From the Midwest to Monterey Bay

For a California coastal vacation that offers more than sand and sun, it’s hard to beat exploring Monterey. Here you’ll discover a quaint beach town vibe with a side of history and gorgeous rocky coastlines.

Just south of San Francisco in central California, the sprawling city of Monterey and its charming neighbor Pacific Grove are located along California’s famous Pacific Coast Highway 1 in Monterey Bay. While Monterey makes a nice one-or-two-day stop on a Pacific Highway road trip, there’s more than enough to see and do for a vacation destination.

If you like coastal beauty, fresh seafood, photographing nature, walking trails, active pursuits and marine life preservation, and prefer vintage beach town charm to party beach carousing, you might like Monterey too. It offers a balanced blend of relaxation and adventure.

Consider these highlights from our August visit to help you plan your own trip.

Pacific Grove Coast

In a way, Monterey and Pacific Grove are two parts of a whole that blend almost seamlessly. Pacific Grove is a small, historic community on the tip of Monterey Peninsula with an easy-to-explore coastline that’s rich in tidepools, rocky outcrops and sea life. Known for its charming narrow streets lined with 19th- and early 20th-century homes, Pacific Grove’s small-town beach vibe feels easygoing, even when it attracts more visitors in summertime.

We rented a historic cottage here, a few blocks from Lovers Point Park and Beach. The scenic 4.4-acre Lovers Point features sandy beaches, climbable rock formations and a lawn area with picnic tables. It’s a hub of activity with beach volleyball, a children’s pool, the Lovers Point Beach Cafe and the popular Beach House Restaurant and Bar with an amazing dinner view. You can also rent kayaks, bikes and surreys for more active exploration.

The Coastal Recreation Trail along Ocean View Boulevard connects with Lovers Point, continuing north around the peninsula and south beyond Fisherman’s Wharf in Monterey. It follows the old Southern Pacific railroad tracks that once serviced the bay’s historic sardine canning era featured in author John Steinbeck’s 1945 novel, Cannery Row. It’s easy to access sections of the trail via scenic pull-offs along Ocean View. Many cottage rentals and boutique hotels are close enough to walk or cycle to the trail, which we enjoyed nearly every day.

The trail passes amazing coastal scenery including tide pools teeming with sea life. We also walked the Asilomar Dunes Preserve boardwalk and the Asilomar Coast Trail, which picks up where the Recreation Trail ends, for even more amazing views.

The Asilomar Coast Trail leads to Asilomar State Beach, passing by the Great Tide Pool. Described in Cannery Row, it’s one of several spots recalled in literature by Steinbeck, whose family had a Pacific Grove summer home when he was a boy.

17-Mile Drive

One of the most popular attractions in Monterey County is the 17-Mile Drive, a scenic road with an entry fee that runs along the rugged coast.

Pack snacks, take your time and plan to linger at 17 picturesque stops on this drive through Pebble Beach and the Del Monte Forest. Its most iconic views include Spanish Bay, Bird Rock, the Ghost Trees of Pescadero Point and the famous 250-year-old Lone Cypress.

We started our drive at the Pacific Grove gate, which leads first to the beach at Spanish Bay (stop No. 3) where we saw dozens of cairns built with an abundance of smooth beach rocks.

Stop No. 7, Bird Rock, is one of the most fascinating stops. And loudest. From a distance, Bird Rock appears covered in brown foliage. Zoom in with your camera or look through binoculars to reveal a mass of sea lions and seals that claimed the rock that was once primarily a seabird perch.

The drive continues through groves of some of the oldest known Monterey Cypress trees, leading to the Lone Cypress (stop No. 12), one of this drive’s most popular viewpoints. Another fascinating stop (No. 13) showcases bare, sun-bleached, ghost-like Cypress trees overlooking the ocean. The scenic day trip ends near the 18th hole of Pebble Beach Golf Links, where you can get a meal at the nearby lodge.

Monterey Bay Attractions

Just north of pacific Grove along the fascinating National Marine Sanctuary in Monterey, the world-class Monterey Bay Aquarium is worth a visit. Each room tells the story of marine life that’s just outside its windows. (Part of the aquarium includes ocean-view decks!) Exhibits include a kelp forest, aviary, rocky shore, Monterey Bay habitats and much more. We enjoyed catching a diver feeding show in the kelp forest tank.

The aquarium is located on the bustling Cannery Row. Named for the once-thriving sardine canning industry and Steinbeck’s novel, it’s one of the area’s most visited attractions where old cannery buildings were refurbished into restaurants, shops and galleries. You’ll also find cozy accommodations, along with bike and kayak rentals.

A statue monument on Steinbeck Plaza pays tribute to the author, figures in his books and Cannery Row history. A mile and a half north of Cannery Row, the old Fisherman’s Wharf is another tourist hub. Once an active commercial fishing wharf, it features charming shops, a variety of restaurants and whale-watching tours.

Carmel and Big Sur

Vacationing in Monterey wouldn’t be complete without a day trip into Big Sur by way of Carmel-by-the-Sea. The scenic drive and wilderness area—a visual feast—starts just south of Carmel, a charming artist community with pretty shops and galleries. Leave early to stop for breakfast in Carmel before your drive, or stop for dinner at the end of your day.

Carmel, minutes from Pacific Grove, makes a nice day out on its own, too. That way you’ll have time to shop downtown, tour the historic Carmel Mission Basilica and visit the Carmel River State Beach.

Big Sur—neither a park nor a single destination—is a 90-mile stretch of rugged terrain between Carmel and San Simeon along Pacific Highway 1. It features dramatic coastal overlooks, rivers and waterfalls, mountains and trails, a few sandy beaches and several state parks. Lodging and restaurants are available in limited sections.

From Monterey, it’s roughly 40 miles (or 90 minutes without stopping) to McWay Falls in Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, the farthest spot you can reach because of landslide repair on the highway. Depending on your time and interests, choose one or more of these Big Sur stops along your scenic drive.

Garrapata State Park

If you like to hike, state parks within Big Sur offer plenty of options, including the long coastal stretch of Garrapata State Park. We strolled a portion of the Soberanes Point trail to an amazing ocean view. Farther south, we stopped at Garrapata State Beach, a gorgeous sandy shore with sparkling turquoise water, and walked another pretty trail.

Bixby Bridge

This famous open-spandrel arch bridge over Bixby Creek is an Instagram star. There’s a pull-off for taking pictures.

Big Sur Lodge / Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park

Stop for a meal or a break at the lodge in Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park on the western slope of the Santa Lucia Mountains. Explore tall redwood trees and the picturesque Big Sur River behind the lodge. Or hike a trail into the mountainous forest. (Tip: There are more restaurants and lodging options nearby.)

Pfeiffer Beach

Known for its patches of purple sand, rocky outcrops and the Keyhole Rock, Pfeiffer Beach is a Big Sur favorite. To reach it, turn right at the “Narrow Road” sign at the obscure Sycamore Canyon Road, half a mile south of Pfeiffer Big Sur. Travel two miles to limited parking ($15), which fills up fast. (Tip: Arrive before 10 a.m. on weekends.)

McWay Falls at Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park

About 11 miles south of Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park, this picture-postcard beach scene with an 80-foot waterfall looks like it could be in Hawaii. Park in the state park and walk a short, level path under the highway to the must-see waterfall overlook.

Whether you plan to explore Big Sur trails and stop for activities or simply enjoy a relaxing scenic drive, you’ll be wowed by the grandeur of central California’s coastline.

Where to Stay and What to Do in Montery Bay

To reach Monterey, fly into one of San Francisco’s three airports: San Francisco International (SFO), Oakland International (OAK) or, closest, San Jose International (SJC). Monterey, Pacific Grove, Pebble Beach and Carmel-by-the-Sea are all options for your stay. We prefer Pacific Grove, a charming vintage beach town with boutique hotels, small resorts and VRBO or Airbnb cottage rentals. The Asilomar Conference Grounds is another option. Newer hotels and rentals can be found around the bay in Monterey communities. To spend more than a day in Big Sur, as we did, consider adding a night or two in the mountainous area near Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park.

When to Visit

• Early spring brings rain but May is one of the warmest months.
• Summer is busiest and temperatures are moderate but coastal fog can be persistent.
• Locals call autumn their “summer” because days are warm and sunny though nights are cool. It’s also when monarch butterflies start migrating.
• Winter is cool but brings huge waves, the migration of humpback whales and overwintering monarchs.

Choose Your Adventure

Try these suggestions for one to four (or more) days in Monterey County.

One Day
17-mile Scenic Drive
Monterrey Aquarium
Cannery Row and/or Fisherman’s Wharf
Lover’s Point
Monterey Bay Coastal Recreation Trail

Two Days
Rent a bike or kayak
Pacific Grove tide pools
Point Pinos Light House
Asilomar Dunes Boardwalk
Asilomar Coast Trail

Three Days
Day trip to Big Sur

Four or More Days
Carmel-by-the Sea shopping
Carmel Mission Basilica tour
Carmel River State Beach
Point Lobos State Reserve
Pebble Beach Golf Course
Whale-watching or sunset boat tour
Refuge spa near Carmel
Steinbeck Center in Salinas
Marina Dunes Preserve