Asilomar State Beach


Negotiate a 1-mile trail boardwalk through rugged sand dunes. Note this beach is known for riptides and unpredictable surf, and care must be taken when swimming here.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. Monarch Grove Sanctuary

0.94 MILES

Between November and February, over 25,000 migratory monarch butterflies cluster in this thicket of tall eucalyptus trees, secreted inland. During peak…

2. Point Pinos Lighthouse

1.2 MILES

The West Coast’s oldest continuously operating lighthouse has been warning ships off the hazardous tip of the Monterey Peninsula since 1855. Inside are…

4. Monterey Bay Aquarium

2.23 MILES

Monterey is practically synonymous with its world-class aquarium overlooking Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, which protects dense kelp forests and…

5. Cannery Workers Shacks

2.23 MILES

The trio of tiny original one-room cabins where cannery workers shacked up provides a sobering reminder of the hard lives led by Filipino, Japanese,…

6. Cannery Row

2.33 MILES

John Steinbeck’s novel Cannery Row immortalized the sardine-canning business that was Monterey’s lifeblood for the first half of the 20th century. A…

7. Steinbeck Plaza

2.37 MILES

Along Cannery Row, stop at Steinbeck Plaza to soak up bay views and snap a photo of yourself with a bronze bust of the famous writer.

8. Presidio of Monterey Museum

2.64 MILES

On the grounds of the original Spanish fort, this specialized museum (of interest only to history buffs) looks at Monterey’s history from a military…