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Vacation in Monterey County - California
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Jump to:
Overview,
Things To Do,
Transportation,
Climate,
Accommodations,
Cost
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Area Overview
Monterey County highlights everything that's best about California. From Monterey's hotels and seaside restaurants to the Salinas Valley's hillside vineyards, from Big Sur's redwood groves to Pebble Beach's perfectly groomed golf courses, from Salinas' old-fashioned rodeo to Carmel-by-the-Sea's elite music and art festivals, Monterey has a feast of fun just waiting to be sampled.
Includes Cities/Towns: Carmel, Carmel Valley, Marina, Monterey, Pacific Grove, Pebble Beach, Seaside.
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Things to Do |
Recreation & Fitness
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Monterey County is a mecca for all things active. By paddle, pedal, foot or golf cart, you're going to have ample opportunity to move and do. Only here, you'll be the central character in a "come to life" postcard that changes by the hour and refuses to be taken for granted. Where it concerns opportunities to be moved by art, music and food, the offering in Monterey County is staggering, with a festival and events calendar that is unrivaled anywhere on the West Coast.
Top attractions include:
-Discover life in Monterey's bay without leaving dry land at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Dedicated to marine research and conservation, the Monterey Bay Aquarium is known throughout the world for its interactive exhibits and ability to present marine life on a truly grand scale.
-In January 1958, the City of Monterey officially re-named Ocean View Avenue "Cannery Row" in honor of John Steinbeck. Today's Cannery Row is anchored by the Monterey Bay Aquarium and features restaurants, hotels, specialty shops, local artists' galleries and wine tasting rooms, all stretching along the historic streets and waterfront. Visitors can take in the wonders of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary by scuba diving, kayaking, or bike riding along the Monterey Bay Coastal Recreational Trail.
-With eight championship golf courses, gourmet restaurants, a top-rated spa, top-flight shopping and one of the most scenic drives in the world, Pebble Beach isn't just a community; it's an attraction all its own. Journey along 17-Mile Drive by car or bicycle, then stop at the renowned Lodge at Pebble Beach for shopping, a meal or a round of golf.
-Monterey County, once the capital of Alta California, is the epicenter of California history. Explore the heritage of the California mission era at our three historic missions. Walk the Path of History to learn about the Mexican era, as well as the area's early literary history. Immerse yourself in the artistic legacy of Central California at the Monterey Museum of Art. Experience the works of Nobel Prize-winning author John Steinbeck and the agricultural history of Monterey County at the National Steinbeck Center in Salinas. Learn about the region's flora and fauna at the Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History.
-Monterey County's hundreds of thousands of acres of parks range from the "mini-Yosemite" of Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park to the austere beauty of Pinnacles National Park, the coastal beauty of Point Lobos State Reserve and everything in between.
-Monterey's widely acclaimed calendar of events attracts visitors from around the world. Music lovers return annually to the Monterey Jazz Festival in September and the Carmel Bach Festival in July. Every August, car lovers descend on Monterey County for the legendary Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance and other events of Monterey Auto Week, while racing fans visit throughout the season for the Tudor United SportsCar Championship, Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion and other events at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. Golf lovers converge on Pebble Beach for internationally renowned tournaments like February's AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am and the U.S. Open, and April's Big Sur International Marathon is just one of many other competitive events that take place throughout the year.
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Cultural Activities
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The dance between ethereal and visceral is never-ending in this art-nurturing hamlet we call Monterey County. Home to museums, galleries and performing arts venues, Monterey is as much a hub for artistic expression as it is a source of heightened inspiration to the creative fraternity at large. A diverse and renowned community of artists, performers and curators of fine art share their passion and put it on display for all to enjoy.
-Once a month, Pacific Grove and Salinas offer a free Art Walk. Visitors and locals are invited to stroll through the historic downtown areas and enjoy fine art, light refreshments, music and wine tasting. What better way to greet old friends, make new acquaintances, discover original masterpieces, and create lasting memories?
-Pacific Grove's Wine, Art and Music Walk in downtown Pacific Grove occurs on a Friday of every other month from 6 pm to 9 pm. First Fridays in Oldtown Salinas is scheduled for the first Friday of every month from 5 pm to 8 pm.
-The Carmel Art Festival educates and inspires people of all ages about the visual arts. In addition to Plein Air and Sculpture in the Park events, the festival is host to the Carmel Youth Art Show, Quick Draw, Kids Art Day and more.
-The funky streets of Sand City shut down during the last weekend in August for the Sand City West End Celebration. Unique artwork is on display accompanied by live entertainment and food vendors.
-Every winter, the best cowboy poets and balladeers are featured at the Cowboy Poetry and Music Festival. This three-day event features a western art and gear sale, a Saturday night western dance, a "cowboy" church service, and a silent auction, among other festivities.
-Many performances take place at the historic Sunset Cultural Center in Carmel. This building dates back to 1931. Since then, it has evolved from Carmel-by-the-Sea's first schoolhouse auditorium to the cultural heart of the Central Coast. Along with performers like Judy Collins and Wynton Marsalis, the center hosts regular performances by the Monterey Symphony and other local classical music organizations.
-Pacific Repertory Theatre, known regionally as 'PacRep', is the only year-round professional theatre in the Central Coast region. The company presents a season ranging from Broadway musicals, comedies and dramas, to Shakespeare and the classics, and also presents world-class Performing Arts screenings. Performances take place at various PacRep venues including the Golden Bough Theatre, the Circle Theatre-in-the-Round and the Outdoor Forest Theater.
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Attractions
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Monterey County is a mecca for all things active. By paddle, pedal, foot or golf cart, you're going to have ample opportunity to move and do. Only here, you'll be the central character in a "come to life" postcard that changes by the hour and refuses to be taken for granted. Where it concerns opportunities to be moved by art, music and food, the offering in Monterey County is staggering, with a festival and events calendar that is unrivaled anywhere on the West Coast.
Top attractions include:
-Discover life in Monterey's bay without leaving dry land at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Dedicated to marine research and conservation, the Monterey Bay Aquarium is known throughout the world for its interactive exhibits and ability to present marine life on a truly grand scale.
-In January 1958, the City of Monterey officially re-named Ocean View Avenue "Cannery Row" in honor of John Steinbeck. Today's Cannery Row is anchored by the Monterey Bay Aquarium and features restaurants, hotels, specialty shops, local artists' galleries and wine tasting rooms, all stretching along the historic streets and waterfront. Visitors can take in the wonders of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary by scuba diving, kayaking, or bike riding along the Monterey Bay Coastal Recreational Trail.
-With eight championship golf courses, gourmet restaurants, a top-rated spa, top-flight shopping and one of the most scenic drives in the world, Pebble Beach isn't just a community; it's an attraction all its own. Journey along 17-Mile Drive by car or bicycle, then stop at the renowned Lodge at Pebble Beach for shopping, a meal or a round of golf.
-Monterey County, once the capital of Alta California, is the epicenter of California history. Explore the heritage of the California mission era at our three historic missions. Walk the Path of History to learn about the Mexican era, as well as the area's early literary history. Immerse yourself in the artistic legacy of Central California at the Monterey Museum of Art. Experience the works of Nobel Prize-winning author John Steinbeck and the agricultural history of Monterey County at the National Steinbeck Center in Salinas. Learn about the region's flora and fauna at the Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History.
-Monterey County's hundreds of thousands of acres of parks range from the "mini-Yosemite" of Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park to the austere beauty of Pinnacles National Park, the coastal beauty of Point Lobos State Reserve and everything in between.
-Monterey's widely acclaimed calendar of events attracts visitors from around the world. Music lovers return annually to the Monterey Jazz Festival in September and the Carmel Bach Festival in July. Every August, car lovers descend on Monterey County for the legendary Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance and other events of Monterey Auto Week, while racing fans visit throughout the season for the Tudor United SportsCar Championship, Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion and other events at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. Golf lovers converge on Pebble Beach for internationally renowned tournaments like February's AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am and the U.S. Open, and April's Big Sur International Marathon is just one of many other competitive events that take place throughout the year.
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Transportation |
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Whether you’re headed to work, school, shopping or meeting friends, Monterey-Salinas Transit (MST) will take you there. MST provides bus service to the greater Monterey and Salinas areas as far south as Paso Robles and Big Sur and as far north as Santa Cruz and San Jose.
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Climate |
Monthly Temperatures / Rainfall
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Low
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Avg
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High
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Rain |
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January
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43.3
F°
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50.9
F°
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58.6
F°
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4.2
"
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February
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44.6
F°
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52.6
F°
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60.6
F°
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3.9
"
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March
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44.7
F°
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53.1
F°
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61.6
F°
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3.3
"
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April
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45.9
F°
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54.3
F°
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62.7
F°
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1.4
"
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May
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48.0
F°
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55.9
F°
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63.7
F°
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0.5
"
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June
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50.1
F°
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57.9
F°
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65.7
F°
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0.2
"
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July
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52.1
F°
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59.4
F°
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66.7
F°
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0.0
"
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August
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53.1
F°
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60.9
F°
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68.7
F°
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0.1
"
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September
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52.9
F°
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61.7
F°
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70.6
F°
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0.2
"
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October
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50.6
F°
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59.6
F°
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68.7
F°
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1.0
"
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November
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46.4
F°
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55.1
F°
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63.7
F°
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2.2
"
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December
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43.4
F°
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51.0
F°
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58.6
F°
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3.3
"
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Best Time To Go:
Summer and spring.
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Moderate year-round. Coastal climate tends to be cool and sometimes foggy in the summer months. Inland temperatures (Salinas Valley, upper Carmel Valley and Big Sur Valley) are generally warmer and can exceed coastal temperatures by 20 degrees in summer.
Temperature: Average year round temperature is 59 degrees Fahrenheit. Average summer temperature ranges from 51 to 68 degrees F.; average winter temperature ranges from 44 to 61 degrees F. Monterey County's best weather is in the fall month with temperatures in the 60's to low 70's mixed in with morning fog.
Rain Days: Average 19 days per year; average yearly rainfall in 18 inches, falling primarily between November and April.
Water Temperature: Ocean surfaces average low in the low 50s all year.
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Accommodations |
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Costs |
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Additional Information
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Visitor Information
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Back to:
Overview,
Things To Do,
Transportation,
Climate,
Accommodations,
Cost
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