Amazing hiking trails? Check. Chances to see whales, harbor seals, and sea lions? Check. Stunning Pacific Coast vistas? Check. When you’re looking for a beautiful place to spend a day out in nature along Hwy 1, Point Lobos State Reserve has just about everything you could ask for!
Located just 10 minutes from Carmel-by-the-Sea, California (2 hours south of San Francisco), Point Lobos is nestled right on the California coastline and offers some of the most incredible scenery and experiences you’ll find on the West Coast. While the rocky shoreline and shockingly blue waves are always present, this particular location offers the chance to see a variety of incredible creatures, including sea otters, gray whales, sea lions, harbor seals, and seabirds depending on the season.
Add all that to the stunning background of mountains and white cliffs, and you have the perfect ingredients for a real adventure!
Watch Our Highlights from Point Lobos on YouTube!
FAQs About Point Lobos State Reserve
Where is it?: Point Lobos is located 3 miles south of Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, along Highway 1.
Is there parking?: The reserve fills up quickly at peak times, and you may have to park outside the entrance. However, if you time it correctly, you can choose from 5 parking lots stationed at each of the main scenic areas. These make it extremely convenient to drive from one section of the park to the other.
How big is it?: The land portion of the reserve is 550 acres. If you want to walk around the perimeter of the entire park, it’s a 6-mile hike. However, the reserve also has nearly 10,000 acres of underwater reserves that you can explore through SCUBA diving!
How much does it cost?: The entrance fee is $10 per vehicle or $9 if you have a senior citizen in your group.
Are dogs allowed?: Unfortunately, no. Point Lobos is one of the few locations in the area that isn’t dog-friendly due to the protected wildlife on the reserve.
How to Spend the Perfect Day at Point Lobos State Reserve
1. Arrive before 9 am or after 3 pm
We learned this the hard way during our visit! We figured we would more or less have the place to ourselves at 12:30 on a Tuesday. Nope! Because it is such a gorgeous place, Point Lobos tends to fill up very quickly during the morning and early afternoon–especially during the summer.
When we pulled up, the parking lot sign said full, and cars were spilling out to line up along the side of Hwy 1. Looking at the park map, I didn’t want to deal with that, so we chose to keep driving down Hwy 1 and explore for a couple of hours. That was honestly the perfect decision for us.
When we returned around 2:30, we drove right in and had the reserve mostly to ourselves!
2. Pack a Picnic!
One of my favorite memories from our trip was sitting at the Bird Island Parking lot and enjoying a delicious sandwich from Cafe Carmel. We chose the highest picnic table on the hill and had such a stunning view while we enjoyed our late lunch!
I highly recommend packing a cooler and bringing a picnic. It was very refreshing after our long day of exploring, and the setting was so perfect. At the very least, be sure to bring plenty of water because you’ll need it while you’re exploring!
3. Bring a Towel
Point Lobos is on right on the Pacific Coast, offering plenty of opportunities to dip your toes in the water. Our favorite stop was the quiet Gibson’s Beach, right behind China Cove. I don’t believe you’re allowed to swim in the water (unless you’re in a designated SCUBA zone), but we definitely took some time to dip our toes in the water and enjoy the sand.
However, this meant we had to walk back with sandy toes in tennis shoes. I highly recommend packing a small towel so you can enjoy a quick beach excursion without paying for it afterward!
4. Plan Ahead to Drive or Walk
Point Lobos’s 5 parking lots make it incredibly convenient to drive to each park section and explore the highlights. Of course, you can always walk the 6-mile loop if that suits you, but be cautious about overextending yourself so far away from your car. If you prefer to do the smaller loops or offshoots from the parking lots, driving is definitely the way to go. Either way, make sure you have good walking shoes with you!
5. Dress Appropriately
If you’ve never visited this part of the West Coast, you’ll quickly find it’s not all sun and surfing! In fact, it can get downright cold! I spent my whole day in late May exploring in jeans and a cardigan. If you tend to get cold easily, bring a jacket to ward off those ocean breezes.
Additionally, I can’t stress enough how important it is to have good walking shoes. Certain points require you to do a bit of climbing, and even the stairs can be incredibly slippery if you don’t have a good tread!
6. Bring Your Camera!
I can’t stress enough how stunning Point Lobos is! There are places where you will have 360-degree panoramic views that are just too good not to capture. Plus, you never know when you’ll see some amazing wildlife in action.
7. Leave the Sea Creatures Alone
I know, I know: who wouldn’t want to try and pet an adorable harbor seal pup? Especially after you see it flopping across the beach! But these are wild animals, and it’s actually illegal to get too close to them. Be sure to stay 150 feet away from seals, sea lions, otters, etc. This keeps them safe and helps them develop the natural behaviors they need to survive in the wild.
It also keeps you safe from angry adult animals that don’t like you near their habitat.
8. Take Your Time
There’s too much beauty here to rush through a trip. Set aside at least a few hours to allow yourself time to truly soak in those epic views and the peaceful setting. Many places felt almost surreal for us, and we just wanted to sit and enjoy the moment. Because who knows when we’ll see something like that again?
On the other hand, it can be easy to lose track of time out there, so be sure to pay attention if you do have to stay on a schedule.
9. Don’t Miss the Highlights
Whether you’re spending a whole day here or just a few hours, there are a few places that you absolutely must see before you leave!
China Cove
While it’s beautiful no matter when you visit, China Cove is also a great place to see harbor seals during the pupping season in the spring.
Bird Island
Bird Island is home to thousands of seabirds like black oystercatchers, which make nests on the rocks. It’s absolutely incredible to see so many of them nesting in one place!
Headland Cove
Take the Cypress Grove Trail for a stunning forested walk through Monterey Cypress trees and glimpses of the beautiful Headland Cove. At the tip of the loop, you can see Headland Clove in all its beauty and hear the sea lions on the rocks off in the distance. Depending on the day, you can get an even better look if you take the Sea Lion Point Trail on the other side of the cove.
Whaler’s Cove
In addition to the small cultural history museum located in an original fishing cabin, Whaler’s Cove offers some stunning views and is also one of the designated diving spots. But even if you only get the above-water views, it’s worth hiking around the beach and along the clifftops.
Bluefish Cove
If you’re already at Whaler’s Cove, Bluefish Cove is literally over the ridge, so be sure to stop by. While it’s much smaller than Whaler’s Cove, the more intimate cliffs and bright waters give it more of a Blue Lagoon feel.
Spending a day at this gorgeous place was the perfect way to rejuvenate my wanderlust after so long indoors during the pandemic! I’m already dying to go back and visit again to take in more of those incredible views and potentially see some whales.
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And if you’re trying to plan the perfect West Coast vacation, be sure to check out my other posts from the Carmel-by-the-Sea area!
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Thanks for stopping by and learning about Point Lobos State Reserve! I hope you get the chance to experience it someday soon!
Happy travels!
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Hi! I read your post about Point Lobos California and it piqued my interest. I ask you:
– Is it necessary to buy a ticket to visit the reserve?
– Do you have a map with the places to visit there?
– Do you think that next April I will be able to see sea lions? in what place?
I Will appreciate your information!
Hi there! Glad you enjoyed the post! In answer to your questions:
–You will need to pay for a pass if you drive in (basically a state park pass). But you can walk in for free.
–I don’t have a digital map, but you can see all points of interest on Google maps 🙂 They also had physical maps in the park.
–Spring is a great time to see sea lion babies, although they hang in the area year round. Sea Lion Point trail is probably the best place to catch them, but you never know when they’ll pop up elsewhere around the park 🙂