Everything you need to know to plan a visit to Monterey, California. Start with these Quicklinks to zero in on an area or popular attraction. Learn more from our informative articles and links. Explore recommendations for sights, activities, food, lodging, entertainment, and festivals and events. No time to do all this online? Download a Monterey travel guide or have Amazon deliver one to you door.
Monterey Quick Links
Destinations
Carmel Pacific Grove
Top Attractions
Cannery Row Monterey Bay Aquarium
Discover Monterey
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These are our top recommendations for visitors to Monterey. Why the Faber dozen?
Hungry? We can help you with food and drink recommendations for San Juan Capistrano, California. Choose from traditional Korean food, international and other ethnic cuisines, or our atmosphere recommendations to find that perfect place for your next meal. If all you want is a place for drinks, check out our recommended watering holes.
Local Landmarks
Watering Holes
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Shopping Malls
Del Monte Shopping Center Monterey’s original shopping mall. Over 75 stores, including Macy’s, H&M, Sephora, the Apple Store, Lululemon, and Whole Foods Market. Highway 1 at Munras Avenue, Monterey, +1 (831) 373-2705.
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Andrew Molera State Park Five thousand acres of outdoor fun including fishing, hiking, horseback riding, and access to one of longest beaches in Big Sur. Walk in camping. 21 miles south of Carmel on California Highway 1, Big Sur, +1 (831) 667-2315.
Garland Ranch Regional Park Nature trails and horseback riding trails wind through this park on land rising from the Carmel River to the headlands of the Santa Lucia range. Panoramic views. 8.5 miles east of California Highway 1 on Carmel Valley Road, Carmel Valley, +1 (831) 659-4488.
Garrapata State Park Mountains, valleys and scenic beaches. Hiking. 10 miles south of Carmel on California Highway 1, +1 (831) 624-4909.
Jacks Peak County Park Family friendly park with easy day hikes, picnic areas, and a self-guided nature trail. Views of Monterey Bay and Carmel. Off California Highway 68 on Olmsted Road, Monterey, +1 (888) 588-2267.
Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park 4000 acres of scenic outdoors. Redwood groves, river walks, McWay Falls. 37 miles south of Carmel on California Highway 1, +1 (831) 667-2315.
Los Padres National Forest A massive expanse of forest lands encompassing over 1.75 million acres of land along the California Central Coast. 47600 Arroyo Seco Road, Big Sur 93927, +1 (805) 968-6640.
Manzanita Park Athletic fields, BMX, hiking and biking trails. Hiking trails offer scenic views of Monterey Bay. 17100 Castroville Boulevard, Prunedale.
Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park Scenic hikes through dense redwood canyons and up scenic peaks. Hiking, camping, swimming, fishing, and picnics. Big Sur Lodge. 31 miles south of Carmel on California Highway 1, +1 (831) 667-2315.
Pinnacles National Park Known for its namesake rock formations. Lots of great hiking. Caves, vistas, trails from easy to strenuous. 13 miles east of Soledad on California Highway 146, +1 (831) 389-4485.
Point Lobos State Natural Reserve Lovely trails winding through pine forests and cypress groves. Rugged coastal landscape. Day use only. Whaling Museum. 2 miles south of Carmel on California Highway 1, +1 (831) 624-4909.
Veterans Memorial Park Monterey city park with RV and tent camping, athletic fields, picnic areas, short trails. Skyline Drive, Monterey, +1 (831) 646-3865.
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Practical Matters
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Monterey Travel Resources
MCWeekly The best of Monterey Country Weekly online. Attractions, food and drink, events, and more. Download the app [iOS] [Google play].
Monterey Travel Guidebooks:
We like the Moon Handbook to Monterey and Carmel, written with a keen eye for the sights and good advice for activities only a local would know. The Gateway Guide to Monterey, Carmel and Pacific Grove, written by “the Guru of Great Towns” is also worth a look. Browse more selections on Amazon.
John Steinbeck Book Titles:
No author is more closely associated with the California Central Coast or Monterey County than John Steinbeck, the 1962 Nobel Prize winning author of Monterey Bay classic Cannery Row. Immerse yourself some great Monterey stories available from Amazon:
Cannery Row A Monterey Classic. Discover the human experience in the everyday lives of people on Cannery Row.
East of Eden A tragic tale of two families set in the Salinas Valley. One of Steinbeck’s greatest works.
The Grapes of Wrath Follow the Joads on their dustbowl journey from Oklahoma to California, searching for the promised land.
Of Mice and Men The tragic tale of an unlikely friendship and the consequences of frivolous behavior. Set in the Salinas Valley.
Tortilla Flat Adventures of the “knights” at John Steinbeck’s American Camelot, set on a hill above Monterey.
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