Monterey
“Monterey,” the song by Eric Burdon and The Animals, was set on auto play in Jimmy’s mind while we were there: “down in Monterey…”, so naturally I couldn’t get it out of my mind either. It will forever be associated with our trips there. Monterey is about a 2-hour drive south from San Francisco.
This is such a beautiful and peaceful place. Monterey Bay is home to many sea lions, otters, huge seagulls and is a whale migration route. There are many whale-watching tours available. They go out twice a day. Early morning and an afternoon trip. There is fog in the morning, but it does clear by the time you get out further.
I went on a boat tour a few years ago and saw several whales, including one that jumped and slapped his tail on the water – full breach. Such glorious mammals! Unfortunately, I didn’t get any good photos.
When we were there at the end of December it was still very warm. The sea gulls are huge!
Monterey Bay is right on Cannery Row, the site of old sardine factories (the last cannery closed in 1973). In John Steinbeck’s famous novel “Cannery Row”, he described the street as, “a poem, a stink, a grating noise, a quality of light, a tone, a habit, a nostalgia, a dream.” The canneries had long pipes that went out into the Bay and sucked sardines directly into the factory. How horrifying for the fish!
We didn’t go into town; we just stayed on Cannery Row and the waterfront. It is nice to just relax by the ocean and watch nature. Monterey is known for its famous aquarium – Monterey Bay Aquarium. It is worth seeing and your ticket supports important marine biology research. At the time we were there, they had a resident octopus that played with an orange ball. Very intelligent creatures. Apparently, they have brains in each arm and blue blood. No need to go to the end of the universe to find strange creatures, we have plenty right here that we have yet to understand and appreciate.
Where to Eat and Sleep?
There are several good restaurants in Monterey with fresh seafood (the seafood restaurants in Monterey are legendary), but you can’t beat the view at the Monterey Plaza Hotel. The patio is right on the Bay. It is touristy, but well worth it for the view. Food is good, fairly casual on the patio, and they do have fine dining in their main restaurant.
More options:
- Montrio Bistro
- Monterey’s Fish House
- Chart House – another restaurant with a great view
- Old Fisherman’s Grotto
- Domenico’s on the Wharf
- Bistro Moulin – French
- The Fish Hopper
- Sea Harvest Fish Market and Restaurant – they also have a Carmel location
- Sardine Factory – has attracted world leaders and won awards, including best bar for boomers
As for lodging, the Monterey Plaza Hotel is my first choice. An ocean-view room is advised. I like to wake up with an unobstructed view of the ocean and wildlife. In the morning, vocal otters were floating right in front of the window. It was so great to see! The hotel has a large rectangular hot tub on the roof facing the Bay so you can relax with a glass of sparkly, look up at the abundant stars above, and listen to the whooshing ocean below. It is heaven!
There is so much more to explore in Monterey, so we will definitely have to go back!
For more photos of California please visit Wonderland Photography. Enjoy your visit to California.