Point Lobos State Natural Reserve recently made an appearance on Google’s list of the “most popular U.S. state parks this summer,” compiled using Google Maps data.
The scenic state park is beloved among a range of visitors, including hikers, photographers, and scuba divers, who come to experience the beauty of the “crown jewel of the California State Park system.”
Have you ever visited California’s best state park? Keep reading to find out why so many people made the trip this summer.
Google Maps shares the summer’s most popular parks
Last month, Google shared a blog post listing the most popular U.S. state parks this summer, based on the number of times people used Google Maps to find directions to various state parks after Memorial Day 2025.
Point Lobos was one of the top ten most popular state parks this summer, and the only one in California. New York had three state parks on the list: Watkins Glen State Park, Letchworth State Park, and Jones Beach State Park.
The only other West Coast state park to make the list is Silver Falls State Park, which is the largest state park in Oregon.
About Point Lobos
Located just south of Carmel, Point Lobos has long been a cherished destination in California. Its coastline features rugged coves, gorgeous sandstone formations, sea caves, coastal meadows, and Monterey cypress forests. Visitors come from all over to enjoy scenic hikes with ocean views, plein air landscape painting, and scuba diving.
It takes about 2-3 hours to reach Point Lobos from San Francisco via car. Many travelers prefer the longer, but more scenic Highway 1 route, which passes through some of the best destinations on the California coast, including Half Moon Bay, Pacifica, Santa Cruz, and Carmel.
Read our article for more tips about how to make the most of Point Lobos State Natural Preserve.