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Rob's Scuba and Dive…
2 reviews
Monterey, CA
Category: Trainers
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Monterey Bay Diving
1 reviewMonterey, CA
Category: Active Life
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Asilomar State Beach
31 reviewsPacific Grove, CA
Category: Parks
San Carlos Beach
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
3 reviews for San Carlos Beach
This beach isn't huge, and it shrinks down to even less during high tide, but it's still a nice place to play in the sand, run around, and watch the sunset. If the tide's low, play on the rocks and check out the numerous sea anemones, starfish, and other tide-pool type critters.
I'm pretty sure dogs are supposed to be on leashes, but generally people disregard that rule. This was the first beach I let my puppy off-leash on because it's generally enclosed and I knew it'd be difficult for him to get away from me.
Above the beach there are a bunch of picnic tables and benches. And behind that, a nice grassy lawn. Public restrooms are nearby. On the weekends the lawn is packed with divers and all their gear.
If you wanna come here at night, there are enough lights nearby that you'll still be able to see pretty well - don't worry about getting left in the dark after watching a sunset!
Watch out for the seagulls. They steal things!!! One of them snagged my puppy's ball and flew off with it!
PS, this is a great place to watch the 4th of July fireworks, but be warned, people get here VERY early in the day to stake out spots!
It's one of those rare days - the central valley is scorching, the Bay Area is toastie and Monterey is absolutely perfect. The sun has just about set behind me and I'm sitting on a bench overlooking this beach basking in the perfect weather for t-shirt and shorts watching the twilight reflect off the bay.
Then there's the sense of history - look at post WWII photos of this area and the place was covered in Canneries (there's an old time photo conveniently placed on a plaque next to the beach) and there are concrete and steel reminders of those canneries littering the beach into the ocean.
Sitting on the bench for five minutes and I've seen pelicans, sea otters, cormorants, seagulls, sea lions (which are also heard too) and the top of the kelp forests on the ocean surface - with sailboats in the background.
How come this isn't getting 5 stars? Well tonight it does, but normally this beach is also the launching point for lots of divers. I'm no six pack abs kind of guy (nice little pony keg for those keeping count) and maybe the wet/dry suits exaggerate the effect, but on the weekends, this beach is a haven for divers, and for whatever reason (I have my theories), most divers seem to be the last set of people you want to see in skin tight neoprene.
I've always liked the idea of diving, but seeing these folks slowly trudge their way from their encampments on the beach's grass park to the ocean weighed down by all the gear it takes to dive, all the time it takes to get all that gear organized and the amount of time it takes to get back to the encampment after the dive (complete with filling in log books etc.) and I just can't get excited about the concept.
Give me a week day evening like tonight, no divers, lots of wildlife visible from the shore, gorgeous light and I'm a happy camper.
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My husband and I stumbled across the San Carlos Beach park/coastland area when we wandered away from Touristville, aka Cannery Row. (Does anyone else miss the 1990s and previous Cannery Row with its murals and lack of commercialism? Or at the very least, reduced commercialism? Anyone?) At any rate, we wandered in near the Monterey Bay Inn end and took in the dolphin statue and metallic tree fountain statue. We wandered along the beach towards the dock area where divers were resurfacing and others were suiting up. We discovered the Coast Guard Center and ruminated over whether to keep walking towards Fisherman's Wharf, or return to the Row area. (The sun's intensity ultimately helped influence our direction). I would go back in an instant--the view of the beach, the wind rolling through my hair, the path leading off towards even more beach to be discovered...
