Monterey Bay City Built from Fort Ord
Welcome to Marina, a Monterey County city on Monterey Bay, reshaped from the former Fort Ord and home to Cal State Monterey Bay.
Marina is a city in Monterey County, California, on the north end of the Monterey Peninsula along Monterey Bay. With a population of about 22,500, it is one of the region's newer and fastest-evolving communities, defined by a singular transformation: the closure of Fort Ord in 1994 and the repurposing of the former Army base into California State University, Monterey Bay. That conversion reshaped Marina's economy and identity. The university's main campus spans Marina and neighboring Seaside, and the city also hosts the UC Santa Cruz MBEST center and a Veterans Transition Center. Where a military installation once dominated, an academic and residential community has taken root, and Marina has been recognized for its appeal to young people and families. The city's coastal setting is another defining asset. Marina State Beach, known for hang-gliding and its expansive dunes, sits along Monterey Bay, and the Monterey Bay Coastal Recreation Trail connects Marina to the wider peninsula. Fort Ord Dunes State Park adds protected shoreline and open space. The climate is cool and maritime, typical of the northern Central Coast. Housing in Marina ranges from base-era streets to newer communities such as The Dunes and Sea Haven, generally at a more attainable price point than Monterey or Carmel. Public schools are part of the Monterey Peninsula Unified School District, and Highway 1 keeps Monterey, Salinas, and the Salinas Valley within a short drive. For people seeking coastal living, a university-town energy, and a gateway to the Monterey Peninsula's beaches and open space, Marina offers a distinctive and increasingly popular base on Monterey Bay.
Marina is in Monterey County, on California's Central Coast. The city sits on the north end of the Monterey Peninsula, along Monterey Bay and Highway 1, between Monterey and the city of Salinas.
Fort Ord was a U.S. Army base that closed in 1994. Much of the former base was repurposed as California State University, Monterey Bay, whose campus spans Marina and neighboring Seaside, fundamentally reshaping the area's economy and identity.
California State University, Monterey Bay (CSUMB) is a public university whose main campus sits on the former Fort Ord site, with a portion located in Marina. The city also hosts the UC Santa Cruz MBEST center and a Veterans Transition Center.
Marina is served by the Monterey Peninsula Unified School District, which operates public schools across Marina, Seaside, and the wider Monterey Peninsula. California State University, Monterey Bay, provides higher education locally, with its main campus on the former Fort Ord site.
Marina has a population of about 22,500. The city is known for Marina State Beach, where hang-gliding is popular, and for its coastal dunes and access to the Monterey Bay Coastal Recreation Trail.
City Guide
Marina's housing reflects its layered history. Older streets near the former Fort Ord retain base-era housing, while newer residential communities such as The Dunes and Sea Haven have added contemporary single-family homes, townhomes, and apartments. The city's location in the Salinas River watershed has supported residential growth where coastal neighbors have limited capacity, and its housing is generally more attainable than Monterey and Carmel. The mix of established and newer stock, combined with CSUMB's presence, supports both owner-occupants and renters across a range of home types.
Marina's neighborhoods range from the converted military-era streets near Imjin Parkway and the former Fort Ord to newer master-planned communities such as The Dunes and Sea Haven. The CSU Monterey Bay campus, including its East Campus, anchors the area's institutional presence, while coastal neighborhoods near Marina State Beach offer dune and ocean proximity. The city's layout reflects its origins as a military town and its reinvention as a university community, with distinct pockets of base-era housing, new construction, and open coastal land spread across its western Monterey Bay setting.
Marina offers a coastal Central California lifestyle that is at once laid-back and forward-looking. The city's transformation from a closed military base into a university-anchored community gives it a youthful energy and a steady flow of students, faculty, and new residents. Marina State Beach and the surrounding dunes provide a wild, windswept shoreline popular for hang-gliding, walking, and quiet picnics, while the Monterey Bay Coastal Recreation Trail links the city to the broader peninsula. Residents enjoy more attainable housing than neighboring Monterey or Carmel, with the region's beaches, wine country, and outdoor recreation all within easy reach.
Marina is served by the Monterey Peninsula Unified School District, which operates schools across Marina, Seaside, and the Monterey Peninsula. California State University, Monterey Bay anchors higher education locally, with its main campus on the former Fort Ord site and a portion within Marina. The city also hosts the UC Santa Cruz MBEST center, supporting research and innovation. For additional options, Monterey Peninsula College and the broader California State University and community college systems are nearby, keeping education accessible at every level.
Marina sits directly on Highway 1, the Monterey Peninsula's principal coastal route, placing Monterey roughly ten miles to the south and Salinas and the Salinas Valley a short drive inland. Monterey Regional Airport serves the area with regional flights, and Monterey-Salinas Transit provides bus connections across the peninsula and into Salinas. Daily life is car-based, with the city's flat, open layout and coastal roads making local travel straightforward. For longer trips, San Jose and the San Francisco Bay Area are reachable by highway to the north.
Marina State Beach is the city's signature outdoor destination, celebrated for hang-gliding, its broad dunes, and quiet shoreline walks. Fort Ord Dunes State Park adds protected coastal trails and history, and the Monterey Bay Coastal Recreation Trail links Marina to the peninsula's beaches and communities. The cool, open coastline supports birding, kite flying, and picnicking, though the strong rip currents make ocean swimming hazardous. Beyond the coast, the Salinas Valley's agriculture, the Monterey Peninsula's golf and sightseeing, and Big Sur's dramatic shoreline are all within a short drive.
MARKET SNAPSHOT
How homes have been selling here over the last 90 days.
Market data reflects closed sales over the last 90 days and is provided for informational purposes.
BROWSE BY ZIP
Browse listings by postal code in this area.