MONTEREY
Area: California
Country: United States of America


Location:
In the W of the United States, midway down California's Pacific W coast, 112 mls S of San Francisco, 4 mls N of Carmel. 2 mls from Monterey Peninsula airport; nearest international airport is at San Francisco.

Telephone code from UK:
1 831

Website:
http://www.monterey.com

Position:
On the N coast of the Monterey Peninsula, facing Monterey Bay, in a region of natural beauty with green hills, vineyards and an extensive coastline of desolate sand and rock beaches backed by grassy dunes.

Description:
An early Spanish mission and capital of Mexican-controlled Alta California, then an established seafaring community, Monterey has developed into a rather exclusive low-rise resort with many fine historic buildings, museums and a renowned aquarium. It prospered as a bawdy, foul-smelling whaling boom town in the mid-19th century, and then in the 1920s with equally pungent sardine-canning factories. Some have been transformed into quaint shops and seafood restaurants as part of the resort's principal tourist district, known as Cannery Row (immortalised by the novelist John Steinbeck). This is easily reached on foot or by WAVE bus from the compact downtown, which lies behind a large yacht marina and historic Fisherman's Wharf.

Suitability:
Predominantly mature middlemarket couples and younger families; history buffs and affluent golfers.

Accommodation:
Large numbers of B&Bs, often in historic wooden 19th-century houses, augmented by a handful of large convention-orientated hotels in downtown and along Cannery Row. Numerous budget motor inns and motels.

Shopping:
Wide range of interesting local shops downtown, with a host of speciality boutiques and art galleries around Portola Plaza. More than 150 stores, offering everything from jewellery to fine wine in the Cannery Row district. Fish market on the pier at Fisherman's Wharf. Large out-of-town mall with major department stores off Highway 1 between Monterey and Carmel. Weekly market for unique arts and crafts.

Beach:
The entire peninsula is fringed by long stretches of wild sandy beaches backed by big grassy dunes. Not noted as a genuine beach resort because of the strong Pacific rollers and relatively cool climate, but it is popular with skilled surfers year round. There are broad sections of soft sand E of Fisherman's Wharf at the limited State Beach, with a much better one a couple of miles farther on near the Monterey Beach hotel.

Entertainments:
Daytime: various historical tours, including a choice of museums, art galleries and restored buildings. Cannery Row's old whaling and sardine factories; Monterey Bay Aquarium; Fisherman's Wharf. Maritime museum. Extensive (but expensive) golf and tennis. Wine- and beer-tasting. Scuba diving, sailing, sport fishing and whale-watching in the bay. Nightlife: generally more reserved. Numerous bars, 1 or 2 English-style pubs and assorted restaurants. Theatre (California's oldest) and several cinemas. Blues and jazz festivals.

Eating:
Dominated by fresh seafood specialities, from sardines to Pacific prawns. Numerous intimate gourmet restaurants with ocean views along Cannery Row and on Fisherman's Wharf pier. Usual array of budget eateries and fast-food joints are dotted all over town, supplemented by hotel restaurants. Good variety of locally brewed beers and fine Californian wines from the peninsula's own vineyards.

Public-transport:
The small and relatively flat downtown area is easily negotiated on foot. The Waterfront Area Visitors Express (WAVE) runs from the aquarium through downtown and along the waterfront. It is supplemented by the Monterey-Salinas Transit buses, which operate throughout the peninsula.

Local-excursions:
17-ml tourist drive through pine forests and cypress groves and past many palatial homes. Carmel-by-the-Sea (half day); choice of vineyards and wineries (day); San Francisco (overnight).