My Trip to Monterey Bay

California is a popular tourist destination known for sunny beaches and iconic landmarks. However, most cities in California are expensive and crowded, which is why we took special care in planning our girl’s trip to California. We picked a lower volume destination and visited at the end of the tourist season to make the most of our trip. This is what our trip to Monterey California was like.

We picked a smaller airline, and we were flexible when choosing our dates, choosing to leave and come home on weekdays to get better prices and shorter flights. We scheduled our trip in the middle of August when tourist season was beginning to wind down and the weather was starting to get colder. However, while it was a bit chillier and windier than perfect beach weather, we still had a blast. We flew into Monterey Regional Airport late at night, and our first stop was our hotel, SpringHill Suites by Marriot in Northern Monterey. While it was away from the city center, the highway let us get to wherever we wanted to go quickly and efficiently. The local area also had lots of shops and restaurants for us to explore. Fort Ord Dunes, a state park, offered great trails for us to walk and stunning views of the bay. And since it was away from the city it was a good deal cheaper than most other hotels in the city.

After we got to the hotel, we rested for the night. We explored some of the local area, hopped in the car, and drove along Fremont Ave until we found a small market we liked. After buying some provisions and exploring more by car, we headed back to the hotel to shake off the remnants of jet lag and go whale-watching tomorrow. Early the next day, we headed off to Cannery Row, the most popular tourist destination in Monterey Bay. The docks nearby offered popular whale-watching tours, and we shoved off around nine a.m.

The surrounding area was covered in seals. Seals were everywhere humans weren’t, resting on the lower docks, the rocky sea barrier, and welcomed us with a choir of barks and squeals. They were fascinating to watch as we made our way out to sea. After leaving the dock area, we made our way into whale territory, where the whales breached the water during their migration. The boats cautiously circled the busy waters, getting close enough for great pictures, but not close enough to hurt the whales.

It was lunchtime when we came back in, so we searched for a good seafood restaurant near the docks. At the beginning of Cannery Row, we found what we were looking for, a small privately-owned fish restaurant that offered daily specials based on what they bought at the market that day. With the guarantee of fresh seafood, we walked in and were lucky enough to be seated next to the window over the water.

After our delicious meal, we explored Cannery Row at our own pace. In the end, we decided to skip the aquarium, as we were tired and have seen aquariums before. We made our way back to the hotel and walked around Fort Ord Dunes State Park to cap off the day.

On the third day, we drove along Highway One following the Californian coast. We saw the sights, walked along the side paths until we were satisfied, and made our way back to Monterey. We saw the longest coastal waterfall, McWay Falls, located in Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park. We explored some galleries along the highway and took a lot of pictures of the Big Creek Bridge. The highlight of the day was an impromptu stop along the way to take pictures of the coast. We had a lot of fun exploring the short coastal trail and posing.

Finally, there was the surf and beach day. While it was cold, we enjoyed ourselves at Del Monte Beach, me with a surf lesson in a wetsuit, the others walking along and taking pictures of the beach. After our time at the beach, we all took a break at the hotel before heading back out and hitting the town. We took our time at the small shops and galleries in the small business district of Monterey.

The next day we woke up early and caught our flight back home. While we didn’t stay for very long, each of our days was filled with laughter and sightseeing, the perfect Californian vacation. While I wish we could’ve stayed longer and explored more of Big Sur and Monterrey, it was the perfect short getaway, and I hope I can go back one day. I would recommend it to anyone who wants to visit California but get off the beaten path.