Monterey and Santa Cruz Counties have lots of great parks and playgrounds. Here are our favorites!

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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.

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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

One resource for inexpensive, varied activities are the parks departments associated with peninsula cities. Offering everything from preschools to movie nights to swimming lessons, they will quickly become your go to source for family fun. Depending on what city you live in, you may get a discount for being a city resident but in general you can participate in activities regardless of where you live. All have their catalogs online so you can choose your activities and sign up conveniently.

THE CITY OF MARINA PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT oversees the Youth, Teen and Senior Centers. In addition, the department holds a variety of special events and sport leagues.

The City of Marina offers an array of affordable recreational opportunities for youth, teen, and adult sports programs year round.  Options include league play and youth sports camps.  Sport programs are open to residents and surrounding communities.

Recreation staff and volunteers host community events each year and provide safe places for children to go after school and during the summer.

The Marina Skate Park is located at 304 Hillcrest Avenue and is open daily offering a safe place for kids to ride their skateboards.

For additional information on The City of Marina Parks Dept. programs, check www.cityofmarina.org.

THE CITY OF MONTEREY PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT encompasses community centers, sports, and summer camps. In addition, they manage the Monterey Sports Center and the city parks. Monterey Parks & Rec. offers an affordable preschool program at two of the community centers.

City community centers include Casanova Oak Knoll Park Center where preschool, stay and play, and teen drop-in programs along with a variety of programs and classes for all ages are offered. In addition to preschool, youth and teen programs, a variety of activities for all ages are offered at El Estero Park Center. The center is located near Dennis the Menace Park. Hilltop Park Center offers a preschool program, ballet instruction, ceramic studio, classes for children and adults, public access computers and a community room with activities for the whole family. The main focus of Scholze Park Center is on programs for adults  including art workshops, dance, sewing, and exercise classes. The center offers drive through meals for seniors Tuesday through Friday from 11 am-noon.

Youth sports camps and leagues include flag football, track & field, soccer, beach volleyball, school break and summer sports camps.

Located in downtown Monterey, the Sports Center offers two indoor pools, a large selection of group exercise options, an extensive workout area, basketball, and more. Short term memberships are available so you can try out the facility.

Veteran’s Memorial Park is a beautiful 50 acre park located only a mile from downtown Monterey with campsites. The park is an affordable and fun way to stay overnight in the area or for families to have a camping getaway close to home. Besides the campsites (open 365 days per year), the park includes hiking trails, BBQ picnic areas, play equipment, turf and lawn playfield and a basketball court.

For additional information about City of Monterey Parks and Recreation programs, check monterey.org.

THE CITY OF PACIFIC GROVE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT provides services and programs at 28 parks including Caledonia, Jewell, and Lovers’ Point. Facilities under the direction of the department include Chautauqua Hall, the PG Community Center, Jewell Park, and the Youth Center.

Classes for kids include youth ballet and tap. A highlight of the department’s program is their swim program at Lovers Point. Classes always book quickly so if interested parents are advised to check the website early for registration dates and deadlines.

Summer programs include tot camp, chess camp, and a Lego camp.

For additional information on The City of Pacific Grove Parks Dept. programs, check cityofpacificgrove.org.

THE CITY OF SALINAS PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT offers a wide variety of programs for youth and adults that encourage a positive leisure lifestyle through dance, sports, arts and other enrichment activities. From a Tiny Tots playschool to sports programs to summer camps, the rec department focuses on providing fun, free and inexpensive programming for all ages.

The City of Salinas Recreation-Park Division also offers free afterschool programs for youth at several of its recreation facilities Monday – Friday.

For additional information, check www.cityofsalinas.org.

THE CITY OF SEASIDE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT provides a variety of programs for children including preschool, summer camp, afterschool programs, sports lessons and leagues, as well as swim lessons and open swim time at Pattullo Swim Center.

There are several neighborhood parks offering open space, playgrounds, and picnic facilities.  Special events include Blues in the Park  previously held in September and October and Movies in the Park. Holiday events include an Easter Egg Hunt,  Halloween Bonanza, and a Winter Wonderland.

For additional information on The City of Seaside Recreation Dept. programs, check ci.seaside.ca.us/299/Recreation-Services