Monterey, CA

Address:Monterey, California

Monterey is a spectacular town on the California Coast, well known to almost everyone who has done Highway 1 between San Francisco and Southern California. Popular places of interest in Monterey, CA are Cannery Row, National Steinbeck Center, The Monterey Bay Aquarium, Fisherman's Wharf, 17-Mile Drive, Elkhorn Slough and the Monterey Wine Country. John Steinbeck put Cannery Row on the map, and after extensive development has been turned into a collection of buildings housing galleries, shops and fine restaurants. Another of the popular places of interest in Monterey, CA is Fisherman's Wharf, a slightly more mellow version of the one in San Francisco. These two tourist attractions are separated by about a mile stroll on the Monterey Bay Coastal Trail. Continue north along the coast and you will find the renowned Monterey Bay Aquarium about five minutes beyond Cannery Row. Or, hop in the car for the drive to Pebble Beach and a very expensive but unforgettable round of golf. Or just watch the pros come and go (and golf).

Coming from the Bay area, Monterey makes a good stopping point for the first night on a trip down the coast. The drive takes about 2 hours from San Francisco and only a bit over an hour from the southern reaches of Silicon Valley. On the way stop off in Gilroy or in Santa Cruz, depending on your interests and route. Heading north from Southern California, plan on at least a full day. Drive time from Santa Barbara to Monterey is almost five hours, definitely more in traffic and don't forget the stops along the way.