El Estero Park

Located in the city of Monterey, El Estero Park has a small and narrow beach on the shores of Lake El Estero. El Estero Park’s beach is a family-friendly beach as it offers calm waters and a playground named Dennis The Menace Playground that has lots of awesome rides. 

El Estero Park offers many amenities including restrooms, playgrounds, boat ramps, and a skateboard park. There are a couple of fun activities at El Estero Park including fishing skateboarding, birdwatching, and paddle boating. 

If you are looking for attractions near El Estero Park, you can drive six minutes to Monterey Bay Aquarium that is home to many incredible sea creatures including jellyfish, great white sharks, captive killer whales, rockfishes, African penguins, and the Pacific Sea nettles.  The historic and first surfing museum in the world Santa Cruz Surfing Museum features photographs, videos, and surfboards related to 100 years of surfing history in Santa Cruz, exhibitions, and Mark Abbot Memorial Lighthouse – an awesome vista point to watch the surfing culture and click Instagram-worthy pictures. Another great attraction near El Estero Park is Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, a lively and famous seaside promenade featuring street performers, bodybuilders, amusement parks, restaurants, tourist shops, a great skateboard park, and kayak and boat riding facilities.

Getting to El Estero Park is easy – the park can be accessed from 725 Pearl Street and there is free parking available along the street.

If you are looking for attractions near El Estero Park, you can drive six minutes to Monterey Bay Aquarium that is home to many incredible sea creatures including jellyfish, great white sharks, captive killer whales, rockfishes, African penguins, and the Pacific Sea nettles.  The historic and first surfing museum in the world Santa Cruz Surfing Museum features photographs, videos, and surfboards related to 100 years of surfing history in Santa Cruz, exhibitions, and Mark Abbot Memorial Lighthouse – an awesome vista point to watch the surfing culture and click Instagram-worthy pictures. Another great attraction near El Estero Park is Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, a lively and famous seaside promenade featuring street performers, bodybuilders, amusement parks, restaurants, tourist shops, a great skateboard park, and kayak and boat riding facilities.

If you get hungry, there are many restaurants within a five-minute drive of El Estero Park. The seafood restaurant Rocky Point Restaurant offers surf ‘n’ turf, oysters, fish tacos, and margaritas. If you like Italian cuisine, Il Vecchio has a nice bar and features gelato, pizza, pasta, brodetto, polenta, and risotto. Another good restaurant near El Estero Park is Mission Ranch Restaurant that serves American comfort food in a farmhouse with pastoral views that was restored by Clint Eastwood.

If you are looking for a hotel near El Estero Park, you can drive 15 minutes to 4-Star oceanfront hotel Hyatt Carmel Highlands, Overlooking Big Sur Coast & Highlands Inn, A Hyatt Residence Club featuring a pool, lounge, restaurant, fitness center, and hiking and diving tours. The 4-Star Vagabond's House is an incredible hotel that welcomes pets. La Playa Carmel is a historic stone-fronted hotel that offers 75 beautiful ocean view rooms and suites – and has a nice pool and bar. If you are looking for an affordable hotel near El Estero Park, the 2-Star pet-friendly hotel Carmel Resort Inn has two restaurants and a café.