| Page Views: 1,223 Last Visit to Monterey: October, 2006 I Used To Live Here | City by the Sea by Lhenne1 - last update: Apr 12, 2009 |
“So my job is sending me to a new office,” my boyfriend told me one evening over dinner in his Delaware home. “Where to? Philly? New Jersey? DC?” “Not quite,” he replied. “Where?” “Monterey, California,” he said. “Half of the Parent Trap takes place there,” I’m a Haley Mills fan, “Where is it?” It turned out neither of us had an answer for that so off the Mapquest we went. A year later I was packing up my little apartment in northern Delaware, my two cats and my car and getting ready to leave the east coast for a life in “Sunny California.” Little did I know that Monterey is actually “Foggy California.”
Located 5 hours north of Los Angeles (when I’m driving, at least) and 2 hours south of San Francisco, Monterey is a world all it’s own. It’s not the California you see in the movies…it’s about 1,000 times better. Well, that’s just my opinion. |
|  | Infested with nature Being an east-coast girl, I’m used to seeing plenty of squirrels and sparrows hanging around heavily populated areas. I'm used to the occasional deer sighting when out of those heavily populated areas...but I was not ready for the animals I encountered in Monterey.
Sea lions fill the water and bark at each other loudly. Raccoons are as plentiful as squirrels (I had never seen a raccoon outside of a game preserve before). The trees are huge and twisted in odd contortions. Deer relax on golf courses as cars whiz by. The water is blue and clear.
I never expected to associate so much wildlife and nature with Monterey. From the creatures in the bay to the random and plentiful gardens downtown, Monterey is an interesting blend of natural and manmade that will keep you as entertained as the town's attractions. |
No driving necessary The city is not large and you can walk from the wharfs to the aquarium to downtown easily. Since the area tends to be expensive, a drive down the coast is a nice way to spend a pretty Saturday afternoon. Big Sur and Carmel aren't far from Monterey and offer great sights.
Walk around the town and you'll find little gardens and plenty of historic buildings, from California's first theater to John Steinbeck's home. There are plenty of bars and restaurants, though the fare can be a bit pricey. |  | | View from a trip down Rt 1 |
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| Pros: | "Fun people, pretty views, great food." | | Cons: | "Sea Lions: cute for a day, then you realize they like to yell at each other at 3am." | | In A Nutshell: | "Eclectic blend of a city, an historical society and a wilderness preserve." |
Lhenne1's Monterey Travel Tips
Comments for Lhenne1 about Monterey | | | | |
Nemorino Tue Aug 18, 2009 19:37 UTC Interesting tips on your former home town. I like the sound of that 29 mile coastal Bike Trail. I never knew the sea lions like to yell at each other in the middle of the night. | JLBG Tue Jul 8, 2008 05:18 UTC Great page that reminds me of my short passages in Monterey when I lived a year in Davis! You show much more than I did, thanks for sharing! | travelgourmet Wed Jun 25, 2008 04:52 UTC One of my favorite areas, Monterey Bay. I'll have to try some of your restaurant tips. Did you see my Carmel-by-the-sea restaurant Mission Ranch photo of you know who. | magdalena2007 Mon Jun 2, 2008 23:45 UTC thanks for stopping by! ;) Love your pages and your tips. keep them coming! hopefully i'll visit canada one of these days ;) |
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- Motel 6 Monterey
2124 North Fremont Street SR 1/Cabrillo Highway at the Casa Verde Way exit, Monterey
- Colton Inn
707 Pacific St between Madison and El Dorado streets, Monterey
- Monterey Bay Inn
242 Cannery Row, Monterey
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