restaurants have outdoor patio dining and hotels, such as the Cypress Inn allows dogs. The even have a fountain in Carmel Plaza called the woof fountain.
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We took our dog here for his first off leash, unfenced romp. It was amazing. The sand and water are just lovely. We walked to the right from the main parking lot and we were almost by ourselves. Then, realizing he stays with us and listens, we headed to the left of the main parking lot where he found dogs to play with.
I wish I lived closer so he could go every day, he had a blast!
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Great beach, dogs allowed, not very crowded at all, it's not as warm on average but it's nothern California so expect 55 as lows and 70 as highs in the summer. On a good day, highs could be 85 those are rarely but awesome. A lot of woodchips and seaweed across the entire length of the beach. Nothing is regulated at all which is why my friends and I drive here annually (2 hr drive) to throw a huge party to drink, BBQ, swim, volleyball, football, and just have a great time in general. They do have bathrooms, 1 each for male and female, but by the end of the day or even just by noon they can get nasty, I never use them.
The beach is long enough to do a nice jog and affords you a beautiful view, parking is iffy, its small, but we normally get here before noon so we can find parking at the closer neighborhood (if ur lucky in the parking lot). There are LOTS of birds, flocks that just chill on the water, or fish in the water. So beware.
My husband and I walked down to this beach (when we stayed in Carmel) every day and sometimes twice a day - the hike back up Ocean avenue is crazy and I run three times a week. Sunsets here are beautiful as the ocean mist passes over the golf course, it is truly a special spot with a special aura and I am glad it has not changed since the previous time I visited over 5 years ago. The fine white sand is incredible and also truly unique, I would never leave if it wasn't getting so dark out...
This is my absolute favorite beach in Northern California. The white sand is absolute heaven on my feet, and I love coming to this beach to watch all the dogs playing. The little town is also very nice to walk around in and explore.
The BEST place to take your dog off leash AND do not have to worry about being fined for it -- Carmel is incredibly dog friendly. Mike and I love coming here, we drag the puppy with us, then head off to Diggidy Dog to get a map of all the dog friendly stores we can shop at! (Including BARS and restaurants too!)
NICE!
... This sounds a bit odd, but rich people really like cleaning their beaches! I know this should be obvious to most people, since you would figure nobody likes to worry about broken bottles, litter, etc. But do you truly know how nice it is not having to remove a dead bird/otter/seal from your dogs' mouth? Yes, I have chased my darling puppy only to remove these very items from her mouth! She has managed to escape my clutches and gulped down an entire cormorant wing! Do you know how big those birds are ... do you? Let's not forget about her trying to tear off a seal's skull (dead, mind you) so she could have me throwing it around like a football for her amusement. I suppose it had a more delicious aroma than that stupid tennis ball I'm holding.
So skip Santa Cruz if you have a dog, this is the place to be! But if you insist on having your dog come home with a carcass for a trophy, Monterey might be a better fit.
Incredibly beautiful coastal park and heaven for dogs and their bipedal companions.
Stunning views of the Links at Pebble Beach and Point Lobos. Lovely homes surrounding it on the bordering streets. A nice loop walk is up & down the beach to the S. end, then up onto the street back to downtown.
This is such a beautiful beach, one of my favorites in all of California. It is the only beach that looks like the Florida beaches we are used to walking because it is so white, flat and curved.
But Florida does not have seaweed, otters, and the freezing cold water, but that is all ok. And Carmel does not have the oppressive heat and humidity either.
You can also walk all the way down the beach, a good hike, and wind up at the 9th hole of Pebble Beach. Kind of cool experience.
The houses that line the beach are also so beautiful. And all the dogs that run, bark, play, splash in the water and chase balls make for a lively and fun experience.
Parking however is crazy bad. There just isn't any with all of the crowds that flood this spot; tourists and residents alike.
It is really Carmel's beach jewel. A gem! But save some energy for yourself to get back up the sand hill to the car. It is steep, hot, exhausting but if you stop and rest along the way, you will slowly make it.
What a beach! Bring your camera and sweater.
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I admit, I am not a really out-doorsy kind of gal. I can appreciate nature from afar, but not necessarily as it's participant. It could be the bugs, the germs, the huge probability I'll seriously hurt myself (I somehow always manage to fall or break something), or even that annoying "not-so-fresh" feeling I seem to get after an outdoor outing. You can forget about me ever going camping again. Last time I recall camping was when I was nine years old...I had serious bug bites that took months to heal, had several encounters with perverted camp counselors, had to shower in a dirty sink, got a bad case of food poisoning, caught a terrible allergic reaction to a bee sting, and twisted my ankle. Talk about childhood trauma! Now I'm thoroughly convinced the forest is made for bears and serial killers...
It's hard being happily married to a man that has a sense of adventure for the outdoors. Luckily for me he can accept my "outdoor' phobia and love me for me. The good news is, I'm a water sign, which means I do love the ocean. Not being in it per se, but being next to it..."beach side" actually ain't half bad. I do admit, I prefer tropical beach settings...especially Hawaii. Not only is the sand clean (not a lot of garbage laying around or crappy rocks) and soft, the waves for the most part aren't terribly intimidating. So far, my favorite beach has got to be Kee Beach in Kauai. The sand is powdery white, and the water is clear as day. It's seriously the only beach where I've actually felt okay being in the water. I guess you could say the beach is pretty much as close as I get to nature...
As for California beaches, I've been to Santa Cruz, Half Moon Bay, and Monterey. All which are equally beautiful to look at, but scary for me to even step into, let alone be 10 feet away from. Water often looks scary-cold, waves look like they could kill me, sand looks dirty, and there is often garbage mixed in that dirty sand...ew, gross.
Since my hubby and I brought the dogs along with us during our wedding anniversary getaway to Carmel, we decided to treat them to a beach outing over the weekend. Weather was perfectly pleasant, and our B&B was conveniently located 15 minutes away from Carmel Beach. Wow! Color me impressed with the powdery-clean-white sand! I was especially impressed with how very little litter there was. The sand was easy to sink my swollen preggo feet into...ultra-soft and not too hot for the toesies! My doggies seemed to absolutely love the powdery-sandy hill that led to this beautiful beach! It was darling watching their little sandy butts slide down that hill. So cute!!
Ahead in the distance was the most gorgeous teal-blue sea. The waves were not too intimidatingly-large, but certainly still big enough to immerse my little behind. Still, I found the water engaging...enough to dip my feet into the water. Carmel Beach covers a large area, which I appreciated. Even though it was a popular warm-sunny day to be at the the beach, it managed not to look so crowded, which I loved. : )
I also loved that there were doggies, doggies everywhere! It's wonderful that we can allow the doggies off-leash too. Luna and Amelia had hours of fun out near the water...truly enjoying the waves, the water, and the companion of other dogs. As for me and the hubs, we managed to find a quiet little spot to have a nice beach picnic. I enjoyed catching some rays, while trying to manage not getting too much of that fine-ass sand in my food.
Carmel Beach was the highlight of our weekend getaway. I shall never forget it!. Maybe next time I'll be brave enough to actually swim a little in the water?...okay, maybe just up to my knees. Baby steps people!...baby steps!
Quite a special and memorable day for all of us. We shall make many more visits here in the future. Consider this beach our first beach outing with our new baby next year...for sure!
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This beach is great!
I love their soft, clean, white sand. I also love how it's on somewhat of an incline, so you can get a nice view of the ocean. The fact that it's dog-friendly takes the cake for me, too!
Free parking, as long as you can find some!
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I saw the big dipper here. It was A-mazing. Totally huge and just above the horizon.
The sand is so soft and fine and white.
And someone out there made a portrait of Jesus' face out of kelp! It was also totally huge.
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One of the best beaches I've been to, but that's also mainly thanks to my BF.
Except the stairs are a b*tch to go up and down if you got a bad ankle, so think twice unless you absolutely HAVE to go.
Parking isn't too bad, but it depends on where you want to lay on the beach. There were a lot of parties on the beach and lots of doggies as well.
There were a bunch of bonfires which were wherever you wanted them as oppose to designated areas. It was cloudy, BUT still very nice. The sand is cleaner then I've seen at some other beaches.
My BF had setup a romantic bonfire complete with gushy messages written in the sand. The beach is big enough to have privacy which is nice when you're celebrating your 5 year anniversary. AWWW. shut up.
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California native who doesn't love the beach, yep that's me. I know...I am a freak of nature. The ocean here doesn't really do it for me. Too cold, too windy, too salty. Give me a warm carribean surf anyday.
But 'a' beach is a must-visit for whenever you have out of town friends, and Carmel is such a cute town...so we combo'd the two -- which is how I ended up squishing my toes in the sand on a Friday afternoon in Carmel.
Sun, wind, sea mist. Dogs, sand, beautiful trees. People...doesn't anyone work on a Friday?? Picture taking, horizon gazing. Long walk back up to the main stores on Ocean Avenue.
I may not be a big fan of the windy beach...sand gets in the most random of places...but Carmel beach is definitely one of the prettiest places to experience all of the above. I wasn't disappointed--thanks to my out of town friend for dragging me outside of my comfort zone.
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this is a decent beach, especially for watching the sunset, which i have done a couple of times. it does get crowded on weekends, which is not my scene, but it's also pretty huge, i assume you can walk away from the crowds, i just have never stayed long enough to do so.
as people have mentioned, it's a pretty clean place, and dogs are welcome. They are actually totally rampant, it's fricken dog city here.
parking can be a bitch, but it's fine if you park on one of the side streets, and walk a few blocks, easier than fighting over one of the spots right next to the beach.
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There were lots of dogs and dog owners walking their pets here.
It was a good sight.
We went on a slightly cloudy day but the weather was great.
It didn't rain, it wasn't scorching hot, it was perfect because we were ready with sweatshirts.
We walked to the end of the beach where a small mountain of rocks separate it form the rest of the beach. Some of my friends decided to climb the rocks but I didn't.... haha.
The water was a really nice color, maybe teal.
Definitely better than Newport Beach the last time I went.
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I heart the white sandy. Carmel Beach has been one of my favorite beaches of all time since I can remember. Top 5 reasons:
5. The sand is pretty darn white.
4. You can find cool beached glass and pieces of wood smoothed over from the waves.
3. Scenic Drive, home to adorable sea cottages along the ocean is one of the places I look forward to retiring on/in.
2. The hot surfers.
1. Did I mention hot surfers?
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I visited this beach on a Saturday afternoon with my boyfriend and our pooch. The dogs are allowed to run off-leash as long as they are under voice control. The three of us had a great time strolling down the BEAUTIFUL white sand of this beach.
There are definitely busier portions of the beach and portions that are more private. We saw a few sand volleyball courts and TONS of well-behaved dogs. Plenty of places to park nearby and walk down to the water. Lots of surfers and jellyfish, too.
A great off-leash dog beach!
I know that there are many state beaches that okay the dogs so long as they are leashed and that many dog owners take their chances for not getting ticketed and unleash them there anyway. You, as a dog owner, don't need to worry about that here as long as you stay with your dog while he roams on the beach.
The flip side is that if you don't like dogs and just want to have a good time on the beach, chances are good that friendly dogs will stop by and try to say "hi" to you. So, hopefully, you are at least moderately okay with the dogs. Most dogs that we have met are just great dogs, and most dog owners are responsible and clean up after their dogs.
We have two small pooches -- a 12-pound Cairn Terrier mix and a 9-pound Toy Poodle. They absolutely love this beach. We usually go there when we have an extra day off work on weekend, like this past Labor Day weekend. We go there, get tired, find a good place for dinner, go home, and still have one more day left to enjoy or recoup. Basically, it is the perfect get-away destination on the budget for us.
There are more than a few ways to get there. The easiest way is to take CA-1 South and once you are in Carmel, make a right turn at Ocean Ave. Then, drive to the end of the street where you can park your car. There is also a restroom at the parking lot if you need a bio-break.
Sometimes I get worried that a "dog beach" will be icky and covered in poop. No worries here. It's perfect. Whenever I come here I look at the quaint 4 million dollar homes off the beach and hope that some rich person will adopt us so we can just walk on the beach everyday.
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Hands down one of the best places on the peninsula for a walk your dog. Absolutely no leashes required here. Plus the beach is surrounded by bluffs, so if your dog takes off, he's not going to end up in the road or something.
It's about a mile's worth of great sand, plenty of space - which is good because it gets busy when the weather's nice - especially on the weekends.
You can even walk down to where the Pebble Beach golf course is and wave at all the people paying $500 to play a round!
There's a parking lot, but again, during busy days you're probably going to have to get creative about finding a place. Everything is clean and nice enough that I usually leave my shoes in the car, and walk barefoot from the parking lot. Conveniently, public bathrooms are located near the parking.
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I was born here.
I lived here recently for four years.
This is one of the nicest beaches ever. The riptides are fierce. The tides are fun. The otters are fun.
I don't mean to be simple.... but this is truly one of the most gratifying and beautiful beaches you could possibly imagine ever walking on. Tide pools, a perfect walk, and THE. MOST. DOG. FRIENDLY. BEACH. EVER.
Don't miss it. And don't park in the main parking lot. Take a left and travel down the road that fronts the beach. It makes parking easier.
Envision: Sugar white, sparkling, soft as a baby's buns sand . . . the ocean breeze is like a breath of cool, pine air. Waves of blue waft gently against the shoreline as dogs and children dance lightly on the frothy seafoam . . .
Breathtaking panoramic vistas converging, intertwining ocean views . . . $8-25 million beach front estates lace this well-visited, well-coiffed, well-reknown city beach.
Duo dog walkers, Bay-to Breaker Runners, Decathalon Enthusiasts, Children's laughter heard in unison, Old Couple slowly walking arm in arm, Brazilian Bikinis flash wistfully by passing freezbie & football wonton Aerobatic Artists, Marathon Olympians race from one end of the beach towards four miles to the other side while peeps like me nestle in my comfy, SPF 50, wind-breaking Aerodome Tent observing the sights, the sounds, the smell of Carmel-By-The-Sea!
I just ruined the view with my blasted Aerodome Tent, again! LOL! From Annini Beach, Kauai to Carmel-By-The-Sea, my Aerodome Tent is always traveling with me . . .
Heavy laden with beach sand, the bathrooms are located up the sandy hill by the always street-filled, congested parking lot. Oh-Beach Boys . . . remember . . . cold showers only. He-he-he . . . the Brazilian bikini zone will do funny things to your swimming trunks!
BTW: It is illegal to eat ice cream on the streets in Carmel, I hope you do know that ol' Blue Law . . . O=;-D
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I guess I'm biased since I grew up here, but this is one of my most favorite places in the world. From the day I got my driver's license to the day I left for college I probably came here at a minimum five days a week.
The beaches are beautiful, the water is crystal clear blue, and chances are you will run into a friendly face or two.
One of the most peaceful places on earth.
Carmel beach, one of the most nicest beach ive been to thus far. My husband & I are big fans of the beach & to have an experience to drive to Carmel has been the greatest of all our summers we've been together. Believe it or not, rain or shine we visited Carmel multiple times & still looks beautiful.
Surrounded by rich homes, near pebble beach, welcoming and kind people who lives nearby are extra friendly! i'd pick this beach over any other beach ive been to any day! (sunset beach, ocean beach, & santa cruz)
my husband & i are big animal lovers esp. doggies, so watching dogs run freely excites us a lot! we brought one of our dogs (a weiner doggy) and he was frightened to even step foot in water, hehe.
*the beach has a very tidy environment, so if you ever decide to get a tan and munch food, don't forget to throw your garbage and don't litter! the birds WILL attack you!
bring extra clothing, it does get very cold even on a sunny day :)
It is cold here....but it is beautiful. I remember when my family first moved here back in the day, the sand was still very white. Now, it's much dirtier and not as sparkling -- but still beautiful.
The sand here is "sticky" in that it seems to take longer to clean off your feet and legs. I think the grains of sand are much more fine than at other beaches so it's just harder to clean up. (If you come here for a date....don't stop by the beach before dinner unless you bring water to rinse off!)
Parking is usually OK and at worse, you will have to circle around another time to find a spot.
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This is one best beaches I've ever been to: not many people, clear water, white sands, great view, and best of all pets off the leash. It's too bad it never gets that hot here.
The only thing that freaked me out was all the flies, on the seaweed and on the sand. So every time I took a step a bunch of flies would emerge...gross. I've never seen so many flies at a beach.
For a beach as close to shopping and civilization as this one is, it's amazing how gorgeous it still manages to be. Plus, it's dog-friendly (as is most of Carmel).
The water gets that greenish blue light tint to it that most beaches in Santa Cruz can never achieve. And the white sand tops it off.
It's actually a pretty long stretch of beach as well, great for a walk or run.
One of the best dog beaches we've been to. Not to mention this entire town is dog crazy. Not just just dog-friendly. You can practicallly take your dog anywhere with you.
Our dogs, however, we're begging us to take them to this beach. I've never seen a Shih Tzu and a Terrier have so much fun.
I have loved coming to Carmel since I was a kid with the parents for family vacation. The candy store called Cottage of Sweets was always the best part (check it out for a crazy selection of imported and home made treats). A few months ago I visited with my boyfriend, and discovered how romantic it can be as an adult! The beach is gorgeous - with white sand, rolling waves, and a view all the way to Monterey. There are several art galleries, mostly photography (I recommend Nancy Dodd Gallery for etchings of California and the Photography West Gallery for new artists and the classics like Weston and Adams). For dinner check out the Hog's Breath Inn. Make sure to score a table by the outdoor fireplaces!
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Dog friendly. Pet friendly. Off Leash dog beach. Gorgeous. If the conditions are just right, the sand will squeak. I must if you have a dog and need to get some energy run out of them. Max the Border Collie loves.
