| Asilomar State Beach | |
|---|---|
| Asilomar State Beach and Conference Grounds State Park | |
 Rocky shore at Asilomar State Beach | |
   | |
| Location | Monterey County, California, United States |
| Nearest city | Pacific Grove, California |
| Coordinates | 36°37′12″N121°56′17″W / 36.62000°N 121.93806°W /36.62000; -121.93806 |
| Area | 107 acres (43 ha) |
| Established | 1951 |
| Governing body | California Department of Parks and RecreationOfficial website |
Asilomar State Beach, officiallyAsilomar State Beach and Conference Grounds State Park, is astate park unit ofCalifornia, United States. It provides public access to rocky coast and dune habitat on theMonterey Peninsula. The property includes theAsilomar Conference Grounds, a conference center built by theYWCA in 1913 that is now aNational Historic Landmark. The 107-acre (43 ha) site is located inPacific Grove and offers overnight lodging and views of the forest, surf and sand.
Asilomar (meaning "Asylum or refuge by the sea" and pronounced a-SIL-o-mar)[1] is a combination of two Spanish words: "asilo" and "mar". It is part of the native homeland of theRumsen Ohlone people.
The beach area is a narrow, 1-mile (1.6 km) strip of sandybeach and rockycoves. A 1-mile (1.6 km) trail, which runs through the dunes, is open to pedestrians. This trail is wheelchair-accessible, and a beach wheelchair is available at the Conference Grounds front desk, located inside the Phoebe Apperson Hearst Social Hall.[2] Bicycling is allowed on the paved bike lane along the road, running parallel to the Coast Trail. The ocean off shore is protected as theAsilomar State Marine Reserve, part of theMonterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary.[3] The rocky coves are home to thousands of species, some of which are unique to the bay.[citation needed] As a sanctuary, it is illegal to disturb biota, i.e., collection and removal of shells and/or live specimens.
Asilomar State Beach incorporates Asilomar Conference Grounds, designed in theArts & Crafts style by architectJulia Morgan. The facility was built in 1913 as a conference center and summer camp for theYWCA.[4] Morgan designed and built 16 buildings on the property, of which 13 are still standing.[5] The retreat was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1987 for its role in the development of the YWCA and the resort nature of nearbyMonterey, California.[6]
The water in the vicinity of Asilomar State Beach is known for rip tides and unpredictable surf. The water is cold compared to other beaches in the Monterey area, due to its exposure to the open ocean and the upwelling of cold water from nearbyMonterey Canyon, which funnels the icy water right to shore at this location.[citation needed] Despite the cold water the area is popular with surfers and visitors from around the world.
The beach does not feature a bathroom facility.[7] Bathrooms available to the public are located at the Asilomar Conference Grounds inside the Phoebe Apperson Hearst Social Hall.
The 2009 filmThe Shift by self-help advocateWayne Dyer was shot at Asilomar Beach and Conference Grounds.[8]
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