Monterey, California Must-Do’s

Located along the California coast, Monterey is a beautiful town that has something special for everyone. A visit to Monterey is ideal for a weekend destination, or even just a day trip. Here’s a list of my must-do activities in Monterey!

Stay at the Monterey Plaza Hotel and Spa

My husband and I don’t often choose high-end hotels because we don’t spend much time in the room while on vacation! However, on this trip I decided to book a one-night stay at the Monterey Plaza Hotel and Spa for his birthday. And no, we were not paid to say all of this…I wish we were though, haha! There are a lot of Monterey Bay hotels to choose from, and the Monterey Plaza Hotel is one of the best.

You’ll find that most hotels are on the pricier side in Monterey because it is a popular town located near the beach. I figured that paying more for this hotel beautiful hotel would be a better deal for us, and it was!

The Monterey Plaza Hotel and Spa is located very close to Cannery Row in downtown Monterey, making it walkable to most of the main attractions. The hotel also has valet parking, and the cost is included in the resort fee. This was a plus because parking can be difficult to find, or very expensive. If you choose a cheaper hotel that is far away from most of the attractions you want to see, you may end up paying quite a bit for parking and/or an Uber. Not to mention, it will be more of a hassle!

We loved that the Monterey Plaza Hotel has complimentary bikes available if you are interested in taking a bike ride along the Monterey Bay Coastal Trail. Just a heads up – they only have a limited number of bikes they rent out at one time, so make sure to get your bike pass at the bell desk in the lobby before 8am!

The hotel also has a coffee shop named Tidal, that serves great pastries and coffee. Lastly, the hotel also had two jacuzzis, which was a nice place to end our evening. We were very happy with our choice in staying here!

Ride bikes along the Monterey Bay Coastal Trail

The Monterey Bay Coastal Trail is a popular trail that spans 18 miles, from Castroville to Pacific Grove. Navigating this paved trail on our bikes was our favorite thing to do in Monterey! Monterey is such a beautiful destination, and riding bikes along the coast was a great way to enjoy the scenery. Our favorite stop along the trail was Perkins Park, on the Pacific Grove end of the trail!

We received passes from our hotel for complimentary bike rentals at Adventures by the Sea, which seems to be the most popular bike rental place in Monterey. You can also choose to walk along the Monterey Bay Coastal Trail, but riding a bike was much more enjoyable. You’re able to cover a lot more ground in a short amount of time!

They have a few locations, including two along Cannery Row and one near Lover’s Point (technically in Pacific Grove). Adventures by the Sea rents bikes, electric bikes, kayaks, stand-up paddle boards, and family bikes (called surreys, which are a great option if you have kids!). They also have bike tours, kayak tours, stand-up paddle board tours, and paddle board lessons. You can check out their locations and pricing here!

Visit Cannery Row

Cannery Row is one of Monterey’s most popular attractions; it is one street along the beach that includes everything from restaurants, to shops, etc! There are many popular Monterey restaurants located in Cannery Row, which is another plus side to finding a hotel close by. You can easily spend a few hours walking along Cannery Row and visiting each shop. One of my favorites to visit is the Ghirardelli store!

Wine Tasting in Cannery Row

Carmel, a small town near Monterey, is well-known for its wine tasting. However, we opted to visit a few wine tasting rooms along Cannery Row instead because we didn’t want to drink and drive. We were pleasantly surprised at how great the wines were, as well as the prices! Our favorite wine tasting room was A Taste of Monterey, which is a must if you plan on having a glass of wine (or three!) on your trip.

A Taste of Monterey is a restaurant and wine tasting room with a gorgeous view of the ocean. It costs $15 for a flight of 5 wine tastings, all of which are from the Monterey area. If you purchase two bottles of wine they waive the $15, and many of the bottles are less than $30.

Make sure to check out their Yelp page for any check-in deals; when we went they had 50% off of your wine tastings!

Fisherman’s Wharf

Fisherman’s Wharf in Monterey is less known than Cannery Row, but it should still be on your list of places to visit! Fisherman’s Wharf is a pier-like area with several great shops and restaurants. One of the most popular restaurants located here is the Fisherman’s Grotto! It is also a popular destination to go Whale Watching. I’ve never been, but I hear it’s a lot of fun!

If you are staying in a hotel near Cannery Row, Fisherman’s Wharf is a mile walk away. I recommend walking this stretch of Monterey because it is a scenic walk along part of the Monterey Bay Coastal Trail!

Eat Clam Chowder at Vivolo’s Chowder House

I’m know you’re making a list of Monterey things to do, so be sure to add this restaurant to your list! Wow, just thinking about our lunch at Vivolo’s Chowder House makes me hungry! There are many restaurants along Cannery Row, but you’ll find that many have mediocre reviews online and/or they are chain restaurants. I personally like trying new places when on vacation, so we took a short walk outside of Cannery Row (a half mile) to try Vivolo’s.

My husband and I both ordered their popular clam chowder in a bread bowl. We also asked for the garlic cheese lid, which is garlic and cheese baked on top of the lid of the bread bowl…amazing! It was $13 for each of the bread bowls, but it was the biggest bread bowl of clam chowder I’ve ever had!

Popular tourist attractions like the Monterey Bay Aquarium and 17-mile drive are also great for first-timers. But, I hope you have found a few things to add to your list after checking out my post! Monterey is a great destination for all ages as there is so much to do. If you’ve been to Monterey, what is your favorite thing to do? Let me know in the comments below!