California - Just back from two days in Monterey - Some observations/hints to share

Just got back from spending a couple of days in Monterey with my 13 yo son. Thought I'd share a few observations and hints since this is a popular destination for visitors to Northern California.

-- Lodging: We stayed at the Mariposa Inn & Suites in Monterey(www.mariposamonterey.com). Highly recommended due to room size, location convenience and amenities. Would definitely stay here again.

-- Monterey Bay Aquarium: Very, very popular. We got there about 15 minutes after it opened and had no wait to buy tickets. By the time we left some 2-1/2 hours later there was a line to get into the buiilding just to buy tickets. And it was starting to get crowded inside. So word to the wise: Buy your tickets in advance (their Internet site or some hotels sell tickets I was told) or get there when it opens. If you are driving you really want to get there when it opens so you can find parking. A city parking lot one block south of the aquarium was virtually empty when we arrived - when we left later in the morning it already had signs up indicating it was full.

-- Cannery Row: Lots of shops and restaurants. Places to rent bicycles, surreys, and rollerblaces which you can use on the Monterey Bay scenic trail which runs from Seaside through Monterey, Cannery Row and along the coastline past Lover's Point in Pacific Grove. You can also make arrangements to rent a sea kayak and paddle out above the kelp forest along the marine sanctuary west of Cannery Row.

-- Fishermans' Wharf: Not too crowded on a spring day but I've been here in the summer vacation season when it is wall to wall people. Not much in the way of shopping other than souvenirs. You can book whale-watching trips as well as glass-bottom boat rides here. Several restaurants on the wharf, all of which seem to offer "the best clam chowder" and/or "the best Monterey Bay calimari". My son enjoyed looking at the boats, poking around the schlock shops, buying salt water taffy and spotting the sea lions sunning themselves on a floating dock.

-- Maritime Museum: Just across the historic plaza from the old Customs House. Definitely worth a visit. Well done exhibits about the history of Monterey and the fishing/whaling industry. Free admission, donation requested. In the same building is the Monterey tourist board where you can pick up brochures, maps, etc.

-- Lovers Point, Pacific Grove: There's a small, protected beach here. The sea water though is c-o-l-d! Snack bar open on weekends. Along the coastline between here and Cannery Row is the scenic trail; you can also drive this route on Ocean View Boulevard. Bring binoculars as you will easily spot cormorants and sea otters.

-- Downtown Pacific Grove: The former Holman's department store has been converted into a multi-story 60,000 square foot antiques plaza. We poked around in here for a while. The Pacific Grove Natural History Museum is worth a look - it's ranked one of the best museums of its type for its size. There are also several other shops and restaurants in downtown Pacific Grove; it's a good place to spend a few hours.

-- Point Pinos Lighthouse: Following Ocean View Boulevard west you'll reach the open Pacific Ocean. At low tide there are some great spots along here to go tidepooling - we spent a couple of hours exploring out here. I was told there are tours available in the afternoon at the lighthouse but we didn't go.

-- 17 Mile Drive: Recommend entering at the Pacific Grove gate as you'll then have the sea on your right side when driving the route. Toll is $9.25 these days.

-- Carmel: More shops and restaurants...not something that held much interest for a 13 yo boy and his dad. However at the foot of Ocean Street is Carmel's beach which we enjoyed. Just south of the village is the Carmel Mission, the 2nd mission established in the 18th century by Father Junipero Serra; this is something every 4th grader in California studies about. So we had to go by and see the mission.

-- Point Lobos State Reserve: A hidden gem a few minutes south of Carmel along highway 1 perfect for picnics and hiking. Currently vehicles are charged a $10 day use fee to get in the reserve. We picked up some picnic supplies in a Safeway just outside Carmel and headed over to the park. Inside we had a great picnic then did some more exploring along the coast. Spotted several deer in a meadow.

--- Highway 1: Decided to drive for about 45 minutes along highway 1 south (then turned around) to see the spectacular views. My son insisted on frequent stops for picture taking; he was quite impressed with the scenery. For those of you planning a trip on highway 1 between Monterey and San Simeon (Hearst Castle) I would suggest you travel southbound. You'll be able to more easily pull into turnouts and vista points without crossing oncoming traffic. It's 90 miles to Hearst Castle from Carmel along highway 1; plan on three hours one way is what a couple of locals told me when I asked them about the trip.

There are some redwood groves along the route so if you missed seeing our famous Coast Redwoods further north you'll get a chance to see them here.

Overall --- Two full days I think is a good minimum amount of time to spend here. A lot will depend on your interests and the types of activities you want to do. Two days was more than enough for us.

It can, and does, get crowded here in the summer vacation months. If you visit during the off-season you'll avoid the crowds and have a much more relaxing time. Hotel rooms are cheaper in the off-season (and cheaper still Sunday through Thursday).

I visit MRY several times a year and your review is great! Did you visit the old Monterey Presidio and historic area? Maybe you did since you mention the Customs House. Monterey was the original California capital and the original buildings are a State Historical Park.

In nearby Salinas is the National Steinbeck Center for anyone who is a John Steinbeck fan.

Although there's a few gas stations along the Big Sur coast, they know they have a monopoly and charge about $1.50/gallon more than stations in Monterey or San Luis Obispo at either end of the 125 mile stretch. Top off your tank in one of those places.

California state law requires you to pull over if 5 or more vehicles are behind. If you drive Hwy 1 please, please, yield to faster traffic as soon as a safe turnout appears. I've seen "trains" of 30-40 vehicles, led by either clueless or rude drivers poking along.

If you have a choice of dates to visit Monterey, avoid July 2-6. July 4 is a major US holiday and this year the MotoGP races are the same weekend. The reason for the insane scheduling is beyond me although MotoGP is a worldwide race series with a tight travel schedule. Monterey will be double-packed with vacationers and race fans. The entire Cannery Row area is usually blocked off to car traffic in the evenings. Motel rooms in the Travelodge/Comfort Inn category are in the $250-$300/night category when they are available at all.

It can also get very cold in the summer with the fog and all.

Great reviews by both El Cochinito and kenish. I'm usually up there about twice a year (from the OC, btw) for the Monterey Wine Festival and the Rolex Historic Races. I've done or been to most of the things mentioned and both of the reviews are right on the money, as far as I'm concerned.

One of my most memorable experiences though was a walk along the cliff road overlooking the bay in Carmel. I was working the race at Laguna Seca and had eaten an early dinner at a small restaurant in Carmel. After that I decided to take a walk along the cliffs overlooking the sea. It was a residencial area and, even though it was August, there was a chill in the air. Apparently, many of the homes had fireplaces and the smell of woodsmoke was rich. As the sun went down and the firepits on the beach were lighted the whole walk took on a very magical tone.

If you've got a 'special someone' to share that with I highly recommend it.

Thanks for taking the time to document this. I've visited the area many times and still learned a few things from your post.