It’s zero degrees in Chicago, but these lucky guests from Illinois and North Carolina are basking in balmy winter weather at the AT&T National Pro-Am in Pebble Beach.
It’s clear and sunny on the Monterey Peninsula this week, with daytime temperatures in the 60s… optimum weather to watch top golf professionals team with Hollywood celebrities, world-renowned musicians and captains of industry as they compete for a $6.4 million purse.
This year, three-time champ Phil Mickelson leads the pros, while celebs run the gamut from actors (Kevin Costner, Kurt Russell, Bill Murray), to comedians (Ray Romano, George Lopez), musicians (Kenny G, Michael Bolton), and sports figures (Drew Brees, Oscar de la Hoya, and surfing champ Kelly Slater).
The AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am is a 72-hole PGA TOUR golf championship dating back to the 1930s when Bing Crosby “gathered a few friends” to raise money for charity—and to have a little fun. Over 2000 volunteers have helped the Monterey Peninsula Foundation raise over $85 million for local charities to date.
If you were snowed in this year, give us a call—we’ll happily tee up accommodations for next year’s event, Feb. 6-12, 2012.
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Candy, jewelry and flowers are nice… but imagine following a trail of red silk rose petals to a bedroom lit by candlelight – complete with long stemmed roses and strawberries dipped in chocolate!
That’s just one of the services offered by “Romantic Room Designs” for Valentine’s Day, honeymoons, anniversaries, proposals – or any occasion you want to make special.
Of course, you don’t have to spend a bundle to splurge on your sweetheart. Wake up early, pick up almond croissants from the Paris Bakery Cafe, and head to Lover’s Point in Pacific Grove – one of the few places on the West Coast where you can watch the sun rise over the ocean.
And if you do need accommodations in the area, may we suggest a townhouse overlooking the Point with a picture postcard view?
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“Babymoons” are the hottest new travel trend — “pre-baby” vacations (to give prospective parents time to relax and reconnect before birth) — or “post-baby” getaways (to give new families time to bond).
Of course, we’re in favor of any excuse to take a vacation on the Monterey Peninsula. If you have a bun in the oven (or even if you don’t) either of these two properties have “rest” and “relaxation” written all over them.
Stoke up the wood-burning fireplace, snuggle under a fluffy duvet, and enjoy the serene ocean views from this 3br/2ba Carmel cottage (just a short stroller ride to downtown Carmel and the beach).
You might never leave the master bedroom of this charming, two bedroom Cape Cod bungalow. Decorated in cheery blue and yellow, with plush carpeting underfoot, the cozy master suite features a fireplace and French doors that open to a private sunbathing deck.
The living room, with walls of windows overlooking a lovely flower garden, is the perfect spot to watch a movie, listen to music — or sing lullabies.
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Valentine’s Tea or Valentine’s Dinner at the historic Steinbeck House?
Celebrate romance on Saturday, February 12, in John Steinbeck’s childhood home at a Victorian Valentine’s Tea from 1–3 pm or a Valentine’s Day dinner that evening from 6–9 pm.
The afternoon tea ($25 per person) will feature an array of special tea blends, sandwiches, scones and sweets, while the prix fixe dinner includes an appetizer, entree, and dessert (creme brulee or chocolate flan). The price of $40 per person includes a glass of Monterey County wine.
The Steinbeck House is located at 132 Central Ave. in Salinas. Call 831-424-2735 for reservations.
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Looking for some good, clean, cold fun?
Then lace up at Monterey on Ice, a seasonal skating rink in the Custom House Plaza. Located behind the Portola Hotel & Spa, the ice rink is open from 11 am to 10 pm daily through January 9th, Saturdays 10 am to 10 pm, and Sundays 12 pm to 8 pm – including Dec. 31 and Jan. 1 (so you can skate your way into the New Year).
General admission is $12, children under 12 are $10 and skates are $3. Custom House Plaza is near Old Fisherman’s Wharf, and parking is available in the Waterfront parking lot (enter at the intersection of Del Monte and Washington), with additional parking at the East and West parking garages (exit on Del Monte Ave, stay in the left lane, do not go through the tunnel, turn left on Tyler St., garages are on either side of the street).
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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.
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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.
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Book a week with us to include the Monterey Cowboy Poetry & Music Festival Weekend, December 10-12, 2010, and pay only $99 per night for your weeknight accommodations! That’s right – book the weekend at the regular price, and all weeknights are only $99!
The 12th Annual Monterey Cowboy Poetry & Music Festival Weekend is December 10-12, 2010. This year we present two one-hour shows, two hour-and-a- half shows, four two-hour shows, and a Cowboy Church hour — all in one convenient comfortable venue. All this, along with a silent auction and a first-rate Christmas Art & Gear Show Sale. You can visit www.montereycowboy.org for details, then return to MontereyRentals.com to select your accommodations for this great event and to experience all that Monterey County has to offer!
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Who knew there was such great boutique shopping in Pacific Grove? Well, for starters, all the attendees at the Holiday Fashion Show at the Inn at Spanish Bay! The show was an enthusiastic affirmation that there are plenty of options for style in this small, but vibrant city. The audience was treated to the fashions of Biba, Carried Away, The Clothing Store, the Golf Shop at the PG Golf Links, Marita’s Boutique and Shoes, Nest Boutique, Prim & Proper, and for the kids, Sprout and Tessuti Zoo. The models clearly conveyed the message that there is something in PG for all members of the family. Both sexes were represented, modeling trendy styles that will appeal to all ages, shapes and sizes. So why fight the parking issues at other shopping venues around the Peninsula or drive to San Jose, when there are fabulous options at our fingertips that are easily accessible? Oh, and one more reason to shop in PG – the merchants generously provided the audience with coupons for 20% off our next purchase, so I’m making downtown Pacific Grove my first stop for holiday shopping!
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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.
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