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Carmel by the Sea – California central coast, Part 2

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The California central coast south of San Francisco includes the oceanside towns of Monterey and Carmel and Pacific Grove. The ocean is wild here with the smell of kelp forests and sightings of pelicans and sea otters.The California central coast includes the oceanside towns of Carmel and Pacific Grove and Monterey. Monterey Bay Aquarium, historic missions, and more!

Pacific Grove

Pacific Grove is a beach side town west of Monterey. It began as a Methodist retreat in 1875. It’s lovely to drive along the coast and see the range of architecture of the homes and inns along the way. The town has over 1300 historic structures! Pacific Grove points of interest include: Point Pinos Lighthouse, the oldest continuously running lighthouse in the West; the 1883 Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History; and Pacific Grove Golf Links. http://www.cityofpacificgrove.org/

Pacific Grove created the Monarch Grove Sanctuary, a park with Monterey pines and eucalyptus trees with a microclimate that the Monarch butterflies love. The Monarch butterflies begin arriving in mid October, peak in late November/early December, and begin leaving in late February. During the butterflies’ overwintering season, docents are on hand in the sanctuary from noon to 3 pm. Head west on Lighthouse Avenue and turn left on Ridge Road. You can park on Ridge Road near The Parent’s Place and walk down the marked path along the side of the Butterfly Grove Inn to enter the Sanctuary. http://www.cityofpacificgrove.org/visiting/monarch-butterfly-sanctuary

Pebble Beach

17 Mile Drive is a winding scenic road that takes you from Pacific Grove through Pebble Beach to Carmel-by-the-Sea in about 2 hours. The drive was developed in the 1880s as an attraction for the old Hotel Del Monte, the Del Monte Forest, and eventually the Pebble Beach Golf Links. The very beginning of the road is at Del Monte Boulevard in Pacific Grove and takes you through pretty residential areas and parks. After Sunset Drive, you will come to the Pacific Grove Gate. We paid $10 to enter the drive and received a map that explains the numbered points of interest along the drive. You will wind your way through 8 golf courses, rugged ocean scenery, and some very fancy homes. There are twenty-one numbered points of interest including Bird Rock, Fanshell Overlook, Crocker Grove, and the Lone Cypress. There are good places to park and take your time viewing these landmarks. https://www.pebblebeach.com/17-mile-drive/

Carmel-by-the-Sea

Carmel-by-the-Sea was founded in 1902 and grew as a haven for artistic people. The town is very charming and seems old fashioned because of its many protective ordinances. The buildings don’t have number addresses, making the post office a very popular social gathering place.carmel-ocean-ave

Mission San Carlos was completed in 1771 by Spanish Franciscan missionaries. Today it is a Catholic basilica and serves a local parish. The mission grounds have beautiful tropical plantings. Saint Junípero Serra is buried there. http://www.carmelmission.org/

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There is an abundance of nice restaurants in Carmel. If you go, just try polling your friends about their favorite! We went to The Grill on Ocean Avenue and enjoyed it so much! The restaurant is between Lincoln and Dolores on Ocean Avenue in a cottage doorway. The menu has an old-school French feel with California ingredients. Seafood, steaks, lamb, duck, and lovely salads are on the menu. Excellent service and lots of local flavor round out the experience. http://www.thegrillcarmel.com/thegrill/

There are lots of places to stay in Monterey, some inns in Pacific Grove, and also places in Carmel-by-the-Sea. There is also resort lodging in Pebble Beach. We stayed at the Holiday Inn Express on Wave Street near one end of Monterey’s Cannery Row. It’s a nice hotel and very convenient for walking. It does have an elevator, but it has a courtyard layout, so you do have to carry your luggage up and down some short staircases to get to your room. http://www.montereyhie.com/

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Monterey – California central coast, Part 1

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The California central coast south of San Francisco includes the oceanside towns of Monterey and Carmel and Pacific Grove. The ocean is wild here with the smell of kelp forests and sightings of pelicans and sea otters.The California central coast includes the oceanside towns of Monterey and Carmel and Pacific Grove. Monterey Bay Aquarium, historic missions, and more!

Old Monterey

The San Carlos Cathedral is oldest church in California. Located in Old Monterey, it is a peaceful spot with a Lady of Lourdes grotto and beautiful plantings. Inside are beautiful colors. The current building was completed in 1794 and was most recently renovated in 2007. It is the oldest continuously used church in California. http://www.sancarloscathedral.org/

The Monterey State Historic Park (MSHP) begins in the Customs Plaza. The MSHP is a collection of historic buildings and adobes throughout Old Monterey. You can walk along the Monterey Path of History to see the exteriors and the gardens. For tours, be sure to check in at the Pacific House Museum. https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=951monterey-state-historic-park

The Robert Louis Stevenson House is part of the Monterey State Historic Park. This 1830 adobe home has a gorgeous garden in the courtyard. The house served as a hotel in the 1870s and Robert Louis Stevenson spent time here preparing some of his books and courting his future wife Fanny Osbourne. The house has Stevenson artifacts. Check at the Monterey State Historic Park for tour information. http://www.historicmonterey.org/historicbuildings/stevenson-house/

Cannery Row Monterey

The Cannery Row waterfront area on Monterey Bay has a rich history including Native Americans, Spanish, Chinese, Italian, Portuguese, Mexican, Filipino, Norwegian, Scottish, and Japanese peoples. The Chinese settlement from the 1850s began the area’s fame as a fishing center. In the early 1900s, canning of sardines became a boom industry, supplying food for the Armed Forces in World War I and II. John Steinbeck lived and wrote in the area, with a great influence by his friend marine biologist Ed Ricketts, who set up Pacific Biological Laboratories. Steinbeck used the area in Tortilla Flats, Cannery Row, Of Mice and Men, and other novels.

The Monterey Bay Aquarium is at the western end of Cannery Row in the old Portola Sardine cannery. The aquarium has been open since 1984 and led the way for aquarium programs everywhere. Even though it has been around for over 30 years, this aquarium is one of the most vibrant and interesting I’ve visited (and we’ve been to a LOT of aquariums!). The entrance lobby has an exhibit that explains the sardine cannery industry history. The sea otter tank is a big favorite with children. The kelp forest tank explains the forest that is thriving out in the bay and lends its scent to the Monterey waterfront. I absolutely loved the aviary. It’s set up as a shorebird habitat with sand dune plants and gentle water. I’ve never been so close to a black necked stilt, Western snowy plover, or avocet. The entry fees are $49.95 for adults and $29.95 for children 3 through 12. Though high, you can spend many hours in the exhibits. If driving, there are a couple pay parking decks within a few blocks of the aquarium.   https://www.montereybayaquarium.org/

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Monterey food

Crepes of Brittany is on Alvarado Street near the Custom House Plaza. The friendly staff offers large, plate-size sweet and savory crepes along with very good coffee (full barista bar). The savory crepes are made with buckwheat. We tried the ham/egg/cheese/ and banana crepes, so good! This part of Alvarado Street is for pedestrians, so if you are coming by car, go into the tunnel on Lighthouse Avenue and take an immediate right onto Tyler Street (downtown exit). Take a right on Del Monte Avenue and enter the parking garage on the right. Street parking in the neighborhood is also available. https://www.oldmonterey.org/biz/crepes-brittany

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Loulou’s Griddle in the Middle is the breakfast diner of my dreams. It is located on Municipal Wharf 2. The tiny diner is next to the docks. If you eat outside (7 tables), you have a view of the beach and Seaside. If you eat inside (4 tables and the counter), the windows look west across the bay. The menu has omelets, wraps, French toast, and pancakes. The pancake is called the Hubcap and it is actually that big! They’ve won awards for their food, and fresh vegetables, shrimp, crab, calamari, and linguica are all available. Loulou’s is closed on Tuesdays, and is open for breakfast and lunch Wednesday through Monday. http://www.loulousgriddle.com/

Ghiradelli has a chocolate and ice cream shop near the center of Cannery Row. The ice cream is very good and I enjoyed ordering a sundae. The dark chocolate hot fudge actually tastes better than I’ve had elsewhere. The front of the store is a candy shop with all the Ghiradelli flavors you’ve heard of, and some that are seasonally special. https://www.ghirardelli.com/locator/monterey-ca#Iy4PytwIo7wuCBL0.97

The C restaurant + bar is located in the Intercontinental Hotel on Cannery Row. The restaurant follows the Seafood Watch of the Monterey Bay Aquarium. This high-end restaurant has lovely atmosphere with huge windows looking out on the bay. The service is outstanding, the food is great, they have live music. Check the wine list for interesting cocktails. You can get flights of California or international sparkling wines. http://www.thecrestaurant-monterey.com/

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monterey-sunriseIn Part 2 we will go to Pacific Grove and Carmel-by-the-Sea.

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