United States
California (CA)
Monterey County
Carmel
Things to do in Carmel
Point Lobos

Point Lobos, Carmel: Hours, Address, Point Lobos Reviews: 5/5

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Point Lobos

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Point Lobos
5
4,805
#1 of 134 things to do in Carmel
State Parks
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8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
About
Watch whales in winter and sea lions all year round at this Bay Area nature reserve, which offers hiking, walking, bird watching, scuba diving and magnificent views.
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Top ways to experience Point Lobos and nearby attractions

The area
Address
Best nearby
We rank these restaurants and attractions by balancing reviews from our members with how close they are to this location.
Restaurants
41 within 5 kms
Pacific's Edge
731
0.7 km$$$$ • American • Contemporary • Vegetarian Friendly
Sunset Lounge
30
0.6 km$$ - $$$
Mission Ranch Restaurant
1,831
4 km$$ - $$$ • American • Vegetarian Friendly • Vegan Options
Sea Harvest Fish Market & Restaurants
263
4.1 km$$ - $$$ • American • Seafood • Gluten Free Options
Rio Grill
657
4.2 km$$ - $$$ • American • Vegetarian Friendly • Vegan Options
R G Burgers
123
4.1 km$$ - $$$ • American
From Scratch Restaurant
473
4.4 km$$ - $$$ • American • Cafe • Vegetarian Friendly
Lula's Chocolates
14
4 kmAmerican
The Crossroads BBQ
30
4.1 km$$ - $$$ • Quick Bites • American • Barbecue
Carmel Valley Coffee Roasting
25
4.1 km$$ - $$$ • Quick Bites • Cafe
See all
Attractions
134 within 10 kms
Granite Cyn Bridge
1
0.2 kmPoints of Interest & Landmarks • Bridges
Point Sur Light Station
11
0.6 kmHistoric Sites • Architectural Buildings
Scenic Road Walkway
516
3.5 kmHiking Trails
Carmel River State Beach
2,465
3.5 kmBeaches
Garrapata State Park
374
State Parks
Tor House
172
3.9 kmHistoric Sites • Architectural Buildings
San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo Mission
509
4.2 kmHistoric Sites • Architectural Buildings
Carmel Mission
620
4.2 kmReligious Sites • History Museums
Ocean Avenue
242
Scenic Walking Areas
Whalers cabin museum
3
1.2 kmSpeciality Museums • Natural History Museums
See all
Popular mentions
5.0
4,805 reviews
Excellent
4,300
Very good
421
Average
53
Poor
18
Terrible
13
Mango76
Westchester County, NY43 contributions
Stunning views! Don’t miss it!
May 2022 • Couples
This is a must-see if you’d like to enjoy beautiful views. We did the Cypress Grove Trail which id less than a mile and very easy. It’s a dirt trail so it would be difficult for wheelchairs but potentially ok for jogging-type strollers, although you wouldn’t be able to do the entire loop (you’d have to go to one scenic alcove then come back..but could be worthwhile). The views are just STUNNING. We are so happy we came!
Written 23 May 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Cdnclan
Sylvan Lake, Canada223 contributions
Absolutely beautiful
Apr. 2022
This place was stunningly beautiful (I personally found i prettier than a lot of the Big Sur coastline), plus there were seals with pups on the beach! lots of short hikes. definitely a highlight of the area.
Written 22 May 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
WeFourRainses
Knoxville, TN14 contributions
Amazing tide pools.
May 2022 • Family
Get here early! Very limited parking. We came by after noon and the lots were full / access was blocked off. We came the next morning at opening, and by the time we left (2 hrs later), it was closed again! Plenty of trails, long and short. The tide pooling at Weston Beach was the best we had all trip. Great for small kids, but bring water shoes or sandals for the tide pools.
Written 11 May 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
GlobeTrotting825865
Portland, OR18 contributions
Point Lobos beauty
May 2022
The area from Carmel to Big Sur is wonderful. Point Lobos is especially lovely and different from other areas along the coast. We had not been there for 10 years, and found it as beautiful as always!
Written 9 May 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Amy L
9 contributions
Cypress Grove Trail - if you only do one trail, this is the one!
May 2022 • Couples
Spectacular views- one of the highlights of our trip to the Monterey Peninsula. Don’t miss this park! We arrived at about 1:30pm on a Friday and there were cars parked along the highway along with a Parking Lot Full sign. We decided to chance driving in to find parking because it was our last day on the peninsula and we were trying to get as much in as we could. The main hike we wanted to do was one of the farthest from the entrance at the highway, as well. We paid the very reasonable $10 day fee and an extra $2 for a park map and were on our way. At that time of day we knew some folks would be wrapping up their hikes and/or moving to another parking lot as there are several in the park. We headed for the lot between Headland and Cyprus coves (Sea Lion Point Parking area), lucked out, and found a spot in the otherwise full lot. Spaces were turning over, though. This strategy might not work first thing in the morning when everyone is arriving, but we would try it, again, if we were arriving later in the day. Given our limited time, we hiked the Cypress Grove Trail, a .8 mile, 30 minute loop that was recommended by a travel vlog. We were rewarded with some of the most spectacular views of the coastline of our trip with many photo ops along the way. Hiking through the beautiful cypress grove —one of two remaining natural Monterey cypress groves on earth— on our way to the most breathtaking views of our trip made for incredible memories. If you have limited time in the park, make sure the Cypress Grove Trail is at the top of your list. We are so grateful that we made time for this stop and hope to explore much more of the park on a future trip.
Written 8 May 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
paxa
Washington DC, DC6,322 contributions
Monterey Peninsula's most spectacular park
Mar. 2022
Always wanted to come to this park but for some reason never did before for all the years I'd been coming to this area. So this time I made sure that I'd go regardless of the weather - it rained on and off and was very windy that day but I was glad I didn't give up on it. It's clearly a very if not most popular park as when we arrived just before noon on a weekday there was already a sign saying the parking lots were full. The upside of that was we discovered that you could park along the road on both sides of the park entrance for free (the $10 entry fee only applies to cars and not walk-ins). The downside of course is you might have to walk a bit more depending on how far from the entrance you are able to find a spot and to all the view points inside the park. This won't be a problem if you come here to hike anyway and are not with people who have to be driven around. In which case it seems that you can still drive in just won't be guaranteed a parking spot (while we were inside it looked like a few spots do open up as people tend to drive from viewpoint to viewpoint and not just park in one place forever).

The reserve is not that big, trails distances are very manageable, and the scenery is spectacular. We spent a couple of hours starting along the North Shore Trail, to Alan Memorial Grove, Sea Lion Point, and returned via the inland Lace Lichen Trail - covering the upper half of the park. If you have all day and lots of energy you can probably cover the whole place in one day but it's better if you have more time and do this at a more relaxed pace - you'd want to have time to take in the views, scrambling on the rocks on the beaches, and looking for sea lions (we didn't see many as it was too windy and cold - they are more likely to be out and about when it's sunny and warm). Next time I'm in the area I'll definitely come back and check out the lower half of this amazing reserve.
Written 29 April 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
SeriousJesster
Cincinnati, OH23 contributions
The best part of our trip to Big Sur region!!
Apr. 2022 • Family
Point Lobos offered trails, beaches, tide pools, great photo ops, and wildlife. We had to park along side of the highway due to full parking lots and walk 1/4 a mile to the entrance. Did not bother us. We were there to explore! We loved Gibson Beach. We practically had the beach to ourselves and what a gorgeous view!! We walked most of the other trails and explored the beaches. Definitely a great way for a new visitor to the area to get a one-stop intro to the area!
Written 26 April 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Anne M
Monterey, CA74 contributions
Natural Beauty
Apr. 2022
Point Lobos has been preserved by the State of California for a reason. It is gorgeous, naturally gorgeous. In my younger days, I scuba dove here and I can tell you it is beautiful under the water as well as above the water. It's fun for hikers to watch the divers from the Whalers Cove parking lot but of course, most people visit for the hiking and to take amazing photographs.
Written 23 April 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
rodleo99
Chesterland, Ohio3 contributions
Most Beautiful Park Ever!
Mar. 2022
We walked almost the entire park and the views are unbelievable! When you think you found a beautiful site, just walk another 100ft. It's amazing!
Written 1 April 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
lmv
8 contributions
Worth it to spend a few hours and get great photos!
Mar. 2022 • Couples
Beautiful!!! Great way to see beautiful vistas and enjoy picnic areas and nice trails. No need to risk safety by stopping along highway 1 for photos. Worth the $10 entrance fee or else you can walk-in about a mile.
Written 25 March 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
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Frequently Asked Questions about Point Lobos
Point Lobos is open:
  • Sun - Sat 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
Buy tickets in advance on Tripadvisor. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel at least 24 hours before the start date of your tour for a full refund.
We recommend booking Point Lobos tours ahead of time to secure your spot. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel up to 24 hours before your tour starts for a full refund. See all 2 Point Lobos tours on Tripadvisor