Dave's Travel Corner [Monterey]

Monterey Travel Guide, Monterey Ca, Carmel Travel, Monterey Photos, Monterey Bay

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MONTEREY, CA

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These sites and attractions listed below cover not only the town of Monterey but also the Monterey peninsula and vicinity.

Mission San Carlos Borromeo Del Rio Carmelo is better known as the Carmel Mission (pictured to the right). This mission was established in 1770 by Junipero Serra in Monterey. A year later it was moved to its present site near Carmel. In fact out of all the 21 California Missions, he is buried under the church floor in front of the altar. This mission was his home and headquarters for 13 years.

Besides the beautiful grounds and the actual mission building you will want to look at some of Junipero Serra's books on display. Relicts and a Moorish Bell tower are also interesting sites. I recommend about 45 minutes to an hour to see this mission and the ground.

I always find that California Missions provide excellent photo opportunities. This is true especially in their courtyards. The Mission is open from Monday through Saturday from 9:30am until

7:30pm. On Sunday and holidays it is open from 10:30am until 7:30pm. Admission is $5 for adults and those between the ages of 12 and 17 are a $1. For more info call Phone (831) 624-3600. www.carmelmission.org or www.missionart.com/hSCB/p-SCB.html

Cannery Row is an historic waterfront region in the town of Monterey that today is full of shops, restaurants and hotels. This used to be home to a number of sardine factories and warehouses serving the fishing area until this industry collapsed in the 1950's.

Cannery Row was prominently featured in John Steinbeck's book called " Cannery Row". Today the area surrounding this famous street is a marine sanctuary and you can often see sea lions along the waterfront. The Monterey Bay Aquarium (as described below) is located just north of this street, and it is housed in a former cannery.

For more information visit the Cannery Row Foundation website: www.canneryrow.org
For more information about the National Steinbeck Museum in nearby Salinas (17 miles from Monterey) visit: www.steinbeck.org

Photo to the left: Cannery row buildings along the Monterey bay waterfront

Point Lobos State Reserve is located 2 miles south of Highway 1. This reserve is fairly large and covers about 1,300 acres. There are many trails here, some provide rather beautiful views of the rugged coast. You can purchase maps of the trails at the entrance station for 50 cents.

If you are lucky you may see some California Sea Lions or California Otters. The immediate ocean off the coast is part of the reserve. In order to have enough time to do some hiking and sightseeing approximately 2 hours is recommended. The park is open from 9am until 7pm daily from mid June through September. It is open until 5pm the rest of the year. Admission is $10 per car. For more information call Phone Number (831) 624-4909. http://pt-lobos.parks.state.ca.us

Monterey Bay Aquarium is an attraction that is well worth taking the time to see. In fact many people come to Monterey just to see this aquarium. This is one of the largest aquariums in the world and provides excellent and dramatic displays of marine life. This wonderful attraction is located at 886 Cannery Row. It is the large building located right next to the ocean with the gray blue roof.

There are more then 500 species of marine life exhibited in more then 100 galleries and exhibits. One of the top attractions is the "million" gallon tank. This tank contains sunfish, barracudas, tuna, sharks, turtles and stingrays. The main panel from which you can see these creatures is 54 feet long, 15 feet high and 13 inches thick. You sure don't want that amount of water and pressure escaping!

The jellyfish display is also worth seeing. These are well displayed and the lighting is perfect. Nearby is the 15,000 gallon anchovy tank. Many educational institutions utilize this great resource and offer field trips. Parts of the museum are geared towards the younger kids. They feature hands on tide pools, life size models of sea creatures, and a theatre.

Some of the tanks are refilled with 1,500 gallons of seawater per minute. A neat feature is the "Live from Monterey Canyon". This is an exhibit which has live video transmissions from the depths of Monterey Canyon located in Monterey Bay. This canyon descends up to depths of 6000 feet. A research submarine broadcasts these transmissions to the aquarium Thursday and Friday from 11 to 2 in the main auditorium.

In order to experience this place you need at least half a day. They are open daily from 9:30am to 6pm from mid June to Labor Day and from 10am until 6pm the rest of the year.

When I was here I was able to get a good parking spot about 2 or 3 blocks from the aquarium on a city street. Admission is $32.95 for adults. Students are $29.95. For more information about the aquarium call Phone Number (831) 648-4888. For advance tickets call Phone Number 1-800-756-3737. You can also visit the aquarium on the Internet and get a sneak preview. To do this simply click on www.mbayaq.org

Seventeen Mile Drive is a beautiful toll drive that extends from the small town of Pacific Grove in the north to Carmel in the south. It is situated right along the coast of the Monterey Peninsula. There are many pullout areas along this drive which provide excellent photo stops of the coast and the ocean. I find that the Monterey Cyprus trees are quite picturesque and always add character to my photographs.

Some of the attractions along this drive are Seal Rock, Cypress Point, and Spy Glass Hill. This road also winds near the golf course where the AT&T Pro-Am Golf Tournament is held every year at the end of January and early February. This is a golf tournament for professionals as well as many celebrities including the always amusing Bill Murray. If you are going to drive without stopping 45 minutes would enough time. However, you will probably want to stop and walk along the beach or look at the marine life. For a leisurely drive several hours would be fine.

The toll for this drive is $9 per car. For general information about the drive call Phone Number (831) 625-8426.

- Silhouette of Cypress tree at sunset

Dennis the Menace Playground is located in a park near Lake Estero. Hank Ketcham the creator of this popular comic strip helped in the design and creation of this park. This is a great place to take the children. There is a maze, a climbing area, and slides. For more information call Phone Number (831) 646-3866. Admission is FREE.

Monterey Peninsula Museum of Art is located at 559 Pacific Street. They exhibit displays of Asian, regional and folk art. Allow between 45 minutes and an hour. They are open Wednesday through Saturday from 11am until 5pm. On Sunday they are open from 1pm until 4pm. Admission is $5. Children under 12 are free. For more information call Phone Number (831) 372-7591. Website: www.montereyart.org

San Carlos Cathedral is located at 550 Church Street. This was the church that was originally going to be one of the California Missions. It was built in 1770 and instead of a mission became a church for Spanish colonists and soldiers. This church has been in continuous use since 1795. It is open daily from 8am until 6pm. Admission is FREE. Phone Number (831) 373-2628.
Visit: www.sancarloscathedral.net

Steinbeck Spirit of Monterey Wax Museum is located at 700 Cannery Row. This museum exhibits various wax figures from Monterey's historical past. Allow at least 30 minutes. They are open daily from 9am until 10pm. Admission is $6.95. Discounts given to students. Children between the ages of 6 and 12 are $2.95. For more information call Phone Number (831) 375-3770.