No Ordinary Beach

Fort Ord Dunes State Park

04.07.2015

Want a beach that will really get you away from it all? Fort Ord Dunes State Park is just the ticket. This relative newcomer to the state park system gives an impressive perspective of the half moon–shaped Monterey Bay. Get a great view of it from the main parking lot and try to imagine a canyon the size of the Grand Canyon just offshore and underwater. Then stroll down to the beach … and keep strolling … you can go on for miles. Enjoy beautiful views all the way north to Santa Cruz and Loma Prieta Mountain and south to the Monterey Peninsula. Fort Ord's shifting windswept bluffs make harsh conditions for any native plants and animals to survive (though you might see a black legless lizard or snowy plover if you're lucky). Also surviving are remnants of Fort Ord's past as an army training facility: 1.5 million soldiers trained here from 1940 to 1973. Today it's a sublime place to watch land meet the ocean, unbroken, for miles.

To reach the beach: From Hwy. 1 exit Lightfighter Dr. and bear right. Turn left onto 2nd Ave. Turn left onto Divarty St. Turn right onto 1st Ave. (map). Signs will direct you to the park entrance. Dog-friendly on the trails and parking area. No dogs on the beach.

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Mike Zakowski (aka Mike the Baker) standing in front of his wood-fire oven at the Sonoma Valley Farmers' Market

    NEW! Walkin' and Talkin': Break Bread, Go On a Panoramic Hike

    What’s a world-traveling, medal-winning baker’s favorite local hike? Weekend Sherpa co-founder Brad Day caught up with Mike Zakowski (aka Mike the Baker) at Sonoma’s Friday farmers' market, where his wood-fired loaves draw loyal crowds. Between bites of fresh-baked bread, they talk baking, travel, and why Sonoma's Overlook Trail is one of his favorite quick, panoramic hikes.

    View

  2. Hidden Botanical Garden

    Forget a dozen roses. Give your love a botanical garden. Hidden on the western slope of Sonoma Valley’s Mayacamas Mountains, Sonoma Botanical Garden has one of the Bay Area’s best displays of Asian flora—and it’s a brilliant place for a quiet picnic and some calming contemplations.

    View

  3. Sunnyvale and Salty

    For up-close bird watching, it’s hard to beat a walk along the San Francisco Bay. This 5-mile loop on the Sunnyvale coast is a favorite of local wildlife photographers.

    View
  4. A man takes a break at a temple spot on a hike at Dragon Mountain in Milptas

    Dragon Quest

    The newly reopened, 4-mile out-and-back hike at Dragon Mountain in Milpitas mixes the physical with the spiritual for a serene hiking experience.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. Sponsored

    Warm Up to Winter in Reno Tahoe

    2026 is just getting started, but there’s one place already rising to the top as the best for adventure and relaxation: Reno Tahoe. The awe—and ahhhs—begin as soon as you arrive. G

    View
  2. A woman stands at Dante's View in Death Valley, looking out to Telescope Peak and Manly Lake, Badwater Basin below.

    Sunset Hike at Dante's View

    It’s one of the world’s best places to watch a sunset. Dante’s View is a 5,476-foot vantage of the whole southern basin of Death Valley from the top of the Black Mountains. Right now there's a banner and bonus view of a rare lake formation that appears only after big rains.

    View

  3. It's a Waterfall Life

    Tahquitz Canyon’s crystalline stream and lush stands of desert lavender, honey mesquite, and leafy sycamores is home to an easy day hike with a big bonus: a 60-foot waterfall that runs with remarkable gusto after winter rains.

    View

  4. Oh Snow Nice

    Live in California long enough, and you’ll come to know the rite of passage called “going to the snow”–when we ditch our fair-weather cities and towns in search of winter weather. Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks deliver a winter wonderland worth a visit if there’s been a good dose of snow.

    View