Explore -- Nearby Areas: Monterey County Attractions & Historic Sites


17 Mile Drive To get the best views of the awe-inspiring Monterey Coast, this popular drive winds along a breathtaking route through the 5,000-acre Del Monte Forest that comprises Pebble Beach. People have been enjoying this excursion since the 1800s when it was called the "Circle of Enchantment" and tours were taken on horse-drawn carriages. Begin at any of the five gates at Pebble Beach.
Cannery Row At the foot of Prescott Ave., Pacific Grove. www.canneryrow.com Made famous through the writings of John Steinbeck, Cannery Row was the center of the thriving sardine fishing industry in the 1920’s and ‘30’s. Cannery Row has since evolved into a popular tourist attraction with art galleries, shops, restaurants, lodgings and the world renowned Monterey Bay Aquarium.
Carmel Mission 3080 Rio Rd., Carmel. (831) 624-3600. Established as the headquarters of the California mission system during the Spanish era, the building has been fully restored. The gardens and historic museums housed within it are available for touring Mon-Sat, 9:30-4:30; Sun, 10:30-4:30.
Fisherman’s Wharf Off Del Monte Ave., Monterey. www.montereywharf.com Built in 1846 as an unloading pier for trading schooners, Fisherman’s Wharf later serviced whaling ships and boats of the sardine fleet. Today, restaurants, fish markets, shops, and galleries share the wharf with fishermen unloading their daily catch, while seals, sea lions and otters cavort alongside. Charter fishing, diving or whale watching offered.
Laguna Seca Raceway 1021 Monterey-Salinas Highway (Hwy. 68 east from Hwy. 1). (831) 242-8201. www.laguna-seca.com The site of exciting Indy-style auto racing, motorcycle racing and vintage car events.
Monterey Bay Aquarium 886 Cannery Row, Monterey. (831) 648-4888. www.montereybayaquarium.org Universally recognized as the premier aquarium in the world, the Monterey Bay Aquarium offers a spectacular "diver’s eye" view of Monterey Bay’s underwater sea life as well as a remarkable new deep-sea exhibit.


Monterey County Museums:
Maritime Museum of Monterey and Art Association 5 Custom House Plaza, Monterey. (831) 375-1643. www.montereyhistory.org Traces the seafaring history of Monterey from the first Spanish conquistadors and the mission era to modern day commercial fishing and the U.S. Navy.
Monterey Museum of Art 559 Pacific St., Monterey. (831) 372-5477. www.montereyart.org Considered to be perhaps the best small town museum in the United States, it features a permanent collection of California art and photography, including the works of Ansel Adams and Edward Weston, plus Asian, Pacific Rim and international folk art.
Monterey Path of History Tour Explore the sites of old Monterey on an interesting two-mile historical walking tour that guides you through the interiors of the oldest adobes in California. Restored to their original condition, houses such as the Cooper-Molera adobe also have gardens; the Pacific House holds a history museum. Pick up information at the Maritime Museum of Monterey at the Fisherman's Wharf, or call (831) 649-7118.
National Steinbeck Center One Main St., Salinas. (831) 796-3833. www.steinbeck.org This multi-sensory museum brings John Steinbeck’s world to life through films and interactive exhibits.