Things to do in Monterry CA?

[taterguy]

I'll be hanging out there a few days next week while my wife attends a conference. Let me know what you recommend. I'm most interested in access to outdoorsy things. I'll have access to a rental car and might rent a bicycle. Feel free to PM suggestions if I lose track of this thread

[av8rdave]

1. There is actually some pretty good wine country there

That would be fun to bike through. Most of the local hotels have maps of it.

Cannery Row in town is cool to see once.

Head over to Carmel. Beautiful beachs, and with a bike it would be fun to ride through town or take the 7 mile road that follows the beach and goes right by Pebble Beach. If you have time, have a drink at the 19th hole at Pebble Beach. A cool place to people watch and enjoy the scenery, even if you're not a golfer (I'm not).

Enjoy!

[speedoo]

2. The outdoor aquarium is a must-do.

I'd plan to spend at least a half-day there. And nearby Carmel is very nice... maybe take your wife down there for dinner one evening.... very romantic, IMO. And if you have time, check out Big Sur.

[XemaSab]

3. Definitely the Aquarium

and I'd take a bike south along the coast.

http://www.lkjh.org/bike/california/monterey/carmel/index.html

[grace0418]

4. Another vote for the aquarium. Totally amazing. Tidepooling is really

fun too. There are a few places nearby that are good for that.

Oh, and I would definitely suggest a whale-watching trip. The bay is incredibly deep and full of wildlife, so your chances of seeing whales is very, very high there. When we went we saw blue whales. The amazing part was that our guide said to us "Well, I know everyone always wants to see blue whales but it's actually more fun to see humpbacks because they breach more often and do a lot more jumping and such. Blue whales don't breach very much and the most you'll see is the waterspout." Just as soon as he said that, a blue whale actually came up and breached and his huge tail came fully out of the water and made a big splash. The guide looked as amazed as we were. It was incredible.

I don't think you'll have any trouble finding things to do. It's beautiful around there.

Sigh... sometimes I really hate Chicago.

[Tikki]

5. If you are interested check out this....

link to Laguna Seca Raceway...not far from Monterey.
There is always something going on there... from practice runs for major events to drivers' school practicing.
http://www.laguna-seca.com/


Have fun, you two.


Tikki

[kwassa]

6. Drive south to Point Lobos and beyond.

the scenic country starts just south, including the high cliffs of Big Sur.

Point Lobos is unbelievabley beautiful, and has great hiking trails.





Then head down to the two Pfieffer state parks, one a redwood forest, one a beach with amazing rock formations.

[Gormy Cuss]

7. in Carmel head to Point Lobos and watch the sea lions and otters

and hike down to the beaches at the southern end of the reserve and see giant kelp beds. http://pt-lobos.parks.state.ca.us/

Asilomar state beach has great tidal pools.

The weather can change rapidly along Monterey Bay -- foggy one minute, clear the next.


For dining there's "Peppers," a nice Mexican restaurant in Pacific Grove (town adjacent to Monterey.) A general note on food is that you'll be near Castroville, the heart of artichoke country, and in a traditional fishing area so seafood and chokes are items to seek out. Artichoke soup in particular.

[brook]

11. I'll second "Peppers"

We were there last month & loved it. Also, dinner at the Highland Inn just a bit south of Carmel is worth considering. Fantastic view -go in time to watch the sunset- and great food. On the 17 mile drive, check out Asilomar itself. The hotel/meeting center that was designed by Julia Morgan of Hearst Castle fame that is nestled in the dunes -and was remarkably ahead of it's time in environmental standards.

Go to Pacific Grove - see all the Victorian houses, drive along Lighthouse Blvd., check out the bookstore and shops, then mosey along the road (can't remember the name) that borders the ocean.

Visit Whole Foods, if you've never been to one- at the Del Monte Shopping Center between Monterey and Carmel.
It's hard to go wrong in Monterey & environs -it offers so much. Have fun!

[sakabatou]

8. Definitely Carmel

[taterguy]

9. Thanks all

I do appreciate you taking the time to suggest things, so much more reliable than travel guides :)

[medeak]

10. Pebble Beach.....and Carmel

both dog friendly. Pebble Beach actually allowed my ditzy golden retriever to run at will on golf course chasing balls. Carmel is lovely...found the people there much more friendly than Monterey

[Taverner]

12. Take a bike along the coast

Make sure to go for a swim - the waters are nice and warm this time of year.

Check out the Naval Postgraduate Academy if you get a chacne

[begin_within]

13. Drive Highway 1 all the way to San Simeon and back (200 miles round trip)

See Point Lobos as other people recommended, and also Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park (pictured below). The 90 miles of Highway 1 between Carmel and San Simeon is the most spectacular drive in the world. For a shorter trip you could do on a bicycle, the "17-Mile Drive" around the Monterey Peninsula offers some good ocean views, but it's not nearly as spectacular as Highway 1.

[hunter]

14. The Aquarium, Point Lobos, Bicycling, and Kayaking...

No kayaking if the wind is blowing noticeably, unless you are in good shape.

A little north, at Moss Landing & the Elkhorn Slough, the otters and sea lions are likely to tease you.

If you like old antique junk, there's some good shops at Moss Landing. Also http://www.philsfishmarket.com