Monterey (California) Sights

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Jellyfish in the Monterey Bay Aquarium

Sea lion near Fisherman's Wharf

• Monterey Bay Aquarium, 886 Cannery Row, ph: 831-648-4888 (24 hour information), 831 648-4800 (switchboard) or 800-555-3656 (Spanish), www.mbayaq.org. This large aquarium specializes in exhibiting local sea life and should not be missed. The best exhibits include a large tank of silver anchovies that swim around and around your head and three sea otters raised in the aquarium and now too tame to live in the wild. Feedings of the various tanks are scheduled throughout the day and are fascinating. Don't miss the 4 resident sea otters! Best of all, perhaps, are the tanks of large jellyfish lit up so that they fluoresce. Admission is steep at $29.95 adults, $27.95 seniors, $27.95 students, $17.95 children and disabled, but well worth it. Open 9:30AM-6PM May 29-Sept 6 and all holidays, 10AM- 6PM at other times.

• Monterey County Fairgrounds, located at Fairgrounds Road, the fairgrounds hosts the annual Monterey Jazz Festival and hosted a one-time Monterey Pop Festival (in 1967). Other music festivals occur throughout the year, and the locally famous Monterey County Fair occurs every year in late August.

• The Carmel Mission, 3080 Rio Road, Carmel. +1 831 624-1271 (Fax: +1 831 624-8050). www.carmelmission.org. One of the 21 Missions located along the California coast. Father Serra, the leader behind the greater Spanish mission to California, is buried along with his most faithful lieutenant at the front of the church. Self-guided tours take you through the remaining original buildings which now hold exhibits, a small museum, and a gift shop. Catholic Masses occur regularly. Keep in mind that the mission is a working Catholic church, so dress and act respectfully. M-Sa:9:30AM-5PM; Su: 10:30AM-5PM. Adults: $5; Seniors: $4; Children under 17: $1.

• Presidio of Monterey Museum, Corporal Ewing Road (from Lighthouse Blvd. heading east, follow the signs to the Museum), ☎ +1 831 646-3456 (fax: +1 831 646-3917), www.monterey.org/museum/pom. M: 10AM-1PM; Th-Sa: 10AM-4PM; Su: 1PM-4PM; Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years Day. Gives the history of the Presidio of Monterey from pre-history through the War on Terror. Free.

• The Pacific House Museum www.parks.ca.gov/DEFAULT.ASP?page_id=961 at Custom House Plaza offers detailed displays on local history and Native American life.

• The Maritime Museum of History, also at Custom House Plaza, showcases exhibits that revolve around Monterey's history as a port, and the history of both seafaring and commercial fishing, from the whaling era to the present day.

• The Bay from a Sailboat, Monterey Bay Sailing offers tranquil sailing trips on the majestic Monterey bay. Sea otters, sea lions, and harbor seals swim by with only the sound of the water and sails. This is a safe and eco-friendly activity for all ages.

• Don't miss the whalebone sidewalk in front of the Old Whaling Station www.parks.ca.gov/DEFAULT.ASP?page_id=964, located near Custom House Plaza on Decatur Street. Whalebone was once a common material for sidewalks in seaside towns; it is very likely this is the last one of its kind

• The Monterey Museum of Art www.montereyart.org has two locations. The 559 Pacific Street location, across from Colton Hall, has eight galleries, with both permanent and rotating exhibitions. The La Mirada building is one of Monterey's Mexican-era adobes. Located at 720 Via Mirada, near Monterey Peninsula College, it has four galleries, plus great views of Monterey Bay. Admission is $5, with $2.50 admission for students and military. One Thursday a month, the Pacific Street location hosts "Art After Hours," with free admission, light appetizers and drinks.

• Dennis the Menace Park A giant kids park that includes a full sized train, numerous bridges, ducks and geese you can feed and paddle boat rentals. One of the better free municipal parks in Northern California. It is located within a 10 minute walk south of Fisherman's wharf. The park is closed on Tuesdays.

• Watch the Sea Lions at the Wharfs There are two piers and a breakwater that provide excellent viewing for sea lions. Fisherman's Wharf generally has a handful of sea lions lounging about, but a larger group can generally be found at the more industrial wharf that is a short walk to the east of Fisherman's Wharf. This wharf has a small fishing warehouse that is still in operation and as such there are numerous sea lions that have made this wharf their home. Closer to Cannery Row near the coast guard station is a large breakwater (not accessible to foot traffic) that is generally occupied by a huge number of the marine mammals. Additionally, sea otters can often be seen in the bay, and harbor seals can be found west of the Stanford research station (west of the aquarium) or in the calm waters next to Fishermans Wharf.

• www.mbayaq.org
• www.carmelmission.org
• www.monterey.org/museum/pom
• www.parks.ca.gov/DEFAULT.ASP?page_id=961
• www.parks.ca.gov/DEFAULT.ASP?page_id=964
• www.montereyart.org