big sur
From Carmel Mission, Father Junipero Serra and his fellow Spanish settlers could see the raging ocean and steep cliffs of el pais grande del sur “the big country to the south.” In due time the phrase was shortened and Spanglified to Big Sur and the place itself immortalized in the memoirs of travelers and artists, most famously Henry Miller.
Dozens of campgrounds, a handful of lodges, fine hotels and restaurants and miles of hiking trails provide access to rocky beaches, redwood groves and magnificent views. Popular spots are Garrapata State Beach, Nepenthe Restaurant and Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park.
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cannery row
During its heyday in the early 1940s, Monterey’s Cannery Row was one of the crown jewels of America’s fishing industry. Nineteen canneries worked overtime to process the annual sardine catch, which at its peak amounted to nearly a quarter million tons of fish.
After the industry collapsed, a group of businessmen revived Cannery Row, converting the abandoned canneries into hotels, restaurants and a lively shopping district. The award-winning Monterey Bay Aquarium anchors one end of Cannery Row. It features unique marine displays, including a towering kelp forest tank.
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carmel | carmel valley
Picturesque Carmel-by-the-Sea was already an artists’ colony when the 1906 earthquake struck San Francisco, displacing Bay Area bohemians who swelled the town’s population and reputation. Today few artists can afford to live in the town that elected Clint Eastwood mayor, but Carmel still has one of the largest concentrations of art galleries in the country.
A stroll down shop-lined Ocean Avenue ends at Carmel Beach, a crescent of silky white sand lined with craggy Monterey cypress trees and showpiece homes. Just south of town lies the Mission San Carlos Borroméo de Carmelo, or Carmel Mission. Established in 1771, it was the second mission built in California and the favorite of Father Junipero Serra, who made it his headquarters. Serene gardens surround the restored Moorish-accented basilica.
An afternoon drive through bucolic Carmel Valley is a perfect way to escape the coastal fog. Carmel Valley’s sunny weather and rural charm rival those of Napa’s wine country, and many local wineries host tasting rooms. Garland Ranch Regional Park, near charming Carmel Valley Village, has miles of superb hiking trails.
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marina
Marina began life as Paddonville in 1915 but wasn’t incorporated as a city until 1975. It served as a bedroom community for hundreds of military families who were stationed at the Fort Ord Army base until the sprawling installation was closed in 1994.
Marina’s chief attractions lie along its coast, where a pedestrian walkway leads through a native plant restoration project and a paved bike path (part of a stretch from Pacific Grove to Castroville) cruises past the hang gliders launching off the sand dunes of Marina State Beach. Marina is also home to the Salinas River National Wildlife Refuge, with its abundance of bird life and wildflowers. The windy beach here is uncrowded, but watch for currents.
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monterey
Discovered by Westerners in 1602, and later serving as the Spanish capital of Alta California, Monterey is to the West Coast what the settlements of Jamestown and Williamsburg are to the East Coast.
A thriving port town, it attracted successive waves of Chinese, Japanese and Sicilian fishermen in the 19th century and international students and faculty in the 20th. As home to the Monterey Institute of International Studies, the Naval Postgraduate School and the Defense Language Institute, the small city retains a distinctly cosmopolitan feel.
Today Monterey is a place to stroll streets lined with historic adobes, while away time on colorful Fisherman’s Wharf or watch sea otters splashing in the harbor. The celebrated local cuisine fresh seafood, Monterey County wines and vegetables from local farms is available in dozens of fine restaurants and at the many festivals that dot the annual calendar. The festive Tuesday afternoon farmers market is not to be missed. Visitors will find live jazz, rock and comedy in clubs along Alvarado Street, Lighthouse Avenue and Cannery Row.
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MOSS LANDING
Halfway up the Monterey Bay coast, beneath the towering smokestacks of the nearby power plant, lies the fishing village that time forgot. Locals know picturesque Moss Landing as a place to surf, buy slapping-fresh seafood or even go to work (two prestigious marine research institutes are located here). But Moss Landing has abundant charms for visitors, too:a leisurely pace, a row of antique stores, bed and breakfasts, and seafood restaurants and cafés to satisfy any craving. Outdoor types can take advantage of whale watching tours or kayak in the Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Reserve, home to a fascinating array of bird and plant life.
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pacific grove
Founded in 1875 as a Methodist summer retreat, Pacific Grove is known for its many well-preserved Victorian homes and a thriving population of Monarch butterflies.
History buffs can visit the Point Pinos Lighthouse, the oldest continuously operating beacon on the California coast. Even the downtown shopping district, with numerous antique shops and elegantly crafted bed-and-breakfast inns, is reminiscent of a bygone era.
Lovers Point, a city park located just blocks from downtown, presents an excellent place to picnic and enjoy the panorama of Monterey Bay.
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Pebble Beach
Pebble Beach emerged as a mecca for golfers after the development of the Del Monte Lodge and Pebble Beach Golf Links in 1919. Today the name Pebble Beach is virtually synonymous with golf and with gorgeous scenery. A private enclave of multimillion-dollar homes, Pebble Beach yields breathtaking views along 17-Mile Drive. The scenic route passes by the iconic Lone Cypress and Bird Rock and winds through Del Monte Forest, one of the last indigenous stands of Monterey pine.
World-class restaurants, spas and shops make their home in Pebble Beach, which also hosts high-profile horse competitions and the Concours d’ Elegance, one of the automotive world’s favorite parties.
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salinas | salinas valley
Superb soil and warm winters make the Salinas Valley so ideal for growing lettuce that it’s been nicknamed “The Salad Bowl of the World.” Wine grapes are quickly catching up; Monterey County grows almost 40,000 acres of grapes a year to Napa’s 45,000, much of it in the southern Salinas Valley. Many of the critically acclaimed wineries offer tours and tastings.
As Monterey County’s center of government and a major agribusiness hub, Salinas features numerous shopping, dining and lodging possibilities. Its historic Oldtown district is undergoing a revitalization that kicked off in 1998 with the opening of the National Steinbeck Center, a celebration of native son John Steinbeck’s life in letters.
Salinas also hosts the California Rodeo every July and the California Air Show each September.
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seaside | sand city
Seaside’s claim to fame is an impressive variety of authentic ethnic restaurants. It also boasts beautiful parks, beaches and a sweeping stretch of the regional Recreation Trail. CSU Monterey Bay is located on 2,000 acres of the decommissioned Fort Ord.
Thousands of people drive to Sand City daily, although only 270 people live there! Locals do much of their shopping at the Edgewater shopping center, which houses Costco, Office Depot, Orchard Supply Hardware, Target and Borders.
