Carmel Beach

Carmel Beach is a sandy beach break forming left and right handers across a fine, white sand bottom. It works year-round with waves typically in the 2- to 3-foot range, occasionally reaching 4 feet on larger swells. West-southwest swell combined with east winds produces the cleanest conditions, which are most favorable on rising mid-tide. Winter delivers more consistent, larger waves than summer months. The shore pound here is heavy and the cold water persists year-round, demanding appropriate thermal protection.

Since the late 1970s, Carmel Beach has been home to the Surfabout, an annual late-spring competition that began formally in 1980 and grew from a friendly rivalry between Pacific Grove and Carmel surfers. The event features surfing, longboarding, and a long-distance paddle competition. Local surfers including Craig Cox in the 1990s and more recently Dane Anderson have become recognized names through Surfabout success. The spot holds enough cultural weight in the regional surf community that a memorial paddle race honors Dick Cross, a local surfer who was killed surfing massive waves in Hawaii.

Carmel Beach sits directly west of downtown Carmel-by-the-Sea, accessible via Ocean Avenue from Highway 1. The main parking area sits at the base of Ocean Avenue and offers free parking from 5 a.m. until midnight. Nine stairways descend from the Scenic Pathway paralleling the beach, and a sand ramp provides wheelchair-accessible entry at Ocean Avenue. Restrooms are available at the parking area and nearby on Scenic Road.