Monterey Peninsula and Big Sur

I have been in California for 6 months now and have been to Monterey three times. So I guess I'm saying I like it here.  It is an incredibly picturesque place with each new turn another awe-inspiring view and yet it still has lots of things to do around the area.  My first trip to the area was driving up the Pacific Coast Highway to start my new contract. Unfortunately, one of the bridges had already been damaged and I couldn't make the full drive up the coast so after a 2 hour detour, I finally made it!

Pebble Beach:
To golf aficionados Pebble Beach needs no introduction.  The site of a famous golf course amidst the beautiful California coastal scenery and home to many famous people including, I am told, Clint Eastwood.  I, however, did not see any famous people that I was aware of but I did see two Ferraris in a very short period of time. There is a fee to enter the community and make the famous 17 mile drive.  I asked if there was anywhere to eat lunch when I got to the gate and the guy laughed at me (friendly) and said yes. If you spend more that $35 then they will take the price of admission off of your tab and then he said "and you will spend more than $35." He wasn't kidding. My iced tea was $4.50. But it was worth the experience and even if you don't stop to eat along the way (and there are many options from more of the sandwich variety, which is still not cheap, to much more expensive) it was worth the $10 fee to make the trip. The iconic Lone Cypress Tree is definitely worth a stop but there are so many beautiful sites along the way that I would suggest taking your time and enjoying the views.  You could pack your own picnic lunch if you wanted to.

The Lone Cypress Tree

Big Sur:
You cannot come to this area without driving down to the legendary Big Sur along the coastal highway with steep cliffs that disappear into the water and beautiful bridges spanning gaps to allow for easier access to the views.  It's hard to keep your eyes on the endlessly winding roads with all the great sweeping ocean views along the way.  Thankfully there are lots of areas to pull off on the side of the road to safely view the scenery around you. A stop near the Bixby Bridge is a must.  It is one of the most recognizable bridges of the area and is a stunning piece of architecture. A good portion of the road was closed on my trip so I did not make it down to the state park but I read it is scheduled to reopen in a few months so it's just another reason to make another trip to this beautiful area!

Bixby Bridge

Point Lobos State Park:
I think I would come here every weekend if I could.  I went there on my first two trips to the area and would have again on the third except that I have an all day boat excursion and have to be back to work on Sunday so I don't have the time this trip.  My biggest tip is to get there early.  Once the park reaches capacity it closes traffic to cars.  You can park outside the park if you want to avoid the $10 entrance fee but it is still quite a walk to get to the ocean plus I always think of a park entrance fee as a donation to keep it running and completely worth the price for what you get:  Pathways along the coast that let you observe the giant crashing waves as they pound into the rocks below.  A deer grazing along the side of the road.  Watching Harbor Seals that had just given birth to their pups and are teaching them to swim and survive. Brandt's Cormorants with their bright blue necks nesting on the rocks.  Humpback whales playing just off the coast.  A Peregrine Falcon observing those below before swooping overhead and flying off to its next perch. All were amazing sights, each time was a new and different experience and all were completely worth the price of admission.

Crashing waves

Peregrine Falcon

Another Peregrine Falcon

Mama teaching baby Harbor Seal

Cormorants

Monterey:
Cannery Row and the Monterey Bay Aquarium are two of the highlights.  Cannery Row is named because of the sardine cannery that originally took up the area and there is a nice exhibit about it in the Aquarium.  Now it exists full of little kitschy tourist shops and restaurants but is still fun to walk around.  The Monterey Aquarium is known for the research that it does to help promote and protect oceanic wildlife. It was fun to walk around the exhibits and see the sea otters swimming and playing or standing and looking up at the leopard sharks swimming around the giant tanks of fish. One entire exhibit was jellyfish.  I never knew there were so many types of jellyfish.  There are lots of kid friendly exhibits including touch tanks and play areas.  It must be an amazing place if you are a kid and great for parents as the child will be entertained for hours.

Shark in the giant fish tank

Jelly fish

Large whale models hanging from the ceiling

I ate lunch at the Fish Hopper along Cannery Row. Yes, it will be a bit pricier if you eat along Cannery Row but that view is totally worth it in my opinion.  There is nothing better than sitting and watching a sea otter dive down into the kelp beds to get their lunch while sailboats float by and you get to watch it all while eating some of the yummiest Clam Chowder (New England style) I've ever had. 

Just walking along the ocean you will see sea otters, seals, and a big variety of birds.  You don't have to spend a penny to enjoy the view and you could easily sit there most of the day if you are an ocean lover like myself.

Whale Watching:
One of the great things to do off the coast of Monterey is whale watching.  It is known as a whale "hot spot" because of the large numbers of whales that congregate in the area especially humpbacks but it is also along the migratory route for both grey and blue whales.  There are even orcas occasionally spotted in the area.  I signed up for the 8 hour all day tour with Monterey Bay Whale Watch.  They have several shorter tours as well but I was feeling ambitious and armed with some Dramamine and I was excited for the day.  Unfortunately, the waters were rough that day.  They warned us ahead of time and even after we already paid re-warned us and offered that we could change our minds right then if we wanted but no one took them up on their offer.  They weren't kidding...it was rough!  I actually almost fell out of my seat twice but thankfully the Dramamine did its job and I didn't get sick however there were a few others who were less lucky. 

We saw three humpback whales and the beauty of the 8 hour tour was that we got to stay with them for a good 40+ minutes and watch them surface over and over again.  They became comfortable with the boat and came right up to it and surfaced within just a few feet.  It was breathtaking to come that close to such a giant and majestic animal and to get to really feel just how large these creatures are by seeing them so close was amazing.  We also saw a couple other lone humpbacks including one performing some tail slaps as we approached but stopped when we got closer.  We headed back a little early due to adverse changes in weather conditions (which the whale watching company was very nice to compensate us with vouchers to come back for a 3-4 hour tour at a later time) but it was still a successful day out on the water.  We also saw sea otters and sea lions as we got closer back to shore.

Humpback whale surfacing near the boat

Two humpbacks swimming together

Whale tails that flip up when they go down for a deep dive

Humpback whale in the distance doing some tail slapping.

You can also see how rough the water was in this picture.

Sea otter

Sea lions

Point Pinos Lighthouse:
Located in Pacific Grove, it is a small, charming lighthouse that is still set up the way it would have been when it was still occupied.  It is the oldest existing lighthouse on the West Coast.  You can climb partially to the top and onto the second floor to see the sweeping view out to the ocean.  It is definitely worth a quick stop if you are in the area.

View from second floor window