The conference grounds at Asilomar have a unique history. Dunes Natural Preserve, Asilomar State Beach | Photo Copyright: Brad Lane Interpretive information lines the route detailing the vital habitat and its restoration. A quarter-mile and universally accessible boardwalk trail navigates the reclaimed dune environment. The Dunes Natural Preserve and the Asilomar Conference Grounds are on the other side of Sunset Drive from the beach. The Asilomar Coast Trail spans much of the backend of the beach, offering an easy way to navigate the rugged environment. While lying out a towel and basking in the sun is possible at Asilomar, walking and beachcombing are more popular activities. The state beach also encompasses a restored dune habitat and a historic conference center. It's a photogenic beach that spans approximately a mile with several sandy coves punctuating rocky points and tide pools. Asilomar State Beach Asilomar State BeachĪsilomar State Beach is near the tip of the Monterey Peninsula, next to the Pebble Beach community. And between other iconic Monterey attractions, like the Monterey Bay Aquarium and Cannery Row, it's easy to get lost in the ocean splendor.Įnjoy your next Central California vacation with our list of the top beaches near Monterey.ġ. From the idyllic settings at Asilomar and Lovers Point to the rocky terrain along 17-Mile Drive, the Monterey coastline is very accessible to all travelers. And the water tends to run a bit cold and choppy, making wetsuits required for activities like surfing.ĭon't let the dramatic landscapes deter you from exploring, though. Don't expect lifeguard towers dotting broad beaches, and while swimming spots exist, rocky coves and wildlife sightings define many beach visits. The Monterey coastline offers an array of beachscapes. And within these county lines, visitors lay eyes on some of the most beautiful coastlines in the country. It's surrounded by the larger Monterey County, including other Monterey Peninsula cities like Pacific Grove and Carmel-by-the-Sea. I can’t wait to go back to California to do this again.Monterey is a charming coastal community on the rugged Central California coast. Our trip to the tide pools at Swami’s Beach was an enjoyable and relaxing couple of hours in a busy week. They moved slowly under the water, eating the seaweed surrounding and hiding them. They were at least eight inches long and four inches in diameter. The most excellent find was the sea slugs. He was very shy and hid under the rocky ledge when my shadow passed over the tide pool. His head was about two inches long, but if he had spread out his legs, he would have been about seven or eight inches long. Mike was much better at spotting animals than I was. There were many hermit crabs and other shellfish. These two were safely hidden in the tide pools. Some of them were exposed by the low tide and dried up quickly. He became a dinner for a bird before we left the beach. This shore crab didn’t make it through low tide. It felt like the water was filled with gold. I don’t know if it was some sort of polution or a local ore. There was a sort of shimmer to the water. You can look over the side of ledges also. Look for areas that are like holes in the ground that hold water while the tide is low. Here are some good examples of tide pools. Some of the wildlife isn’t lucky enough to find a tide pool.
On the stairs, the city of Encinitas had posted this sign about the wildlife that we might be able to see. When we got closer, these rocky areas were to the north of the staircase.
Here’s the view from the top of the stairs. We went to Swami’s Beach in Encinitas, California.
We didn’t see any starfish, but we saw enough wildlife to truly understand the joy of watching the ocean. What you see depends on where you are looking. You can actually go into the REAL world and see local sea life. Sea creatures hide out in them until the tide comes back. They are spots on the ocean that hold water even at low tide. Our friends live in Cardiff By The Sea and they were eager to tell us about the joys of tide pools. You know… you go to the aquarium and the tide pool is the spot where they let you touch the starfish and sea cucumbers, right? I didn’t know tide pools were anything but interactive spots at Sea World and the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
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