Monterey State Beach
- Status
- Open (per official listing)Daily 8 a.m. – sunset
- Entrance fee
- Statewide rule — see below
- Day-use reservations
- None mentioned
- Dogs
- Dogs allowed
- Camping
- None listed
- Official site
- parks.ca.gov(831) 649-2836
Official page last checked Oct 29, 2026. How we keep this current
Overview
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Covering about 111 acres, Monterey State Beach lies in Monterey County, in Monterey.
Popular activities here are surfing, swimming, fishing, geocaching, and picnicking. Water access includes a swimming beach.
Hours
Park, gate, office and facility hours are listed separately because they often differ. Alerts above override normal hours.
| Facility | Days | Hours | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Park | Daily | 8 a.m. – sunset | — |
Official wording
8 AM – Sunset
Source: official park page, checked Oct 29, 2026. Times are local to the park (America/Los Angeles).
Fees and passes
Per vehicle at most parks (vehicles of 9 people or less, walk/bike-in free); per person at State Historic Parks and museums; amounts vary by park and are listed on each park page.
Statewide fee rule from California's park system; this park’s page doesn’t list its own fees.
California park passes
- California Explorer Annual Pass — $195. Vehicle day-use entry to 134 state parks incl. high-demand Southern California beaches Details
- Golden Poppy Annual Pass — $125. Vehicle day-use entry to 112 state parks Details
- Historian Passport — $50. Admission for up to four people at per-person-fee State Historic Parks Details
- Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Annual Pass — $50. Entry to State Vehicular Recreation Areas that collect day-use fees Details
- SNO-Park Pass — $40 season / $15 day. 18 SNO-PARK winter recreation areas Details
From the California state guide. Confirm which passes this park accepts.
Reservations
- Day use
- No day-use reservation requirement mentioned
- Booking system
- ReserveCalifornia
- Phone
- (800) 444-7275
We link to the official booking system rather than showing live availability, which changes minute to minute.
Pets
Dogs allowed
Are dogs allowed? DOGS Dogs are allowed on leash at: Dogs are NOT allowed at: • Visitors with their own pets on leash Thank you for keeping your dog on leash at all times!
Service animals are generally permitted where pets are not. Check with the park for specific areas.
Things to do
PicnickingFishingSwimmingSurfingGeocaching
Amenities
Facilities
- Drinking water
- Picnic areas
- Parking
Water
- Swimming beach
✓ listed by the park · ✕ the park says it is not available. Anything not shown here isn’t mentioned by the official source — that means unknown, not unavailable.
Accessibility
Overview
Monterey State Beach is a mile long, relatively flat beach that is popular spot for surfing, ocean sports, and beachcombing. The park is located at the Seaside exit off Highway 218, west of Highway 1.
Beach/Shore Access
A beach wheelchair is available for use on a first-come first-serve basis at the Monterey Sector Lifeguard Headquarters, located at 2211 Garden Road, Monterey CA 93940. Call ahead at (831) 649-2808 to make arrangements.
Other Information
Accessible parking spaces, and accessibly designed chemical toilets are located in each of the two parking lots.
Official accessibility information
Conditions change. Contact the park to confirm specific accessible features before your visit.
Getting there
- Address
- 2600 Sand Dunes Drive
Monterey, CA 93940 - Nearest town
- Monterey
- Coordinates
- 36.6117, -121.8573
- Phone
- (831) 649-2836
Entrances
- Directions point
Google Maps directionsApple MapsOfficial park map (PDF)
Directions from the park
The north access point of Monterey SB, is west of Hwy 1. Take the Hwy 218 (Seaside) exit. Proceed west to parking lot. The south end is accessible west of the intersection of Figueroa St & Del Monte Av.
Nearby state parks
Sources and freshness
- California State Parks — park page — last checked Oct 29, 2026
- California State Parks Listing page (one link per unit, page_id = officialId), unioned with the CSP Enterprise GIS 'ParkEntryPoints' ArcGIS layer (coords, address, county, unit number, management status) and the 'CSPParkUnit_CurrentStatus' layer (open/partial/full closure)
- Wikidata
- USGS PAD-US 4.1 (boundary and acreage)
- Photo: A banded western snowy plover at Monterey State Beach. (32297785783).jpg — Public domain (US federal government work), Pacific Southwest Region USFWS from Sacramento, US
“Last checked” is when our system last read the official source. No change has been detected since this page was first published. Hours, fees and rules can change without notice — confirm with the park before you go. Methodology