Marina is one of the most unknown cities in Monterey Bay. It doesn’t have name recognition like Monterey or Carmel-by-the-Sea, nor does it have a population like Salinas or a history like Seaside. It’s a city that often gets overlooked by those visiting that part of California. But while there may be less to do in Marina, avoiding the city altogether means you will miss out on some of Marina’s best activities. Here are several things to do if you’re staying in Marina.
What to do in Marina
The Marina Dunes, part of the Marina State Beach, is a long stretch of beach with high sand dunes. It’s considered a dog free beach, which is unfortunate for dog owners, but otherwise the beach outstanding, with soft, high, sand hills to climb and watch the powerful rolling waves. It’s a great place to watch the sundown, and has little foot traffic so you can enjoy the beach quietly with your friends or significant other.
Marina is short on coffee shops, but it does have Coffee Mia, a gem of a coffee shop located on Reservation Road. Coffee Mia has tasty sandwiches and desserts, but the mix of coffees is the real draw. On any given day you can even get a fresh cup of genuine Kona coffee (although when they run out it it may take them a long time to restock).
While not the most glamorous location in the city, Mortimer’s card room is a small, quiet place to gamble if you want to meet locals and lose your money in a smoke-free environment. They have a blackjack table that opens at 4 and two 1/2 poker tables filled with energetic locals. It’s also connected to a popular bar that plays dance music on the weekends despite its notoriously non-dance music loving crowd.
Abram’s Drive, just off Imjin Road, is actually nothing more than a bunch of apartments and housing communities. But between those houses there are small, attractive trails that connect one court to the other, and those that don’t mind seeing the occasional car will find that the walk is calm and pleasant, especially in the warmer weather.
No, it’s not technically in Marina, but Marina is within just a few minutes of nearly every great city and attraction in Monterey Bay. It’s a short drive (possibly a walk if you enjoy long walks) from Carmel-by-the-Sea, Monterey, Salinas, Seaside, Sand City, and numerous other locations that are rich in activities and interesting sites. Marina is in a prime location to visit any number of locations in Monterey Bay at a price that is cheaper than any of the above cities.
Visiting Marina
Marina isn’t the most culturally rich place to visit, but it does have fun activities and it’s within just a short distance from nearly everything in Monterey Bay. If you’re looking for a low cost place to visit while on the coast of California, Marina is a great choice.
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