A White and Sandy Christmas at Asilomar State Beach

Stretching across 107 acres on the pristine coast of California’s Monterey Peninsula is Asilomar State Beach, an idyllic winter hideaway for anyone looking to spend their Christmas season on the sandy shores of a beach rather than under a blanket of snow.

The beach is a protected natural habitat in Pacific Grove, a quiet little town home to the Point Pinos Lighthouse and which may be familiar to fans of the television series Big Little Lies. The shore is filled with rocky outcroppings in the water and dunes along the waterfront, which create an eerily beautiful landscape perfect for hiking and exploring.

While California’s coastal communities can get chilly, especially during the winter months, highs in the 60s are a welcome change in the middle of December for anyone who lives in some of the country’s colder climates where cold, ice and snow are the norm for Christmas.

Asilomar State Marine Reserve Monterey Bay California. Photo: Paul Moore | Dreamstime.com

A great place to stay during your visit is the Asilomar Hotel and Conference Grounds, which includes a conference center built in 1913 by the YWCA, deemed a National Historic Landmark. The wood-and-stone hotel has a classic log cabin feel to it and takes visitors back to a simpler time. During the holiday season the hotel participates in Christmas at the Inns, an event where many of Pacific Grove’s inns and bed and breakfasts decorate their properties in Victorian-era style and open their doors for visitors to enjoy a nostalgic Christmas experience. The event includes old-fashioned carolers and plenty of treats offered by the hosting hotels. Pacific Grove is an ideal place for such an event due to the prevalence of picturesque, Victorian-era homes and businesses in town.

During the winter season there are plenty of fun activities at Asilomar to give you and your family a memorable Christmas experience. The Asilomar Ramble is a nature and wildlife viewing tour of the area led by a park ranger that will give you an up-close and informative experience. The tour doesn’t just introduce you to the local flora and fauna but also teaches you about the history of the area and the hotel.  There are also the Dunes and Coast Trail Hike or the Asilomar Birds and Their Habitat Homes tours to give you additional opportunities for exploring.

When you’ve finished your Christmastime stay at Asilomar and head home, wherever that may be, your family will have fond memories of their white sandy Christmas on the Monterey Peninsula.