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Top Things to Do in Monterey California
Researching all the great things to do in Monterey California while working full time can be overwhelming. You’ve heard great things about Monterey. You want to visit all the must-see attractions and eat local food. You don’t want to spend hours on the internet doing research. Use this Monterey bucket list full of attractions, tours, and museums to plan your city break. You will find Save time and plan your perfect itinerary for Monterey California with these 50 things to do, see, and eat.
If you are planning a trip to Monterey California and looking for the best things to do, see and eat while visiting, you are in the right place. Monterey sits on California’s postcard-perfect central coastline. The city is known for dramatic cliffs, sand dunes, fishing ports, redwoods, fish canneries, a historic mission, wine tasting, clam chowder, a lighthouse, aquarium, whales, sea otters, and a world-class golf course, but there’s more! Browse the list of must-see attractions, off-the-beaten-path experiences, outdoor activities, and museums to create your personal Monterey California bucket list. Then, plan the itinerary for your Monterey trip with these top things to do, see, and eat. Enjoy your time out of the office!
Read Things to Do in San Luis Obispo County
Read Day Trip to Big Sur California
Things to Do in and Around Monterey California
Take a bike ride along the Monterey Bay Coastal Recreation Trail
Check out the 55 historical sites along the Path of History
Visit the Old Monterey Jail
Have a glass of wine at A Taste of Monterey
Explore the Monterey Museum of Art
Eat clam chowder at the Old Fisherman’s Wharf
Photograph the fishing boats in the harbor
Go whale watching
Have a cocktail next to a fire pit at the Inn at Spanish Bay
See the 19th-century adobe homes in Monterey State Historic Park
Spend an afternoon exploring the Monterey Bay Aquarium
Browse the Old Monterey Farmer’s Market
Check out the Walker Residence built by Frank Lloyd Wright
Kayak in Monterey Bay
Check out the Big Little Lies filming sites
Explore the Dali 17 Museum
Hang out with the sea lions at Monterey’s Coast Guard Pier
Photograph the old canneries along Cannery Row
Browse Cannery Row Antique Mall
Check out the view from the rooftop of Monterey Plaza Hotel
Have dinner at the haunted Restaurant 1833
Take a selfie or two at Selfieville Experiential Museum
Eat artichokes and sardines
Explore the tidepools on McAbee Beach (behind the Spin Drift Inn)
Check out Monterey’s Old Whaling Station
Take a selfie with Dennis the Menace at El Estero Park
Watch the sunset from the proposal bench on the Asilomar
Have afternoon tea at the Steinbach House in Salinas
Enjoy a picnic at Lover’s Point in Pacific Grove
Enjoy a food tour through old Monterey
Explore the Monarch Grove Butterfly Sanctuary in Pacific Grove
Check out the Victorian Homes on Ocean View Blvd in Pacific Grove
Photograph Pacific Grove’s Point Pino Lighthouse
Drive the scenic 17-mile Drive and photograph the Lone Cypress
Build a sandcastle on Carmel Beach
Explore Carmel’s Hansel and Gretel Houses
Tour the Carmel Mission
Take the Carmel Art Tour through galleries and secret gardens
Browse the boutiques in Carmel-by-the-Sea
Drive past Clint Eastwood’s Mission Ranch
Watch the golfers tee off at the famous Pebble Beach golf course
Hang out with the harbor seals at Whaler’s Cove
Enjoy the Arroyo Seco Gorge swimming holes
Take a bike ride at Fort Ord National Monument
Go for a hike at Pinnacles National Park
Photograph the sand dunes at Marina State Beach
Go wine tasting along the River Road Wine Trail
Shop for souvenirs at Moss Landing’s fishing port
Check out the Farm Sculptures off Hwy 68
Drive Hwy 1 through the Big Sur coastline
Be sure to check the Monterey California Tourism Board website for upcoming festivals, special events, and what’s happening during your stay.
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Monterey California Travel Guide
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Monterey Attractions and Day Tours
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