The Monterey Bay area is a beautiful stretch of land along the Central California Coast framed by Santa Cruz to the north and Monterey to the south. While the cities themselves deserve a visit, the whole area offers some wonderful attractions to engage in. We recently spent a week exploring the area and here are my recommendations for great things to do around Monterey, California.
Great things to do around Monterey, California
1. Explore Monterey
Monterey is a great place to visit with a lot of history and attractions. The Monterey Aquarium frequently tops the list, followed closely by Cannery Row and Fisherman’s Wharf. Similarly to San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf, Monterey’s Cannery Row has a lot of tourists souvenir shops which are fun to pop into on a leisurely stroll up and down the street. There are also plenty of places to eat, many with views of the Pacific Ocean. Monterey makes a great base if you want to explore the surrounding area or relax on a nearby beach.
2. Drive along Pacific Grove
Monterey seamlessly merges into Pacific Grove, so make sure to check it out. I love the coastal drive in Pacific Grove, especially when the ground is covered in a blanket of purple flowers. The views of the rugged California coast are stunning. Find a parking spot and hike to Lovers Point, a popular spot for weddings and scenic pictures.
3. Explore Carmel by the Sea
Carmel is an absolute gem of a town. It’s beautifully manicured and very clean. Make sure to pop into some of the narrow courtyards for outdoor patios, shops and galleries or visit a farmers market if you’re there on Thursday.
4. Check out Capitola
You definitely need to stop by Capitola on your way to Santa Cruz. This small sea town is absolutely charming with colorful houses lined along the beach. Check out a couple of stores, have a coffee, or a bit to eat. Capitola is such a pleasant little town.
5. Stroll along the boardwalk in Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz is an attractive city and a vacation destination in itself. From a pleasant downtown with historic buildings to the rides on the boardwalk and a wide beach, the city has something for everyone. While I’m not a huge fan of the rides myself, I enjoyed watching all the action. Santa Cruz prides itself on its surfing history and you can watch surfers in many places along the shore. Plan a day to explore the city and leave some time for the fun on the boardwalk.
6. Learn more about John Steinbeck in Salinas
I am a big fan of John Steinbeck and for some time now wanted to visit the National Steinbeck Center in Salinas. This road trip presented a perfect opportunity to do that. The museum is designed around his many novels with artifacts and quotes illustrating the main themes of his books. There are also screens set up around the room playing clips from the movies based on Steinbeck’s novels with some commentary. You can also watch a short biography documenting most important events in Steinbeck’s life. In addition to the museum, you can visit Steinbeck’s childhood home as well as his grave. If you’re in Salinas for dinner, the brewery right downtown is a great choice. They have Mexican food and the plate of nachos we shared was delicious.
7. Hike a trail at Pinnacles National Park
Pinnacles National Park is not far from Salinas and we combined learning about Steinbeck and visiting the national park in a one-day outing. This was our second trip to Pinnacles but first time entering from the west. We did a fun hike to Balcony Caves and enjoyed the scenery and the cave. Make sure to bring a flashlight and shine it onto the walls once behind the iron gate in the cave. There are white arrows painted on the wall that will guide you out. We had a hard time figuring out how to get out of the cave only to realize the arrows were on the wall. I love visiting national parks and with Pinnacles National Park being so close to the Monterey area, it absolutely made sense for us to visit the park for half a day.
8. Camp at Sunset State Beach
We spent 4 nights camping at Sunset Beach State Park right after Memorial Day. The campground is very close to the beach, so it was nice to take a stroll along the ocean in the mornings and evenings. The dunes were particularly impressive with lovely vegetation in bloom. It may have been part of the California super bloom as the dunes had incredibly vibrant colors. On a clear evening, enjoy watching a sunset at Sunset Beach. You won’t be disappointed.
9. Visit Point Lobos
Point Lobos State Nature Reserve is definitely worth a visit. There are lots of hiking trails and gorgeous beach coves to enjoy. We hiked the Bird Island Trail with spectacular views of China Cove and Bird Island. We visited on June 1st when the coast was full of blooming flowers. We were also lucky to see many seals on some of the beaches and lots of cormorants sitting on eggs in nests. Very interesting.
10. Take a drive to Big Sur
If you have time, take a drive to Big Sur. The drive is spectacular, so take your time, stop along scenic viewpoints, take a picture of the Bixbie Bridge, and enjoy the scenery.
