a west coast weekend: your guide to monterey bay (+ beyond)
monterey, california is a gem of a small town on the west coast. for decades, writers, poets, artists & other like-minded creatives have come to the region for its serenity & stunning views. eth & i were fortunate (& super excited) to be traveling to monterey for my college roommates wedding so we tacked on a couple extra days to explore, & in true alex fashion, we packed in a lot.
starting with a bit of history — monterey is a quaint little fishing town on california’s central coast. the rumsien people originally inhabited the area, but little is known about them. it’s believed they were a group that relied heavily on the local wildlife like whales, abalone, otters and sea lions.
though people had been in the area for hundreds of years, the city was officially founded in 1770. monterey’s custom house, built in 1814, is widely considered to be the oldest public building in the state. fast forward a few more hundred years and today the area is famous for scenic drives, fresh seafood, local wine, high-end inns & hotels, auto racing and more! (i know history isn’t everyone’s schtick so for a more detailed account, visit the city’s history page.)
read below for a long weekend guide to the monterey bay area!
things to do
i’ll preface this with saying there is a ton to do in the area. i stayed for just three days and truly only scratched the surface — but i felt like we covered all of the quintessential stops, starting with cannery row. long before john steinbeck immortalized monterey’s cannery row, many different cultures lived in the area making it an international melting pot in the late 19th & early 20th centuries — the chinese fished for squid, the portuguese caught whales, the italians focused on sardines, the germans opened up restaurants & introduced their well-known (& well loved) schnitzel. the 1940s ushered in the sardine capital of the world, producing 250,000 tons of sardines per season.
today, the revitalized waterfront is home to the local aquarium, luxurious hotels, small businesses and excellent restaurants. dip your toes in the bay & keep your eyes peeled for sea lions, they like to sun themselves on the shore!
no travel blog would be complete without an indie bookstore recommendation and bookworks in nearby pacific grove is everything you’d hope a small town bookstore to be. not only can you find the latest bestsellers, but regional reads as well! pop into the adjoining cafe for organic coffee & fresh baked goodies.
lovers point is a popular spot for coastline views, and is one of the only places on the west coast where you can catch the sun rise over the water (because it faces east). this area has a small beach with an on-site snack bar, bike rentals and plenty of benches to enjoy the seascape.
check out the oldest continuously operating lighthouse on the west coast, point pinos. the small lighthouse was built in 1855 and the us coast guard manages operations. they’re open for tours on saturdays & sundays only with limited hours so plan accordingly.
we didn’t plan accordingly and the lighthouse was closed so this was the only pic i snapped. i’d love to go back and check it out!
the pacific coast highway is arguably one of the most iconic scenic drives in the entire country and one of the prettiest stretches is 17-mile drive. it’s located within pebble beach, america’s #1 public golf course. starting in pacific grove, pay the $11.25 fee at the gate (worth it i promise) and follow the clearly marked signs to various points of interest along the way. my favorite stop was cypress point lookout. golf fanatics will be amazed at the greens at pebble beach; it definitely lives up to its accolades. you could honestly spend a whole day here between the lodges, shopping, dining, golfing and a spa.
san francisco may have the golden gate bridge, but continue south on pacific coast highway and you’ll come across one of the most well-known bridges in the world, bixby bridge. featured in car commercials, apple’s computer software & popular tv shows like big little lies, this incredible architectural feat was built in 1932 and perfectly hugs the curves of california route 1. because everyone loves to stop here, there are pull-offs on both sides of the highway for you to stretch your legs & snap a pic. the crashing waves of the ocean below are unreal — it was a pinch-me moment for sure!
after crossing bixby bridge, head towards big sur. big sur transports you from california’s beautiful coast into the equally as stunning forest with giant redwoods surrounding you. it’s almost hard to believe you haven’t crossed into a different state with how quickly the scenery changes. the unique thing is that for a town of only a thousand or so year round residents, this area welcomes millions of guests a year. but that doesn’t mean it’s overcrowded or commercialized — expect to find local restaurants, art galleries and small businesses, like the henry miller memorial library, an eclectic bookstore/art exhibit/event venue.
for those unfamiliar — like myself — henry miller was an american author made famous for his banned books like tropic of cancer and black spring, which discussed obscene topics (i haven’t read either yet but think smutty). the author lived in big sur and had a bit of a literary following here with jack kerouac and norman mailer traveling in his footsteps. the bookstore has all of his major titles and other regional finds, including john steinbeck, but you won’t find many from the new york times current bestsellers list. outside the library are provocative art installations — a crucifix made out of computer screens, an abandoned bowling ball return system, you get the gist. if all this wasn’t enough to get you interested to visit, the red hot chili peppers played an impromptu show here once. a little bit off the beaten trail, but aren’t all the best places?
racing fanatics will enjoy a visit to laguna seca raceway, a road course with an incredible corkscrew turn that’s one-of-a-kind. everything from indy car to superbikes race here and it’s actually pretty cool to check out!
places to eat + drink
if you’re enjoying cannery row, stop by the salty seal brewpub for a drink & some apps. the bartenders are incredibly knowledgeable on the area & just kind people. eth & i posted up here to watch college football and ended up spending a few hours (& taking a few shots!)
overlooking lover’s point lies the aptly named beach house restaurant, your typical seafood joint with an outstanding menu. our favorites included the cheese stuff gnocchi tossed in red sauce & parmesan and the herb grilled chicken breast with yukon potatoes.
whenever i’m on vacation, i love to find local breakfast places (i could eat breakfast all day, every day). two really amazing restaurants we found were red house cafe and winston’s. red house cafe was a packed little corner spot with indoor & outdoor seating. they offered a mouthwatering menu with brioche french toast topped with orange marmalade, crab cake benedict and smoked salmon on potato pancakes. winston’s (just down the block from red house) is a recognized brunch place with tasty menu favorites & seasonal goodies. the lemon ricotta pancakes looked to die for (& at least two people ordered them while we were there.) it was the first place i went to where i thought, ‘yup this is california.’ the aesthetic of the cafe was spot on!
cravin’ a late night pizza? california seltzer company makes incredible wood-fired pizza with all your expected toppings. we ordered to-go but the lover’s point locale would be a great place to hang up for a few hours & kick back a few cold ones — they are known for their small batch seltzer after all.
if you find yourself in big sur, you’ve gotta check out big sur river inn restaurant. you can’t miss it, it’s right off highway 1 and resembles a log cabin in the mountains. it felt like home to me — they literally had a fire burning in the restaurant!! expect to find a variety of choices; from california chicken sandwiches with generous amounts of avocado to atlantic salmon with a miso glaze.
where to stay
if you’ve been here before you know i swoon over a bed & breakfast. centrella inn in pacific grove was the perfect mix of history, proximity and modern conveniences. the national historic landmark was built in 1889 but was recently renovated so that each room has their own bathroom. and although renovated, the historical integrity of the home remains in-tact with victorian-era decor, furniture and wallpaper. each morning guests can enjoy homemade granola, fresh fruit and warm scones and every evening, a complimentary glass of wine on the front porch or outside patio.
from here you’re within a 10 minute walk to lover’s point and just a couple streets back from the main drag of pacific grove, with restaurants, local storefronts & a movie theater all at your finger tips.
and that, my friends, should give you more than enough to do with just a few days in the area. i hope this has inspired you to take a trip out west & visit the sanctuaries by the sea!
if you’ve been before, what do you recommend?