Del Monte Beach

Del Monte Beach is a surf spot located in Central Coast, California, situated in Monterey on Del Monte Avenue. This sandy bottom beach works on all tides and welcomes surfers of all experience levels, making it particularly good for beginners. The spot provides both left and right waves. The beach offers waves ranging from 50 to 150 meters in length and typically has few surfers in the lineup. Del Monte Beach can be surfed with various board types including beginner boards, softboards, shortboards, mid and retro boards, and longboards. For optimal surf conditions, the spot works best with northwest swells and requires a minimum swell height of 2 feet. The best wind direction comes from southeast and south, creating clean surfable waves. The spot fires regularly and features a real nice sandy bottom. It is an ideal learning spot before progressing to more challenging breaks like Asilomar, Pacific Grove, and Carmel. Nearby surf spots include Seaside, The Wharf, Lovers Point, Asilomar, and Carmel. The waves tend to be lazy and may close out often, but on good days you can have the spot to yourself. Access is straightforward: look for the Del Monte Beach sign on Del Monte Avenue, take the right turn, drive up the hill and park along the semi-boardwalk area. The beach allows fires and provides a relaxed atmosphere with no reported localism issues. However, surfers should be aware of potential hazards including rips, undertow, and sharks that have been spotted in the lineup before. When the spot gets crowded, respect the locals and check surf etiquette guidelines. Check your skills before paddling out to make sure the spot and conditions match your surfing level.