Monterey & Carmel - A Californian Summer - Part Four
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Monterey & Carmel
We took the 4 hour drive from Yosemite and drove straight to Carmel. Generally people group these two towns together as they are next door and often visited together. Carmel is essentially a pretty lined grid of streets filled with independent cafes bakeries and boutiques. The bottom of the grid lies a large stretch of Sandy white beach and is also famous for the 1 7 Mile Drive. We spent a couple of hours mooching around the sunny centre of town, stopped for a quick lunch and to test the white sand, then sneak a view from the lookout binoculars before heading onto our hotel for the next two nights in Monterey.
I have a fundamental issue with Monterey. The weather. It seems to be in its own micro climate which also happens to resemble the cold, gloomy skies of a classic grey British day. It’s not my friend. Even in sunny California, there are areas where you can come and feel right at home. Ten minutes away in Carmel it may have been a beautiful sunny delight but Monterey was like flying back home to England for its blustery greys and drizzly skies. For this reason alone 2 nights is the perfect amount of time to do the best things this town has to offer because Monterey excels in Aquariums and Humpback whales!
There’s an attractive main street area in Monterey decorated with all the shops and eateries, plus a pier filled with seafood restaurants and sweet shops selling every type of sugar delight and their famous salt water taffy. If you have kids that still love a playground definitely head to the amazing Dennis the Menace themed playground. We didn’t make it with our age groups and timings but its also next to a man made lake where you can rent paddleboats.
Whale watching. We were lucky enough to see over 30 humpback whales on our early morning trip with @monterey_bay_whale_watch plus numerous funny little sea lions that entertain you and help the whales feed. The tour we took started at 8am for a half day explore, so we checked in at 7.30am on the Pier office where you can also watch the funny sealions hanging around and were advised to take some seasickness medication before we boarded. They had both natural ginger tablets and the hard stuff to choose from so whatever floats your seasickness boat. As I said, Monterey is much like England - cold and grey. If you go out on a boat I highly recommend you take a down feather jacket or a thermal layer/numerous layers and gloves. I really can’t explain that even in summer it’s freezing. 4 hours at sea is a long time to be cold. If you are on a long trip like us bringing a thermal layer might seem silly but if you intened to whale watch its an essential. Totally worth it to see these beautiful creatures in nature. Be prepared to make lots of ‘oohs and ahhs.’ They are magical. Obviously whales aren’t guaranteed and there’s certain times of year they are more common but during August the company we went with had daily sightings.
Monterey Bay Aquarium. If Carlsberg made Aquariums, this would be it! I’ve been to a fair few of these in my life being an ocean loving family but I can guarantee this is a unique place. The beautiful building houses everything from the showstopping glass underwaterworlds to kelp forests, otter habitats, dressing up toddler areas, touch tidepools and waterfall experiences where you can sit underneath glass boxes and feel the force of a waterwall falling on top and all around you. It’s legit cool. If you are organised in advance you can also try scuba diving in their education pool. The whole experience goes on and on and just when you think you are finished you find another floor or exhibit. It’s immersive and interactive. The cafe is spot on and i can confirm the gift shops were highly popular too but the top highlight for me were the jellyfish. They were something else. Monterey Bay Aquarium Day tickets are currently between $34.95 and $49.95 and theres a free bus that takes you there from the town centre.
Where we Stayed
Hotel Pacific There’s not too much choice on offer in this area for big families but we managed to stay in a good sized room with simple decor and a fireplace. Two double beds, a sofa bed and a small dining table kitchenette so perfect for anyone wanting to brave the weather and stay longer. Breakfast wasn’t a strong point but if you just need a coffee and some toast you’re good to go. The location was perfect for walking around the main areas. There’s also underground parking (no valet) at the hotel for a fee.
Cost We paid approximately £392 for two nights (without parking and tax) with 5 people in a room. For under £200 a night it was a great choice.
Highlights
Carmel - Make sure you visit Carmel for the pretty town, cafes and shops. Plus a beautiful sandy beach.
Monterey Bay Aquarium - no brainer for all agaes. For more information visit here.
Whale Watching - We used Monterey Bay Whale Watch which I’d highly recommend. I’d book on the first day of your stay in case it gets cancelled due to choppy seas and you need to rearrange it to the next day. Remember WARM clothes and to take sea sickness prevention and a camera!
Dennis The Menace Playground - 777 Pearl St, Monterey.
17 Mile Drive. A scenic drive through wild rugged beauty. Cliffs, beaches and forest passing the famous Pebble Beach golf course. You pay a small toll of $10.50 with includes a map of the key vistas along the way and the iconic Lone Cypress. So many cool animals to spot along the route and loads of areas to pull over and get out of your car. The best part of this however is seeing all the AMAZING houses en route. If you’ve ever seen BIG LITTLE LIES with Reece Witherspoon, it’s where the majority of this was filmed! There are several entrances which can take around 18 minutes to drive, but allow an hour including all the times you might want to pull over and take a better look.
There’s so much to pack into this guide you’ll have to come back for part 4 and a half ! Our journey down the Pacific Coast Highway to CAMBRIA and Part five, our visit to OJAI to stay in the airstreams of Caravan Outpost. See you Monday!
