What the Locals Know – How to Get to the US Open

How will you get to the US Open, once you get to the Monterey Peninsula?  Here’s the scoop:  Complimentary general spectator parking will be provided at California State University Monterey Bay, which is located off Route 1 in Marina, Calif. Complimentary transportation will be provided to and from the main admission gate. This shuttle bus ride should take 20-25 minutes, depending on traffic.   For spectators who are staying in Seaside, Marina and Salinas, this is the most convenient way to get to the venue.

For those staying in Monterey, Pacific Grove and Carmel, shuttles are available for a small cost from convenient locations.  The shuttle from Monterey to the U.S. Open picks up and drops off at Cannery Row and Prescott, next to Steinbeck Plaza. The shuttle will run 6am-8:30pm on Thrusday-Friday, 6am-9pm Saturday and 6am-7pm on Sunday. The shuttle leaves every 20 minutes. Tickets are $20 per person each day, free parking will be available in the Cannery Row garage. See the Cannery Row website for more information.

The Pacific Grove Shuttle to the U.S. Open picks up and drops off in front of the Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History. The shuttle will run 8am—5:30pm on Monday-Wednesday and 7am—7pm on Thursday-Sunday. The shuttle leaves every 30 minutes and free parking is available a block away on Ocean View Blvd. Tickets are $20 for each day, or $60 for a seven-day pass. Tickets can be purchased at the Pacific Grove Chamber of Commerce at Central and Forest Avenues. For more information call 831-373-3304.

Shuttles from Carmel-by-the-Sea to the U.S. Open are $20 per day, or $80 for the week, and depart from Carmel Plaza on Ocean between Junipero and Mission every 15 minutes. The shuttle will run 8am—5:30pm Monday through Wednesday, 7am—7pm Thursday and Friday and 7am—5:30pm Saturday and Sunday. Free parking is available at Vista Lobos at 3rd and Junipero. Tickets can be purchased at the Carmel Visitor Center or at the shuttle bus stop. Visit the Carmel Chamber of Commerce website for more information.

All three cities, Monterey, Pacific Grove, and Carmel, have time-limited parking in the immediate vicinity of the shuttle locations.  If you find that the local garages and parking lots are full (which is highly likely!), an alternative is to drive into the residential areas and find a place to park on the street.  Be sure to park legally and not to block any driveways or other accesses.

It is not recommended that you drive into Pebble Beach without a confirmed parking place.  And if you do not yet have tickets, Monterey Bay Property Management has some tickets that are complete with parking inside the Pebble Beach gates.

If you are very brave and don’t mind paying a premium to park, many Pebble Beach residents within walking distance of the golf course open their driveways to parking.  The prices will be hefty, though, and you will need to arrive early in the day to secure one of these unofficial parking spaces.

In any case, welcome to the Monterey Peninsula and have a great time!