neighborhoods getting oriented

F
rom the fog-cooled coastline of the bay, to the lush and green pastures of
the Salinas Valley, to the jagged mountains of Big Sur, one thing is cer-
tain: Monterey County is home to some pretty varied geography. But the
cultural landscape is equally diverse. Each little town and neighborhood bears
the stamp of its own character and history, much of which can be traced back
to the first European contact more than 400 years ago.
The city of Monterey is the historic heart of the region. It was here, in 1602
— five years before the British established the Jamestown colony on Virginia’s
coast — that Spanish explorers first sailed into the harbor where Fisherman’s
Wharf now stands. Over the years, Monterey grew to become a vital hub of
European culture and commerce on the West Coast, eventually including
California’s first military post and mission north of San Diego. After passing from
Spanish to Mexican to American hands, the state’s first constitution was drafted
at Colton Hall in 1849.
The imprint of those early years remains on the nearby towns. The cattle
that grazed the Salinas Valley during the Mexican rancho period gave way to
grain, then sugar beets and finally lettuce, ultimately positioning Salinas as
the county’s commercial center and a national agricultural capital. Carmel, for
years a tiny hamlet in the shadow of the Mission San Carlos de Borroméo del
Rio Carmelo, is still quiet and quaint. Rugged Big Sur, so formidable to the first
explorers, remains sparsely inhabited by an intrepid assortment of artists, free
spirits and descendants of old California families. The range is as varied as the
terrain itself.
This section serves as a brief introduction to the people and places that
make Monterey County what it is.

20 The Best of Monterey Bay 2008 • 2009 www . bestofmontereybay. com

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big sur
From Carmel Mission, Father Junipero Serra
and his fellow Spanish settlers could see the
raging ocean and steep cliffs of el pais grande
del sur — “the big country to the south.” In due
time, the phrase was shortened and Spanglified
to Big Sur and the place itself immortalized in
the memoirs of travelers and artists, most
famously Henry Miller and Jack Kerouac.
The winding drive down Highway 1 will
thoroughly acquaint you with some breathtak-
ing views of the Pacific Ocean, framed by rocky
cliffs covered in soaring redwoods. On the way,
you’ll pass dozens of campgrounds, lodges,
hotels, restaurants, and miles of hiking trails.
(attractions)
Henry Miller Memorial Library, Andrew
Molera State Park, Garrapatta State
Beach, Point Sur Lighthouse, Esalen
Institute, Nepenthe Restaurant, whale
watching, horseback riding.
cannery row
As John Steinbeck described it in his 1945
novel, “Cannery Row in Monterey in California
is a poem… a quality of light, a tone, a habit,
a nostalgia, a dream.” Of course, the place
Steinbeck described was still known as “The
Sardine Capital of the World.” In its post-
Depression heyday, 19 canneries worked over-
time to process the annual sardine catch,
which at its peak amounted to nearly a quarter-
million tons of fish.
After the industry collapsed in the 1950s,
a group of businessmen revived Cannery Row,
converting the abandoned canneries into hotels,
restaurants and a lively shopping district. Today
this vibrant and colorful section of town serves
as a monument to the folksy characters that
filled the pages of Steinbeck’s novel.
The award-winning Monterey Bay Aquarium
is a must-see, with unique marine displays
and a towering kelp forest tank. There’s also a
scenic bike trail that connects Cannery Row to
downtown Monterey.
(attractions)
Monterey Bay Aquarium, Coast Guard
Pier at San Carlos Beach, the bike trail,
diving, snorkeling, restaurants, night-
clubs, shopping, museums, wine tasting.
CARMEL | CARMEL VALLEY
Picturesque Carmel-by-the-Sea was already
an artists’ colony when the 1906 earthquake
struck San Francisco, displacing Bay Area
bohemians who traveled south and swelled
the town’s population and reputation. Today
few artists can afford to live in the place that
elected Clint Eastwood mayor, but Carmel still
has one of the largest concentrations of art gal-
leries in the country.
A stroll down shop-lined Ocean Avenue ends
at Carmel Beach, a crescent of silky white sand
lined with cypress trees and showpiece homes.
Just south of town lies the Carmel Mission,
established in 1771, the second mission built
in California. It became the headquarters of
Father Junipero Serra, and ultimately his burial
place—under the sanctuary floor after his death
in 1784.
An afternoon drive through bucolic Carmel
Valley is a perfect way to escape the coastal
fog. The sunny weather and rural charm rival
those of Napa’s wine country, and many local
wineries host tasting rooms. Garland Ranch
Regional Park, near Carmel Valley Village, has
miles of superb hiking trails.
(attractions)
Point Lobos State Park, Carmel Beach,
Ocean Avenue, Tor House, Carmel
Mission, Outdoor Forest Theater, Garland
Ranch Regional Park, art and photog-
raphy galleries, restaurants, wineries,
shopping.
MARINA
Marina began life as Paddonville in 1915
but wasn’t incorporated as a city until 60
years later. It served as a bedroom commu-
nity for hundreds of military families who were
stationed at the Fort Ord Army base until the
sprawling installation was closed in 1994.
www . bestofmontereybay. com
(neighborhoods)
Marina’s chief attractions lie along its
quiet coast, where a pedestrian walkway leads
through a native plant restoration project and
a paved bike path (part of a stretch from
Pacific Grove to Castroville) cruises past the
hang gliders launching off the sand dunes of
Marina State Beach. Marina is also home to
the Salinas River National Wildlife Refuge, with
its abundance of bird life and wildflowers. The
windy beach here is rarely crowded, but watch
for currents.
(attractions)
Marina Dunes Natural Preserves, Marina
State Beach, Salinas River National
Wildlife Refuge, kite flying, hang gliding,
ethnic foods.
MONTEREY
Originally the capital city of Spain’s Alta
California colony, Monterey is to the West
Coast what the settlements of Jamestown and
Williamsburg are to the East Coast. Although
rich in small-town charm, Monterey nonethe-
less retains a distinct feel of cosmopolitan
diversity thanks to the successive waves of
Chinese, Japanese and Sicilian fishermen in
the 19th century, followed in the 20th century
by international students and faculty at the
Monterey Institute of International Studies, the
Naval Postgraduate School and the Defense
Language Institute.
Today, Monterey is the perfect place to
stroll down streets lined with historic adobes or
while away time on colorful Fisherman’s Wharf
watching seals and sea otters splashing in
the harbor. The celebrated local cuisine—fresh
seafood, Monterey County wines and veggies
from local farms — is available in dozens of fine
restaurants and at the farmers market that fills
downtown every Tuesday. Visitors will find live
jazz, rock and comedy in clubs along Alvarado
Street, Lighthouse Avenue and Cannery Row.
(attractions)
Fisherman’s Wharf, Custom House
Plaza, Colton Hall, Alvarado Street, MY
Museum, Jack’s Peak, historic adobes,
street festivals, restaurants, shopping,
whale watching, self-guided historic
walk.
MOSS LANDING
Halfway up the Monterey Bay coast, beneath
the towering smokestacks of the nearby power
plant, lies the fishing village that time forgot.
Locals know picturesque Moss Landing as a
place to surf or buy fresh seafood, and as the
home of two world-renowned marine research
institutes. But Moss Landing also has abun-
dant charms for visitors: a leisurely pace, a
The Best of Monterey Bay 2008 • 2009 21
www.oldtownsalinas.com • (831) 758-0725

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     
  
Nature Tours
See seals, sea otters and thousands of birds
from a relaxing, stable pontoon boat.
(831) 633-5555
www.elkhornslough.com
22 The Best of Monterey Bay 2008 • 2009
(neighborhoods)
row of antique stores, bed and breakfasts, and
seafood restaurants and cafés to satisfy any
craving.
Outdoor types can take advantage of whale-
watching tours or kayak in the Elkhorn Slough
National Estuarine Research Reserve, home to
a fascinating array of bird and plant life.
(attractions)
Elkhorn Slough, Salinas River National
Wildlife Refuge, antiques, restaurants,
whale watching.
PACIFIC GROVE
Founded in 1875 as a Methodist summer
retreat, “P.G.” is known for its many well-pre-
served Victorian homes and the thriving popu-
lation of Monarch butterflies that have earned
the cozy burg its nickname, “Butterflytown,
U.S.A.”
History buffs can visit the Point Pinos
Lighthouse, the oldest continuously operat-
ing beacon on the California coast. Even the
downtown shopping district on Central and
Lighthouse avenues, with numerous antique
shops and elegantly crafted bed-and-breakfast
inns, is reminiscent of a bygone era. Lovers
Point, a city park just blocks from downtown,
presents an excellent place to picnic and enjoy
the panorama of Monterey Bay.
(attractions)
Asilomar State Beach, Lovers Point,
Museum of Natural History, P.G.
Municipal Golf Links, butterflies, historic
bed and breakfasts, diving, kayaking, res-
taurants, shopping.
PEBBLE BEACH
Pebble Beach emerged as a mecca for golf-
ers after development of the Del Monte Lodge
and Pebble Beach Golf Links in 1919. Today,
the name Pebble Beach is synonymous with
golf and gorgeous scenery. A private enclave of
multimillion-dollar homes, Pebble Beach yields
breathtaking views along 17-Mile Drive. The
scenic route passes by the iconic Lone Cypress
and Bird Rock and winds through Del Monte
Forest, one of the last indigenous stands of
Monterey pine.
World-class restaurants, spas and shops
make their home in Pebble Beach, which also
hosts high-profile horse competitions and the
Concours d’ Elegance, one of the automotive
world’s favorite parties.
(attractions)
Stillwater Cove, 17-Mile Drive, the Pebble
Beach Lodge, the Lone Cypress, Spyglass
Hill, Spanish Bay, world-class golfing,
bicycling.
www . bestofmontereybay. com
SALINAS | SALINAS VALLEY
Superb soil and warm winters make the
Salinas Valley so ideal for growing lettuce that
it’s been nicknamed “The Salad Bowl of the
World.” Wine grapes are quickly catching up;
Monterey County grows almost 40,000 acres
of grapes a year to Napa’s 45,000, much of
the land in the southern Salinas Valley. Many
of the critically acclaimed wineries offer tours
and tastings.
As Monterey County’s center of government
and a major agribusiness hub, Salinas features
numerous shopping, dining and lodging possi-
bilities. Its historic Oldtown district is undergo-
ing a revitalization that kicked off in 1998 with
the opening of the National Steinbeck Center, a
celebration of native son John Steinbeck’s life
in letters. Main Street is lined with shops and
cafes, and plays host to the First Fridays Art
Walk on the first Friday of each month.
(attractions)
National Steinbeck Center, Main Street
in Oldtown Salinas, Pinnacles National
Monument, wineries, California Air Show,
California Rodeo.
SEASIDE | SAND CITY
Seaside’s claim to fame is an impressive
variety of authentic ethnic restaurants. It also
boasts beautiful parks, beaches and a sweep-
ing stretch of the regional Recreation Trail. CSU
Monterey Bay is located on 2,000 acres of the
decommissioned Fort Ord.
Thousands of people drive to Sand City
daily, although only about 300 people live
there! Locals do much of their shopping at
the Edgewater shopping center, which houses
Costco, Office Depot, Orchard Supply Hardware,
Target and Borders.
(attractions)
Laguna Grande Park, ethnic restaurants,
coastal Recreation Trail, golf courses,
CSUMB World Theater, big box retail and
other shopping.
 Jack and Grace Beigle

“We’re having a ball living life our way.”

Happily settled at Canterbury Woods, former Pismo Beach

residents Jack and Grace Beigle have found a welcoming home with fellow

residents that share their active lifestyle. Newfound friends like Dawn Cope

make Canterbury Woods a place that’s more about “community”

and less about “retirement”. There’s something fun to do every day.

Call Canterbury Woods today and learn more about our private cottages,

apartment homes, and worry-free Life Care program. Life is meant to be lived your way.

831-657-4193 • www.jtm-esc.org 651 Sinex Avenue • Pacific Grove, CA 93950

A fully accredited, nondenominational, not-for-profit retirement community, owned and operated by Episcopal Senior Communities.
License: 270708224 COA #89