Ocean View Boulevard runs along Pacific Grove's northern shore, and despite the name there are no buildings between the road and the sea — just a long undeveloped stretch of headland where otters, seals, and seabirds go about their business within easy binocular range. The boulevard is the spine of the town's coastal recreational corridor.
The best way to experience it is on foot or bicycle: the path that follows the shore from Lovers Point west to Asilomar is a 4-mile round trip without a single dull stretch. At Lovers Point, a sheltered cove with a small sandy beach, you can rent kayaks and stand-up paddleboards. Along the way, look into the tidepools at low tide — the Monterey Bay's rocky intertidal zone is one of the most productive on the coast, with sea stars, urchins, hermit crabs, and the occasional octopus.