Carmel - Garrapata State Park

Garrapata State Park is located along the Big Sur area. The main attraction here is Garrapat Beach, a long, wide, crescent shaped stretch of golden sand. Waves here can be big and it may not be the best for swimming, but great for taking a stroll and soaking up the sun. For those looking to get a little exercise there are also day hiking trails in the park providing fabulous views of the coastline, mountains, and redwoods.

Depending on the season you may even see whales off the coast.

This park, which opened in 1984, makes a nice day trip from Monterey or Carmel and is generally less crowded than beaches closer in to the city.