Monastery Beach(Mortuary Beach, San Jose Creek Beach)

Located in the southern part of Carmel-by-the-Sea, Monastery Beach - also known as Mortuary Beach and San Jose Creek Beach - is a popular arch-shaped beach in Monterey County that is a part of Carmel River State Beach. This beach, like many in California's state parks, boasts a wide and sloping stretch of light brown, coarse sand. The water near the beach is deep and has very strong currents due to an underwater canyon called the Carmel Canyon present nearby. Monastery Beach gets its name from the Carmelite Monastery which is situated adjacent to it. In addition, the beach gets its alternative name, San Jose Creek Beach, due to the fact that the San Jose Creek flows near the beach through the Point Lobos Ranch. Monastery Beach, consistent with many state parks, provides lifeguards and restrooms and allows dogs on leash.

Monastery Beach, part of the diverse state parks network, offers many fun activities including sunbathing, beachcombing, wildlife watching, fishing, and scuba diving. The water near Monastery Beach is highly unsafe for recreational activities including swimming, surfing, and paddleboarding as it has a severe undertow and frequent dangerous rip currents. In addition, we also recommend being very careful while walking near the water near Monastery Beach as many people have been swept offshore by hazardous sneaker waves. The treacherous water conditions of Monastery Beach, which have been responsible for many drowning-related deaths, have earned it the nickname Mortuary Beach. However, in spite of it having dangerous rip currents, the water near Monastery Beach is popular among scuba divers, who can explore its interesting underwater topography and biodiversity. The water here is home to many animals including rockfish, bass, lingcod, perches, scallops, anemones, urchins, and abalone. Depending on the time of the year, you can also see many marine mammals in the water near Monastery Beach including seals, sea lions, dolphins, and migrating whales. However, we recommend this diving spot only for experienced divers as beginner divers can have difficulty handling the rough water conditions here while diving. The large variety of fish present in the water near Monastery Beach makes it a great fishing spot.

Getting to Monastery Beach is easy - the entrance to the beach is located near 27951 California State Highway 1 / Pacific Coast Highway, where free parking lots are also available. As with many state parks, ample parking ensures convenient access to this scenic spot.

There are many attractions near Monastery Beach, part of the network of state parks that enrich the region. Garland Ranch Regional Park has a vibrant array of beautiful landscapes that include oak woodlands, redwood forests, portions of the Gazara Creek, and a variety of important historical sites which can be explored via hiking trails. The Tor House and the Hawk Tower were built by the poet Robinson Jeffers for his family. The picturesque house and tower have Tudor-style architecture and have 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. If you are looking for another attraction near Monastery Beach, Park Gallery Camel is an art gallery that has a wide variety of magnificent artworks by many artists including Michael Mao, Karen Budan, and Lindey Carter.

If you get hungry, there are many great restaurants near Monastery Beach. Seventh & Dolores Steakhouse is an upscale steakhouse that offers excellent steaks and seafood. La Bicyclette offers dishes with Californian-European fusion influences and serves delicious pizzas and French delicacies including duck confit and tarte tatin. In addition, the restaurant has also been praised by the MICHELIN Guide. If you are looking for another good and affordable restaurant near Monastery Beach, the modestly priced Tommy’s Wok is an Asian restaurant that offers delicious Hunan, Szechuan, and Mandarin cuisine.

If you are looking for a hotel near Monastery Beach, there are many great options. The 4-Star L’Auberge Carmel offers many amenities including a restaurant and complimentary breakfast. In addition, the hotel also offers cooking classes for a fee. A more affordable hotel is the 3-Star Tradewinds Carmel which offers many amenities including a meditation garden, fire pits, and complimentary breakfast. If you are looking for another good and affordable hotel near Monastery Beach, the modestly priced 2-Star Carmel Inn & Suites offers complimentary breakfast.