Fanshell Beach(Fan Shell Beach)

Located in the town of Del Monte Forest, Fanshell Beach is a north-facing rocky beach inside the private community of Pebble Beach. Also known as Fan Shell Beach, Fanshell Beach is situated along the famous 17 Mile Drive. 

Fanshell Beach offers few amenities including tide pools and the Fanshell Overlook, an overlook above the beach on the west end.

There are many fun activities at Fanshell Beach including picnicking, photography, birdwatching, and wildlife watching – the beach is a popular spot to watch harbor seals. Please note that Fanshell Beach is closed during April and May, but you can still click pictures from the overlook.

Getting to Fanshell Beach is easy – the beach’s free parking lot is situated at 3141 17 Mile Drive adjacent to the overlook. In addition to this, there are several free pull-out parking areas along the drive, but a fee is charged while entering into Pebble Beach community.

If you are looking for attractions near Fanshell Beach, you can drive 20 minutes to The Old Fisherman’s Wharf, a fun tourist attraction site that offers souvenir shops, art galleries, whale watching tours, boating tours, fishing trips, and you can also watch sea lions sleeping on the buoys and moored boats in the bay. The Point Sur State Historic Park is a historical landmark providing walking tours of the 1889 Point Sur Lighthouse and Point Sur State Marine Reserve and Marine Conservation Area that protects ocean wildlife and marine ecosystem. Spread across 1,006 acres, Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park features a 1,200 years old tree named the Colonial Tree, a 60 feet tall waterfall named Pfeiffer Falls, a campground, and beautiful redwood groves. Another great attraction near Fanshell Beach is Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary, a home to thousands of monarch butterflies that visitors can see starting from late October to February.

If you get hungry, you can drive 15 minutes to many restaurants near Fanshell Beach. Rio Grill features feijoada completa, tofu, smoothies, desserts, a nice bar with a lengthy wine list since 1983, and an outdoor patio setting. The European restaurant La Bicyclette Restaurant serves salmon, steaks, French fries, artichokes, cocktails, wines, and beers. Another good restaurant near Fanshell Beach is Il Tegamino, an Italian eatery with classic comfort food and an outdoor courtyard.

If you are looking for a hotel near Fanshell Beach, there are many hotels within a 15-minute drive. The 4-Star beachside hotel Monterey Plaza Hotel & Spa has many amenities including a lounge, spa, sauna, restaurant, and fitness center. Jabberwock Inn is a 1911 Craftsman-style 3-Star hotel featuring a solarium, Jacuzzis, and diving, fishing, hiking, horseback riding, and windsurfing tours. If you are looking for budget-friendly hotels near Fanshell Beach, the 2-Star Butterfly Grove Inn welcomes pets and has a nice pool – and the 2-Star Colton Inn offers a sauna.