We'd say avoid Cannery Row altogether because it's a tourist trap but the aquarium is not to miss! Unscheduled Feeding Opportunities, Monterey Bay Aquarium UFO (unscheduled feeding opportunities) and wildlife sightings at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Visitors can sign up for text message alerts to be notified of feeding and enrichment programs with sharks, a giant Pacific octopus, bat rays, sardines and more.
Follow 17-Mile Drive’s red-dotted line to arrive at an enchanting world full of dramatic coastal cliffs, snow-white beaches, mystical forests and iconic golf courses. The 17 Mile drive is the road you will take to get to our ceremony site, Church in the Forrest. Kill some time between the ceremony and the start of the reception by completing the drive. You will have free admission if you say you are attending a weeding at Church in the Forrest. (Admission to 17-Mile Drive is normally $10.75 per vehicle).
A very pretty lookout point along gorgeous coastline! According to local legend, this park was originally called "Lovers of Jesus Point," back in the era when Pacific Grove was a Methodist retreat camp. Since the late 1800s, the beach at Lovers Point in Pacific Grove has been a popular spot for boating and swimming, and over recent decades surfers have joined the mix. Lovers Point Park has above all become Pacific Grove's best-loved spot for picnics, plein air painting, and scenic photography. Because of its unique east-facing location, it is also one of the only spots on the West Coast where you can watch the sun rise over the water.
One of the prettiest beaches with white sand and bright blue water.
Sea Otter Sightings, Moss Landing State Beach. The otters floating near Moss Landing State Beach add to the laid-back surfer vibe at the southern end of the parking lot. Looking east towards the marina, you'll see a large group (called a "raft") of these beloved critters that reside in this spot year-round.
The Cheese Shop at the Carmel Plaza is the perfect spot to slip in for cheese tastings and cheese and wine pairing advice. Discover new international and regional cheeses in this friendly setting and you'll know why locals rave about this place.
IN ITS 100 YEARS OF use, no one ever escaped from the Old Monterey Jail, probably owing to the copious amounts of granite and iron used in its construction.
Old Town Monterey is cute! Much better than Cannery Row.
While it's not exactly in Monterey, The Breakfast Club is worth your time for the cinnamon swirl pancakes alone.