Dozen Distinctive Destinations
Monterey, CA
Year Listed: 2006
Cooper Molera Adobe in Monterey, California
Credit: City of Monterey
Described as the greatest meeting of land and sea, Monterey, Calif., is a city that combines jaw-dropping natural beauty with a rich cultural heritage. For thousands of years, native people lived in the hills and coastline before the arrival of the Spanish. In 1770, Monterey became the cradle of California history, serving as the Spanish and Mexican capital of Alta California. Monterey’s heritage of adobes, vaqueros, and a romanticized lifestyle was replaced by Americans, who in 1849 organized California’s Constitutional Convention in Colton Hall. The city’s magnificent Monterey Bay, which extends north to Santa Cruz, holds some of the world's most spectacular underwater treasures, now on display at the world famous Monterey Bay Aquarium, a tourist favorite.
Monterey’s historic waterfront district, once the heart of a thriving sardine-packing industry, is immortalized in John Steinbeck's novel, Cannery Row. Visitors can still see signs of the former bustling canneries in warehouses that now shelter shops and restaurants. A ½ hour walk away, Old Fisherman's Wharf is a great place to take in the sights, sounds and smells of Monterey, the home of Alvarado Street, a National Trust for Historic Preservation Main Street Community. Visitors can watch the working trawlers unloading the catch of the day and then stroll down the wharf with a cup of hot clam chowder, or stop by one of several restaurants featuring fresh Monterey Bay seafood. Nautical enthusiasts will enjoy a tour of the Maritime Museum, which offers a historical perspective on Monterey’s nautical heritage, and watching sea lions and otters frolic in the calm inner harbor waters or taking advantage of deep-sea fishing trips and whale-watching tours.
To experience California life in the 1850s, visitors won’t want to miss the California State Historic Park, which includes National Trust’s Cooper-Molera Adobe – a great place to relax and picnic in the middle of town. Monterey is also the perfect place to stay when exploring the peninsula’s other charming towns, including upscale Carmel with its storybook cottages, art galleries and shops, and Pacific Grove with breath-taking oceanside drives.
