When most people imagine visiting Monterey County, they see themselves shopping on Cannery Row, marveling at marine life at the world-famous Monterey Bay Aquarium, golfing at Pebble Beach, or driving along beautiful 17-Mile Drive. However, residents are well aware that there is much more to explore beyond the region’s most well-known attractions. I partnered with Monterey County Convention and Visitors Bureau to explore it all myself and show you everything Monterey County has to offer. Here are a dozen more opportunities to immerse yourself in their finest dining, drinking, shopping, and sightseeing experiences.
The famous Lone Cypress tree in Pebble Beach
***While restrictions have loosened throughout the state of California for vaccinated individuals, some businesses within Monterey County still require wearing facial coverings. This includes select restaurants, wineries, hotels, retail shops, attractions and other areas. Please follow all posted instructions during your visit and bring your mask with you. An inherent risk of exposure to COVID-19 exists in any public place where people are present.
WHERE TO STAY
You have a number of options to make your stay in Monterey County memorable. Here are a few of them:
Monterey Plaza Hotel & Spa – Monterey
Monterey Plaza Hotel & Spa is a stunning seaside resort located on the border of renowned Cannery Row. The charming hotel is perched dramatically on historic beachfront property above the crashing surf of the Pacific. We stayed in a very spacious executive suite and I fell in love with the elegant look with subtle coastal touches. We were greeted by warm and helpful staff and thoughtful welcome treats.
My favorite part was the pretty balconies with amazing views of the water.
View from one of our balconies
Hyatt Carmel Highlands – Carmel
The Hyatt Carmel Highlands is located on the rocky coast four miles south of Carmel-by-the-Sea right before the entrance to Big Sur, dubbed “the greatest confluence of earth and sea.” This beautiful hideaway is completed with newly renovated rooms and spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean and Point Lobos. They perfected the art of blending in large hotel amenities with the refined charm of a boutique hideaway.
Our view from our balcony with welcome treats!
They also have a heating pool!
However, make sure that you bring a mask, and follow the COVID-19 SOPs strictly while you are in Monterey County!
WHAT TO DO IN MONTEREY COUNTY:
The region has the state’s longest growing season, thanks to the cold marine air from Monterey Bay, which covers the area in chilly fog, shielding the vines from the blazing heat. Monterey Bay is surrounded by a deep ocean canyon, which leads in much cooler air than San Francisco, which lies immediately north of Monterey. We had the chance to do some wine tastings during our visit and I couldn’t believe how diverse the region is.
Explore the Artichoke Capital of the World – Castroville
Pezzini Farms operates a store where local customers and visitors can shop Pezzini Farms local, farm fresh heirloom green globe artichokes.
In addition to the farm’s famous artichokes, the store offers thousands of local and farm fresh products including fresh produce, dips and sauces, vinaigrettes and oils, seasonings, dips and chips, and more.
This is the Choke Coach which can be found outside the store. Their menu looked so interesting and yummy! We ordered some french fried artichokes to try.
Discover the history of Old Fisherman’s Wharf – Monterey
Shop for unique gifts, eat at world class seafood restaurants, cruise around the bay or go whale watching. There are just so many things to do at Old Fisherman’s Wharf. It is a popular meeting spot in Monterey.
You can enjoy the view of sea otters playing on the rocks right outside the Wharf as you dine. If you play your cards correctly and stay long enough, you may even have the opportunity to go whale watching.
Join a Carmel Valley Wine Tour
Carmel Valley’s unique character, which elevates it beyond the ordinary, is apparent in the Carmel Valley wineries, tasting rooms, and wine bars that line the spectacular valley bottom. The majority of Carmel Valley’s wine tasting facilities, including Bernardus Winery, Holman Ranch Vineyards, and Joullian Vineyards, are situated within a short walk of one another, enabling tourists to enjoy a walking Carmel Valley wine tour. Taste Morgan and Folktale Winery are conveniently situated on the route to Carmel Valley Village. While Carmel Valley’s tasting rooms are often bustling, they are not overcrowded and provide a pleasant, personal contact with sampling hosts and winemakers.
We joined AgVenture Tours on a wine tasting tour around Carmel Valley. AgVenture offers sightseeing and agricultural educational tours and we learned so much about Carmel Valley from our tour guide, Evan. During our half-day wine tasting tour, we visited Morgan, Boekenoogen Vineyards and Joullian Vineyards and sampled their premium wines. We also had a private educational vineyard walk at Ingrid’s Vineyard.
Join a Salinas Valley Wine Tour
The majority of the grapes are grown in the Salinas Valley, which the Salinas River bisects. Salinas Valley is also known as Little Napa to indicate something really charming. The river and Monterey Bay together provide ideal conditions for producing cool-climate varietals such as Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
Beautiful view of Salinas Valley
We did a River Road Wine Trail tour with Behind the Scenes Wine Tours. We visited Odonata Winery, Puma Winery, and Pessagno Winery.
We also had a picnic lunch as part of our tour.
Self-Guided Carmel-by-the-Sea Wine Walk
It’s one of the free things that you can do in Carmel-by-the-Sea and a very good way to explore the charming town. There’s a free mobile guide that will take you to discover experiences at different wine tasting rooms. Some tasting rooms that we visited were Dawn’s Dream Winery and Scheid Vineyards Tasting Room.
Join an E-bike Tour
There’s no better way to explore than with an e-bike especially if you are short in time. We enjoyed our private e-bike tour with Mad Dogs and Englishmen Bike Shop where we biked the Scenic Road in Carmel and 17-Mile Drive in Pebble Beach. We stopped for a picnic lunch by the sea from Stationaery.
WHERE TO EAT
What good is a vacation to the seaside if you don’t taste some of the freshest seafood available? A place that offers a great deal of food is a lovely spot for tourists. Some of the best places to eat in Monterey County include the following:
Old Fisherman’s Grotto – Monterey
Located on historic Old Fisherman’s Wharf with stunning views of the Monterey Harbor, Old Fisherman’s Grotto is a “must visit” restaurant. The “Grotto” has rightfully earned its worldwide reputation for only the finest cuisine in a superb atmosphere and service. It offers fresh seafood and steak.
Schooners Coastal Kitchen & Bar – Monterey
Schooners Coastal Kitchen & Bar is a West Coast fusion restaurant. Suspended over the water, this stunning restaurant has magnificent views of Monterey Bay. Indoor diners will also enjoy breathtaking vistas in addition to their traditional boat decor. The menu features both big and small dishes, with an emphasis on fresh, sustainable seafood, tapas, pasta, outstanding sandwiches, salad entrees, and award-winning drinks.
Tidal Coffee – Monterey
Tidal Coffee is ideal for a romantic date, a business lunch, breakfast, or a quick pick-me-up overlooking Monterey Bay. They will fuel your day with anything from a cup of coffee in the morning to an adventure-packed picnic lunch.
La Bicyclette – Carmel-by-the-Sea
La Bicyclette specializes in European Country Cuisine prepared by hand using fresh, local ingredients and old-world craftsmanship. Their cuisine is a blend of fusing tastes and cooking methods in a manner that is both traditional and innovative. The menu is regularly updated to ensure that they are using the freshest products available. This is one of my favorite meals on our trip and I will definitely be back in the future! Their spinach gnocchi in parmesan cream sauce is a must try!
Vesuvio – Carmel-by-the-Sea
Vesuvio‘s Starlight Rooftop Lounge offers an eclectic variety of mixed beverages, custom-made cocktails, and the finest beer selection in the neighborhood. It is the only rooftop club in Monterey County and the Happy Hour runs from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm every day of the week. It offers some of the finest burgers in town and Italian-Asian Fusion Sushi prepared by Chef Yoichi. Small dishes and pizza from the wood-burning oven are offered, and the full supper menu is also available.
The Butter House – Seaside
A cheery, family-owned destination that offers hearty breakfast dishes and homespun comfort food. We also spotted some Filipino dishes on their menu like lumpia and adobo. Their servings are generous and the chicken and waffle I ordered really hit the spot!
California Market at Pacific’s Edge – Carmel
Located at Hyatt Carmel Highlands, the restaurant features a stunning view of the area’s rugged coast.
We had a great time exploring Monterey County. Although we live close to this gem, we had never really spent time to do things and experience the amazing food and wine scene in the area. I am so glad we had the opportunity to discover more of what it has to offer and can now go for more frequent trips in the future.
I hope this guide helps in planning your future trip to Monterey County! Let me know in the comments if you have questions!
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