The Crater Beach

Located in the city of Sand City, The Crater Beach is a one-mile-long, wide, and remote beach that is situated in front of the Eolian Dunes Preserve. Also known as The Crater, The Crater Beach is a clothing-optional beach.  The Crater Beach is a family-friendly beach because it has an incredible playground and large-sized dunes where children can play.  The Crater Beach is a perfect destination for swimming and beachcombing.

The Crater Beach welcomes dogs on leash and offers a couple of amenities including volleyball courts, dunes, and paved bike paths.

There are many fun activities at The Crater Beach including swimming, beachcombing, beach walking, and sunbathing. If you are looking for additional activities, you can hike on Monterey Peninsula Recreational Trail that runs behind the beach. 

The Crater Beach is situated at the point where California Avenue and Cabrillo Highway intersects. To access The Crater Beach, you can walk 10 minutes north from Sand City Beach. You can also reach The Crater Beach by using the free parking lot at the Sand City Shopping Center and then walking northeast along California Avenue to a gate adjacent to the Monterey Bay Coastal Trail that provides direct access to the beach.

If you are looking for attractions near The Crater Beach, you can drive 30 minutes to the Aptos History Museum that is home to many historical exhibits, photographs, and antiques from the city of Aptos. The gravity-defying Mystery Spot is among the most prominent illusion-based tourist attractions – visitors can experience demonstrations that disobey gravity inside a wooden building and while walking up a steep hill here.  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.  Another great attraction near The Crater Beach is Adventure Sports Unlimited that offers many underwater courses including swimming, scuba diving, diving, and snorkeling.

If you get hungry, you can drive 12 minutes to many restaurants near The Crater Beach. The upscale Sanderlings Restaurant is a vegetarian-friendly American bar-restaurant offering breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner, and dessert options in an elegant patio setting. If you are looking for a family-friendly restaurant near The Crater Beach, Café Rio Aptos features seafood, steaks, desserts, a dog-friendly patio, and incredible views of the North Pacific Ocean. Another good restaurant near The Crater Beach is Village Host Pizza & Grill, a pizza restaurant that serves pizza, garlic bread, burgers, and sandwiches at very reasonable prices.

If you are looking for a hotel near The Crater Beach, you can drive 25 minutes to the upscale 4-Star hotel Seascape Beach Resort that offers many amenities including a pool, bar, sauna, spa, restaurant, golf course, tennis court, and fitness center. Best Western Seacliff Inn is a 3-Star hotel featuring a pool, lounge, bar, gym, and restaurant. If you are looking for an affordable hotel near The Crater Beach, the 2-Star Rio Sands Hotel has a pool and kids club.