Monterey
District Guide

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While no longer the county seat nor even its largest city (both honors rest with blue-collar Salinas), Monterey remains the area's best-known and most popular destination. A city of only 32,000, it attracts easily 100 times as many tourists each year. What do they come for? They come for the history, the culture, the food, and the shopping. What follows is a district-by-district look at what's hot in the other city by the bay.

Downtown

Monterey's carefully restored downtown is, in fact, the historical cradle of California. From 1775, when it became the capital of the Spanish colony of Alta California, through Mexican rule and the brief period of independent California, the whole state was governed from Monterey. Landmarks from each of these periods are preserved in the adobe Colonial-style houses that line the streets and calles of the district. Monterey State Historic Park, though it has seen fit to join the Wi-Fi revolution, is still probably the best place to catch a glimpse of the olden days. Historic buildings and pleasant gardens are the name of the game here, and the site plays host to historical reenactments and festivals (such as the Monterey Living History Festival every Independence Day, and Christmas in the Adobes in December). If you're in Downtown Monterey in February, and you're in a festival-going frame of mind, take in A Day of Romance in Old Monterey, a decidedly romantic celebration of the town's history. If you're in the mood to survey something other than California history, downtown is also the place to immerse yourself in pub life. A trio of authentic British-style pubs (The Crown & Anchor, Britannia Arms and the Mucky Duck) will keep you in suds all day and into the night.

Fisherman's Wharf

Within walking distance from downtown is Fisherman's Wharf, a well-touristed leftover from Monterey's days as a Spanish colonial capital, cargo facility, whaling station and port. Now it's home to some commendable seafood restaurants (like Cafe Fina and Rappa's) and more than a few lovely gift shops (try Carousel Candies for some homemade sweet treats, or The Wharf's General Store for just about everything else). Marine tours of Monterey Bay, including whale-watching trips, leave from the wharf (thanks to businesses such as Chris' Fishing Trips and MB Whale Watching).

Cannery Row

A mile down the coast from the Wharf is Cannery Row, a world-class tourist destination all its own. The bulk of its shops, restaurants and bars are housed inside historic former sardine-packing factories, so this serves as a dramatic reminder of the hard life depicted in John Steinbeck's epic novel about the neighborhood (named, curiously enough, Cannery Row). The area is crammed with gift shops (like The Garlic Shoppe) and other attractions (such as Steinbeck's own Spirit of Monterey Wax Museum), many of which give tourists quite a bit of historical and cultural bang for their buck. Many of the district's restaurants rank among the best in the Monterey Bay Area (grab an award-winning steak at the Whaling Station, or scarf some Italian-accented seafood at Massaro & Santos). Cannery Row's biggest attraction, and the primary reason for its resurgence as a tourist destination, is the aquarium. Arguably the finest aquarium in the world, the Monterey Bay Aquarium is as good as it is not only because of its imaginative presentation and great funding, but also because it focuses its attentions on what is just outside, in the deep waters of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. You will see otters at play, a towering kelp forest, trance-inducing jellyfish, the world's largest aquarium window—and you can even pet a velvety Bat Ray.

Pacific Grove

West of Monterey along Ocean View Boulevard lies the cozy seaside community of Pacific Grove. Three hundred and fifty-five days out of the year, Pacific Grove is as quiet a town as one could hope to find, with tree-lined streets fronting small quaint houses (the mix of Spanish adobe construction with Victorian accents is irresistible). But in November, a peaceful madness descends: Pacific Grove truly becomes the 'City of the Butterflies' as hundreds of thousands of monarch butterflies stop off on their annual migration. Many of Pacific Grove's historic Victorian mansions have found new life as renowned bed and breakfasts (like the Martine or the Centrella), and others as noteworthy restaurants (such as Fandango). This is also the site of the Julia Morgan-designed Asilomar Conference Grounds, situated amongst the Asilomar State Park dunes at the foot of the Pacific Ocean and its dramatically crashing surf.