Casa Munras, Larkspur hotels, Monterey

Monterey County Parks

Monterey State Historic Park
5 Custom House Plaza
(corner of Lighthouse Avenue)
Monterey, CA
831.649.7118
The park includes historic buildings, restored gardens and adobes. The State Historic Park Visitor's Center is located in the Custom House Plaza. The Center suggests a walking tour of approximately five hours that will acquaint you with Old Monterey's historic adobes. One fee of $5 per person gives you entrance to all the MSHP properties on the walk.

Jacks Peak County Park
25020 Jacks Peak Park Rd.
Monterey, CA 93940
888.588.2267 for reservations and information
Jacks Peak Park has much to offer the outdoor enthusiast. Almost 8.5 miles of horseback riding and hiking trails wind through cathedral-like forests and to breathtaking ridge top vistas. The Skyline Self-Guided Nature Trail which features fossils from the Miocene epoch traverses the summit of Jacks Peak.

Laguna Seca Recreation Area
1025 Monterey Highway 68
Salinas, CA 93908
Laguna Seca Recreation Area of Monterey County is home of the Mazda Raceway at Laguna Seca and the Laguna Seca Recreation Area, where visitors can camp on the surrounding hillsides for a serene view of the Salinas Valley and close proximity (20 minute drive) to downtown Monterey.

Toro County Park
501 Monterey-Salinas Highway 68
Salinas, CA 93908
888.588.2267 for reservations and information
Between the Salinas Valley and the Monterey Peninsula.
Toro County Park is located six miles from downtown Salinas, and 13 miles from the Monterey Peninsula. The park facilities include an equestrian staging area and riding trails, two softball fields, playgrounds, horseshoe pits, mountain biking, volleyball courts, and over 20 miles of riding and hiking trails.

Parks Near Monterey

17 Mile Drive
Pebble Beach
831.647.7500
One of the most enchanting and famous stretches of road in the country. This magnificent drive through Pebble Beach tours the dramatic Pacific coastline. You will find an abundance of wildlife in their natural habitat and colorful native wildflowers. Truly the greatest display of land meeting the sea.

Carmel (4 mi)

• Carmel River State Beach at Carmelo Road is also known as Carmel River Lagoon and Wetlands Natural Preserve. Great place to watch wildlife and birds. Part of the California Sea Otter Game Refuge that extends to San Luis Obispo. There is a small land trail leads to Monastery Beach. A modern cross marks the spot where Gaspar de Portola erected a cross in 1769.
• Point Lobos State Reserve (Three miles S of Carmel) is one of the most beautiful places in the world. At the Reserve, take in the 750 acres of underwater wonders and 550 acres of protected land full of trails and views. Whales and dolphins can be seen in the distance, seals bark on the rocks, and a variety of birds soar over head. Divers, photographers, painters and nature lovers will love this beautiful place.

Big Sur (30 mi)

• Andrew Molera State Park has 4800 acres of meadows and woodlands through which the Big Sur River winds. Hiking and biking trails, horseback riding and camping are available.
• Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park has a great guided nature walk, with trails to suit all levels of fitness; there are campfires and programs for children. One of Big Sur's largest redwoods grows here amid other ancient giant trees that have been known to live for over 2000 years. Pfeiffer Falls, is a 60-ft. waterfall within the park and the nearby Pfeiffer State Beach has beautiful natural rock bridges out in the ocean.
• Garrapata State Park is located seven miles south of Carmel. This park is a hiker's dream, offering 2879 acres of Big Sur beauty including trails, beaches and forests. Soberanes Point offers wonderful panoramic views. Rock climbers can enjoy the rocks at the south end of the beach.
• Limekiln State Park is a relatively new park with a fascinating history dating back to the 1880s, when lime was processed here. There are four lime kilns at the end of the park's only developed trail.

Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk (45 mi)
400 Beach St.
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
831.423.5590
California's oldest amusement park is the original boardwalk. Located on a mile-long beach between Monterey and San Francisco, the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk is your Admission-Free hot spot for beach vibes and classic rides! As the only major seaside amusement park on the Pacific Coast, the Boardwalk blends old-time fun with modern thrills. Stroll along and indulge in salt-water taffy and popcorn, get your fortune told in the old-style arcade. Take a ride on the bumper cars, or hop on for an adventure on a giant wood-framed roller coaster, The Giant Dipper. The Santa Cruz Boardwalk features plenty of kids' activities and kiddie rides as well, which makes for a family outing that is truly unforgettable. The Boardwalk is open daily Memorial Day through Labor Day, weekends Fall through Spring.