Right Beaches › California › Carmel-By-The-Sea
Garrapata Beach
4.8★ · 263 Google ratings · Carmel-By-The-Sea, California
✓ Parking✓ Short walk✓ Free✓ Restrooms
At a glance
Parking
Parking lot · 300 yd away · free
Walk
110 ft · under a minute
Restrooms
Yes
Cost
Free
Water
62°F
Crowds
Quietest Tue 8am
Map of Garrapata Beach
Guide
Good to know
Sunset visits work best on clear days
Overcast weather diminishes the dramatic coastal views this beach is known.
Visit in spring for wildflowers
Peak bloom for calla lilies occurs a couple weeks before Memorial Day, after which flowers wilt quickly.
Free parking reported
Visitors report no charge to park here.Mentioned by 3 visitors · 2015–2026
Arrive early on weekends
Parking fills up by late morning on busy days, though overflow parking exists across the street.
Watch for dangerous surf conditions
Waves are unpredictable and powerful; swimming is strongly discouraged and the ocean claims lives.
Dogs welcome but bring water awareness
This is one of few dog-friendly Big Sur beaches, though water is freezing cold and creek crossings may be necessary.
Conditions
How it is right now
Air
65°F · overcast
Water
62°F
Waves
4.9 ft · 11 s apart
Wind
0 mph from the W
Shelter
Onshore · wind blowing straight in off the water
UV index
7 peak today
| Time | Tide | Height |
|---|---|---|
| 06:35 | High tide | ↑ |
| 09:23 | Low tide | ↓ |
| 16:21 | High tide | ↑ |
Last updated Sep 4, 5:34 AM.
Crowds
When it gets busy
| 8a | 9a | 10a | 11a | 12p | 1p | 2p | 3p | 4p | 5p | 6p | 7p | |
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QuietBusy
Practical
Plan your visit
📍 Carmel-By-The-Sea, CA 93923
🅿 Parking 300 yd from the listing
🌊 Water 110 ft away, under a minute walk
Nearby
Other beaches close by
6.0 miles away
6.2 miles away
6.3 miles away · shorter walk
6.9 miles away
7.0 miles away
7.4 miles away
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Questions
Common questions
Where do you park at Garrapata Beach?
The nearest mapped parking area is 300 yd from the listed location. Positions come from OpenStreetMap, not from review text.
How far is the walk to the water at Garrapata Beach?
110 ft in a straight line from the listing to the mapped shoreline, under a minute. Soft sand and dune make the real walk longer than the straight line.
Does Garrapata Beach have restrooms?
No restrooms are mapped within 600 m on OpenStreetMap. That means nobody has mapped any, which is not the same as there being none.
When is Garrapata Beach least busy?
Google visit patterns put the quietest hour at Tue 8am and the busiest at Sat 3pm.
Measured from OpenStreetMap, public aerial imagery and live conditions data, and counted from visitor reviews. Every source, in full.
