If you love the sandy shores, turquoise waves, and open skies, Monterey State Beach is a must-visit. A popular protected beach, it is located in Monterey County, California, and can be reached through the Seaside exit of Highway One.
Spanning many acres, the beach starts next to Fisherman’s Wharf in Monterey and runs all the way to Seaside. At Monterey State Beach, you can do many beach-related activities and water adventures such as swimming, surfing, boating, and fishing.
What can you do at Monterey State Beach?
Three beaches, each roughly a mile apart, make up Monterey State Beach. The Monterey Bay Recreational Trail and Monterey Bay Waterfront Park are next to the beach. The beach, park, and trail provide different adventure activities for you to relish. There is a lot of open sand, beach volleyball courts, and wonderful walking and running routes for you to channel your inner athlete.
To spend quality time with your loved ones, you can sit at the picnic tables and barbecue pits. The sandy shelf at the shore offers tidal pools and kid-friendly wading as it slowly slopes into Monterey Bay. While not many Monterey beaches are approved for water sports, at Monterey State Beach you can dive into the water and swim to your heart’s content. If you want to visit the beach with your dog, you can go to the beach south of the Roberts parking lot.
Monterey State Beach allows you to enjoy many outdoor activities like surfing, kayaking, and fish-surfing. Near the shore, you can hire bicycles, kayaks, and canoes. Beachcombers can go on a treasure hunt along the shores and nature lovers can explore the tide pools. If you wish to relive your childhood memories, then you can build sand castles or fly kites at the beach.
If you want to fly kites, you can head to the northern part of Monterey State Beach. An updraft created by the dunes keeps kites in the air there. You’ll find many local kiters and colorful, vibrant kites soaring up in the sky.
What can you do around Monterey State Beach?
While Monterey State Beach is an ideal place to launch kayaks because of the gentle surf conditions, paddlers can also enjoy exploring the Fisherman’s Wharf and Cannery Row. You can also explore the shoreline west of the beach, where you may spot sea otters, gray whales, harbor seals, dolphins, and even sea lions.
Monterey State Beach and beaches close to it are popular spots for diving. The sandy bottom of the beaches dips out over several hundred yards and the sea offers great depths beyond that. The sea has several wrecks, which offer the perfect habitat for fish. Spearfishing is good for species like Halibut. When you’re diving, you might also chance upon sea animals like octopus, sea stars, sand dollars, and flounders.
You can also witness a variety of sea wildlife around Monterey State Beach. Brown pelicans are commonly spotted along the Monterey coastline.
Besides beach activities, there are amazing events and places to explore near Monterey State Beach. You can spend time at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, where you can see fascinating deep-sea animals and the eccentric underwater light show. You can enjoy dining, shopping, entertainment, and whale viewing at the Fisherman’s Wharf. Tim Thomas, a maritime historian, leads wharf walks on the first Saturday of each month at 10 am. If you’re someone who enjoys fishing, sailing, and excursions in glass-bottom boats, you can’t miss this opportunity.
If you like groovy music to dance, attending the Monterey Jazz festival is a must. Held annually at Monterey County Fairgrounds, it’s one of the largest jazz festivals in the world. You can check the schedule for the festival and book tickets through their website.
When you visit Monterey State Beach at Seaside, California, don’t forget to drop by The Reef Seaside Dispensary. We’re located at 1900 Fremont Blvd, Seaside, CA 93955, and we’re open from 9 am to 9:45 pm.
Whether you’re a medical patient or a consumer of cannabis for personal use, Body and Mind is here to help you get the highest-quality, hand-crafted products to suit your needs. You can look through our menu, place an order online, and pick it up at your convenience.