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Pebble Beach

Pebble Beach History

   Pebble Beach is an unincorporated area just north of Carmel-by-the-Sea. The private community is home to some of the most beautiful and challenging golf courses in America -- and perhaps the world. Whether or not you enjoy golfing, you'll certainly appreciate the scenic views this charming area has to offer.
   A resort at Pebble Beach was first envisioned in 1880, when the Pacific Improvement Company opened the Hotel Del Monte. A year later, the group opened the scenic 17-Mile Drive, which winds through modern-day Pebble Beach. The Hotel Del Monte became a popular tourist destination, and its name was so well-recognized that it was licensed to a canning company in 1891. (Del Monte remains a popular brand of canned fruits and vegetables.)
   In 1897, the first golf course was built on the Monterey Peninsula. The Del Monte Golf Course was originally just nine holes, but it was expanded to 18 holes in 1903. In 1909, a log cabin lodge was built near the golf course. It was destroyed by fire in 1917, and a new, modern lodge was built in its place.
   In 1919, developer Samuel F.B. Morse bought 18,000 acres of land -- including the hotel, the golf course and the lodge -- through his newly formed Del Monte Properties Company. That same year, Morse opened the Pebble Beach Golf Links and changed his company's focus from hotel operations to the golf course. For the next several decades, Pebble Beach hosted some of the most prestigious golfing events in the nation.
   During World War II, the Navy leased the Hotel Del Monte as a naval pre-flight school, and it purchased the property outright in 1948. Today, the former hotel is site of the Naval Postgraduate School.
   Pebble Beach has seen other changes as well: New courses were built on the peninsula; the Del Monte Lodge was renamed The Lodge at Pebble Beach; and the land is now owned by The Pebble Beach Company, which is the community's main employer. But Pebble Beach remains first and foremost a golfer's mecca -- and it seems destined to stay that way forever.

Activities

   The Monterey Peninsula offers many activities, but there's one sport in particular that has made Pebble Beach a household name. Golf is king here, and you'll be hard-pressed to find any locals who don't spend a considerable amount of time on the links.
   By far the most famous local course is the Pebble Beach Golf Links, which was ranked the No. 1 course in America by Golf Digest in 2001 -- the first time a public course was selected. Pebble Beach Golf Links has hosted five U.S. Opens, and it's home to the annual AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, the Callaway Golf Pebble Beach Invitational and the First Tee Open.
   Other public courses include Poppy Hills, the Links at Spanish Bay, Spyglass Hill and Del Monte Golf Course. For those in a rush, the Peter Hay Par-3 Course at Pebble Beach Golf Links offers a shorter course with the same scenic views.
   There are three resorts in Pebble Beach: The Lodge at Pebble Beach, The Inn at Spanish Bay and Casa Palmero. These world-class destinations have shops, restaurants, fitness facilities and spacious guest suites. The newly opened Spa at Pebble Beach also offers a variety of amenities, from facials and massages to seaweed wraps and skin treatments.
   The Pebble Beach Equestrian Center offers guided trail rides as well as riding lessons and boarding. And auto enthusiasts can see some of the world's rarest and most beautiful antique cars at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, which is held each August on the 18th fairway of Pebble Beach Golf Links.
   The 17-Mile Drive is the main route through Pebble Beach. This famed roadway runs beside the beach and up into the hills, offering one of the most scenic drives along the California coast. There are several turnouts along the road to stop for photos or to take a stroll. The road is free to locals, but visitors must pay an entrance fee, although most people think it's well worth the nominal price.

Pebble Beach Fast Facts

   Location: Pebble Beach is located along Highway 1 near the Pacific Ocean, about 75 miles south of San Jose
   Population: Approximately 4,500
   Average annual rainfall: 20.35 inches
   Average temperatures: 62ºF in summer, 51ºF in winter

Schools

   There are no public schools in Pebble Beach. Students attend classes in neighboring communities.

Real Estate

   There are a variety of designs in Pebble Beach. These pictures give a few examples:

Maps of Pebble Beach

More Pebble Beach Photos
Photos by John Vanhara for CoastParadise.com

  
                                           Pebble Beach Photos

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