San Carlos Beach

San Carlos Beach in Monterey is a beautiful spot with stunning ocean views and convenient access right next to Cannery Row. It’s great for walking, relaxing, and especially popular with scuba divers who often begin their dives here. A highlight of the visit is watching the sea lions resting on the rocks or swimming near the shore — they add a lot of charm and character to the place. On the downside, when the wind comes from the ocean, there can be a strong smell from the animals’ biological fluids, which might be unpleasant at times. Still, the beach is clean, family-friendly, and worth a stop when exploring Monterey.

This small beach is a lovely spot with a grassy area, plenty of parking, and a clean restroom. There’s also a small park nearby, making it family friendly. While it seems more suited for enjoying the view and watching sea lions, we did see a few people swimming when we went. In the winter, sea lions often gather and lounge along the shore, which is really fun to see. It’s a nice walk from the aquarium to the beach, and it’s a great place for a picnic. Plus, there are restaurants close by if you want to grab a bite after. Overall it was a nice outing coming here!

We had a blast! The weather was amazing and the sounds of the ocean and birds... Peaceful at best!. The water was cold and we collected some shells. The sand had some trash but we picked it up and threw it away. The seagulls were trying to eat everything but overall the wall was great and sitting down reading the signs showed some history.

Otis Redding wrote the classic “Sitting on the Dock of the Bay” near here, during one of the old Monterey music festivals…“wasting time“!!! 🎧⏳💫 PS. The seals and sea lions are not here this time of year and fewer scuba divers, too.