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See & Do
The Monterey Peninsula
Monterey Bay -- wide and crescent-shaped -- is
one of the most fertile aquatic ecosystems in the
world. The continuous welling-up of the waters from
the deep canyon constantly nourishes its plant and
animal life.
This was the reason that made Monterey an
early, prosperous fishing center, and it is the feature
that brings people to the peninsula to visit the Monterey
Bay Aquarium, which displays the sea life nurtured in the
bay. Above the water, the Monterey cypress dominates the
landscape. The area has become home to artists,
photographers and writers, attracted by the beauty of the
area and the moderate climate as a felicitous place to
live and work.
Richard Henry Dana, in his book Two Years
Before the Mast, wrote "Monterey is decidedly the
pleasantest and most civilized-looking place in
California." Recent years have brought changes to the
area, particularly the plethora of tourist shops, but
Monterey still has the civilized charm that entranced
Dana in 1825.
What to See & Do
Three communities share the Monterey
Peninsula: Monterey, Pacific Grove and
Carmel. To the south is Carmel-by-the-Sea, a town
that looks like a village, without stop lights or parking
meters, with 48 art and crafts galleries, high-fashion
boutiques and fine dining. Carmel is the gateway to the
famed 17-mile Drive, a private toll road ($6 per
car) that snakes along the coast, passing the deluxe golf
resorts including Pebble Beach. There are 19 golf
courses on the peninsula. The lone cypress that clings to
a rock beside the ocean is probably the most photographed
tree in the nation. The drive takes more than an hour
(including a few stops at viewpoints), and ends in the
town of Pacific Grove, which occupies the point of the
peninsula. To the north is Monterey, long the commercial
center of the region -- now the main attraction for
visitors who come to Fisherman's Wharf, Cannery Row, and
the famed Monterey Aquarium.
Old Monterey, the historic original
community, spreads out from Fisherman's Wharf and the
Municipal Wharf. A walking tour leads visitors to the
essential historical buildings including the Royal
Presidio Chapel, the Mexican Customs House,
Colton Hall, the site of the California
Constitutional Conference held in 1849 and the rustic
building, which was California's first theater --
originally a saloon with apartments on each side of the
building that became the site of plays performed by
soldiers of the New York Volunteers. The Cooper-Molera
House was the home of one of the first families in
the area -- the Coopers, who constructed the adobe home
in 1827. With a fine garden, the house is open to the
public daily. A map for the walking tour is available at
the State Park Visitor Center -- at the
Maritime Museum -- which is across the Plaza from
the Customs House. Guided walking tours of Old Monterey
are conducted daily from the same location. Many of the
old buildings are part of the State Historic Park.
Other highlights for visitors include
Cannery Row, with boutiques, a wax museum and
restaurants occupying the refurbished old cannery
buildings. Fishing boats still depart for the bay and
ocean from the Municipal Wharf. Nearby, the renowned
Monterey Bay Aquarium is the biggest attraction in
the area and a must to visit, even though the entrance
fee is high. Huge tank displays and hands-on exhibits
impress adults and children alike. Racing fans will be
excited by Laguna Seca Raceway. The racetrack is
open year-round and has 180 campsites. At non-race
periods, the campground is a county park, and
reservations can be made by calling (408) 755-4899.
The newest major attraction is the
Maritime Museum of Monterey and Stanton Center,
near the Fisherman's Wharf, opened in 1992 and featuring
artifacts of the seafaring history of the region. The
large Stanton Center is being developed to include a
theater and a research library plus rotating exhibits on
maritime lore and an orientation film.
While the Monterey County wineries are
inland&emdash;a drive of about 1/2 hour, the Paul
Masson Museum and wine tasting room is located at 700
Cannery Row, overlooking the bay.
Pacific Grove is largely a
residential community, but you are advised to visit the
Natural History Museum, as well as to stay in one
of the distinctive bed and breakfast inns. A stay in this
delightful town will get you away from the busier
tourist-packed parts of the peninsula. A major attraction
is the large colony of monarch buttertflies, which spends
the winter in Pacific Grove. Asilomar is a large
and scenic conference center with lodge rooms open to the
public for overnight accommodation, and family-style
dining. Asilomar Beach is one of the chief
attractions of the area, with approaches to the beach
through sand dunes.
People with some diving experience will
enjoy taking a guided underwater tour of the bay, through
the Aquarius Dive Shop, with two locations in
Monterey (Del Monte Ave. and Cannery Row). You can even
arrange for still or video photography as a souvenir.
From December through April, the migration
of California gray whales brings people who view the huge
migrants passing close to the tip of the peninsula on
their journey to and from the Baja lagoons.
During the year, the peninsula is the site
of a procession of festivals, ranging from the Masters of
Food and Wine (Carmel, February), the Monterey Wine
Festival (March), Good Old Days (Pacific Grove, April),
Blues Festival (Monterey, June), Bach Festival (Carmel,
July) and the renowned Jazz Festival (Monterey,
September).
Camping
Campgrounds include the county park
inside the Laguna Seca racetrack grounds.
Private camping parks include Marina
Dunes RV Park, north of Monterey at Marina (nine
miles), with hookups, showers, laundry, dump station and
store. For reservations, call (408) 384-6914.
Saddle Mountain Recreation Park is
in Carmel Valley at the end of Shulte Road (408-624-1617)
with RV and tent sites, teepees, hookups, pool, walking
trails and picnic area.
