Monterey County is the best of the best that America has to offer – one of the most spectacular places to visit or live on planet Earth. Unbelievable natural beauty meets amazing history. Science infuses art. And the cultural diversity of yesteryear mixes with contemporary times. It is a supernova melting pot: Chinese, Japanese, Portuguese and Italian fishermen of Cannery Row; Italian, Japanese, Mexican and Central American farmers, farm workers, and vintners of Salinas Valley; world class scientists, artists and educators; Big Sur bohemians; and tourists from all over the place. Monterey has been home to John Steinbeck, Doc Ricketts, Henry Miller, Ansel Adams, Edward Weston, Robinson Jeffers, Robert Lewis Stevenson, Bob Dylan, and Joan Baez, among many others. And it’s now home to great institutions like Hopkins Marine Station, Middlebury’s Monterey Institute of International Studies, California State University Monterey Bay, the Naval Postgraduate School, and the Monterey Bay Aquarium. People and places that inspire new ideas, creative collaborations, and close friendships. Here’s a list of our top 10 Monterey County experiences:

Ten things to do, see, and care about in Monterey County:

1. Big Sur. Enough said. One of the most magical landscapes on the planet. Consider a sunset walk at Pfeiffer State Beach.
2. The Pinnacles.
3. Hiking Garland Ranch Regional Park, Point Lobos, Soberanes Canyon or Andrew Molera State Park. There are a great many great places to hike in Monterey County, but these four we most frequently hike.
4. Biking on the former Fort Ord.
5. Wine-tasting in Salinas Valley and Carmel Valley.
6. Carmel Beach from sunrise to sunset. Day in, day out, there is no more serene, magical, spiritual place on earth than Carmel Beach, whether you’re walking, surfing, swimming, playing volleyball, or just sitting back and admiring the light and natural beauty.
7. The Monterey Bay Aquarium and Cannery Row. The Monterey Bay Aquarium is a world-class institution that redefined what an aquarium can be. But there’s also a lot of stuff to see and do on Cannery Row, including  Doc Rickett’s original lab.
8. Strolling from Lovers Point to Monterey Bay Aquarium. Lovers Point remains wonderfully lost in 1950, a pocket beach with small snack bar and delightful sand volleyball court. If you enjoy the wonderful walk from Lovers to the Monterey Bay Aquarium you’ll pass by Hopkins Marine Station of Stanford University where the Monterey renaissance began in 1978, thanks to Chuck Baxter, Steve Webster, and Robin and Nancy Burnett who founded the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
9. Running or walking Del Monte Beach. This beach, right next to Wharf #2, stretches for many miles north. It’s amazing how few people enjoy it, so it’s a great place to run anytime of year.

Summer festivals at Portola Plaza. Lots of great summer ethnic festivals. Check out the Monterey County Weekly calendar.

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