Be sure to wear suitable shoes for walking. Shared by the cities of Monterey and Seaside, Monterey State Beach is actually three separate beaches about a mile apart. It stretches along Del Monte Avenue from the Monterey Municipal Wharf up the coast to Seaside. An easy access to the beach is found at the west end of Canyon Del Rey Road. At the southern end, the beach has lots of rocks, rounded smooth by the surf.
Dune restoration is currently underway at the northern end of the beach.
Hiking trails provide wheelchair access. Other activities include bike trails, fishing, scuba diving, kayaking, swimming, volleyball, and kite flying. There is no entrance fee to the beach. It's open from dawn to sunset. An almost 3-acre park with a grassy area lines the beachfront at San Carlos.