Monterey Travel Forum

My hubby and I will be spending two days in Monterey and two days in San Fransisco. We will be staying at the Monterey Plaza and we haven't finalized our arrangements in San Francisco yet. Since we won't be staying long, I want to make the most out of our time. What are the must see/do activities? We will only be renting a car for the drive between Monterey and San Fransisco. We will be there in mid September. Thank you for your advice--this is my 30th birthday present from my hubby and the first time these Ohioans have ever vacationed without our children!

I suggest visiting Pt. Lobos State Reserve located immediately south of Carmel on Hwy 1 and have yourself a picnic. It's spectacular. Whale watching is another strong possibility, and there are many charters to choose from, all of which leave from Fisherman's Wharf where you are staying. For an outstanding meal, you may wish to try John Pistos Whaling Station in Monterey, it can be a bit pricey, but the food is excellent. Hope this gives you some ideas and have a great vacation.

I highly recommend the Monterey Bay Aquarium www.mbayaq.org. It's truly wonderful.

I agree with the previous posts, except to say I'd think twice about going whale watching because it will take a good part of the day.
Also, walk Carmel Beach and downtown. Drive the coast from Monterey along Pacific Grove past Asilomar, stopping along the way to look into tidepools. Perhaps explore downtown Pacific Grove, which often gets overlooked because it isn't right on the coast or as touristed as Monterery and Carmel.

Like others have said, visit the Monterey Bay Aquarium, Point Lobos State Reserve for hiking and beautiful ocean views, and take a whale watching tour if it is the correct season for whales. The Monterey Bay Whale Watch is the best company for a whale-watching trip. As far as the length of the whale watching trips, if you take their shortest one it will last from 3 to 4 hours, so that will take up half of one day. I would suggest talking to the folks at the Bay Whale Watch before purchasing your tickets to see what kind of luck they have been having in spotting whales before deciding for sure that you want to take the time to go on one of these ventures.

My must see and do activities in and around Monterey:

Carmel: Trendy shops and restaurants on Ocean Ave, the Mission, hiking at Point Lobos

Big Sur: just go for a drive, or even take the MST bus

Monterey: Take a peek at touristy Fisherman's Wharf and Cannery Row, but I'd recommend you spend more of your time in the historic downtown area (California's first Capital, dozens of old Spanish-era adobes, and a huge variety of good restaurants)

Pacific Grove: Quaint main street (Lighthouse Ave) and great coastal views from Ocean View Drive, including the oldest continuously operated lighthouse on the West Coast.


I would also recommend a few stops on the way down from San Francisco including Santa Cruz (laid back college town with a great downtown and wonderful beaches), San Juan Bautista (Spanish mission town with an "Old West" feel), and Moss Landing (small coastal fishing town with great restaurants, quiet beaches, and lots of wildlife).

Enjoy your trip!

Joe