Asilomar State Beach
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Image:AsilomarSB.jpg Asilomar State Beach is located on the Monterey Peninsula in the city of Pacific Grove, California. Asilomar (a made-up name meaning "refuge by the sea" and pronounced a-SIL-o-mar) State Beach and Conference Grounds sits on 107 acres (433,000 m²) and offers overnight lodging and views of the forest, surf and sand.
Asilomar State Beach is a narrow one-mile (1.6 km) strip of sandy beach and rocky coves. A 3/4 mile (1.2 km) coast-walking trail is open to pedestrians. Bicycle riding is allowed on the paved road bike lane in close proximity to the trail. Asilomar State Beach is part of the Pacific Grove Fish Garden Refuge and the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary.
The water in the vicinity of Asilomar State Beach is remarkably clear. When standing on the beach one can look through the cresting waves like a window to the rock reefs just offshore and see the kelp and fish. From above the color of the ocean is a light turquoise dropping to a deep blue offshore, much like the coloration seen in locations like The Bahamas. The water is also very cold compared to other beaches in the Monterey area, due to it's exposure to the open ocean and the upwelling of cold water from nearby Monterey Canyon which funnels the icy water right to shore at this location. Despite the cold water the area is popular among snorkelers and SCUBA divers where they can be treated to magnificent rocky reefs filled with colorful sea life. Those not able to handle the cold water can stay on shore and still experience incredible sea life. The rocky coves are home to thousands of species, some of which are unique to the bay. Just remember not to disturb the sea life as they are living things, and it is in a sanctuary making it illegal to disturb them. The locals appreciate it as well if you leave what was there and take what wasn't.
Before packing your sunscreen and bucket and heading to Asilomar, keep in mind that the beach DOES NOT feature a bathroom facility. The nearest bathroom is 5 minutes up the road towards Monterey Downtown and is not a very nice bathroom. If that is a problem it is recommended that you stick to beaches along Cannery Row.
Image:Merrill Hall Asilomar.jpg The Asilomar Conference Grounds began in 1913 as a camp and conference site for the YWCA. Its historic buildings were designed by the California architect Julia Morgan, and have been designated a National Historic Landmark. It has been owned and operated by the State of California since 1956. The grounds are available to park visitors for conferences and/or overnight stay. The California State Parks training facility-- William Penn Mott, Jr. Training Center--is located on the conference grounds.
Image:Asilomar Beach 2003-10-12.jpg The Asilomar Conference Grounds is managed by a hospitality concessionaire that oversees a complex of meeting and conference rooms ranging from the 650 seat Merrill Hall to intimate meeting accommodations for smaller groups. Designed to be free from everyday interruptions; there are no telephones or televisions in the 314 guest rooms. Among the noted conferences held there was a conference in 1975 at which scientists agreed on the basic policies that would govern genetic engineering research (see: Asilomar conference on recombinant DNA).
The William Penn Mott, Jr. Training Center offers a variety of training programs to both California State Parks employees and those from other agencies.