One of the drawbacks of the beautiful Monterey Peninsula is the abundance of beautiful beach scenery mitigated by the cold water and rough surf.
The ocean is especially dangerous for children with strong rip tides.
Carmel River State Beach is located on the south end of Carmel where the Carmel River coming out of the Santa Lucia Mountains drains to the sea. The ocean here is especially rough for swimming, however, the Carmel Lagoon is a popular place for letting children wade in the water.
This is an area full of bird life and children generally enjoy the variety of ducks, geese, and seabirds that typically congregate here.
So when those 70 degree summer days are blessing the Monterey Peninsula and the ocean water is bonechilling, the Carmel lagoon is a water respite within easy driving distance of Monterey. This is a place for a picnic on the beach beside the ocean with safe water, not really suitable for swimming, but fun
for children and toddlers to wade.