AROUND TOWN farming, medicine or construction; craft a recycled materials masterpiece or stage a theater show. No need to roll the dice, birthday parties at MY Museum are always a winner. BEST PLACE TO EAVESDROP Alvarado Street Brewery 426 Alvarado St., Monterey (831) 655-2337, asb.beer Simon says “raise your left arm.” Simon says “put the glass to your lips.” “Take a drink.” Did you drink? Gotcha! You weren’t listening. And while you go to Alvarado Street—as well as its Carmel and Salinas locations—for the amazing beer, the conversations going on all around you are great sources of amusement, information, rumor and perhaps even some astonishment. After all, there are people from all walks of life and the beer is flowing. “Tune it all out.” Hah! Gotcha again. That’s impossible. BEST PUBLIC GOLF COURSE Pacific Grove Golf Links 77 Asilomar Ave., Pacific Grove (831) 648-5775, playpacificgrove.com Golf plays games with you. You win, you lose. You make smart decisions or ones that don’t quite work out. You take a risk, find yourself in trouble and you end up feeling sorry for yourself. In other words, there can be a lot of aggravation. But not at Pacific Grove Golf Links. How can you be down when waves are crashing against the rocks, a breeze is blowing through the trees, the Pacific Ocean is spread out before you and—best of all—you didn’t have to shell out a week’s pay to play? The course is so awe-inspiring that golf seems like a trivial pursuit. Yes, Pacific Grove Golf Links is numero uno. BEST PLACE TO WATCH THE SUNSET BEST SURF SPOT Asilomar State Beach Along Sunset Drive, Pacific Grove (831) 646-6440, parks.ca.gov/asilomar Bring your spike ball set, bring your frisbee, bring your badminton net— but no games are required to enjoy Asilomar State Beach. Just look out at the horizon where the sun daily dips beyond the ocean (OK, a lot of the time, beyond the fog line). Weekly readers regularly rate this stunning stretch—with a big, sandy beach plus trails wending through the craggy coastline—as the best place to watch the sunset. Or dare to watch the sunset from the ocean—it’s also the best surf spot, cherished for those few precious glassy days when the swell (and the scenery, always) are just right. BEST PARK Point Lobos State Natural Reserve 27830 Highway 1, Carmel (831) 624-4909, parks.ca.gov/pointlobos There are a few games that truly feel emblematic of childhood; at the top of that list is surely hide-and-seek. You’d close your eyes while friends or family scattered in every direction, maybe spinning a few times for dramatic effect, and then voilá—the game would begin. Everyone had that one park that made hide-and-seek absolutely legendary. If there were a park today that could be everyone’s favorite—the ultimate either for the hiders, or the seeker, fulfilling your childhood dreams—it might just be Point Lobos State Natural Reserve, where one can run and duck behind a tree and peek out just in time to watch the otters play. BEST BEACH Carmel Beach End of Ocean Avenue, Carmel (831) 620-2000, ci.carmel.ca.us/post/ carmel-beach Sand “gets everywhere,” as Anakin Skywalker once eloquently proclaimed, so it’s probably not the best idea to bring your pristine set of Risk to a day at Carmel Beach. You’re probably looking for something a little simpler to set up, but with just as much strategy involved. How about a fitting game of High Tide? Once you tap out, take a stroll with your pup on the dog-friendly beach’s scenic path until the actual high tide rolls in. 22 BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2025 montereycountynow.com/bestof Thank You, Monterey County! Voted “Best Hangout for Seniors” We’re grateful to everyone who voted for The Carmel Foundation. Every day we: • Provide nutritious and affordable meals to our 55+ community • Offer over 65 enriching programs and activities weekly • Provide a welcoming place to belong • Support seniors navigating life’s challenges • Provide affordable housing in Carmel Anyone 55+ can join. Membership starts at $60/year. The Carmel Foundation Carmel-by-the-Sea 831-624-1588 carmelfoundation.org PK PHOTO ’25 Aging is not a decline, it is a stage of life filled with growth and potential! Aging is not a decline, growth and potential!
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