Pebble Beach & 17-Mile Drive’s Beautiful Vistas

Pebble Beach is well known for its golf courses and mansions, but it is also home to some fabulous beaches and exquisite ocean vistas.  Both rugged and romantic, this area is sure to captivate you.  Bird Rock, Fanshell, Moss, Seal Rock, Spanish Bay, and Stillwater Cove are some of the beautiful public beaches you may see when you enter 17-Mile Drive in Pebble Beach.   

Spanish Bay Beach

I advise entering 17-Mile Drive at the Pacific Grove gate on Sunset and starting at Spanish Bay Beach, the northernmost beach in Pebble Beach.  It lies at the bottom end of Asilomar State Beach.  It has a wide, sweeping beach flanked by sand dunes and the Spanish Bay golf course.  It is named after Spanish explorers who camped here in the 1700s during their search for Monterey Bay.  A wooden boardwalk takes you north to Asilomar and south to Moss Beach.  Surfing is big here, but wading and swimming are not recommended due to strong rip currents.  

The Restless Sea, Point Joe & China Rock

After visiting Spanish Bay Beach, continue back onto 17-Mile Drive and head south to the Restless Sea, Point Joe & China Rock.    They are bordered on the east by Monterey Peninsula Country Club.  The Restless Sea is considered one of the most turbulent wave areas in Pebble Beach and in the past was the site of many shipwrecks.  Point Joe was named for a man called Joe.  Not Joseph, Joaquin, Joshua or Jonathan, just plain old Joe.  Anyway, plain old Joe lived in a driftwood hut here in the early 1900s and sold (no, not drugs!) trinkets.  I wonder what plain old Joe would think today if he saw what had sprung up around his original little shack.  A bit of a shock, perhaps.  

Bird Rock & Seal Rock

Further south are Bird Rock and Seal Rock.  They are bordered on the east by Spyglass Hill Golf Course.  Bird Rock is a haven for pelicans, cormorants and sea lions.  You may also see sea otters frolicking in the water or gray whales during their winter migration.

Fanshell Beach

Fanshell Beach is next on 17-Mile Drive with amazing vistas of Cypress Point and the Pacific Ocean.  It is bordered on the east by Cypress Point Golf Club.  I must shell you that I am a big fan of this beach because babies are born here!  That’s right!  Harbor Seals give birth to their pups in this area in the spring.   Be aware that areas of the coastline may be closed from April through June to protect the moms & their babies.

Cypress Point Lookout

Continuing south to Cypress Point Lookout you will enter the 5,300-acre Del Monte Forest.  It is a magical forest because it is home to the rare Monterey Cypress.  Monterey Cypress trees are truly enchanting; they can top out at 70 feet tall and live up to 300 years!  At Cypress Point Lookout you will also see views of the national marine sanctuary, Carmel Canyon, which is a part of the 10,000 foot deep Monterey Canyon.  Be aware that the sanctuary is surrounded by a high, chain link fence.

The Lone Cypress

The Lone Cypress is the next stop. This tree is the official symbol of Pebble Beach.  Perched on a granite hillside off 17-Mile Drive, the iconic Lone Cypress is said to be as old as 250 years, which would conjoin its beginnings to those of the USA.  In 1768, founding father Samual Adams wrote a letter opposing taxation without representation and calling for the colonists to unite in their actions against the British government.  And of course, we all know how that came to play out!

Pescadero Point

After the Lone Cypress, you will pass the Ghost Trees at Pescadero Point.  This was the setting for the famous “Witch Tree” which was used as a creepy background in movies and television until it was blown down during a storm.  Pescadero Point is also a big surfing area with winter waves as high as 50 feet.

Stillwater Cove

The final destination is Stillwater Cove.  This is a narrow beach accessible below the Pebble Beach Golf Course.  It is a great scuba diving site.  Paddleboarding and kayak tours from Stillwater Cove into the nearby Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary are also fun activities here.  To get to this beach, follow 17-Mile Drive to Palmero Way, then continue on Cypress Drive to the end of the Beach Club.  There will be signage to guide you.

Helpful Tips:

• Check out the online 17-Mile Drive map beforehand  (or pick up one at the entrance).
• Drones and motorcycles are not permitted in Pebble Beach.
• It is often very windy and chilly here, bring a warm jacket or coat.
• Bicyclists can enter for free through the Pacific Grove Gate.
• Follow the signs and red-painted dash lines on the road to stay on the legal route.  No vigilantes are allowed here except for Clint Eastwood.
• The $10.25 entrance fee is waived if you will be dining or staying at a Pebble Beach restaurant or inn, or you can get a refund if you spend at least $35.00 at most Pebble Beach businesses.
• There are four primary entrances: the three most frequently used are Hwy 1 at Hwy 68, the Pacific Grove gate on Sunset, and the Carmel gate on San Antonio.  I recommend starting at the Pacific Grove gate on Sunset if you only want to see the ocean views; you can then depart through the Carmel gate at the base of Ocean Ave.
• Check the weather before you visit via Pebble Beach webcam.
• The worst time to visit is during the U.S. Open Golf Tournament in June and the Pebble Beach Pro-Am in February due to heavy traffic.  The drive also closes on the third Sunday in August for the Concours d’Elegance classic auto show.
• Restrooms are available at Bird Rock and the Visitor’s Center near the Lodge at Pebble Beach.

Thank you for visiting my blog!  Wishing you peace, love, happiness & beautiful vistas!