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Overview

Introduction

Central California's Monterey Bay Peninsula offers some of the most dramatic coastal views in the world. The winding Monterey coastline varies from wooded, rugged and rocky to fishing piers, crashing surf and white sandy beaches. Sea life is abundant. It is not uncommon to see playful sea otters, harbor seals, barking sea lions and pods of migrating whales in the Pacific Ocean's blue waters.

Although most of the Monterey Peninsula's towns have succumbed to tourism in one way or another, nature is still a priority for many of the residents, and some of them are devoted to protecting the area from overdevelopment. From Santa Cruz—the original surf city—on the north end of Monterey Bay, to the cozy village of Carmel on the south end, each of the bay's oceanside enclaves has its own personality.

Two communities sit on the north end of the bay: Capitola and Moss Landing, an old whaling village. Monterey, the largest bay town, is located in the center of the peninsula and has three different areas to tour: Monterey State Historic Park with its historic adobe buildings, Cannery Row and Fisherman's Wharf.

Cannery Row is worth a day of exploration. You won't find much resemblance to Steinbeck's description of the area in his 1945 novel of the same name, but you will find many candy shops, T-shirt stores, restaurants, small beaches and the wonderful Monterey Bay Aquarium, which houses some 550 different underwater species.

Pacific Grove prides itself on being America's last hometown as well as Butterfly Town USA, where millions of orange-and-black monarch butterflies spend their winters each year. The gated community of Pebble Beach is known worldwide for its golf courses and its 17-mi/27-km drive of spectacular ocean views. Charming Carmel-by-the Sea is a village full of art galleries, boutiques and small shops that attract beach lovers and retired movie stars.

The Monterey Bay Peninsula's fairly constant 65 F/18 C temperature and more than 200 annual special events make the area a popular destination for visitors. Author Robert Louis Stevenson rightly called the peninsula's Point Lobos State Reserve "the greatest meeting of land and water in the world."

Must See or Do

Sights—Cannery Row; Old Fisherman's Wharf; Monterey Bay Aquarium; a day trip to Big Sur; the world-famous 17-Mile Drive; Monarch Grove Sanctuary in Pacific Grove.

Museums—The National Steinbeck Center in Salinas; Monterey Museum of Art; Colton Hall Museum; the Pacific House at Monterey State Historic Park.

Memorable Meals—Wine-country cuisine at Marinus at Bernardus Lodge in Carmel Valley; sauteed bananas in a rum and lime sauce drizzled over coconut ice cream at Passionfish in Pacific Grove; lunch with a bay view at Cafe Fina in Monterey; a bowl of Abalone bisque with cream sherry at the haunted Sardine Factory at Cannery Row; gourmet snacks and the region's best wines on the Wine Trolley with Tours Monterey.

Late Night—Blues at Sly McFly's on Cannery Row; The Crown and Anchor for an unrivaled pub experience and friendly locals; a pint of "real ale" brewed at English Ales Brewery.

Walks—A walking tour through the secret pathways, hidden courtyards, gardens and cottages of Carmel-by-the-Sea; a leisurely look-see around Old Fisherman's Wharf.

Especially for Kids—Monterey Bay Aquarium; watching sea otters and harbor seals off the rocky coast of Point Lobos State Reserve; Old Fisherman's Wharf, with its candy shops, noisy sea gulls and barking seals; in-line skating and biking along the Monterey Bay Coastal Trail; Monterey County Youth Museum; Dennis the Menace Park.

Geography

History

Explorers, missionaries, fishermen, loggers, farmers and cowboys are all major players in the history of the Monterey Bay Peninsula. Their influence is still obvious in its many villages, wharfs and farmlands.

As with most of early America, the peninsula was initially populated by Native Americans, the Rumsen Ohlone. They were a tribe of hunters and gatherers, who lived mainly on the abundant abalone and mussels in the area.

Portuguese explorer Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo is credited with being the first European to sight the land in 1542. He named the area "The Bay of Pines" (La Bahia de los Pinos) and claimed the territory for Spain. Sixty years later, Sebastian Vizcaino settled the area he called "Count de Monte Rey" after the Count of New Spain. In 1770, Father Junipero Serra went to the region and built the Mission and Presidio of San Carlos de Borromeo de Monterey. The city of Monterey was established in 1776 and it became the capital of Alta (Upper) and Baja (Lower) California under Spanish rule.

In 1822, Monterey and the rest of California became part of the newly independent Mexico. The peninsula became California's only port of entry for American and British ships. The U.S. claimed the region in 1846 during the Mexican-American War, and it became a permanent part of the U.S. after the Treaty of Hildago was signed in 1848.

Writers and artists flocked to the peninsula after the San Francisco earthquake of 1906, and a rich literary tradition developed. Robert Louis Stevenson found his inspiration for Treasure Island from Point Lobos; Robinson Jeffers wrote poetry in Carmel; and John Steinbeck, who was born and raised in Salinas, penned novels Cannery Row, Tortilla Flat, East of Eden and Sweet Thursday, all set in Monterey County. The construction of the Del Monte Hotel in the early 20th century began to attract the attention of tourists to the region.

Gone are the fish canneries and the way of life Steinbeck depicted, since the area's fishing industry collapsed in the 1950s because of overfishing. Still, the dramatic sea and landscapes remain. Today, modern attractions merge with the past, making it a destination packed with historical value, fun and relaxation.

Potpourri

Monarch butterflies are a protected species in Pacific Grove, which is an annual migration point for more than 25,000 monarchs each year. The fine for harassing a butterfly is US$1,000.

The Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, at 5,312 sq mi/8,552 sq km, is 1.5 times the size of the largest national park in the continental U.S. The sanctuary is home to an underwater canyon twice as deep as the Grand Canyon.

In 1948, the annual Artichoke Festival was first held in Castroville, California (the "artichoke capital of the world," about 15 mi/24 km north of Monterey). It was a joint promotion by a local jewelry store and 20th Century Fox. That year's Artichoke Queen was a young starlet named Marilyn Monroe.

In 1919, greens fees at Pebble Beach were US$2 for gentlemen and US$1.50 for ladies. Fees now range US$350-$400 for an 18-hole round.

The Monterey Pine (also known as pinus radiata), the most widely planted pine in the world, is naturally found only in San Luis Obisbo, Santa Cruz and the Monterey Peninsula.

In Carmel-by-the-Sea, there are no street addresses. Properties are identified with directions—for example, "east side of San Antonio Street, four houses south of 10th Avenue." It is also common for homeowners to give their cottages names, such as "Tinker Bell" or "The Doll House," to make them easier for guests to find.

John Steinbeck's 1945 novel Cannery Row begins, "Cannery Row in Monterey in California is a poem, a stink, a grating noise, a quality of light, a tone, a habit, a nostalgia, a dream."

Monterey is still known to many as the sardine capital of the world. An estimated 250,000 tons of sardines are caught and packaged locally every year.

Location

Monterey Harbor is located in Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, currently the largest marine sanctuary in the world. Port access to cruise ships remains very limited because of the number of environmental safeguards and restrictions in place (though fishing and leisure vessels are quite popular). Most locals are also strongly opposed to cruise ship tourism expansion in the area, and restrictions are unlikely to change in the near future, if at all.

Monterey Harbor itself is home to the U.S. Navy Postgraduate School and Monterey Institute of International Studies. At present, only Celebrity and Norwegian cruise lines are permitted to dock at Coastguard Pier and must observe strict no-discharge policies while in the harbor. Crystal Cruises has been permitted to dock at Coastguard Pier in the past, but the cruise line is currently waiting out the remainder of a 15-year ban sanctioned against it for not declaring an accidental discharge in the harbor.

Coastguard Pier is located on the north side of the harbor. There is little to do at the pier itself, but it is a brief walk from Monterey, as well as all major tourist destinations. In the immediate area are Fisherman's Wharf, Cannery Row, Presidio Park and downtown Monterey.