Comfort Inn Monterey by the Sea

Monterey, California Things to Do

Monterey’s dramatic ocean scenery, pristine pine forests and historic communities beckon adventure seekers, artists, and vacationers to California’s Central Coast. With miles of breathtaking coastline, Monterey is a vacation utopia for recreation, water sports, dining, arts and culture, wine tasting and whale watching – the perfect getaway for romantic retreats or family vacations. From the Monterey Bay Aquarium to Cannery Row, Monterey offers exciting attractions, infinite shopping and wonderful restaurants. Monterey Peninsula is celebrated for its natural beauty, golf courses and rich heritage written in its adobes, missions, gardens and lighthouses.,

Explore Monterey. If you crave the outdoors, go tide-pooling along the rocky shores, horseback ride over open meadows, or hike in Monterey’s nature preserves. Discover the wildlife in the Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History, cruise Pebble Beach’s 17-Mile Drive, venture to Point Pinos Lighthouse, or hike the soaring cliffs in the Pinnacles National Monument. Find spiritual inspiration at Esalen in Big Sur, or by walking the labyrinth near the mouth of Carmel Valley.
Play in Monterey. Monterey offers wonderful activities and attractions for families, such as MY Museum, a hands-on place where kids can make a TV program, and the adventure playground of Dennis the Menace Park, where tots can climb aboard a locomotive. Kids love watching sea otters roll and tumble in the Monterey Bay Aquarium, riding the merry-go-round in the old Edgewater Packing Company on Cannery Row, kite flying on Seaside’s sandy beach, paddle boating on Lake El Estero, or pedaling a surrey along the Recreation Trail. Kayak past seals, scuba dive in Monterey’s sheltered bay, or jump rails at the skateboard park.

Monterey Attractions

Monterey Bay – Monterey Bay is a lively port for fun and exploration of sea and land life. Venture into the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, the world's largest protected ocean habitat. Dive lush kelp forests, watch sea otters, kayak waterways shared with dolphins, sail indigo waters, and glide with gray whales. Marvel at an 87-foot whale skeleton while exploring underworld mysteries at the Seymour Marine Discovery Center.

Fisherman's Wharf – Fisherman’s Wharf is a colorful waterfront in downtown Monterey with a lighthearted collection of shops, kiosks and restaurants. Stroll down the Wharf with a cup of clam chowder or stop by one of the restaurants for fresh Monterey Bay seafood. Photograph the sea lions and otters frolicking in the calm harbor waters. Take a glass bottom boat tour, deep-sea fishing trip or a whale watch cruise.

17 Mile Drive – This Pebble Beach circuit offers notable sights - the Lone Cypress, Seal and Bird Rocks, Fanshell Beach, Point Joe, and the currents of The Restless Sea. Discover diverse wildlife of the Del Monte Forest. Along the way, you’ll encounter the emerald fairways of famous golf courses as The Links at Spanish Bay and Pebble Beach Golf Links. For a gourmet picnic lunch, visit Pebble Beach Market. Call (831) 624-3811.

Monterey Bay Aquarium – The largest aquarium in the US, the Monterey Bay Aquarium is internationally acclaimed for its interactive marine life exhibits. Probe the deep wonders of Monterey Bay from this Cannery Row attraction as you tour the matchless near-shore and coastal exhibits that explore the habitat of the tide-pools. Venture to the Outer Bay exhibit, showcasing hammerhead sharks, schools of sardines, enormous sunfish and green sea turtles. Check out their newest resident - a Great White shark. Visit www.mbayaq.org.

Cannery Row – This historic 2-mile waterfront immortalized in John Steinbeck's novel, Cannery Row, is a shopping paradise, with 150 stores, restaurants, bars, cafés, a factory outlet, and interesting art galleries. Visit the Monterey Bay Aquarium or stroll the Recreation Trail. Check out A Taste of Monterey and sample local wines, and enjoy views of Monterey Bay. Visit www.canneryrow.com.

Monterey Bay Marine Sanctuary – The Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary is a protected marine area off California's central coast. Stretching from Marin to Cambria, this national treasure encompasses a shoreline of 276 miles and 5,322 square miles of ocean. Supporting one of the world’s most diverse marine ecosystems, it is home to numerous mammals, seabirds, fishes, invertebrates and plants. Board a sport fishing boat in search of salmon or tuna. Kayak or canoe tours offer a great look at the otters and seals. Scuba divers and snorklers can explore a diversity of undersea life.

Monterey Path of History – The Monterey Path of History encircles a downtown tree-lined area filled with shops, theaters, cafés, bars, and restaurants. The rich history of Monterey is illustrated in its adobes, mission bells, gardens and lighthouses. Walk to find landmarks like Custom House, Cooper-Molera Adobe, and The House of the Blue Gate. Alvarado Street closes Tuesdays for a framer’s market and crafts fair.

Point Pinos Lighthouse – Point Pinos Lighthouse (built in 1855) on the northern tip of the Monterey Peninsula is the oldest operating lighthouse on the West Coast and is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Mazda Raceway at Laguna Seca – Discover exciting motorsports racing action at the Laguna Seca Recreation Area, a world-class raceway and county park. Mazda Raceway at Laguna Seca is home to the Honda Grand Prix, motorcycle racing, the Sea Otter Classic, Cherry's Jubilee, NASCAR events, historic auto races, and several festivals and concerts throughout the year. Mazda Raceway at Laguna Seca is located between Monterey and Salinas on Highway 68. Visit www.laguna-seca.com.

Monterey Conference Center – The Monterey Conference Center features 58,000 square feet over three levels of outstanding meeting space including an exhibit hall, ballroom, a 490-foot theater, a luxurious boardroom, breakouts, patios, galleries, terraces and banquet facilities. The conference center is steps away from Fisherman’s Wharf and the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

Pacific Grove – Bordering Monterey Bay, the ocean and Del Monte Forest, the Pacific Grove community offers breathtaking views, abundant recreational activities, a world-famous 18-hole golf course, a monarch butterfly sanctuary, beaches, 17 Mile Drive, Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History and Pt. Pinos Lighthouse. Historic downtown is decked out with Victorian-era houses and wonderful shops. Visit Lighthouse Avenue’s boutiques and stores. Asilomar State Beach on Sunset Drive and Lover’s Point are favorite spots for tide-pooling, kite flying, watching the sunsets, diving, kayaking, picnics and beach volleyball.

Monarch Butterflies of Pacific Grove – Witness the wintering phenomenon of thousands of Monarch butterflies clustering in pines and eucalyptus in Pacific Grove. Beginning in late-October, when the Monarchs spend the winter in " Butterfly Town, U.S.A.,” you can visit Pacific Grove's Butterfly Trees to see the spectacle. The Pacific Grove School District holds the annual " Butterfly Parade " to celebrate the return of the Monarch.

Monterey Wine Country – The largest California wine region, Monterey County consists of 45,000 acres of seven winegrowing appellations. Visit the tasting rooms of Bernardus, Chateau Julien, Talbott and Galante vineyards in Carmel Valley. Drive south to Riverland Vineyard, Smith & Hook/Hahn Estates or Chalone Vineyards. In November the Monterey County Vintners and Growers Association hosts the Annual Great Wine Escape Weekend, which features wine and food tastings, winery tours, and winemaker dinners. Call (831) 375-9400.

National Steinbeck Center – Works of literary art created by Monterey County's favorite native son, Nobel Prize-winning author John Steinbeck, are on permanent display at this Salinas museum. Let the interactive exhibits take you into the heart of Steinbeck’s novels - Of Mice and Men, The Grapes of Wrath, and Cannery Row. The Steinbeck Center features rotating art exhibits and the Valley of the World agricultural wing, which share stories of the Salinas Valley.

Santa Cruz Boardwalk – Located on a mile-beach between Monterey and San Francisco, the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk is a hot spot for beach vibes and classic rides. This historic seaside amusement park offers 30 carnival rides, games, arcades, miniature golf, a climbing wall, a motion theater and laser tag. Experience the heart-pounding rush of the Giant Dipper - one of the oldest wooden roller coasters in the US, and ocean view thrills on Fireball and Cliff Hanger. Visit www.rwsplash.com.

Hearst Castle – The enchanting hilltop retreat of William Randolf Hearst is one of one of the world’s greatest estates and a California Historical Monument. Located on 127 cares in San Simeon, on top of a hillside of the Santa Lucia Mountains, Hearst Castle offers tours of the magnificent estate’s 165 rooms, unique artifacts, Renaissance art, ornate swimming pools, fanciful gardens and walkways. Walk up to the observation deck to view Hearst Castle on the crown of the mountain. Call (800) 444-4445 or visit www.hearstcastle.org.

Masters of Food and Wine – This internationally-renown event is a premier gathering of chefs and winemakers and features wine and champagne tastings, unique culinary events, extravagant luncheons and dinners and cooking demonstrations. This year's event features chefs including Rick Bayless, Mark Miller, Charlie Palmer, Bradley Ogden and Alice Waters. The festival is held in February at the Highlands Inn, Park Hyatt in Carmel, just 20 minutes away.