Asilomar State Beach
Sunset Drive, Pacific Grove
646-6440, www.parks.ca.gov/asilomar
Ask any surfer on the Monterey Peninsula where the best local surf spot is and they’ll shrug their shoulders in feigned ignorance - surfers aren’t always the most sharing and welcoming. At risk of losing the readership of a few territorial locals, we’ll tell you: It’s Asilomar State Beach. For consistent swell you don’t have to drive to Moss Landing or Santa Cruz because Asilomar’s typical A-frame breaks are mellow enough so you won’t catch a close-out and eat ocean bottom. But when it gets big, it’s big, so be aware newbies and groms.