Moss Landing State Beach - a sandy beach located right at Moss Landing Marina State Beach - a quiet and scenic beach with sandy shores Sand City Beach - a scenic sandy beach that is fantastic for finding sea glass!įort Ord Beach - a large sandy beach with 2 different trails that walk along the coast Monterey State Beach - a scenic sandy beach that has large sand dunes San Carlos Beach - a small sandy beach with easy access to Cannery Row and lots of sea lion spottingĭel Monte Beach - a vast sandy beach that does have a boardwalk and massive sand dunes READ NEXT: The Best things To Do in Monterey with KidsĪsilomar State Beach - Great tidepools and a lifeguard beach is availableĬarmel River State Beach - beautiful sandy beaches with a lifeguard Also from here you can walk down the Old Coast Guard Pier to see hundreds of sea lions! Head down to the end of Cannery Row to enjoy the Monterey Bay Beaches at San Carlos Beach. Make a stop at the Cannery Row Monument! This monument pays tribute to the many notorious and famous characters there were vital to the evolution of Cannery Row Other than the street number and a sign saying “Pacific Biological Laboratories,” there is nothing to draw attention to the building and most tourists pass by it oblivious. Back on the waterfront, photograph the piers, sea lions, and former canneries.įind Ed Ricketts Lab and see John Steinbeck’s old stomping grounds! Ricketts’ lab sits between a hotel and a souvenir store, almost as if it’s quietly observing the comings and goings as Ricketts himself probably would have. Take photos of iconic spots: Start with a shot of the bay from San Carlos Beach, and follow the Monterey Bay Coastal Trail to catch the bronze Ed Ricketts statue.
Pack a lunch and have a picnic at the top! You can see a short video I created of this hike HERE. On a clear morning, you can see all the way to Monterey Bay from the peak. Fremont Peak trail is an easy hike and is less than 2 miles round trip. Bring your swimsuit if you’d like to take a dip in Garzas Creek which is along a peaceful, shaded trail that reaches a secluded side canyon of redwoods.įreemont Peak State Park: Located on the border of Monterey County, this unique state park is the perfect spot to hike to and watch the sunrise. We did the Buckeye Nature Trail and took a 0.1 additional Siesta Point trail to get up to an epic overlook. Atop the northern crest of the Santa Lucia Mountains, the trails encounter open oak savannas and spectacular vistas. Garland Ranch Regional Park: This park is located in the heart of Carmel Valley, and it is home to a variety of landscapes from the willow-covered banks of the Carmel River through the cottonwood-sycamore stands of the old floodplain. Get here early because this is a popular spot! The trail is pretty level with options to trek closer to the water or stay up by the hill.
We chose to do the Coastal Trail which takes you from the trailhead along the rocky coast. Garapatta State Park: This coastal state park, located in Carmel just north of Big Sur, has a few easy and very rewarding hikes. You can also take a walk around the sanctuary while listening to the new AUDIO TOUR! This audio tour guides visitors through the Pacific Grove Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary, enriching the interpretive signs along the trail.
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The Butterfly Sanctuary is free to visitors! You are encouraged to take photos and videos of the butterflies, but don’t touch or you’ll be fined $1,000!
Museum volunteer docents can be found at the Monarch Sanctuary from Nov to Feb when available, generally from 11-3 daily, weather permitting.
The Pacific Grove Monarch Sanctuary is located at 250 Ridge Road is open to visitors from sunrise to sunset daily. While most Monarchs live only four to five weeks after they reach adulthood, the generation that overwinters in Monterey County lives up to six months! The Monarch butterflies are one of the most unique things to see in Monterey! This cluster of butterflies is what draws people from everywhere! The Monarch butterflies that come to Monterey County are a special generation of butterfly. The butterflies hang in clusters from eucalyptus branches to maintain body temperature. Did you know that Pacific Grove is also known as Butterfly Town, USA?Įvery October, thousands of monarch butterflies cluster together on pine, cypress and eucalyptus trees in the Sanctuary.
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