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What The Locals Know–Hot Spots For Young Families

The Monterey Peninsula is a favorite weekend destination for Bay Area families. The beaches, sunshine and beauty attract the parents, while the kid-friendly attractions motivate the kids. Here are a few local destinations that are favorites with young families.

Dennis The Menace Park is Monterey’s famous playground within El Estero Park and offers lots of fun places for young children.

Monterey Skate Park is a skateboard park for the older kids, also found within the El Estero Park complex. Parents can picnic within view of the skateboard park and keep an eye on the munchkins.

El Estero Lake is filled with bathing birds and paddle boats on sunny days. Rent a paddle boat for a 1/2 hour and we guarantee your legs will get a great workout!

Monterey Bay Aquarium is the major destination for most visitors on the Monterey Peninsula, and rightly so! It’s beautiful, educational, fun, and lots to see. Membership to the aquarium will help you get inside quicker and earn you discounts in the gift shops, so consider getting a membership if you visit Monterey often.

The Recreation Trail runs along the water’s edge through Pacific Grove, Monterey, Seaside, and all the way up to Marina. Between Lover’s Point and Fisherman’s Wharf is where most people are found riding rented bicycles and surreys.

Del Monte Beach is across Del Monte Blvd. from El Estero Lake. To find easy parking, pull into the paid parking lot at the corner of Del Monte Blvd. and Figueroa, right at the foot of the Commercial Wharf #2. Del Monte Beach is dog-friendly, offers lots of sand for sandcastle builders, and is a safe beach where small kids can run and play in the waves. Picnic areas are available, as are kayaks and paddle boards. If you visit Del Monte Beach, please make sure you pack all your trash, shoes, plastic toys and such so you don’t pollute the water. People forget that high-tide will sweep all that refuse into the water and it harms our sea life.

Cannery Row, made famous by John Steinbeck, is a street filled with candy shops, restaurants, souvenirs, and holiday memories. The Monterey Bay Aquarium is at one end of Cannery Row, and San Carlos Beach park and the Coast Guard pier are at the other end. In between, at the corner of Prescott and Cannery Row, families will delight in yummy yogurt at MYO Yogurt. During summertime, you’ll see MYO’s brightly colored yogurt cups in everyone’s hands as they cruise around Cannery Row. Make sure you properly dispose of the yogurt cups and other refuse in the trash, however, so we don’t pollute our shores!

Old Fisherman’s Wharf is another top tourist destination after the Monterey Bay Aquarium. It’s from Fisherman’s Wharf where you can grab a bag of salt-water taffy or depart on a whale watching tour. Visit a gift shop or restaurant on Fisherman’s Wharf, or head for the sea on a chartered sail boat. There’s lots of stuff to do at Fisherman’s Wharf, but remember that you’ll need to budget for parking, and higher food prices because of the stellar location. At the foot of Fisherman’s Wharf, check out the Custom House and take a history walk in downtown Monterey via Alvarado Street’s Portola Plaza.

Insider’s Tip: In summer, from May to September, ride the free trolley through town. It makes a loop from Fisherman’s Wharf and downtown to the Monterey Bay Aquarium and back. Click here for the map.

What The Locals Know–Where To Work Out

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.

What The Locals Know–Dining Out During Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving, our delightfully gut-busting national holiday is around the corner, and for a few, that means a terrifying experience in the kitchen. Not everyone has what it takes to prepare a large feast that tastes great and hasn’t gone cold before reaching the dinner table. That’s why a brave few choose to opt out of cooking during this Thanksgiving holiday and find a yummy turkey dinner at a local restaurant.

Not all restaurants are open on Thanksgiving, but here are a few worth mentioning:
Whole Foods: If you are staying in one of the lovely vacation rentals offered by Monterey Bay Property Management and want to have Thanksgiving Dinner within your rental, you may want to reserve a fully prepared Thanksgiving Meal from Whole Foods. It’ll be an easy solution that will allow you to celebrate Thanksgiving at “home”. Whole Foods is located in Monterey.
Asilomar Conference Grounds: Offering a Thanksgiving Package that includes Thanksgiving dinner. Asilomar is located in Pacific Grove.
Il Fornaio: The Italian eatery located at the NE Corner of Ocean and Lincoln Avenues in Carmel is offering Thanksgiving Dinner, and reservations are required.
Fresh Cream: With it’s French-inspired California cuisine, located at the NW Corner of Dolores and 8th Avenues in Carmel, just published its Thanksgiving Dinner menu. The menu makes our mouths water with their descriptions of roasted butternut squash soup, oven roasted turkey, sweet potato puree, savory bread pudding stuffing, and pumpkin pie. Wow! Make a reservation at Fresh Cream by contacting 831-250-7943 or dining@freshcream.com.
Monterey Plaza Hotel & Spa: Offering a 4-course Thanksgiving Dinner from 1:00 PM – 8:00 PM in their Duck Club Grill. The Duck Club Grill is in side the Monterey Plaza Hotel on Cannery Row in Monterey.
Cannery Row Brewing Company: Offering Thanksgiving Dinner and beer. They’re new, so it might be worth checking out their Thanksgiving Day efforts. Call 831-643-2722 for details.
Fandango Restaurant: Offering a special Thanksgiving Day menu. Contact them for reservations at 831-372-3456.
Chart House: Is doing something a little like Whole Foods, where they are offering a full Thanksgiving Dinner that will feed 6 – 8 people and it’s all To-Go! Or, you can eat there. Call 831-372-3362 to make your order.

Insider’s Tip: There is a little bar, tucked in the back of its row of shops in Carmel, called Ody’s Tavern, that sometimes serves up Thanksgiving dinner on the evening before Thanksgiving! It’s on San Carlos near Ocean Avenue and the building is light blue. Call them at (831) 626-6821 for directions if you get turned around.

What The Locals Know–Big Sur Half Marathon Events, November 13-14, 2010

For those who love to run and walk along our beautiful coastline, the Big Sur Half Marathon is worth checking out.  This is the 8th year of the Big Sur Half Marathon and its popularity has grown!

Here’s what to expect if you participate in the half marathon:

  • A gently rolling fast course that winds through historic downtown Monterey, along Cannery Row, and proceeds along Pacific Grove’s coastline with incredible views of the Monterey Bay.
  • An unparalleled race destination weekend.  After the race, take some time to enjoy world-class golf, a Spa afternoon, whale watching, world-class dining, shopping, wine tasting, a visit to the Monterey Bay Aquarium and much more.  Visit the Big Sur Half Marathon’s Visitor’s Guide for more options.
  • A walker friendly course that welcomes Half Marathon walkers.  Other weekend events include the Run Forrest Run 5K and the JUST RUN!®Just Kids 3K fun run, both held on Saturday, November 13th.

Insider’s Tip on Registration:  Register early to make sure you get all your ducks in a row before the big weekend!

Insider’s Tip for Non-Participants:  For those of you not interested in participating, but wish to hang out near the popular Recreation Trail and Cannery Row, keep in mind the following things:  1) It may be harder to find parking during the event.  2)  The trail may be closed to non-participants during the event.  3)  You may find more traffic congestion during the event.


What The Locals Know–Halloween Events

Autumn is a fabulous time of year and October hops along with harvest festivals, pumpkin patches and corn mazes for the whole family.  The climax at the end of October is, of course, Halloween, the second highest grossing holiday of the year.
Here is a link to various locations that celebrate Halloween all month long:  http://www.mbaykids.com/Halloween.asp.
The Monterey Bay Aquarium will host its annual Halloween party on Oct. 30 for its members.
The Lighthouse District will also host its Second Annual Children’s Trick-Or-Treat on Lighthouse from 3:00 – 5:00 pm.
Insider’s tip:  Even though there are numerous crosswalk personnel, drivers be AWARE and EXTRA careful when driving along Lighthouse that Saturday!
For adults, there aren’t that many events being promoted at press time, but here’s an insider’s tip:  Keep an eye out for event postings in the Monterey County Weekly and the Go! Calendar inside the Monterey Herald newspapers.

What The Locals Know–October Festivals

Because Fall offers some of our better weather, there are many festivals and outdoor events happening in and around the Monterey Peninsula during the month of October.

Pacific Grove Historic Home Tour, Sunday October 3, 2010

Visitors will have a rare opportunity to view the interiors of Pacific Grove’s finest historic homes during the 41st annual Pacific Grove Historic Home Tour. On-site docents can answer questions about the history of the buildings and how early residents of Pacific Grove lived. Self-guided tours of these historic buildings will run from 10am to 3pm. Tickets for this once-a-year event are only $20 for adults and $10 for children 6 to 18. Children 5 and under are free.

Insider’s tip:  If you have always wanted to see what it’s like to live in one of these historic homes, go on this tour!  It may inspire some home design ideas of your own.

Now in its tenth year, Monterey History Fest has grown into a festival that offers a variety of programs for both residents and visitors to experience Monterey’s unique cultural heritage and historic resources. Sponsored by the City of Monterey, Monterey State Historic Park (California State Parks) and Monterey History and Arts Association, History Fest has developed a plentiful schedule designed to bring Monterey’s past to life during this community-wide event.
Insider’s tip:  Arrive early to get the best parking spaces!
Healing Waters Ceremony, October 16, 2010, 9:00 – 10:00 AM at Del Monte Beach in Monterey

The Healing Waters Ceremony is a spiritual gathering that is one part memorial service for past loved ones (including pets), and another part healing celebration for the water itself and those animals that live within it.  This event is open to the public and free, but donations will be accepted.

This ceremony is meant to bring people together to celebrate life; remember the animals, lives, and losses of the Gulf Oil Spill–because all waters are connected; and to also heal our spirits with music, dance and prayer.
Insider’s tip:  Music will be provided by our very own local GRAMMY nominated singer/songwriter, Jennifer Filzen.  She’ll be performing “Sirena”, a beautiful funeral song during the flower toss portion of the ceremony.  It’ll be a nice way for participants to say hello and goodbye to past loved ones.

Admission is free for folks interested in vintage airplanes and classic cars.  You can get a plane ride for a fee.
Insider’s tip:  Take a dream ride in an old plane and make sure you bring your video camera so you can brag about it to your Facebook friends!

View this list of places that celebrate Halloween all month long.  Corn mazes and pumpkin patches make for fond Fall memories.

What The Locals Know–Why Is It So Cool Here?

Many visitors comment on how cool it is here on the Monterey Peninsula.  Like Mark Twain is reported to have said, “The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco,” and since San Francisco is close by, the same can be said of our area.

Our weather is cool during the summer for several reasons:

1.  Our ocean currents run from the Arctic Circle and (North to South) and our water temperature tends to be around 49 degrees to 55 degrees Farenheit.

In contrast, the Eastern seaboard of the United States experiences water currents flowing North from the Equator (South to North) with an added bonus of the warm water originating from the Gulf of Mexico known as the Gulf Stream.

2.  We have a deep underwater canyon that begins in the Monterey Bay (at Moss Landing and Carmel) and there is a lot more water depth than eyes on land can see.

To compare, the Eastern seaboard tends to be shallower and can heat up from the sun more quickly.

3.  Water currents and wind churn the water up from the depths to the surface, which causes cooler water to circulate up.  This makes for very happy marine life because the upwellings bring food closer to the surface.

Now you know why you don’t see Sea Lions and Otters frolicking on Florida beaches.

4.  The water’s cool water temperature and wind from the ocean makes the air cooler and creates a marine layer/low cloud ceiling.  When that cooler air blends with the warmer air temperature over land, fog is created.  Our marine layer usually evaporates from the sun after noon.

We hope this helps explain why our air is cool and why we rarely need air conditioning.  It also explains why you should always keep a jacket or sweater handy when you’re visiting the Monterey Peninsula.

What The Locals Know–Weddings and Resources

by Jennifer Filzen

The Monterey Peninsula is a distinct wedding destination for many happy couples.  If you, or someone you know is planning a wedding, we hope this blog will be helpful.

First, if you’ve not yet seen it, our very own Monterey Rentals website has a wedding page.  We have found that many of the same people who are looking for a vacation rental through us are also looking for local wedding vendors.  So, we got smart and developed a resource guide for our clients.  We hope our wedding page proves useful for you and yours.

Second, if you’re booking a wedding here and you’re doing it during the high season–which is summer–know that room rates at B&Bs, hotels, and motels go up.  Believe it or not, the most economical way to stay on the Monterey Peninsula is to stay at one of our lovely vacation rentals.  If you rent a house, condo, or duplex and share the cost with others in your group, it makes it more affordable and fun.  Your wedding friends and family will likely have a ball at the “party house” that they’re sharing with other guests.  If they can have fun and save money at the same time, everyone wins!

Lastly, if you have questions about what to do, where to send your wedding guests, tours, etc., we have crafted our website to provide helpful information for you and yours.  If you don’t find what you’re looking for on our site, try visiting the Monterey Peninsula Chamber of Commerce site or the Monterey County Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Have fun planning for your big day!

What The Locals Know–The Joys of the Rec Trail by Jennifer Filzen

Many tourists are in a rush and don’t get a chance to enjoy the full extent of the recreation trail that extends from Lover’s Point in Pacific Grove to Marina.  Due to most foot traffic staying between the American Tin Cannery and Fisherman’s Wharf, a lot of beautiful views are overlooked.

I live in New Monterey, the neighborhood just up the hill from Cannery Row.  I often walk down the hill and turn right toward Fisherman’s Wharf so I can have a nice, long walk to Del Monte Beach, which is north of the Commercial Wharf.

My favorite time of year is between April through June when the sea lion pups are newly born and they hang out by the docks and shore-lining rocks.  They can be a little stinky (and what baby isn’t stinky at times?) but they’re so darned cute!  Hearing them vocalize and bark is so much fun.

I love the change of scenery along the rec trail.  I start my walk from the hill, where the view can extend out over the blue water all they way to Moss Landing…or on a really clear day…Santa Cruz.  On cloudier days, I’m satisfied looking out over the old buildings of Cannery Row.

As I head north on the rec trail from Cannery Row, I see the grassy park and Coast Guard pier of San Carlos Beach.  Sometimes I’ll walk out to the end of the pier to see the snoozing and/or barking sea lions.

I then proceed north toward Fisherman’s Wharf and enjoy the view of the fun houseboats moored out in the water, right next to the colorful buildings along Fisherman’s Wharf.

Once I hit the foot of Fisherman’s Wharf, I look over at the Custom House and think about all the history that building has seen over the centuries.

I continue north down the rec trail and hear the tourists beeping their horns as they go through the tunnel.  Yes, we know you’re a tourist when you honk your horn.  Only tourists do that…all summer long…and it drives some of us locals a little crazy.

After the rec trail delivers me safely around the Fisherman’s Wharf parking lot, I can then visit the Commercial Wharf.  If I want to check in with the commercial fisherman, I’ll walk down the wharf and see their haul.  Squid season tends to be the most spectacular time of year because the boats are out on the water all night long with their lights on to attract the squid.  This gives those of us up on the hill a wonderful boat light show.

Having my fill of the Commercial Wharf, I then step onto the sand of Del Monte Beach, right by the aqua-colored Adventures By The Sea building.  Once my toes hit the sand, my senses are more keen to hear the sounds of the waves and smell the sea mist.  I have walked as far as the Monterey Dunes Beach Resort on days where I want to walk about 4 – 5 miles.

For those with bicycles, or longer legs, you can continue all the way down the rec trail to Marina.  You can see the rec trail as you drive down Highway 1, and I love seeing folks ride their bikes or walk their dogs.

The rec trail is a Monterey Peninsula treasure, and it has made our area rank high on the “city walkability” scale.  Our rec trail has consistently been a site for many marriage proposals.  I, for one, was just recently proposed to by my honey after a nice walk down the rec trail where he got down on bended knee on the beach at Lover’s Point.

Imagine that…the rec trail is just as romantic as it is healthy, beautiful, dog- and family-friendly…and that’s pretty special.