Carmel
Carmel-by-the-Sea attracts upscale vacationers to its inns and sandy beaches. The one-square-mile downtown resembles a small village and features antique stores, galleries, restaurants, spas, and boutiques. Carmel’s summer Bach Festival draws music lovers to its various venues, including Carmel Mission, founded in 1771 on the El Camino Real. Nearby, Pebble Beach hosts world-class golf tournaments.
Marina
The Pacific Ocean, a small airport, and California State University at Monterey Bay border this community just north of Monterey. Marina Dunes State Beach is popular for hang gliding, sunbathing, kite-flying, and hiking over 70-foot sand dunes. Fishing and pleasure craft dot the harbor. Marina Dunes Preserve, just north of the beach, offers beaches and dunes reclaimed from a former sand mine.
Monterey
Monterey, immortalized in John Steinbeck’s novel Cannery Row, once had a thriving fishing industry. Today, visitors to Cannery Row find restaurants, a popular fishing dock, and the acclaimed Monterey Bay Aquarium at its north end. Bay cruises launch from Fisherman’s Wharf, home to seafood shops, restaurants, and Monterey State Historic Park, site of historic adobe buildings and a museum.
Moss Landing
Moss Landing is on scenic Highway 1 midway between Santa Cruz and Monterey. Bird watching, hiking, and wildlife viewing are popular at Elkhorn Slough, one of California’s largest wetlands. Take a safari via pontoon boat or rent a kayak to spot sea otters and harbor seals. Sportfishers and whale watchers set sail from Moss Landing’s many boat charters.
Pacific Grove
Pacific Grove, known to locals as “P.G.,” marks the northern end of the 17-mile drive along Pebble Beach’s famed golf courses. Point Pinos lighthouse, the oldest under continuous use on the West Coast, stands 85 feet above the Pacific. Monarch butterflies rest their orange and black wings at nearby Monarch Grove Sanctuary. Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History displays native plants and animals.
Pebble Beach
Synonymous with golf, this affluent community contains seven 18-hole courses, including the top-ranked Pebble Beach Golf Links. Bing Crosby started the popular PGA Tour AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am in 1937, which still attracts stars. The famous 17-mile drive winds along the windswept coast and past palatial homes and the Lone Cypress, considered one of the world’s most photographed trees.
Santa Cruz
The mighty Pacific serves as center stage and backdrop for all things leisure in Santa Cruz. Its boardwalk offers rollercoaster thrills with bay views. Down Beach Street, the city wharf is a prime fishing and whale-watching spot. Nearby, surfers near and far head to Steamer Lane to catch monster waves. Downtown’s charming Pacific Avenue plays hosts to land lovers with its local shops and cafes.
Seaside
Seaside and nearby Marina border California State University at Monterey Bay, located at the former Fort Ord. Surfers and tide pool explorers frequent Seaside State Beach and nearby Monterey State Beach. To the south, the compact Monterey Peninsula Airport offers no-hassle connections to larger hubs such as San Francisco and Los Angeles. Drive 10 minutes east for racing action at Laguna Seca.
Watsonville
A city in Santa Cruz County, Watsonville's claim to fame is its produce industry, primarily strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, and table mushrooms.
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