Garrapata State Park - Soberanes Point Beach

Garrapata State Park - Soberanes Point Beach does not have lifeguards or any other amenities. However, the blufftop area above the beach has restrooms.

Garrapata State Park - Soberanes Point Beach offers many fun activities including sunbathing, wildlife watching, hiking, and beachcombing. The water near Garrapata State Park - Soberanes Point Beach is not safe for recreational aquatic activities including surfing and swimming as it is known to have dangerous currents and extremely cold temperatures. The water near the beach is home to many animals including seals, sea lions, otters, and migrating grey whales between December and April. Many species of aquatic birds can also be found on the rock formations near the beach. The Soberanes Point, which is situated above the beach, has hiking trails that can be used to explore the beautiful Big Sur landscape. Soberanes Point also offers a great view of the Big Sur shoreline. Garrapata State Park is a 3,000-acre state park that offers hiking trails and a bike path for exploring its vivid and beautiful landscape that has a variety of habitats including grasslands, redwood forests, and coastal scrubs that are home to a variety of rare and unique flora and fauna. The park is home to 60 species of mammals and 110 species of birds. In addition, the blufftop areas of the state park offer a marvelous view of the Pacific Ocean and offer a great spot to watch migrating grey whales between December and April. However, when hiking around the state park, we recommend being careful and looking out for a variety of hazards including ticks ( the word "Garrapata" in Spanish means ticks), mountain lions, poison oak, and snakes.

Getting to Garrapata State Park - Soberanes Point Beach is easy - the access trail to the beach is just south of Soberanes Point alongside Cabrillo Highway/ Pacific Coast Highway, where there is also a free parking lot. Since this access trail is steep and rocky, we recommend wearing appropriate footwear. 

There are many attractions near Garrapata State Park - Soberanes Point Beach. The Tor House and the Hawk Tower were built by the poet Robinson Jeffers for his family. The picturesque house and tower has Tudor-style architecture and has been visited by many eminent personalities including Charlie Chaplin and Sinclair Lewis. Robinson Jeffers Tor House Foundation offers docent-led tours of the estate on Fridays and Saturdays. If you want to reserve your spot for a tour, you can contact them at (831) 624-1813. Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo (also known as the Carmel Mission) is a historical landmark and Catholic mission that was established in the 18th century. Docent-led tours are organized around the mission premises and the mission also has a museum that offers an interesting insight into California’s history. If you are looking for another attraction near Garrapata State Park - Soberanes Point Beach, Carmel Plaza offers many shopping stores, restaurants, and wine-tasting rooms.

If you get hungry, there are many great restaurants near Garrapata State Park - Soberanes Point Beach. California Market at Pacific’s Edge is an upscale restaurant that has glass panel walls that offer incredible views of the Big Sur coastline and offers delicious Californian cuisine. Sur Carmel Restaurant offers a range of excellent gourmet dishes and is famous for its fried chicken and waffles. If you are looking for another good and affordable restaurant near Garrapata State Park - Soberanes Point Beach, the modestly priced r.g. Burgers offer a variety of outstanding burgers that are served in generous portions and also serve excellent hot dogs, salads, sandwiches, soups, and chili.

If you are looking for a hotel near Garrapata State Park - Soberanes Point Beach, there are many great options. The 4-Star Hyatt Carmel Highlands, Overlooking Big Sur Coast & Highlands Inn, A Hyatt Residence Club offers many amenities including a restaurant, a pool, three hot tubs, and a fitness center that is open 24 hours. A more affordable hotel is the 3-Star Carmel Mission Inn that offers many amenities including a restaurant offering live music performances on weekends, a pool, a hot tub, and a fitness center. If you are looking for another good and affordable hotel near Garrapata State Park - Soberanes Point Beach, the modestly priced 2-Star Carmel River Inn offers many amenities including a pool and a garden with walking paths.