Monterey and Santa Cruz Counties have lots of great parks and playgrounds. Here are our favorites!
CITY OF CARMEL
Parks in the City of Carmel are limited but there are a few. Check ci.carmel.ca.us for park information.
Forest Hill Park
Nestled a few minutes from downtown Carmel, Forest Hill Park is a nice stop after a trip to Carmel Beach. There are bathrooms, swings, picnic benches, a bbq, playground, and basketball court. Located in a residential neighborhood, this is a quiet park with lots of shade.
3026 Junipero St, Carmel
Carmel Valley Park
Located off of Carmel Valley Road near the Village of Carmel Valley, this park offers an abundance of green space, a playground, and the Carmel Valley Pool. Because Carmel Valley is generally 10+ degrees warmer than the peninsula, Carmel Valley Park is a great place to enjoy the sun.
3026 Junipero St, Carmel
CITY OF MARINA
For more information on Marina parks, call 831-884-1278.
Civic Center Playground
This playground offers a climbing/ropes structure best for ages 5-12. The park has swings, playground, fire truck and activity tables for ages 2-5, giant rock climbing cubes. There are no shaded areas so pack plenty of sunscreen on sunny days.
213 Hillcrest Ave, Marina
CITY OF MONTEREY
The city of Monterey has 37 parks with various recreation facilities including barbecue grills, sports fields, and other amenities. Contact Monterey Recreation at (831) 646-3866 for information on any of the city parks.
Dennis the Menace Park
Dennis the Menace Park is the most popular playground in Monterey County and a definite hit with all ages. It is part of the El Estero Park Complex, a multi-use recreation area in the center of Monterey. There is a paddle boat concession, group BBQ picnic area, exercise course, and restrooms.
At Dennis the Menace, you’ll find a large playground with slides, swings, maze, tunnel, bridge, and a rock climbing wall. Created with the help of Hank Ketcham, creator of the Dennis the Menace comic strip, the park features an authentic 1924 Southern Pacific steam engine. Bonus: a snack bar is open six days a week offering inexpensive items like hamburgers and hot dogs as well as cold treats like sno-cones and ice cream.
777 Pearl Street, Monterey
Veterans Park
This park is great for kids who love to climb and is perfect for kids 4 and up. There are swings for both age groups, a huge field to play in, lots of picnic benches and a small area for younger kids. There is some shade but it’s definitely on the sunny side. Veterans Park also offers camping as well as walking trails. For a great workout, walk the steep stairs up to the hiking trails a few times.
1200 Veteran’s Drive, Monterey
CITY OF PACIFIC GROVE
Pacific Grove boasts 28 parks, ranging from the beach sands of Lovers Point Park to the forest of Monterey Pines. Park reservations are available for parties, events, picnics, BBQ’s, sports practices/games and more. For more info about Pacific Grove parks, check cityofpacificgrove.org or call 831-648-3130.
Caledonia Park
Located just two blocks from downtown Pacific Grove, Caledonia has a playground, a small baseball field, a basketball court, and multiple sets of picnic benches. There are swings for babies and older children, an open area for play, and a climbing structure. One bonus is the ample parking all around the park.
161 Caledonia Ave., Pacific Grove
Lovers Point Park
Lovers Point Park is a landscaped community park of 4.4 acres. It is used for picnicking, fishing, swimming, water sports, and surfing. Amenities include a large lawn area, a beach volleyball court, a children’s swimming pool, sandy beaches, rocky outcrops, a concrete pier structure, and a snack bar. One advantage to Lovers Point is the secluded beach area perfect for keeping you protected from the wind. There is a parking lot next to the park. Note that parking is very difficult to find on busy weekends and holidays.
631 Ocean View Blvd, Pacific Grove
George Washington Park
George Washington Park is the largest of Pacific Grove’s parks. It is six blocks long and most of the park is natural, unimproved forest that offers wildlife habitat. The park also contains picnic tables, barbecue grills, restrooms, play structure, and a baseball field.
700 Alder St, Pacific Grove
CITY OF SALINAS
Salinas has 21 parks, most located in neighborhoods. You can find an interactive map of the city parks at www.cityofsalinas.org.
Tatum’s Garden
Tatum’s Garden is Monterey County’s first fully inclusive and accessible playground, where children of all abilities can play. This park is compact but filled with opportunities to explore. It features wheel chair ramps and other features so that children with disabilities are not left out of the fun. Note: the same people who worked to bring Tatum’s Garden to Salinas are working on Tatum’s Treehouse to be located in Carmel Valley.
1 Maryal Dr, Salinas. For more information on Tatum’s Garden, check tatumsgarden.org.
Toro Park
Toro County Park is located six miles from downtown Salinas, and 13 miles from the Monterey Peninsula. The park’s 4,756 acres include trails for hiking and biking, playgrounds, picnic tables and BBQ areas, and lots of open space to explore. The hiking trails range from very easy to difficult. There is a fee to enter the park.
501 Monterey-Salinas Highway 68, Salinas. Check www.co.monterey.ca.us for more info.
CITY OF SANTA CRUZ
The City of Santa Cruz has parks for everyone including Depot Park with its beautiful ocean view.
For info on Santa Cruz parks, check www.cityofsantacruz.com.
Depot Park
This park area has an amazing ocean view. The park also has some of the longest slides we have seen. There are two playground/structures as well as a climbing/ropes structure.
102 Ocean View Ave, Santa Cruz
Ocean View Park
This park area has an amazing ocean view. The park also has some of the longest slides we have ever seen. There are two playground/structures for all ages as well as a climbing/ropes structure.
102 Ocean View Ave, Santa Cruz
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