17 mile drive start point12/30/2023 ![]() It is bordered on the east by Cypress Point Golf Club. You may also see sea otters frolicking in the water or gray whales during their winter migration.įanshell Beach is next on 17-Mile Drive with amazing vistas of Cypress Point and the Pacific Ocean. Bird Rock is a haven for pelicans, cormorants and sea lions. They are bordered on the east by Spyglass Hill Golf Course. I love when they float around on their backs holding hands.įurther south are Bird Rock and Seal Rock. I wonder what plain old Joe would think today if he saw what had sprung up around his original little shack. Anyway, plain old Joe lived in a driftwood hut here in the early 1900s and sold (no, not drugs!) trinkets. Not Joseph, Joaquin, Joshua or Jonathan, just plain old Joe. Point Joe was named for a man called Joe. The Restless Sea is considered one of the most turbulent wave areas in Pebble Beach and in the past was the site of many shipwrecks. They are bordered on the east by Monterey Peninsula Country Club. China Rock was initially the site of a Chinese fishing settlement in the 1800s.Īfter visiting Spanish Bay Beach, continue back onto 17-Mile Drive and head south to the Restless Sea, Point Joe & China Rock. Surfing is big here, but wading and swimming are not recommended due to strong rip currents. A wooden boardwalk takes you north to Asilomar and south to Moss Beach. It is named after Spanish explorers who camped here in the 1700s during their search for Monterey Bay. It has a wide, sweeping beach flanked by sand dunes and the Spanish Bay golf course. It lies at the bottom end of Asilomar State Beach. I advise entering 17-Mile Drive at the Pacific Grove gate on Sunset and starting at Spanish Bay Beach, the northernmost beach in Pebble Beach. ![]() Bird Rock, Fanshell, Moss, Seal Rock, Spanish Bay, and Stillwater Cove are some of the beautiful public beaches you may see when you enter 17-Mile Drive in Pebble Beach. ![]() Both rugged and romantic, this area is sure to captivate you. Allow a few hours, because you will be getting off at several spots to admire those views.Pebble Beach is well known for its golf courses and mansions, but it is also home to some fabulous beaches and exquisite ocean vistas. We are so glad we got to see this.Ī “Must Visit” Place – at least once in your lifetime. The Rock Formations caused by the crashing waves were lovely, and the beauty of Nature was simply stunning. Looking over that Bay with the uninterrupted Ocean Views was really peaceful. There are also endless hidden gems that you will discover through your lens. Take your camera with a good zoom lens to get a closer look at the birds and other wildlife abundant here. I believe that this is something that everyone must do when they visit the Carmel area. But you get a Map with a list of all the scenic attractions and Places to Stop at – like Spanish bay Beach, The Restless Sea, Bird and Seal Rocks, Fan Shell Beach Overlook, The Lone Cypress, Ghost Trees, etc. There is an entrance fee per car because it passes through an exclusive neighborhood. It hugs the gorgeous Pacific Coast and passes beautiful Golf Courses, amazing Mansions and Scenic Attractions. This Drive is on a very scenic road through Pebble Beach and the Pacific Grove. If you are not a resident or guest in the area, it costs about $10 per car to take the drive, but it's worth it. Give yourself time to drive slowly and spend a little while enjoying each spot each has something to recommend it. On the day we were there Seal Rock was unfortunately not occupied, nor did we see any passing whales which are often spotted. Although it is not really alone- a line of cypress lead to the promontory on which it stands. I don't remember how many stops there are exactly, but our favorites were Bird Rock, where we tarried for several minutes watching gulls, cormorants, pelicans and more circling the rock and taking turns taking off and landing at its highest point Restless Seas, a very interesting spot where prevailing currents come in from 2 different directions and meet, causing to waves to push up and break over one another and of course Lone Cypress, which is as enigmatic in real life as it is in paintings and photos. And the threatening weather did not detract from the beauty of the drive in the least. ![]() The sky was leaden and the wind blustering the day we drove the famous 17-Mle-Drive, which made us glad that the way to see it is to drive from lookout point to lookout point. ![]()
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