Monterey Travel Guide

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Monterey Travel Tips

  • Don't miss a chance to explore Monterey, rated "the best beach dive in the U.S." by Scuba Diving Magazine.
  • Sight grey whales, sea lions, dolphins, and otters in Monterey's waters.
  • Spread out in 5,300 square miles of water at Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary—more than 65,000 divers visit the site each year.
  • While surfing, wear a wetsuit. Pacific waters are chilly year-round.
  • Rollerblade, ride, or pedal a four-wheel surrey along the 18-mile Monterey Bay Coastal Trail.

Monterey Travel Guide

Monterey is now famous as the site of the world's longest running jazz festival, which draws nearly 50,000 visitors annually for performances by the likes of Tony Bennett, Sonny Rollins, and Branford Marsalis. The town itself, however, is much older than that—and no less significant to state history. Settled in 1770 as one of the West Coast's first European outposts, Monterey was the capital of California under Spanish, Mexican, and American rule. The state constitution was drafted here in 1849, which paved the way for admission to the Union a year later. Many early colonial buildings still stand. A major whaling center in the 1800s, Monterey eventually became the sardine capital of the Western Hemisphere when the first packing plant was built in 1900. By 1913, boats were bringing in 25 tons of sardines a night to the 18 canneries. The gritty lives of the mostly working-class residents were captured by local hero John Steinbeck in his 1945 novel Cannery Row. Read More

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Hotels

from: $695

The Lodge At Pebble Beach

1700 Seventeen Mile Drive
Pebble Beach, CA 93953 Map

Distance: 3.9 mi.
(from destination center)

Hotel Class: 5 class stars

Expert Rated & Recommended
5.0
from: $219

Bernardus Lodge

415 Carmel Valley Road
Carmel Valley, CA 93924 Map

Distance: 10.5 mi.
(from destination center)

Hotel Class: 5 class stars

from: $1060

Post Ranch Inn

Highway 1
Big Sur, CA 93920 Map

Distance: 23.8 mi.
(from destination center)

Hotel Class: 5 class stars


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Attractions

Monterey Bay Aquarium

expert favorite attraction
886 Cannery Row
Monterey, California

Distance: 1.3 mi. (from destination center)

Description:

Monterey Bay Aquarium [STSTST] [kds]—Ranked one of the nation's top family... Read More

Expert Rated & Recommended
5_0
5_0
4_0

Monterey Bay Coastal Trail

expert favorite attraction
Monterey, California 93940

Distance: 2.4 mi. (from destination center)

Description: The Monterey Bay Coastal Trail spans the coastline for 18 miles, from Pacific Grove to Castroville.... Read More
Expert Rated & Recommended
5_0

Monterey State Beach

Park Avenue, off Del Monte Avenue
Monterey, California

Distance: 0.3 mi. (from destination center)

Description: Monterey State Beach is popular for surfing, exploring tidepools, and fishing. The underwater area... Read More
Expert Rated & Recommended
4_0

Airports

Major Airports near Monterey

Distance (mi.)
San Jose International Airport 52.1 map
San Francisco International Airport 75.3 map
Oakland International Airport 79.3 map

Other Smaller Airports near Monterey

Distance (mi.)
Carmel/Monterey Peninsula Airport 2.7 map
Modesto Municipal Airport 87.8 map
Merced Municipal Airport 89.6 map

Flight Deals to Monterey

Originating From
Los Angeles (LAX) to San Jose (SJC) $126
San Diego (SAN) to San Jose (SJC) $145
Las Vegas (LAS) to San Jose (SJC) $146
Seattle (SEA) to San Jose (SJC) $166
Denver (DEN) to San Jose (SJC) $176

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