MONTEREY BAY
FULL GUIDE COMING SUMMER 2011!
Monterey Bay is a bay off the Pacific Ocean on the Central Coast of California about 120 miles south of San Francisco. Monterey Bay is one of the top tourist destinations in California behind San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego. Monterey is home to dozens of hotels, restaurants and sights and attractions that are exciting for both the solo backpacker and families alike. Monterey Bay is an amazing destination for both those seeking a day trip getaway from San Francisco to a full 3-5 day stay of fun and relaxation.
Monterey Bay is known for a variety of sights and attractions. One of its most popular is the Monterey Bay Aquarium. The aquarium is one of the largest in the world and offers visitors a wide variety of visual delights that entertain, educated and enthrall. One of the aquariums most popular exhibit is the aquarium that is so huge it extends many stories from the ceiling to the floor giving observers an amazing view of hundreds of varieties of sea life. The aquarium offers a petting area with sting reys where visitors can pet the fish as they swim in a shallow pool. In addition to sea life, the aquarium is home to other varieties of animals including penguins and flamingos. The Monterey Bay aquarium is located on the Cannery Row area of Monterey.
Cannery Row is a special and fun area of Monterey. Made famous in "Of Mice and Men" by John Steinbech, Cannery Row has become one of the prime destinations of Monterey. Home to over 85 shops and art galleries, Cannery Row lines the Pacific Ocean and provides stunning views of the bay. In addition to the shopping their are an abundance of restaurants that cater to every taste from Italian to Chinese to of course seafood. In addition to the aquarium, there are several other marine labs that call Cannery Row home. The art galleries along the row feature a variety of art from beautiful hand painted pictures of Monterey and San Francisco to water color drawings to a variety of artifacts. During several times of year hundreds of seals line the docs along Cannery Row where they entertain the crowds with their constant games, hunts for food and loud barking.
The whole Monterey area is loaded with natural beauty. This beauty extends well outside of Monterey along the coast down to Big Sur to the south and Santa Cruz to the north. Just south of Monterey is a stretch of highway known as the Seventeen Mile Drive. The Seventeen Mile Drive is a 17 mile stretch of highway that travels along the coast. Drivers are given detailed maps that point out natural wonders along the route as well as points of historical significance. One of the most popular stops along the 17 mile drive is Pebble Beach Golf Course. Pebble Beach is known as one of the most luxurious golfing resorts in the world. Pebble Beach has attracted a variety of big names over its history including Samuel F. B. Morse to Salvador Dali. Teddy Roosevelt to Charles Lindbergh. Sir Winston Churchill to Elizabeth Taylor. Clark Gable to Bing Crosby. Bobby Jones to Jack Nicklaus.
South of Monterey is a small seaside community called Carmel. Its biggest claim to fame is that Clint Eastwood was once the mayor of this quaint town. Any visit to Monterey must include a stop in Carmel. Visitors will find a variety of cobblestone sidewalk lined streets that go through the center of town. All along the streets are cute restaurants and cafes where when the weather is decent outdoor seating accommodates those who wish to dine, relax and take in the sights. Carmel is home to dozens of high end spas that cater to massages and relaxation.
Monterey is home to dozens of choices in hotels. These hotels range from five star properties dangling off the central California cliffs to smaller boutique family style inns that are affordable and efficient.
Getting to Monterey is relatively easy. The drive from Monterey to San Francisco is just under two hours. The main route is along the 101 freeway. This route takes a beautiful path through the Santa Cruz Mountains and affords amazing opportunities to stop off on the way to San Francisco. Monterey is also home to an airport that overs several flights a day on United Express and American Eagle to Los Angeles and San Francisco. The 101 freeway also extends 5 hours down the coast to Santa Barbara and on to Los Angeles. In addition, California's Highway 1 extends from Monterey down the coast past the Hearst Castle in San Luis Obispo. The drive along this route is one of the most spectacular in the world.
The weather in Monterey can be variable. Its advisable to bring several changes of clothes as it can go from the 80s to the 50s within an hour. In the summer time Monterey is prone to thick blankets of fog unpredictably moving in at quick rate of speed. The winter the temps can be in the 50s to 60s and it is also the rainy season. No matter what time of year, Monterey is a special place to visit. By coming prepared with the proper clothing, visitors can always stay warm or cool and enjoy the sights.
