Charming coastal city Monterey shows the best of what California's Central Coast has to offer. From rugged coastline to impressive mountains and verdant valleys, Monterey County features much to explore.
While the wider Monterey County is largely known for its epic vistas along the Big Sur coastline, world-famous golf at Pebble Beach and the evergreen Salinas Valley which produces most of the USA’s salad leaves, there’s plenty going for the punchy city of Monterey itself.
From its rather famous aquarium to the historic former sardine canning factory turned tourist destination, here are eight of the best things to do when visiting Monterey, California.
Visit the world-renowned Monterey Bay Aquarium
Opened in 1984, Monterey Bay Aquarium is often referred to as one of the best in the States. With a strong ocean conservation commitment at its heart, more than 35,000 creatures and 550 different species await visitors at this sprawling seafront attraction – from hammerhead sharks and African penguins to batrays, jellyfish and everything in between. At least 200 exhibitions are on offer at any given moment, including its epic Open Sea section home to sea turtles, sardines, tuna and more.
Take a stroll along the historic Cannery Row
Famously documented by American author John Steinbeck – and later turned into the 1982 film starring Nick Nolte and Debra Winger – Cannery Row is a popular tourist hub with a colourful history. Now home to bay-view hotels, restaurants, pubs and boutique shops, this area was once the site of thriving sardine canning factories. Cannery Row retains its charm through the bright coloured buildings connected by bridges above the road and their vintage-style, hand-painted factory signs which add an aura of authenticity. Don’t miss the Salty Seal Brewpub & Sports Bar; its beer garden is a certified sun trap.
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Spot wildlife from the bay – or your hotel balcony
Monterey Bay is one of the finest places for wildlife spotting on the entire California coast, with dolphins, whales, sea otters and seals frequenting the shores – you may even spot some brown pelicans, black-footed albatross or western grebes gliding above. Its recreational trail is ideal for an afternoon amble, but for a lofty ocean vantage point book a sea view balcony room at Monterey Plaza Hotel & Spa as binoculars are included with all rooms overlooking the ocean. Keep an eager eye out among the floating seaweed, as this is often where sea otters pop their heads above water; otter pups are placed here by their mothers to stop them drifting away.
Cycle the scenic Monterey Bay Coastal Recreational Trail
With a coastline as far as the eye can see, you’d be mad to not take advantage of its alluring coastal paths. One such trail, especially popular with cyclists, is the Monterey Bay Coastal Recreational Trail, an 18-mile (29km) paved route which straddles the coast between Pacific Grove in the south and Castroville to the north. Those walking (or just short on time) can start the trail at the aquarium and head in either direction for a brisk leg stretcher, while bikes can be hired from local business Adventures by the Sea for further flung journeys.
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Try a clam chowder bowl at the Old Fisherman’s Wharf
No visit to California, and indeed Monterey, would be complete without getting your hands on an authentic chowder bowl and what better place to do so than at the city’s iconic Old Fisherman’s Wharf? Consisting of a freshly baked bread bowl filled with creamy clam chowder, this local speciality is a must-eat at the family-owned Old Fisherman's Grotto; the Shake family have been making it for more than 50 years. Sure, clam chowder bowls are available across the country, but you won’t find many better than here. It's the ideal post-walk or cycle dish.
Sample Monterey’s burgeoning beer scene
Like much of California, Monterey and its wider county is very much enjoying a brewery boom. Thankfully, you don’t have to travel too far to sample some of the city’s finest new brews, with several microbreweries and taprooms within walking distance of each other. Alvarado Street Brewery is one of the most popular, with its iconic Monterey beer a favourite, alongside an ever-growing list of IPAs. Fieldwork Brewing Company is another hotspot, likewise Dust Bowl Brewing Co.’s waterfront taproom.
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Enjoy dinner at the riveting – and supposedly haunted – Stokes Adobe
Just a minute’s walk from the buzzing Alfredo Street, is Stokes Adobe, a mid-19th century, two-storey former townhouse which was recently converted into a contemporary dining experience. Using locally sourced, seasonal ingredients and harking back to its past as a gathering place for the local community, this building has lived many lives – including as a print shop for California’s very first newspaper – and was the home of local socialite Hattie Gragg, who used to throw raucous parties in the 1900s. Ask for a Hattie's Old Fashioned.
Go to the world’s longest-running jazz festival
If you happen to be around Monterey at the end of September, make sure to check out the city's renowned jazz festival and if you’re planning on visiting Monterey in September, try and time it with the festival dates. Held at the leafy Monterey County Fairgrounds, Monterey Jazz Festival has been running continuously (bar Covid-19 cancellations) since 1958, and down the years has hosted musical heavyweights such as Louis Armstrong, Miles Davis, Etta James, B.B. King, Ray Charles and Herbie Hancock.
READ MORE: What to see and do in California's Central Coast
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