Monterey County Monterey County ( ), officially the County of Monterey, is a county located on the Pacific coast in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, its population was 439,035. The county's largest city and county seat is Salinas. Montere ...

is a

county A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposes Chambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...

on the Pacific coast of the U.S. state of

California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...

, its northwestern section forming the southern half of

Monterey Bay Monterey Bay is a bay of the Pacific Ocean located on the coast of the U.S. state of California, south of the San Francisco Bay Area and its major city at the south of the bay, San Jose. San Francisco itself is further north along the coast, by ...

. The population of the county in 2021 was 437,325. The coastline of Monterey County includes Big Sur, Highway 1, and the scenic

17 Mile Drive 17-Mile Drive is a scenic road through Pebble Beach and Pacific Grove on the Monterey Peninsula in California, much of which hugs the Pacific coastline and passes famous golf courses, mansions and scenic attractions, including the Lone Cypress, ...

in Pacific Grove and Carmel that traces the perimeter of the Monterey Peninsula. Tourism is an important part of the economy in the coastal regions of Monterey county, although agriculture is more dominant in the inland

Salinas Valley The Salinas Valley is one of the major valleys and most productive agricultural regions in California. It is located west of the San Joaquin Valley and south of San Francisco Bay and the Santa Clara Valley. The Salinas River, which geologically ...

. The first people to live in the

Monterey Bay Area Monterey (; es, Monterrey; Ohlone: ) is a city located in Monterey County on the southern edge of Monterey Bay on the U.S. state of California's Central Coast. Founded on June 3, 1770, it functioned as the capital of Alta California under both ...

were the Ohlone. Ancient shell mounds in the Bay Area suggest human settlements were established about 4000 BCE.For origin, arrival and displacement based on "linguistic evidence" in 500 CE per Levy, 1978:486, also Bean, 1994:xxi (cites Levy 1978). For Shell Mound dating, F.M. Stanger 1968:4. Spanish explorers first landed in Monterey in 1602, and the city of

Monterey Monterey (; es, Monterrey; Ohlone: ) is a city located in Monterey County on the southern edge of Monterey Bay on the U.S. state of California's Central Coast. Founded on June 3, 1770, it functioned as the capital of Alta California under bot ...

was the capital of California while it was under Spanish and Mexican rule. There are also a variety of historic Catholic mission churches, some dating as far back as the 18th century. Monterey has a rich history and is one of California's most historically important cities. The Monterey Bay is also an important marine environment due to its unusual geography and high biological diversity, and the entire coast of Monterey County (as well as the coast north to the San Francisco Bay) is designated the

Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary The Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary (MBNMS) is a federally protected marine area offshore of California's Big Sur and central coast in the United States. It is the largest US national marine sanctuary and has a shoreline length of ...

. The Monterey Bay has a high concentration of species, many of which are found nowhere else in the world. Monterey Bay also features an underwater canyon,

Monterey Canyon Monterey Canyon, or Monterey Submarine Canyon, is a submarine canyon in Monterey Bay, California with steep canyon walls measuring a full 1 mile in height from bottom to top, which height/depth rivals the depth of the Grand Canyon itself. It is ...

, that is as deep as the Grand Canyon, and which makes the waters of the Bay nutrient-rich, helping support an ecosystem that includes large mammals such as whales and dolphins, as well as sharks (including

Great white shark The great white shark (''Carcharodon carcharias''), also known as the white shark, white pointer, or simply great white, is a species of large Lamniformes, mackerel shark which can be found in the coastal surface waters of all the major ocean ...

s). The close proximity of the canyon to the shore has greatly facilitated scientific research of deep sea environments, and Monterey County is home to a variety of world-class marine research institutions, as well as the world-famous

Monterey Bay Aquarium Monterey Bay Aquarium is a nonprofit public aquarium in Monterey, California. Known for its regional focus on the marine habitats of Monterey Bay, it was the first to exhibit a living kelp forest when it opened in October 1984. Its biologists ...

. The Monterey Bay provides many recreational opportunities for tourists, including scuba diving, surfing, swimming, fishing, and sailing. Monterey County has also held strategic importance, both historically and currently. It is home to several former and current U.S. military installations and facilities, including

Fort Ord Fort Ord is a former United States Army post on Monterey Bay of the Pacific Ocean coast in California, which closed in 1994 due to Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) action. Most of the fort's land now makes up the Fort Ord National Monument, ...

, a decommissioned

Army An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...

base that housed soldiers going through basic training during World War II; the

Defense Language Institute The Defense Language Institute (DLI) is a United States Department of Defense (DoD) educational and research institution consisting of two separate entities which provide linguistic and cultural instruction to the Department of Defense, other f ...

, which provides foreign language training in over a dozen languages for U.S. and foreign military, U.S. government, and law enforcement personnel; and the Naval Postgraduate School, which is operated by the

Navy A navy, naval force, or maritime force is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral, or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions. It in ...

and which offers graduate degrees to U.S. military and

Department of Defense Department of Defence or Department of Defense may refer to: Current departments of defence * Department of Defence (Australia) * Department of National Defence (Canada) * Department of Defence (Ireland) * Department of National Defense (Philipp ...

personnel. Monterey County's significant military population and presence, as well as its abundance of research institutions focused on marine environments, and the proximity to the Bay Area, mean the county attracts a significant number of visitors associated with the military. Several artists have called Monterey County home, including writer and Nobel prize laureate John Steinbeck (Salinas and Pacific Grove), writer

Robert Louis Stevenson Robert Louis Stevenson (born Robert Lewis Balfour Stevenson; 13 November 1850 – 3 December 1894) was a Scottish novelist, essayist, poet and travel writer. He is best known for works such as ''Treasure Island'', ''Strange Case of Dr Jekyll a ...

(Pacific Grove), surrealist painter

Salvador Dalí Salvador Domingo Felipe Jacinto Dalí i Domènech, Marquess of Dalí of Púbol (; ; ; 11 May 190423 January 1989) was a Spanish surrealist artist renowned for his technical skill, precise draftsmanship, and the striking and bizarre images in ...

(Monterey), and California poet

Robinson Jeffers John Robinson Jeffers (January 10, 1887 – January 20, 1962) was an American poet, known for his work about the central California coast. Much of Jeffers's poetry was written in narrative and epic form. However, he is also known for his short ...

(Carmel-by-the-Sea).

Historic Sites

Historic Buildings

Asilomar Conference Grounds Asilomar Conference Grounds is a conference center built for the Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA). It is located east of what was known as Moss Beach on the western tip of the Monterey Peninsula in Pacific Grove, California. Between 1913 ...

- historic conference center in Pacific Grove, built in 1913 to 1929 for the

Young Women's Christian Association The Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) is a nonprofit organization with a focus on empowerment, leadership, and rights of women, young women, and girls in more than 100 countries. The World office is currently based in Geneva, Swi ...

, and designed by architect

Julia Morgan Julia Morgan (January 20, 1872 – February 2, 1957) was an American architect and engineer. She designed more than 700 buildings in California during a long and prolific career.Erica Reder"Julia Morgan was a local in ''The New Fillmore'', 1 Febr ...

* Colton Hall - historic Monterey house where the

Constitution of California The Constitution of California ( es, Constitución de California) is the primary organizing law for the U.S. state of California, describing the duties, powers, structures and functions of the government of California. California's original ...

was designed and signed * Eucalyptus Tree Row - roadside grove of 33 historic, 130+ year old ''Eucalyptus globus'' trees on the right-of-way of Boronda Road in Carmel Valley, California * First Theater in California - the first theater in California, located in Monterey * Gosby House Inn - inn located in downtown Pacific Grove. The inn was first built in 1887, and has evolved from a boarding house to a Queen Anne bed and breakfast. Still in operation. * Governor

Juan Bautista Alvarado Juan Bautista Valentín Alvarado y Vallejo (February 14, 1809 – July 13, 1882) was a Californio politician that served as Governor of Alta California from 1837-42. Prior to his term as governor, Alvarado briefly led a movement for independe ...

House,

California Historical Landmark A California Historical Landmark (CHL) is a building, structure, site, or place in California that has been determined to have statewide historical landmark significance. Criteria Historical significance is determined by meeting at least one of ...

number #348, is an adobe house. *

Larkin House The Larkin House is a historic house at 464 Calle Principal in Monterey, California. Built in 1835 by Thomas O. Larkin, it is claimed to be the first two-story house in all of California, with a design combining Spanish Colonial building metho ...

- historic Spanish Colonial and New England-style home located in Monterey. This home is believed to be the first two-story residence in California. Features an outdoor garden. *

Monterey State Historic Park Monterey State Historic Park is a historic state park in Monterey, California. It includes part or all of the Monterey Old Town Historic District, a historic district that includes 17 contributing buildings and was declared a National Historic Land ...

- includes historic locations such as the Custom House, the first government building in California * Old Monterey Jail - Monterey city jail, used from 1854 to 1956. Located adjacent to Colton Hall. *

Point Pinos Lighthouse Point Pinos Lighthouse was lit on February 1, 1855, to guide ships on the Pacific Coast of California. It is the oldest continuously operating lighthouse on the West Coast of the United States and even the lens is original. Alcatraz Island Light ...

- lighthouse on the tip of the Monterey Peninsula in Pacific Grove that is the oldest continuously operating lighthouse on the West Coast of the United States. Houses a museum and other exhibits. *

Point Sur Lighthouse Point Sur Lighthouse is a lightstation at Point Sur south of Monterey, California at the peak of the rock at the head of the point. It was established in 1889 and is part of Point Sur State Historic Park. The light house is tall and above ...

at the

Point Sur State Historic Park Point Sur State Historic Park is a California State Park on the Big Sur coastline of Monterey County, California, United States, south of Rio Road in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, Carmel. The 1889 Point Sur Lighthouse is on the National Registe ...

- lighthouse on the Big Sur coastline of Monterey County * Samuel M. Black House - an historic Queen Anne home in Salinas, notable for its degree of preservation, and for the preservation of the original plans for the house drawn by architect W. H. Weeks. * Whalers Cabin - historical cabin used by whalers at

Point Lobos Point Lobos and the Point Lobos State Natural Reserve is a state park in California. Adjoining Point Lobos is "one of the richest marine habitats in California." The ocean habitat is protected by two marine protected areas, the Point Lobos St ...

. Adjacent to a museum with artifacts and displays about the history of Point Lobos.

Historic Mission Churches

* Mission Nuestra Señora de la Soledad - (also known as the Soledad Mission) *

Mission San Antonio de Padua Mission San Antonio de Padua is a Spanish mission established by the Franciscan order in present-day Monterey County, California, near the present-day town of Jolon. Founded on July 14, 1771, it was the third mission founded in Alta Californi ...

Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo Mission San Carlos Borromeo del Río Carmelo, or Misión de San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo, first built in 1797, is one of the most authentically restored Catholic mission churches in California. Located at the mouth of Carmel Valley, Californi ...

- (also known as the Carmel Mission) an historic Catholic mission church first built in 1797 and founded by Saint

Junípero Serra Junípero Serra y Ferrer (; ; ca, Juníper Serra i Ferrer; November 24, 1713August 28, 1784) was a Spanish Roman Catholic priest and missionary of the Franciscan Order. He is credited with establishing the Franciscan Missions in the Sierr ...

, who is buried there. (Serra was canonized by the Catholic Church in 2015.)

Literary Sites

Cannery Row Cannery Row is the waterfront street bordering the city of Pacific Grove, but officially in the New Monterey section of Monterey, California. It was the site of a number of now-defunct sardine canning factories. The last cannery closed in 1973 ...

- street featuring restaurants and shops that formerly housed a number of now-defunct sardine canning factories; John Steinbeck's novel ''Cannery Row'' was set there. Located at the boundary of Pacific Grove and Monterey. * John Steinbeck House - Salinas birthplace and family home of John Steinbeck featuring notable Queen Anne architecture. Now a restaurant and museum. * National Steinbeck Center - museum and memorial dedicated to John Steinbeck, in Salinas, his birthplace. * Robert Louis Stevenson House - an 1840s adobe house in Pacific Grove where

resided in late 1879. *

Tor House and Hawk Tower Tor House and Hawk Tower are buildings in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, United States. They were the home of poet Robinson Jeffers and family from 1919 to 1999. The two structures, often referred to jointly as ''Tor House,'' are generally be ...

- longtime home of poet

, consisting of a granite masonry house and 40 foot tower that were hand-built beginning in 1919

Museums

Art

* Alvarado Gallery - city art exhibit gallery in the Monterey Conference Center * Monterey County Youth Museum * Monterey Museum of Art * Picard Trade Bead Museum and African Art Gallery - history and aesthetic display of beads traded in Africa throughout the centuries

History

* Boronda History Center - Spanish Colonial adobe and wood home of José Eusebio Boronda. Located northwest of Salinas. * Camp Roberts Historical Museum - museum located on the Camp Roberts

California National Guard The California National Guard is part of the National Guard of the United States, a dual federal-state military reserve force. The CA National Guard has three components: the CA Army National Guard, CA Air National Guard, and CA State Guard. ...

post. Open to the public. * Museum of Monterey * Presidio of Monterey Museum - museum describing the history of the

Presidio A presidio ( en, jail, fortification) was a fortified base established by the Spanish Empire around between 16th and 18th centuries in areas in condition of their control or influence. The presidios of Spanish Philippines in particular, were cen ...

Army base and the role of the military in Monterey. Located in Lower Presidio Historic Park, this museum is open to the public.

Science

Hopkins Marine Station Hopkins Marine Station is the marine laboratory of Stanford University. It is located ninety miles south of the university's main campus, in Pacific Grove, California (United States) on the Monterey Peninsula, adjacent to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. ...

Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History The Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History is a museum of natural history located near the Monterey Bay Aquarium in Pacific Grove, California, United States. The museum is a living field guide of the California Central Coast showcasing local na ...

Arboretums and Gardens

* Casa del Oro Sensory and Herb Garden - a small scenic plant garden. Features herb plants, designed to teach people what herbs look like before they are dried and packaged, as well as a variety of colors, tastes, scents, and textures. * Casa Soberanes Garden - a garden with terraced walkways lined with abalone shells and wine bottles. Located at Casa Soberanes, the "House of the Blue Gate." * Custom House Cactus Garden - a small collection of cacti gathered from parts of the Southwest in the 1920s. This garden is located on the grounds of the Custom House at the Monterey State Historic Park, the oldest government building in California. * First Theater in California Garden - a garden located next to the First Theater in California, consisting of various succulents and large Monterey Cypress trees. * Lester Rowntree Native Plant Garden - garden located in Carmel. * Memory Garden - a scenic flower garden popular with photographers and for weddings. This garden is located on the grounds of the Monterey State Historic Park. *

Pacific Grove Marine Gardens State Marine Conservation Area Pacific Grove Marine Gardens State Marine Conservation Area is one of four small marine protected areas located near the cities of Monterey and Pacific Grove, at the southern end of Monterey Bay on California’s central coast. The four MPAs tog ...

- underwater marine garden, located on the tip of the Monterey Peninsula in Pacific Grove.

Golf Courses

* Bayonet and Black Horse Golf Course - originally a golf course for the now-decommissioned

, this challenging pair of links is located in Seaside, California. * Pebble Beach Links - a world-famous golf course featuring dramatic views of the ocean, this course hosts the PGA Tour Pro-Am in the winter, and a US Open. Also the site of the annual Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance auto show, which has been held in Pebble Beach since 1950. *

Pacific Grove Municipal Golf Links Pacific Grove Municipal Golf Links is a public 18-hole golf course owned by the city of Pacific Grove, California. Originally designed by Chandler Egan in 1932, the first nine holes are laid out through the forested areas of Pacific Grove. The ...

- notable as one of the only affordable municipal golf courses on the Monterey Peninsula, this course, located in

Pacific Grove, California Pacific Grove is a coastal city in Monterey County, California, in the United States. The population at the 2020 census was 15,090. Pacific Grove is located between Point Pinos and Monterey. Pacific Grove has numerous Victorian-era houses, s ...

, was partly designed by Jack Neville, who also designed Pebble Beach Links. * Poppy Hills Golf Course - golf course located in

Pebble Beach, California Pebble Beach is an unincorporated community on the Monterey Peninsula in Monterey County, California. The small coastal residential community of mostly single-family homes is also notable as a resort destination, and the home of the golf cou ...

Spyglass Hill Golf Course Spyglass Hill Golf Course is a links golf course on the west coast of the United States, located on the Monterey Peninsula in California. The course is part of the Pebble Beach Company, which also owns the Pebble Beach Golf Links, The Links at Sp ...

- golf course located in Pebble Beach

Cultural

Performing Arts Centers and Venues

Forest Theater The Forest Theater is an historic amphitheater in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. Founded in 1910, it is one of the oldest outdoor theaters west of the Rockies. Actor/director Herbert Heron is generally cited as the founder and driving force, an ...

- city-owned outdoor theater, one of the oldest outdoor public theaters in the western United States. Home to two companies, the

Pacific Repertory Theatre The Pacific Repertory Theatre is a non-profit California corporation, based in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, that produces theatrical productions and events, including the annual Carmel Shakespeare Festival. It is one of eight major arts institut ...

and the Forest Theater Guild. * Golden Bough Playhouse - two-theater facility, housing the 300-seat Golden Bough Theatre and the 120-seat Circle Theatre. Home of the

. * Golden State Theatre - 1,200-seat auditorium located in Monterey. *

Monterey County Fairgrounds Monterey County Fairgrounds is the site of the annual Monterey County Fair. It is located within the city limits of Monterey, California. History It was the location of the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967. Musical events The fairgrounds is t ...

- outdoor venue with multiple stages. Hosts the Monterey Jazz Festival and the

California Roots Music and Arts Festival The California Roots Music and Art Festival (Cali Roots) is an American annual music and art festival, featuring reggae, reggae rock, folk, hip hop acts and live painting on-stage. The festival was founded in 2010 and is held at the Monterey ...

annually. * Sunset Center - 700-seat auditorium. Hosts the Carmel Bach Festival annually.

Annual Events and Festivals

California Rodeo Salinas Salinas is a major stop on the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) circuit. The Salinas rodeo (pronounced the Spanish way: "roDAYo") began in 1911 as a Wild West Show on the site of the old race track ground, now the Salinas Sports ...

* Carmel Bach Festival *

Kiddie Kapers Parade Kiddie Kapers Parade is a Salinas, California based evening parade held annually since 1930. It is notable as the participants are limited to children. It is held in conjunction with “Big Week” which includes the California Rodeo Salinas ...

* Monterey Car Week * Monterey Jazz Festival * Monterey Motorsports Reunion * Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance

Sports Venues

WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca Laguna Seca Raceway (branded as WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, and previously Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca) is a paved road racing track in central California used for both auto racing and motorcycle racing, built in 1957 near both Salinas and ...

- a paved racing track between

and Salinas used for both auto racing and motorcycle racing

Outdoors

Regions

* Big Sur *

Monterey Peninsula The Monterey Peninsula anchors the northern portion on the Central Coast of California and comprises the cities of Monterey, Carmel, and Pacific Grove, and the resort and community of Pebble Beach. History Monterey Monterey was founded i ...

Trails

Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail The Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail is a trail extending from Nogales on the U.S.-Mexico border in Arizona, through the California desert and coastal areas in Southern California and the Central Coast region to San Francisco. ...

Monterey Bay Coastal Recreational Trail The Monterey Bay Coastal Recreation Trail (or Monterey Bay Coastal Trail for short) is a trail that runs along the coast of the Monterey Bay. It stretches for 18 miles, between Castroville, California and Pacific Grove, California, and passes sever ...

* General Jim Moore Trail

Regional Parks and Lakes

* Cachagua Community Park (Carmel Valley) *

Garland Ranch Regional Park Garland Ranch Regional Park is a public recreational area at 700 West Carmel Valley Road, in Carmel Valley, California. It is owned and managed by the Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District. It is located from Salinas, California, Salinas o ...

(Carmel Valley) *

Jacks Peak Park Jacks Peak Park is a county park in Monterey County, California. Its central feature is Jacks Peak, the highest point on the Monterey Peninsula, rising 1,068 feet (325 m) above Monterey and Carmel. The park encompasses 525 acres under control of th ...

(Monterey) * Laguna Grande Regional Park (Monterey, Seaside) * Lake El Estero (Monterey) * Locke-Paddon Wetland Community Park (Marina) * Palo Corona Regional Park (Big Sur) * San Clemente Blue Rock Open Space (Carmel Valley)

Reserves, Preserves, and Refuges

* Asilomar Dunes Natural Preserve at

Asilomar State Beach Asilomar State Beach, officially Asilomar State Beach and Conference Grounds State Park, is a state park unit of California, United States. It provides public access to rocky coast and dune habitat on the Monterey Peninsula. The property include ...

Asilomar State Marine Reserve Asilomar State Marine Reserve (SMR) is one of four small marine protected areas (MPAs) located near the cities of Monterey and Pacific Grove, California, Pacific Grove, at the southern end of Monterey Bay on California’s central coast. The four ...

Big Creek State Marine Reserve and Marine Conservation Area Big Creek State Marine Reserve (SMR) and Big Creek State Marine Conservation Area (SMCA) are two adjoining marine protected areas that lie offshore of Big Sur on California's central coast. The combined area of these marine protected areas is . ...

offshore from

Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park is a state park in California, 12 miles south of Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park on California's Pacific coast. A main feature of the park is McWay Falls, which drops over a cliff of into the Pacific Ocean. The ...

* Carmel Bay State Marine Conservation Area *

Carmel Pinnacles State Marine Reserve Carmel Pinnacles State Marine Reserve (SMR) is a marine protected area in Carmel Bay including a unique underwater pinnacle formation with adjacent kelp forest, submarine canyon head, and surfgrass. Carmel Bay is adjacent to the city of Carmel-b ...

* Carmel River Lagoon and Wetlands Natural Preserve at

Carmel River State Beach Carmel River State Beach is a state park unit at the mouth of Carmel Valley, California, United States, featuring a protected beach with a lagoon formed by the Carmel River. The lagoon attracts many migratory birds. The state beach includes Mar ...

* Edward F. Ricketts State Marine Conservation Area * Eolian Dunes Preserve * Frog Pond Wetland Preserve *

John Little State Reserve John Little State Natural Reserve is a small natural area protecting a section of steep, rugged cliffs and bluffs along the Big Sur coast of California, United States. The reserve encloses the mouth of Lime Creek and contains the 1917 cabin bui ...

Lovers Point State Marine Reserve Lovers Point State Marine Reserve (SMR) is one of four small marine protected areas located near the cities of Monterey and Pacific Grove, at the southern end of Monterey Bay on California’s central coast. The four MPAs together encompass . ...

* Marina Dunes Natural Preserve * Mill Creek Redwood Preserve *

* Ohlone Coastal Cultural Preserve *

* Pajaro River Mouth Natural Preserve *

Point Lobos State Marine Reserve Point or points may refer to: Places * Point, Lewis, a peninsula in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland * Point, Texas, a city in Rains County, Texas, United States * Point, the NE tip and a ferry terminal of Lismore, Inner Hebrides, Scotland * Point ...

* Point Sur Dunes Natural Preserve * Salinas River Dunes Natural Preserve * Salinas River Mouth Natural Preserve *

Salinas River National Wildlife Refuge Salinas River National Wildlife Refuge is located approximately 11 miles north of Monterey, California, and 3 miles south of Castroville, California, at the point where the Salinas River empties into Monterey Bay. The refuge encompasses several ...

* Samuel F. B. Morse Botanical Reserve

State Parks

Andrew Molera State Park Andrew Molera State Park is a , relatively undeveloped state park on the Big Sur coast of California, United States, preserving land as requested by former owner Frances Molera. Situated at the mouth of the Big Sur River, the property was part ...

* Garrapata State Park * Hatton Canyon * Fort Ord Dunes State Park *

Marina State Beach Marina State Beach is a protected beach on Monterey Bay, located in the city of Marina in Monterey County, California. Recreation The park is popular with hang-gliders, paragliders, and kite flyers. It is also a popular spot from which to watch ...

Monterey State Beach Monterey State Beach is a protected beach on southern Monterey Bay in Monterey County, California. It extends from the city of Monterey to Seaside. The Seaside end of Monterey State Beach is a popular launch spot for paragliders. Surf fishing i ...

* Moss Landing State Beach *

Pacific Grove Marine Gardens State Park Pacific Grove Marine Gardens State Marine Conservation Area is one of four small marine protected areas located near the cities of Monterey and Pacific Grove, at the southern end of Monterey Bay on California’s central coast. The four MPAs tog ...

Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park is a state park in Monterey County, California, near the area of Big Sur on the state's Central Coast. It covers approximately of land. The park is centered on the Big Sur River. It has been nicknamed a "mini Yose ...

* Point Lobos Ranch * Salinas River State Beach * Zmudowski State Beach

National Parks

Pinnacles National Park Pinnacles National Park is an American national park protecting a mountainous area located east of the Salinas Valley in Central California, about east of Soledad and southeast of San Jose. The park's namesakes are the eroded leftovers of t ...

- designated a National Park in 2013, Pinnacles is in the Salinas Valley and straddles

and

San Benito County San Benito County (; ''San Benito'', Spanish for " St. Benedict"), officially the County of San Benito, is a county located in the Coast Range Mountains of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 64,209. The co ...

National Forests

Los Padres National Forest Los Padres National Forest is a United States national forest in southern and central California. Administered by the United States Forest Service, Los Padres includes most of the mountainous land along the California coast from Ventura to Mo ...

- national forest spanning from

to Santa Barbara and Ventura

Scenic Drives

- scenic toll road that takes drivers through the Pebble Beach Resort. The road has well-manicured multi-million dollar homes on one side and dramatic views of the Pacific Ocean on the other, and the resort has restaurants and shops. * Carmel Valley Scenic Drive - a drive following Carmel Valley Road (also known as County Road G16) from Highway 1 to Highway 101. The drive passes through Carmel Valley, Klondike Canyon, and the foothills of the Santa Lucia Mountains, and offers a wide variety of scenery, and sweeping views of the Salinas Valley. * Highway 1 - Highway 1 is one the best-known scenic drives in Monterey County and throughout the world. It is both a State Scenic Highway and a National Scenic Byway Road. The highway exhibits a range of geography characteristic of the county, including wetlands, artichoke fields, beach sand dunes, rocky sea cliffs, eucalyptus groves, and coastal redwood forests. *

Drive - scenic drive around the perimeter of

. * River Road Wine Trail - scenic drive on Highway 68 stretching from Highway 1 to Highway 101 by the Salinas River that also passes numerous wineries.

References

External links

Top Attractions
from the Monterey County Convention and Visitors Bureau {{coord missing, Monterey County, California Attractions Monterey County, California