Asilomar State Beach facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Asilomar State Beach |
|
|---|---|
| Asilomar State Beach and Conference Grounds State Park | |
Rocky shore at Asilomar State Beach
|
|
 Asilomar State Beach
Location in California
Asilomar State Beach
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | Monterey County, California, USA |
| Nearest city | Pacific Grove, California |
| Area | 107 acres (43 ha) |
| Established | 1951 |
| Governing body | California Department of Parks and Recreation |
Asilomar State Beach, also known as Asilomar State Beach and Conference Grounds State Park, is a special park in California, USA. It lets people visit beautiful rocky coasts and sandy dunes on the Monterey Peninsula. This park also has the Asilomar Conference Grounds, a historic meeting place built by the YWCA in 1913. It's now a National Historic Landmark. The park is about 107 acres big and is located in Pacific Grove. It offers places to stay overnight and amazing views of forests, ocean waves, and sandy beaches.
Contents
Asilomar State Beach
What's in a Name?
The name Asilomar (pronounced a-SIL-o-mar) means "Asylum or refuge by the sea." It comes from two Spanish words: "asilo" (meaning asylum or refuge) and "mar" (meaning sea). This area was once the home of the Rumsen Ohlone people.
Exploring the Beach
The beach part of Asilomar is a narrow strip of sand and rocky coves, about 1 mile long. There's a cool trail that goes through the sand dunes, perfect for walking. This trail is even good for wheelchairs! You can borrow a beach wheelchair at the Conference Grounds front desk. If you like biking, there's a paved bike lane next to the road that runs along the coast.
The ocean right off the shore is a protected area called the Asilomar State Marine Reserve. It's part of the bigger Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. This means the rocky coves are home to thousands of different ocean creatures. Some of these animals and plants are only found here! Because it's a sanctuary, it's against the rules to take shells or any living things from the water.
The Conference Grounds
Asilomar State Beach includes the Asilomar Conference Grounds. These buildings were designed by a famous architect named Julia Morgan. She used a special building style called the Arts & Crafts style. The facility was built in 1913 as a place for the YWCA to hold meetings and summer camps. Julia Morgan designed and built 16 buildings here, and 13 of them are still standing today. In 1987, this retreat became a National Historic Landmark. This was because of its important role in the YWCA's history and how it helped develop the nearby resort town of Monterey, California.
Fun and Safety at the Beach
The water near Asilomar State Beach is known for strong currents called rip tides and waves that can be hard to predict. The water is also quite cold compared to other beaches in the Monterey area. This is because of the open ocean and cold water coming up from the deep Monterey Canyon. Even with the cold water, many surfers and visitors from all over the world love this spot.
There are no public bathrooms directly on the beach. However, you can find restrooms at the Asilomar Conference Grounds inside the Phoebe Apperson Hearst Social Hall.
