Right Beaches › California › Monterey
San Carlos Beach Park
4.7★ · 1,664 Google ratings · Monterey, California
✓ Parking✓ Short walk✓ Restrooms✓ Showers✓ Picnic tables✓ Good for kids
At a glance
Parking
On-site lot · 150 ft away · paid
Access
6am to 10pm
Walk
120 ft · under a minute
Restrooms
Yes · 70 ft away
Cost
Paid parking
Water
62°F
Tide
3 ft range today
Children
Reported good for young kids
Length
250 yd of shoreline
Sand
200 ft from the water to the back
Water quality
Mixed · 6% of 35 over the limit · 2025
Crowds
Quietest Thu 9am
Map of San Carlos Beach Park
1
2
3
4
5
1Parking150 ft from the listing2Restrooms80 ft from the listing3Showers150 yd from the listing4Drinking water250 ft from the listing5Picnic tables125 yd from the listing
Guide
Good to know
Reported good with little kids
Visitors often mention shallow or calm water. This is what reviewers report, not a safety assessment.Mentioned by 12 visitors · 2016–2026
Plan for low tide exploration
At low tide you can walk the rocks, find mussels and sea anemones, and collect shells.
Visit on weekdays or early morning
Weekday visits avoid crowds, and arriving before 10am gives you better parking and a quieter experience.
Check for sea lion closures first
The beach periodically closes due to high sea lion populations and associated bacteria warnings.
Bring quarters for shower facilities
A coin-operated shower costs $1.25 for seven minutes, though a free outdoor shower is also available.
Conditions
How it is right now
Air
64°F · overcast
Water
62°F
Waves
4.4 ft · 10 s apart
Wind
7 mph from the WSW
Shelter
Offshore · wind blowing off the land
UV index
7 peak today
| Time | Tide | Height |
|---|---|---|
| 06:38 | High tide | ↑ |
| 09:27 | Low tide | ↓ |
| 16:24 | High tide | ↑ |
Last updated Sep 4, 5:30 AM.
Crowds
When it gets busy
| 8a | 9a | 10a | 11a | 12p | 1p | 2p | 3p | 4p | 5p | 6p | 7p | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mo | ||||||||||||
| Tu | ||||||||||||
| We | ||||||||||||
| Th | ||||||||||||
| Fr | ||||||||||||
| Sa | ||||||||||||
| Su |
QuietBusy
Practical
Plan your visit
📍 100 Reeside Ave, Monterey, CA 93940, United States
🅿 Parking 150 ft from the listing
🌊 Water 120 ft away, under a minute walk
🚽 Restrooms 70 ft away
Nearby
Other beaches close by
175 yd away
675 yd away
0.9 miles away
1.5 miles away
1.6 miles away
2.2 miles away
Find another
Not the right one?
Find another beach that works for today.
Where are you starting from?
More options
What matters today?
Contribute
Been here recently?
Help other visitors with fresh information about San Carlos Beach Park. Everything below is optional except the last box.
Questions
Common questions
Where do you park at San Carlos Beach Park?
The nearest mapped parking area is 150 ft from the listed location. Positions come from OpenStreetMap, not from review text.
How far is the walk to the water at San Carlos Beach Park?
120 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 San Carlos Beach Park have restrooms?
Restrooms are mapped 70 ft from the listing.
When is San Carlos Beach Park least busy?
Google visit patterns put the quietest hour at Thu 9am 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.
