The Unexpected Wonders of Monterey

Exploring Beyond the Monterey Bay Aquarium

One of the world’s best teachers? Mother Nature. And one of the best destinations to learn from her? The Monterey Bay Aquarium. Spend a few hours at the Aquarium, then take your pick of self-guided walks, bike rides, and a historic coastal state park. Cycle to a 19th-century lighthouse that’s the oldest continually operating on the West Coast. Enjoy a secluded picnic spot overlooking colorful Fisherman’s Wharf. And follow the yellow tiles of Monterey’s Path of History to discover secret gardens and other hidden gems.

Let There Be Light

Point Pinos Lighthouse

Pedal to Point Pinos—the oldest continually operating lighthouse on the West Coast, with quite a storied history! Named by a Spanish explorer, the first lightkeeper was killed chasing an infamous outlaw, and his wife took over duties until she married the assistant lightkeeper. There are plenty more tales about the evolution of this beautiful beacon created at the southern entrance to Monterey Bay.

Pacific Grove Pedal

Monterey Recreation Path

woman painting Monterey

Pacific Grove Natural museum

Pacific Grove Natural Museum

Roll on over to peaceful Pacific Grove and the Museum of Natural History. Here you’ll find an exhibit about the Point Alones Chinese fishing village that was a vital part of the community (and located next to the Monterey Bay Aquarium). Tip: You can also include a complimentary audio history walk from the Aquarium and past the former village). Opened the same year as the Brooklyn Bridge, the interactive Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History is among the oldest in the country, with exhibits refreshed for modern times.

Dune It Right

Fort Ord Dunes

Undiscovered Fort Ord Dunes State Park is beach and sand dune bliss. Enjoy the park’s walking and biking trails, some of which lead to exceptional views of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Whether you want to go for a shoreline stroll along the park’s four miles of oceanside or head a bit farther inland to cycle among impressive dunes, this state park belongs on everyone’s to-do list.

Walk This Way

Path of History Monterey

Path of History Monterey

Stevenson House

Path of History

Secret gardens, historic architecture, and fun places to eat: Embark on Monterey’s Path of History. Follow the yellow sidewalk tiles for a self-guided walk (or use this map), then see and learn about the Mexican Era adobes and explore the oldest structure in Monterey—the Royal Presidio Chapel. Book buffs will appreciate seeing part of author Robert Louis Stevenson’s lodging house, where he began writing his classic novel Treasure Island. Be sure to visit Pacific House—an adobe near Fisherman’s Wharf showcasing the Holman Collection of Native American artifacts. Bonus: The Path of History also includes California State Historic Monument #1.

Vista for the Ages

Lower Presidio Monterey

For a short and interesting walk up to a sweeping vantage point overlooking sailboats and colorful Fisherman’s Wharf, Lower Presidio Historic Park is an undiscovered gem smack in the middle of Monterey. Some historians call it “the most historically significant site on the West Coast of America.” Events here span eras of Native Americans, the Spanish and Mexican periods, through to invading Americans and the stationing of Buffalo Soldiers. The park’s short and easy Harbor Trail documents Monterey’s First Peoples—the Esselen and the Rumsien Ohlone.

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  1. Field of Light at Sensorio in Paso Robles

    Light This Way

    Hidden in the bucolic hills of Paso Robles lies one of the greatest light shows on earth. The lighted art exhibition, Sensorio, is as if the rainbow magic of the aurora borealis was plucked from the sky and planted in the fields.

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  2. Surfboards and tents for shade are set up on the beach at Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area in the Swim Lagoon Area

    Switchbacks and Swimming Holes

    Hike hard, play hard! This 7-mile out-and-back in Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area is a great workout with payoff vistas and a relaxing post-hike picnic and dip in the water.

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  3. Hike the Rainbow

    Catch all the colors of a rainbow at Calero County Park on this 10-mile hike currently showcasing the season’s best blooms.

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  4. Hike Purisima Creek Open Space Preserve

    Purisima Charisma

    Hundred-foot redwoods, a shaded canyon, and views overlooking Half Moon Bay. This 10-mile loop hike in Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve is a roller-coaster of uphill and downhill along with easygoing stretches through some of the Bay Area’s most beautiful landscape.

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  1. People on a guided horseback tour with Central Coast Trailrides at Santa Margarita Ranch near Paso Robles

    Saddle Up with Central Coast Trailrides

    Untouched and sweeping, the mountainous scenery and deep valleys of Santa Margarita near Paso Robles are just begging to be explored. So saddle up for a scenic adventure with Central Coast Trailrides (CCT) at the 14,000-acre Santa Margarita Ranch.

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  2. A woman on a hiking trail with huge open space and yellow flowers around her at Wildwood Park in Thousand Oaks

    Going Wildwood

    Consider this your invitation to get a little untamed. In just one walk through Wildwood Park in Thousand Oaks, you can chase the sound of a cascading waterfall, duck into a shadowy cave, and soak in big hillside vistas. The mostly flat 4.25-mile loop makes wild feel wonderfully accessible.

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  3. Two people fly fishing on the Truckee River with guides from Reno Fly Shop

    Zen and the Art of Fly Fishing

    Learning to fly fish is one of the most fun and beautiful ways to connect with nature, family, friends, and yourself. It’s also a great way to truly experience the magic of a place. Make that place Reno Tahoe, where a fly fishing adventure with Reno Fly Shop is like being planted in a plein air painting of dreamy outdoors.

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  4. A woman on the overlook deck overlooking the Truckee River at Oxbow Nature Study Area in Reno

    This Way to Oxbow and Dickerson Road

    Just west of downtown Reno—tucked right alongside the Truckee River—is a nature haven for wildlife spotting and waterside relaxing. The 22-acre Oxbow Nature Study Area is ideal for those seeking solitude and a short hike. Afterwards, explore the creative hub of Dickerson Road.

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