Monterey, California, Delights

If you are looking for a pleasant vacation experience along the west coast, a visit to the charming old city of Monterey in California will delight your senses.

Monterey Bay is about a hundred miles south of San Francisco. Its waters are marine protected areas preserving underwater life along the Pacific coast.The coastal areas of Monterey county have an average temperature of 57 degrees. It's a good idea to dress in layers, as wind conditions can change suddenly during the day and feel chilly even in summer.

On the bay is the Monterey Aquarium and Cannery Row, which inspired author John Steinbeck to write the epic novel of the same name about the heyday of the sardine canning industry. It was made into a Hollywood movie.

Today the Monterey canneries have been replaced by hotels, shops, restaurants, and museums. The history of Cannery Row has roots going back to the original Native Americans, then Asians and Europeans that settled here throughout the ups and downs of the whaling and sardine industries.

The first theater in California is preserved at Monterey State Historic Park, an adobe structure built in 1847 as lodging and a tavern for sailors, which soon after was used by US Army officers to stage plays for money. Nearby Pacific House museum celebrates the history of Monterey as capital of Spanish and Mexican California, which continued as first capital of the new state of California in 1846.

The original Spanish spelling had two R's, then one was dropped when the name was Americanized.

Monterey was an early cultural mecca which attracted famous writers, artists, and performers. In 1879 author Robert Louis Stevenson stayed at the French Hotel while he was writing Amateur Immigrant, The Old Pacific, and Vendetta Of The West. The Monterey Jazz Festival began in 1958 and the Monterey Pop Festival opened in 1967 with the first American appearance by The Who and Jimi Hendrix. Over 200 events and festivals are held in town every year.

The Monterey region is a culinary delight surrounded with seafood from Monterey Bay, produce from the Salinas Valley and fine wine from the nearby vineyards. A great place for a delightful vacation or a lifetime of delights.