Monterey is one of the seafood capitals of the world—sardines made Cannery Row famous, after all—but if you’ve had enough “surf” and are in the mood for “turf”… do what the locals do: head up to the Whaling Station on Wave Street.
Located right next to the Sardine Factory, the Whaling Station serves excellent prime rib, steak, fine wines and wonderful martinis (and yes, they serve great seafood too – try the grilled sardines with Sicilian salsa appetizer). Recently renovated, the Whaling Station serves the county’s finest selection of USDA prime beef. And it’s open every night for dinner at 5 pm (except Christmas).
Like this:
Like Loading...
Whether we are looking to exercise while on Christmas vacation, or whether we’re planning on making regular exercise as part of our New Year’s Resolutions, there are plenty of places to exercise on the Monterey Peninsula.
Gyms:
In-Shape is a fairly new health club chain that has opened 2 locations in the Monterey Peninsula. The Monterey facility is located at 2370 Fremont Street, Monterey, CA 93940-5407 (831) 333-1835. The Pacific Grove facility is located at 1146 Forest Avenue, Pacific Grove, CA 93950, (831) 649-2348. Call each facility for daily operating hours.
Monterey Sports Center is city-owned and -operated by the City of Monterey. It’s beautiful and very affordable for drop-in, out-of-town guests, and it has a large pool area, cardio room, basketball court, weight room, exercise classes, and well-tended locker rooms. Monterey Sports Center is located in downtown Monterey at 301 East Franklin Street, Monterey, CA 93940-3044, (831) 646-3730. Call for daily operating hours.
Outdoors:
The Recreation Trail is a very popular destination for walkers, runners, and bikers, for this coastal trail offers gorgeous views of the Monterey Bay. The Rec Trail goes all the way from Asilomar State Beach to Marina, so you have plenty of entry and exit points from which to choose. Just park somewhere near the water’s edge and start your nice, long stroll.
El Estero Park has many areas of diversion for the whole family. From walking around or paddle boating within El Estero Lake, to playing with the little ones in Dennis the Menace Park…from picnicking by the lake to skateboarding in a safety zone, El Estero Park is a popular family destination.
Monterey County’s Beaches are lovely and there’s something for everyone. Get close to the sea lions at the Coast Guard Pier at San Carlos Beach at the foot of Cannery Row in Monterey. Take a nice, long beach walk and dream of owning your own condo on Del Monte Beach. Surf or body board the beaches in Seaside, but be careful of the strong current. Paragliders and kite aficionados can be found along the windy shores of Marina’s beaches. They’re all lovely and they all beckon you to come over for a visit.
The golf course at the end of Lighthouse Avenue in Pacific Grove is known as the Pacific Grove Golf Links, and it’s an incredible bargain considering its location by the ocean. Rated as one of the best golf courses under $50, it’s a must-see for golfers who don’t want to pay the higher rates at Pebble Beach.
Scuba Diving is very popular around Monterey Bay, due to the fact that it’s a national marine reserve. If you’re okay with diving in cool water temperatures from 50 – 55 degrees Fahrenheit, you’ll love this region of gorgeous dives. Popular dive sites include Breakwater at San Carlos Beach for diving newbies, right by the Coast Guard Pier in Monday; night diving at Lovers Point in Pacific Grove; and doing the “Monastery Crawl” at Monastery Beach in Carmel–which can be extremely dangerous and is known by locals as Mortuary Beach. The BEST diving can be found at Point Lobos in Carmel, but you’ll need to make reservations, for they only allow 15 dive teams per day. Be warned, diving here is splendid, but DO NOT dive in poor diving conditions…regardless of how far you’ve traveled to dive here. Dive smart!
Kayaking is tremendous fun and a great way to get some exercise on the water. You can kayak out in Monterey Bay, or go inland down Elkhorn Slough by Moss Landing. Either way, you are very likely to pull up close to sea birds, otters, sea lions, harbor seals, jellyfish, kelp, and fellow kayakers.
Paddle Boarding is a pretty cool new sport where a person stands up on a surf board and paddles around. Paddle boarders get ripped abs and arms and say that it’s pretty easy once you’ve mastered balancing on the surf board. There’s even a local paddle boarder who takes his dog along for a ride on the board. So cool! Paddle boarding lessons are available at Adventures By The Sea and gear is available at Monterey Bay Kayaks.
Bicycling is fun for all ages and there are plenty of places to bicycle around the Monterey Peninsula. There are plenty of places to rent a bike if you don’t have your own, and the types of bike rides to choose from are endless. Here is a link to several bike routes around town. For novice bikers, choose the Recreation Trail. For diehard mountain bikers, try some of the tougher trails up in the hills. Just be careful of cars when you’re sharing the road–especially around blind corners or narrow mountain roadways.
Like this:
Like Loading...
Looking for something fun to do on New Year’s Eve… and a chance to do something good at the same time?
Local improv group Women of Whimsy will present a hilarious, high-energy show on Friday, Dec. 31 at 7:30 pm at the Alternative Café in Seaside. Toast the New Year with champagne (or coffee) and laughter… knowing that 20% of all proceeds will benefit the Agricultural Land Based Training Association, which provides opportunities for farm workers to grow and sell organic produce in Monterey County. Now, what could be better than that?
Space is limited, so make reservations early (831) 394-3031. The Alternative Café is located at 1230 Fremont Blvd; tickets are $10 General and $8 Students/Seniors.
Like this:
Like Loading...
There’s a neighborhood in Pacific Grove, that transforms itself during the holiday season and is known as “Candy Cane Lane”. The neighbors have had a long-time tradition of decorating their houses and yards to the hilt, which has resulted in a magical place to walk around with your sweetheart and your family.
The residents make Candy Cane Lane a wonderful little Christmas fantasy land. There are plenty of lights, of course, and also mechanized displays, plywood and 3-D characters (both traditional and cartoon). In the park are some shared attractions, like little clapboard kiddie houses and a look-only ferris wheel. Some displays are traditional, while some are not (Elvis and the Justice League), but it’s all wonderful.
Bundle up your little ones and take them on a December evening. They’ll remember it their whole lives. Here’s a video to help you see what it’s all about.
Candy Cane Lane can be found off Hwy. 68/Forrest Avenue at Morse Drive in Pacific Grove. Parking is very limited and if you decide to drive around, please be very careful of all the little ones walking around, distracted by the yard displays.
Insiders’s Tip: There is less traffic during the 6:00 – 7:00 PM dinner hour. Park your car at the nearby school and enjoy the walk around the neighborhood.
Like this:
Like Loading...
The Christmas In The Adobes will be held December 9 & 11, 2010, from 5:00 PM – 9:00 PM. This is a special event because these are the only nights out of the entire year that all of the adobes are open to the public.
Christmas In The Adobes is a Monterey history and holiday tradition that has been going on for 26 years. Take a step back in time and tour 22 historic adobes by night. Holiday caroling, entertainment and refreshments are provided along the way.
This is most definitely a local favorite and if you’re able to attend this event, you won’t regret going on this beautiful walking tour. Tickets may be purchased at the Cooper Museum Store, 525 Polk Street at Alvarado, beginning October 15.
Adults $15 early bird price until November 15 – $20 thereafter
Juniors age 6-17 $2
Children 5 and under free
Information Line: (831) 649-7120
Proceeds support Monterey State Historic Park children’s educational programs.
Like this:
Like Loading...
Just after Thanksgiving, the towns on the Monterey Peninsula start getting ready for Christmas–but Pacific Grove REALLY gets into it more than the other communities.
Here are some dates to mark on your calendar if you’re lingering around Pacific Grove the weekend and week after Thanksgiving:
Pacific Grove’s Christmas Tree Lighting, Monday, Nov. 29, 2010 at 5:30 PM, at Jewell Park in Pacific Grove. For more information, call 831-648-3100
Santa’s Christmas Party, Monday, Nov. 29, 2010 at 6:00 PM, Chautauqua Hall at corner of 16th and Central in Pacific Grove.
Christmas At The Inns in Pacific Grove, Tuesday, Nov. 30 – Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2010. If you love the cozy warmth of our local Bed and Breakfast Inns, you’ll love their Christmas Tour. For more information, call 831-373-3304.
The Holiday Parade of Lights happens in downtown Pacific Grove on Thursday, Dec. 2, 2010 at 6:00 PM along Lighthouse Avenue.
On Friday, Dec. 3, 2010 at 7:30 PM, A Celtic Christmas Celebration will be held at the First United Methodist Church. For more information, visit their website at www.mollysrevenge.com
The famous event known as Stillwell’s Snow In The Park will happen on Saturday, Dec. 4, 2010 at 10:00 AM. Though snow doesn’t happen naturally in Pacific Grove, it becomes plentiful at this event, located at Tommy Stillwell Court. For more information, call 831-373-3304.
And for those who plan to stay in Pacific Grove a little longer than the Thanksgiving holiday, there will be a Jingle Bell Run with Santa at Lovers Point Park on Saturday, Dec. 11, 2010 from 8:00 – 11:00 PM. For more information, call 831-373-3304.
If these events don’t get you in the mood for Christmas, stay tuned…for there are more events coming as we get into December.
Like this:
Like Loading...
