Del Monte Beach, Monterey, CA

Del Monte Beach is the part of Monterey that sits right against the sand, where the houses end at Tide Avenue and the public beach park begins. The streets lie on former dune land, and the old subdivision pattern shows. Lots are small, the houses are one and two stories set close together, and most of the available land has already been built on. Del Monte Beach proper runs west from Del Monte Avenue. Parking is free, and restrooms and stairs sit at the access that links Casa Verde, Roberts Avenue and Surf Way. The Monterey Bay Recreational Trail passes through, and Window on the Bay carries the beachfront on toward Seaside. Roberts Lake Park is just across the line in Seaside, and the beach shelves gently into the bay. Four stories up in the Monterey Beach Hotel, The Lantern Room opened in August 2024 with floor-to-ceiling glass over the bay and a menu built on local suppliers such as Sea Harvest and Ad Astra Bread Co. Farther along Del Monte Avenue, Monterey's Fish House at 2114 Del Monte has a local following for big oysters and oak-grilled swordfish and salmon. For a morning coffee, 831 Beach Kitchen at 1098 Del Monte sells espresso drinks, burritos and breakfast sandwiches to carry down to the water. La Sala's Bi-Rite Market, nearby, is the deli people mention when they talk about sandwiches. Del Monte Avenue is the street that ties it all to the rest of the city, and downtown and Seaside are both on it. Del Monte Beach homes are close enough to the avenue that the day's errands and a sunset walk can share one trip. Houses sit shoulder to shoulder, and yards are small. With lots this size, the beach park across Tide Avenue does the work of a backyard.