Monterey County
California
Popular cities in Monterey County
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
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
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
Seaside
Known for Beaches, Shopping and Aquariums
Trip time! Discover the beaches, aquarium, and sunsets in Seaside.
Reasons to visit
- Monterey State Beach
- Fort Ord Dunes State Park
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
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
- National Steinbeck Center