Monterey County

California
Carmel featuring signage, a city and nightlife
Monterey which includes general coastal views, landscape views and a bridge
Carmel featuring a house, fall colors and a sunset
Monterey Bay Aquarium showing marine life and interior views
Asilomar State Beach showing hiking or walking, signage and tropical scenes

Popular cities in Monterey County

Monterey
Monterey
Known for Beaches, Sea and Aquariums
Discover one of California’s most beautiful coastal cities, known for its fabulous aquarium and for being the setting for a famous John Steinbeck novel.

Reasons to visit

  • Monterey Bay Aquarium
  • 17-Mile Drive
  • Cannery Row
Carmel which includes a house and fall colors
Carmel
Known for Beaches, Sea and Scenery
This charming oceanfront town is a perfect day-trip for art, food and relaxation.

Reasons to visit

  • Carmel Beach
  • Carmel Mission Basilica
  • Bixby Bridge
McWay Falls which includes a sandy beach, rugged coastline and a bay or harbor
Big Sur
Known for Sea, Hiking and Nature
If a place has one of the “best drives on earth”, you’d be mad not to check it out.

Reasons to visit

  • Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park
  • Pfeiffer Beach
  • McWay Falls
Pacific Grove
Pacific Grove
Known for Beaches, Sea and Aquariums
Soak up the old-style charm of this small seaside city, which is famed for the monarch butterflies that stop here on their great migrations.

Reasons to visit

  • Lovers Point
  • Monarch Grove Butterfly Sanctuary
  • Point Pinos Lighthouse
17-Mile Drive
Pebble Beach
Known for Pebble beaches, Beaches and Golf

Reasons to visit

  • Spyglass Hill Golf Course
  • Cypress Point Golf Club
  • Lone Cypress Pine
National Steinbeck Center which includes interior views
Salinas
Known for Dining, Family-friendly and Business
Discover the rich literary heritage of this agricultural city, the birthplace of Nobel Prize-winning author of The Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck.

Reasons to visit

  • Toro County Park
  • National Steinbeck Center