USA: Monterey, California. My trip to Monterey, California, USA Monterey Underwater Canyon

Dear friends! I invite you on a three-day tour from Los Angeles to northern California to the city of San Francisco with a visit to the American Riviera of the West Coast - the city of Santa Barbara, the Danish village of Salvang, the former Spanish capital of California - the city of Monterey and much more. A pleasant acquaintance with the coastal cities, history, culture and art of these places, mesmerizing and impressive views along the Pacific coast of the famous Route One - this trip will give an unforgettable experience and will remain in your memory for a long time!

Day 1: Los Angeles - Santa Barbara - Solvang - San Luis Obispo - San Francisco

The journey begins from your hotel and travels to northern California along Highway 1, which runs along the Pacific Ocean. Throughout the entire journey, you will be accompanied by beautiful views of the endless ocean from the window of a comfortable minivan, entertaining stories about the history of these places, audio stories and stops in the cities of Santa Barbara, Solvang, San Luis Obispo for sightseeing tours, relaxation and a lunch break.

Santa Barbara is a famous resort city on the Pacific coast, located approximately 140 kilometers northwest of Los Angeles. A tour of Santa Barbara will begin with a walk along the promenade and pier, which offers an amazing view of the city, as well as many kilometers of beaches and the harbor with beautiful yachts rocking on the waves.
Next is the historical center of the city, the central and most beautiful and elegant street of the city - State Street, which is famous for its numerous shops, cafes and restaurants. The Old Spanish Courthouse with extraordinary frescoes, which provides an excellent opportunity to admire the views of the city from the observation deck. Street of sculptors and artists La Arcade. Royal Catholic Mission, home to California's first fountains.
The Danish village of Solvang is a picturesque village built in Scandinavian style, located in the center of the Santa Ynez plain. Everything here is reminiscent of Denmark, and the statue of the little Mermaid from Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale is an exact copy of the statue in Copenhagen. Many small shops, restaurants and bakeries with fluffy donuts will give you joy and good mood.

In the evening, arrival in the city of San Francisco, hotel accommodation, free time.

Day 2: San Francisco City Tour

The tour of San Francisco begins with a crossing of the Oakland Bay Bridge to Treasure Island, an artificial island in San Francisco Bay, which offers amazing views of the city, the bridge and the bay itself. Further:

The shopping and cultural center of the city is Union Square and the largest Chinese settlement in the United States is Chinatown.
The business and financial center of the city is Downtown with its famous skyscraper, the Trans-American Pyramid.
Civic Center, home to the stunning City Hall and Memorial buildings. *A dizzying panorama of the city and the bay from the Twin Peaks hills, the highest in the city, where the tallest structure in San Francisco is located - the Satro Tower radio antenna.
Golden Gate Park, a favorite vacation spot for city residents, is home to a traditional Japanese tea garden. The pride of the city is the Palace of Fine Arts. Ancient Spanish fortress Presido. The famous suspension bridge is a symbol of San Francisco, the Golden Gate Bridge is stunning in its beauty. Walk along the footpath along the shore with beautiful views of the bridge.
Russian Hill or Russian Hill is one of the highest points of the city and one of the most prestigious areas of San Francisco, which got its name thanks to Russian sailors. The most picturesque and most winding street in the world is Lombard Street. The world's only system of famous historic cable trams.
The Embarcadero embankment will lead to Fisherman's Wharf and Pier 39 - this is a crowded place with numerous shops, restaurants, cafes, fairgrounds, where you can admire a wonderful view of the ocean and the Alcatraz prison island or just watch the colony of fur seals.

Free time in the evening.

Day 3: San Francisco - Monterey - 17 Mile Road - Carmel - Los Angeles

Departure from San Francisco and return to Los Angeles with a visit to:

The city of Monterey is the former Spanish capital of California, founded at the end of the 18th century, when California was part of New Spain. Many historical buildings in the city still remind us of this time. Another attraction of the city is the picturesque bay of the same name, the unique geological conditions of which have given the bay and its surroundings an unprecedented diversity of flora and fauna. In addition, there is a gigantic Oceanarium with 300,000 ocean inhabitants and some of the largest viewing windows in the world. The famous Connery Row, Pacific Grove and Fisherman's Wharf. The tour also introduces the Mexican period of California history, the history of joining the United States, and the history of the state of California.
17 Mile Drive is a beautiful location on the Pacific Ocean, favored by California's wealthiest people, with a modern lifestyle and the elite golf clubs of Pebble Beach.
Carmel (Carmel by the Sea) is an extraordinary, almost fairy-tale town of poets and artists on the Pacific coast. Small old houses, ivy-covered roofs, quiet streets shaded by trees, charming shops and many art galleries.

Transfer to Los Angeles by highway with a wonderful opportunity to rest and relax after a busy three-day excursion program.

The small Californian city of Monterey can easily be confused by its name with the Mexican Monterrey, "Sultan of the North". And this will be a big mistake. Monterey, near San Jose, is an old Spanish city that was founded in the second half of the 18th century and was the capital of California until the mid-19th century. And now it is a charming and enchanted city by the sea with low-rise buildings of small whitewashed houses. But at the same time - with the best aquarium in the country, the best jazz festival in the country and almost the best bay with a sea canyon. Simply put, one of the most beautiful coastal cities in California.

How to get to Monterey

The most logical thing to do is to visit Monterey for a couple of days in your own car from Santa Cruz, San Jose or San Francisco, heading, for example, to Santa Maria, Santa Barbara or Los Angeles. The coastal routes are very beautiful. But you can, of course, go by train to Salinos or by bus from San Jose. And Monterey Airport receives regular flights from San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Denver and Las Vegas.

Search flights to Monterey

A little history

In 1846, California became part of the United States after the end of the Mexican-American War, and the Union Jack flew from the Monterey Customs House. After this, the city invariably attracted creative people - artists and writers, who settled here in search of silence and solitude on the beautiful Pacific coast.

Popular hotels in Monterey

Entertainment and attractions in Monterey

Perhaps the city's most famous attraction is one of the world's best marine aquariums, Monterey Bay. It was founded in 1984 and occupies the site of a former sardine cannery. Today, the aquarium attracts almost 2 million visitors annually. Here you can see thousands of plants and animals of more than 600 species - stingrays, jellyfish, sea otters (the only mammals in the aquarium), and many fish. This is one of the few places in the world where you can admire live bluefin and yellowfin tuna. Fresh ocean water is continuously supplied directly from the bay using a system of pipes and pumps. The crown jewel of the aquarium is the Ocean Edge Wing, a huge 8.5m high tank filled with coastal creatures. It was in this aquarium that the Californian giant kelp was grown for the first time in the world.

4 things to do in Monterey:

Take a trip to coastal Pacific Grove, the “city of butterflies”, famous for its beautiful Victorian buildings and the fact that it is home to the annual migration of monarch butterflies.
Walk around the harbor and admire the many yachts in the marina - not as luxurious as in Portofino, but no less picturesque.
Grab oysters at Fisherman's Wharf as fast food and eat them on the go.
Attend the Thursday Night Party at the Pacific Street Museum of Art, which hosts a buffet with snacks, drinks, and free gallery admission once a month.

One of the city's most famous streets is the coastal Cannery Row, "Cannery Row", whose name refers to the street's historical purpose: it is still lined with canned sardine factories. The factories are not operating today; the last one closed in 1973. But the name of the street, which was formerly called Ocean View Avenue, was officially established in 1958 thanks to the light hand of John Steinbeck and his novel of the same name. Edward Ricketts' biological laboratory still stands on the street, and opposite it is a Chinese store, both mentioned in Steinbeck's novels. In addition, there are many restaurants and hotels located here, some in former factory buildings. Plus, from here there is access to the beaches of MacAbi and San Carlos, popular places for diving, kayaking and fishing.

“Cannery Row in Monterey, California, is a poem, a rattle and a stench, its own color, harmony and character, a nostalgic vision, a dream,” Steinbeck described the street.

Another notable place in Monterey is the fishing yard. In the 60s. last century there was a noisy and lively fish market here, although today the shipyard has become more of a tourist attraction, since after the Second World War the sardine population in the surrounding waters was destroyed - there was nothing left to catch and preserve. But even today, Fisherman's Wharf is home to the city's best fish restaurants, open-plan bars, jewelry stores, art galleries, sweets and souvenir shops. Whale excursions start from here, and sea lions can often be seen right in the harbor: they sleep on pylons, buoys or overturned boats.

Monterey Jazz Festival

At the entrance to Fisherman's Wharf is the Custom House Plaza, the historic heart of the city. Here stands the Customs House, the first administrative building in California and the very place where the transfer of Monterey from Mexico to the United States was formalized in 1846. The Maritime Museum is also located in this building, and in it you can get acquainted with both the maritime and cultural life of bygone times in the city. There are many other ancient buildings on the square. In addition, here you can see the last whale bone sidewalk in the United States. It is located right in front of the Old Whale Station.

Artichokes and a special type of Pacific flounder are considered local delicacies. The former can be found in almost any restaurant - fried, stewed, boiled, grilled, in soup, pizza, etc. Nearby Castroville is proud of the title of “artichoke center of the world.” The second is caught only on this section of the coast, so this type of flounder can only be tried in the vicinity of Monterey and San Francisco. It is most often served fried.

In the Old Town of Monterey - downtown - quite a few centuries-old buildings have been preserved. Following the signs on the yellow tiles, you can follow the History Trail to admire the city's most famous buildings. Information posters are placed at each stop. Enter the city's art museum: it occupies two buildings - one on Pacific Street, across from Colton Hall, with eight galleries. The second is the La Mirada building, one of the testimonies of the city's Mexican past, with four galleries and excellent views of the bay. Culture lovers should also definitely check out the city's historic Wharf Theater and the restored Golden State Theater, if not for the performances, then at least for the ornate interior.

The 27-mile Monterey Bay Coastal Trail offers great cycling opportunities. Bicycles can be rented at several places along the trail, with multi-passenger bikes being especially popular. The kayaking office on Del Monte Avenue offers rental equipment, classes and guided tours. Stunning views of the bay and Carmel can be seen at Jack's Peak State Park, the highest point on the Monterey Point, where there are surprisingly few tourists.

Monterey Events

The nationally famous Monterey Jazz Festival has been held in the city every year since 1958. This is one of the jazz festivals with the longest history, as the tradition of its holding has not been interrupted for a year. The festival usually takes place on the third weekend of September, starting on Friday, and hosts over 500 world-class jazz performers. About 50 concerts are held at 9 venues, and workshops, exhibitions, discussions, attractions and food courts are also held here. Since 1992, Clint Eastwood has been on the festival's board.

Monterey area

Monterey Bay is home to a unique geographic formation - the Monterey Canyon. There are several other rather deep depressions nearby, so the marine flora and fauna here are amazingly diverse. Scientists find endless work to do, and divers find heavenly underwater gardens to admire.

The road from Monterey to Carmel is very picturesque and attractive. It is privately owned and there is a fee to travel through it. But this attraction is worth the money: a track about 25 km long winds along the ocean shore, surrounded by rocky cliffs and wooded plateaus, past the most luxurious private homes in the state and beautiful beaches.

It so happened that along the picturesque Pacific coast in California are located the most romantic, soulful and fabulously beautiful cities of this sunny state. Most of the “one-story California” is concentrated here, combining the spirit of the past and present, the unity of man with wildlife, a quiet life with a unique atmosphere of complacency and aestheticism. I advise all my tourists to visit the pearl of the West Coast of California - the city of Monterey, located on the shores of the bay of the same name on the Monterey Peninsula, halfway between Los -Angeles and San Francisco. Monterey is a favorite place for relaxation and contemplation. Together with the fabulous city of Carmel, it is a tourism mecca. It is visited by more than 2 million people a year. Many Americans also come here on weekends to have fun with the whole family.

What is so famous about this small coastal town? I have identified 5 reasons why everyone liked Monterey.

1. History of the city.

We should start by saying that Monterey - former capital of California. But that California that once belonged to Mexico. The city was founded by the Spaniards in 1770. After the Mexican-American War in 1846, the American flag was flown over the Monterey trading house, which was still the capital. This is how California became part of the United States. It is Monterey that takes pride of place in the historical milestone of California's accession to the United States. Gradually, the city lost its capital status, and residents had to engage in fishing, which did not distinguish them from others. Everyone who lived near the shore, that is, literally everyone on the coast, fished. Monterey has long been famous for its abundant fish catch. During the First World War, the city was the first not only in catching, but also in canning sardines. Over time, canned sardine factories were built along the coast at the head of the Old Fisherman's Wharf, forming the main street of the city Ocean View Avenue, on which inactive industrial buildings still stand to this day, is a historical heritage and colorful landmark of the town. By the middle of the twentieth century. Overfishing has depleted resources, causing the fishing industry to collapse. However, the factories undoubtedly give a certain ambiance to the small town, making it attractive for tourism.

In 1958, the main street changed its name due to one event. The famous writer John Steinbeck described Monterey in his novels Cannery Row and Sweet Thursday, thanks to which the town became famous, and crowds of tourists poured here wanting to stroll along Cannery Row, look at the Western Biological Laboratory, buy cigarettes or chewing gum. gum at Lee Chong's grocery, drink coffee at La Ida. …Over time, local authorities came to terms with Steinback’s book and in 1953, with great fanfare, renamed Seaside Avenue to Cannery Row Avenue. Nowadays, many of the best fish restaurants and hotels are located here, some in former factory buildings.

In addition to factories, houses from the Victorian era have been preserved here. Neat houses decorate the already remarkable Monterey, giving it a certain charm.

The town is very well-groomed and cozy, it’s nice to walk around it.

In the Old Town of Monterey - Downtown - quite a few centuries-old buildings have been preserved. Following the signs on the yellow tiles, you can follow the History Trail to appreciate the city's most famous buildings, such as the theater, the library, the oldest public building in California - the Custom House, the historic Colton Hall school, the first two-story house in California with a fireplace, made in Spanish Colonial style - Larkin House, as well as the Chapel of the Holy Presidio, Berquist Building. In addition, here you can see the last whale bone sidewalk in the United States. It is located right in front of the Old Whale Station.

2. Monterey Bay Aquarium.

In one of the factories there is a museum-oceanarium, with an interesting design and design, unique in its kind. The Monterey Bay Aquarium is the city's most famous attraction and one of the world's best marine aquariums. It's right on the beach and looks absolutely amazing!

This is a modern aquarium that houses more than 35 thousand animals. Here you can see jellyfish, stingrays, sea otters, penguins, many types of fish, etc. I will not pay much attention to the aquarium in this article, since this is another big topic that I will cover in a separate block.

3. Monterey Underwater Canyon.

Just a few kilometers from the city, at the bottom of Monterey Bay, there is a unique underwater Monterey Canyon. Its presence, as well as the presence near other submarine canyons, led to the emergence of a huge diversity of flora and fauna of the marine world in a relatively small area of the ocean in direct proximity to the coast, so this bay attracts the attention of biologists and geologists , as well as divers from all over the world. Vast fields of seaweed, rookeries for seals and sea lions, water that serves as a breeding ground for local underwater life, colorful anemones and decent conditions for deep diving - all this thanks to the underwater canyon of Monterey Bay, which is 3250 meters deep.

Due to the rise of water from the depths to the surface that occurs in the canyon, cold waters rich in nutrients move into the bay, providing rapid growth of marine flora and fauna. The greater depth near the shore provides excellent visibility underwater due to the absence of waves. Algae scattered everywhere stick to round boulders 3-6 meters high. The area is usually quiet unless there is wind or waves, and divers are almost guaranteed to encounter the playful seals that live and breed in a rookery nearby.

4. Coast.

Monterey has amazing seascapes! White sand, dunes, reefs, rocks... An immodest number of yachts are happy to offer their services to tourists for a ride along the evening bay, enjoying the playful taste of champagne with grapes and cheese, as well as grilled salmon. And all this against the backdrop of the sunset.

Are you already missing stories about the sunny land of California? Today we will drive along Highway No. 1 and get to the fabulous town of Monterrey, located on the very ocean coast. Despite the warm weather, the water is quite cool.

Approaching the city of Monterrey, new beautiful landscapes open up with every kilometer.

But Monterrey resembles the south of Spain, with sunny weather and snow-white walls of houses and tile roofs.

But it’s worth going outside to understand that we are not in Spain, but in America, the country of cars, big and powerful.

Well, and motorcycles, of course. What American city would be complete without chrome-plated choppers? The finish line of the old timer rally was awaiting in the town, in honor of which finish flags were hung to welcome the participants.

The town is like a toy town.

Monterrey once marked the border between the United States and Mexico. One of the oldest Customs buildings still remains. After the annexation of these lands to the United States, the building lost its use as a customs point, but acquired historical significance that remains to this day. Unfortunately, I didn’t have a photograph of the building; I still haven’t figured out why. I probably just forgot to take a photo, walking enchanted through the city in which I wanted to spend the rest of my life.

It’s probably great to go out to sea after dark in order to bring fish to numerous restaurants on the coast early in the morning.

The city of Monterrey is a city of yachts. There are almost no expensive cruise ships here like in Monaco, but in the port waters you can find several dozen, and maybe hundreds of small yachts and pleasure boats.

Due to the characteristics of the coast and sea tides, or perhaps to preserve the ecology of the coast, where sea lions come to bask in the sun, as well as otters and pelicans, there are no berths for yachts. The ships are anchored, and the owners have to get to their watercraft in small boats tied to the piers.

The entire space of the pier is filled with souvenir shops, pastry shops and cafes, and, of course, many restaurants offering all the joys of the local marine fauna. Oyster lovers will appreciate this place without a doubt: at every step, passers-by are offered an oyster “shot”, on the fly and for a completely ridiculous price.

We didn’t want to leave the city at all, but San Francisco was waiting ahead of us, where we had to get there before dark, and it’s quite difficult to do this moving along Highway No. 1 - at every turn you want to stop and enjoy the surrounding views.

If you look closely, you can clearly see Highway 1 running along the coast. The bridge in the vicinity of which the previous photograph was taken is also visible.

And here are the sea lions mentioned above, who came to bask on the coast. In general, the entire coast is inhabited by these animals, and in some places they feel completely safe. Feeding the animals is prohibited, and for the convenience of travelers there are many observation platforms, to which lions are completely indifferent.

We stopped at a small village along the road, the name of which I didn’t remember, but I simply couldn’t miss such a house.

And in one of the next posts, I will definitely tell you about the city of San Francisco, one of the most beautiful metropolises in the world, with its unique roller coasters and nimble trams, straight from the frames of numerous films.

If you are planning to visit Monterey and don’t know how to usefully spend your free time, then below is a list of the main Monterey attractions(California) will be useful to you.

Monterey Bay Aquarium in Monterey

One of California's most popular attractions, the Monterey Bay Aquarium, or MBA, is located on the site of a former cannery on the Pacific coast. The aquarium was opened in 1984. About 1.8 million people attend the MBA each year. The aquarium contains 623 species of various plants and animals. Among the numerous aquariums, the most attention should be paid to the central aquarium Ocean's Edge Wing (aquarium height 10 meters, volume 1300 thousand liters). It was in this aquarium that giant kelp forests appeared in an artificial environment for the first time in the world. In the aquarium you can see an exhibition of sharks, stingrays, jellyfish, penguins, sea otters, and many other animals that can be seen both above and below the waterline. Also on the territory of the aquarium, there is a special exhibition of flamingos, opened in 2010.

The aquarium is open all year round, except for Christmas. It is best to purchase tickets to the Aquarium on the spot.

Cannery Row in Monterey

One of the embankments and most famous streets of Monterey, Cannery Row, gained its fame thanks to a number of canneries located on its territory. Until 1958, the street was called Ocean View Avenue and was renamed in honor of John Steinbeck and his famous novel "Cannery Row". The last cannery on Cannery Row closed in 1973, but the street retains its name. Today Cannery Row is one of the city's main attractions. The Edward F. Ricketts Marine Sanctuary is located on the site of the former plant, and many hotels, restaurants and shops are located in the premises of the former plants.

Walk between the Wharf and Cannery Row in Monterey

One of the best ways to relax and enjoy the ocean scenery in Monterey is to visit Fisherman's Wharf and stroll along Cannery Row. Near the pier you can see sea lions, seals and sea otters, colonies of which live on the coastal cliffs.

Fisherman's Wharf in Monterey

Fisherman's Wharf is one of Monterey's most popular tourist spots. The area around the pier is home to dozens of restaurants and souvenir shops. At the end of the pier there is an observation deck that offers beautiful views of the bay. Here you can also take a boat tour for whale watching, on board a glass-bottomed ship.

Monterey Maritime Museum

The Monterey Maritime and History Museum features a wide-ranging exhibit that explores the history of Monterey and the surrounding area through the lens of its proximity to the ocean. The exhibition includes thousands of artifacts, including permanent exhibitions dedicated to the disaster of the USS Macon airship in Point Sur; tribes of Ohlone and Rumsien Indians; history of Spanish colonization and exploration of California. The museum was opened in 1971. The museum is open to the public from 10.00 to 17.00, closed on Mondays. Entrance to the museum is free.

Monterey State Historic Park

Monterey State Historic Park includes the historical part of the city dating back to the founding of Monterey and is one of the US national monuments. The total area of the park is 32.5 hectares. The park contains 17 buildings, including the First Theater (built in 1846-1847 and originally used as a boarding house), the Custom House (built in 1821, the first brick house in California (built in 1847), the first Monterey City Hall Colton Hall, Stevenson Mansion (the building of a former French hotel, in one of the rooms of which lived the famous British writer Robert Louis Stevenson).

Monterey Harbor Cruise

One of the best ways to get an up-close look at the marine life that lives in Monterey Harbor is on a cruise ship. A cruise won't take much time, but will be one of the best ways to spend your time. Pleasure boats depart from the pier every 30 minutes.

Insufferable Denis Park in Monterey

One of the most famous amusement parks for children, Dennis the Menace Park, was founded in 1956 by the famous cartoonist and creator of the famous comic strip “Horrible Denis” Hank Kutch. The park complex occupies an area of 45 acres in a multi-use recreation area in the heart of downtown Monterey. In the park area there is a dance studio, a youth center, multi-sports fields, and a skate park (Monterey Skate Park). The park is open to the public in summer every day except Tuesdays from 10.00.