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Welcome to Discover Monterey County. Take this pocket-sized travel guide with you and learn more about Monterey County each time you travel!

Make plans to visit our spectacular forests, pristine beaches, and breathtaking valleys. Make it a sporting adventure or treat yourself to some luxurious pampering. There’s so much to see and do, you’ll want to come back again and again.

Discover Monterey County is designed to guide you to every corner of the county, while encouraging you to stop and taste the world class cuisine and take part in its many multicultural events.

The center page map will help you set your bearings and show you the fastest, easiest routes to your next adventure. A local’s view of each featured city will help you get acquainted and the accompanying city street maps will help you locate that special boutique or favorite restaurant.

www.Discover-MontereyCounty.com

Published by Discover Publications ©2008 All Rights Reserved. Every attempt has been made to assure that information contained herein is true and accurate however no warranty is implied or accepted.
Discover Publications
P.O. Box 3144, Monterey, CA 93942 Tel (831) 521-1685Fax (831) 643-0900

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Monterey County encompasses some of America’s most visually stunning landscapes and world-renowned attractions.

From the dramatic Big Sur coastline, romantic Carmel, and historic Monterey to the fertile Salinas Valley, Monterey County offers a rich and complete variety of destinations for the leisure or business traveler.

A first-time visit to Monterey County should include such destinations as the Monterey Bay Aquarium, Cannery Row, Fisherman’s Wharf, and the National Steinbeck Center. Try to fit in a trip to Elkhorn Slough and Monterey County’s Wine Country. Return visits will allow you to explore the beauty and recreation of our county in greater depth.

Pacific Grove • Carmel • Carmel Valley • Pebble Beach •
Greater Peninsula • Big Sur • North County • Salinas • South County
Discover the City of Monterey
Having served as the first capitol of California, Monterey is rich in history. The Spanish adobes and old Victorians that boast of past guests such as Robert Louis Stevenson and John Steinbeck, now invite you in to shop, dine, and stay. Walk the Path of History, dance on Steinbeck’s Cannery Row, and sample wares from fishmongers on Monterey’s Old Fisherman’s Wharf.
Monterey’s Fisherman’s Wharf
Fisherman’s Wharf is one of Monterey County’s most popular attractions. Jam-packed with souvenir shops and seafood restaurants. Sample the clam chowder, breathe in the fresh salty air and enjoy the sights and sounds of this working wharf. It’s here you’ll board vessels for whaling watching and fishing trips.
Just across the way, on Fisherman’s Wharf #2, local fishermen bring in the catch of the day,which in turn attracts other marine life such as otters, sea gulls and sea lions.
Steinbeck’s Cannery Row
The stink has long gone from Steinbeck’s Cannery Row yet, the spirit of “America’s Most Famous Street” lives on with bustling crowds of visitors from all over the world. Amidst the souvenir shops and confectioners you’ll find world class dining, wine tasting, and happening night spots. The Row celebrates John Steinbeck’s birthday in the month of February with lectures, theater and music.
Discover Monterey Bay Aquarium
The Monterey Bay Aquarium boasts over 100 exhibits focusing on life in the Monterey Bay. Experience interactive displays and educational presentations. Open 10am—6pm daily. For information call 648-4888.
What began as a religious campground at the tip of the Peninsula is now a welcoming seaside resort town sheltered amidst the pines. Robert Louis Stevenson once described Pacific Grove as “a place so dreamlike.” Not much has changed. Take in its Victorian streetscapes and breathtaking views of the Bay and the Pacific Ocean.
Once a rustic artists’ colony favored by Robin Jeffers and Jack London, now luminaries like Clint Eastwood, Doris Day, and Brad Pitt walk the streets of Carmel. A few call it home, others just vacation here. The eclectic Comstock architecture and white sand beaches offer distraction from exhilarating shopping sprees, extraordinary culinary adventures, and gallery hopping.
Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary
Tens of thousands of Monarch Butterflies vacation in Pacific Grove, “Butterfly Town USA,” October through March of each year. Call 375-0982 for info.

The Mouth of Carmel Valley- The Barnyard & Crossroads Beckon
Just outside the City’s official boundaries, off Hwy. 1, is the mouth of Carmel Valley, where you’ll find two of the area’s most unique open-air shopping centers. Here you can meet the locals and find one-of-a-kind gifts.

Carmel Valley Village— Minutes Away, A World Away
It’s worth the short drive to Carmel Valley for warmer weather, off-road adventures, and country hospitality. Dine alfresco and enjoy local wines. Visit local galleries and meet the artists themselves. It’s here that locals venture when they are looking for simpler, quieter times. (Street map on pages 32-33)

Museum of Natural History
Learn about Monterey County through its flora, fauna, and indigenous people. Call 648-5716 for a schedule of exhibits and forums.

Point Pinos Lighthouse
Point Pinos is the oldest continuously operating lighthouse on the west coast. It has been lovingly maintained and is open for tours Thurs.-Mon. , 1-4pm. Call 648-5716 or www.pgmuseum.org
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Take a nostalgic day trip to the harbor town of Moss Landing. This quaint, historic fishing village is full of hidden treasures and enjoyable activities. Shop for antiques, visit fine art studios, dine in delightful restaurants, and stay at coastal lodging (most rooms with a view of the bay).
Other activities include: bird-watching,
Pebble Beach

The world famous 17-Mile Drive holds many natural and man-made wonders. Meandering from the Pacific Grove Gate (Pebble Beach is a gated community and charges an admission fee) through the pine and cypress trees, you will pass some of the world’s finest golf courses and most expensive estates. Before you head out the Carmel gate, visit the site of Lone Cypress, an ancient Cypress tree copyrighted as the Pebble Beach Company logo.
boating, fishing, whale watching, observing wildlife at the Elkhorn Slough- a National Reserve wetlands, walking on the beach, exploring the area’s historic architecture, and surfing to name a just a few.

Moss Landing is famous for its many antique shops and The Moss Landing Antique Street Fair which takes place on the last Sunday of July each year. Moss Landing also offers the freshest seafood and is home to much of the County’s commercial fishing fleet.
For more information call the Moss Landing Chamber of Commerceat (831) 633-4501 or visit them on line at www.mosslandingchamber.com
Seaside, Del Rey Oaks, Sand City, & Marina

North Monterey Peninsula also holds places of interest to visitors. Seaside and it’s neighboring city Del Rey Oaks offer a selection of shopping areas and affordable accommodations. Sand City is working to become the Peninsula’s So-Ho, with artist lofts and late night parties taking place a few blocks from mega-stores, including Target and Cost-Co. The City of Marina rises from the sand dunes to provide modern accommodations for travelers and visitors to the near-by California State University. Visit Marina State Beach for an adventure in hang gliding.
Special Event
Moss Landing Antique Fair-
Last Sunday of July Annually
Big Sur—Greatest Meeting of Land & Sea

Traveling down Highway 1 to Big Sur, you can see, first hand, why this stretch of California coast has been dubbed, “The greatest meeting of land and sea.” The highway, built into the Ventana Mountain Range, hugs the coastline’s rugged cliffs, offering a bird’s eye view of the Pacific Ocean. The road is narrow and curving, and not for the frail hearted. Bold travelers venture to cliff side viewing spots for spectacular
photo-ops. Big Sur’s attractions include Point Lobos State Reserve, and Julia Pfeiffer Big Sur State Parks. Choose to enjoy the experience in a campground or a luxury resort.
South Monterey County—Greenfield, King City, Chular, Soledad, Gonzales
Discover the wine route through Monterey County as you venture through Greenfield, Soledad, and Gonzales. These rural communities are also major agricultural contributors. If you’re headed this way, don’t miss the historic Mission Nuestra Senora de Soledad, founded in 1791.
Castroville—Home of the
Artichoke Festival & BBQ Heaven
Known as the Artichoke Capital of the world, Castroville hosts an annual festival celebrating this delicious thistle in May of each year, with imaginative artichoke recipes, crafts, and music.
It’s worth the short drive just for the famous BBQ at the Central Texan Barbecue. This authentic Texan grub has been featured in numerous guides and on television. See page 56 for details.
For more information on Castroville’s events and attractions, contact the North Monterey County Chamber of Commerce (831) 633-2465 or visitwww.northmontereycountychamber.org

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Discover Salinas-Steinbeck Country
The Salinas Valley has earned the title, “Salad Bowl of the World,” and its farmers provide us with much of our lettuce, strawberries and vegetables year round.
National Steinbeck Center
The Salinas Valley is also called Steinbeck Country, with its rolling hills, lush vineyards, and farming families. It is also proud to be the inspiration for native son John Steinbeck’s epic novel, East of Eden.

In fact, the 37,000 sq. ft. National Steinbeck Center, in the heart of Old Town Salinas, is dedicated to the great American author and his work.
The thriving Old Town district, with its antique shops, boutiques, and theater, offers a look back to the turn of the century complete with a Farmers’ Market on Main Street each Wednesday from 3-7pm.
The City of Salinas is also the home of the popular California Rodeo which takes place in July.