Monterey Bay Things to Do

Sample all of California's best highlights in one location when you stay at the Days Inn Monterey. The hotel is located on the central coast of California just south of San Francisco. Monterey Bay offers the ultimate California experience showcasing coastal beauty and charm. Whether you are out at the beach, wine tasting, golfing, or whale watching, the Monterey Downtown Days Inn offers prime location to do it all making perfect for families, couples, or just relaxing getaway to fit any budget.

Monterey Beach surfing, California
Pebble Beach at Monterey, California
Cannery Row at Monterey, California
Monterey Big Sur, California
Monterey Recreational Trail, California
Shopping at Monterey, California
Monterey Wine Country, California

Whale Watching at Fisherman's Wharf -

Fisherman's Wharf in downtown Monterey is a great place to soak up the air and sea in Monterey. The area's thriving fishing industry, makes for fresh seafood, and countless activities. There are numerous eateries and fish markets galore, or try your hand at catching something yourself. But a must do activity is the whale watching tour where you can photograph sea lions and otters swimming in the water. www.montereywharf.com

Monterey Bay Aquarium -

Experience world-class marine life right here in Monterey Bay California. Get under water adventures without even leaving dry land here at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Dedicated to marine research and conservation, the Monterey Bay Aquarium is known for their larger than life exhibits, awe-inspiring kelp forest habitats, and countless sea creatures, representing 623 separate named species on display like sea otters, free floating jellies, sharks, sea turtles, and seahorses. www.montereybayaquarium.org

Monterey Beach surfing, sailing & fishing -

Dive, surf, sail, kayak or watch wildlife at any of our 13 beaches right here along the California coast on Monterey Bay. Monterey Bay is a popular destination for water and beach outdoor activities because of its windy curves which faces every direction. So, at any time of the year, there's always one beach in Monterey with great waves. Making perfect conditions for sailing on the water or surfing on a wave.

Pebble Beach -

Just getting to Pebble Beach is an attraction all on its own. Travel along 17- Mile Drive by car or bike, which is one of the best-known scenic drives in the world, famous for the magnificent coastline and Del Monte Forest. Check out the Lodge at Pebble Beach for great shopping, a meal or a round of golf. With eight championship golf courses, you too can play where the pros play.

Laguna Seca Raceway -

Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca is a paved road racing track used for both auto and motorcycle racing. The 11-turn, 2.238-mile road course on California's beautiful central coast of Monterey Bay. The track is a favorite of racers and fans worldwide and often referred to as The Corkscrew. Major events each year include the U.S. Sports Car Invitational, Monterey Sports Car Championships, Monterey Historics for classic race cars, and the Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix World Championship. www.mazdaraceway.com

Cannery Row -

Cannery Row in Monterey, California, is considered the most popular vacation destination on the California's Central Coast. This historic waterfront district on Monterey Bay was made famous by Pulitzer and Nobel Prize-winning author John Steinbeck ‘s book, appropriately titled, Cannery Row.

Today's Cannery Row is occupied by the Monterey Bay Aquarium, delicious authentic restaurants, hotels, shops, local artists' galleries and wine tasting rooms, all stretching along the historic streets and waterfront. Visitors can scuba dive, kayak, or bike ride along the coast for outdoor adventures, while others can indulge their senses with fresh seafood and wine tastings. www.canneryrow.com

Big Sur -

The Big Sur, or the big south, offers stunning beauty that truly must be seen in person, making Big Sur a popular tourist destination. Big Sur is a small region of the Central Coast of California where the Santa Lucia Mountains rise high from the Pacific Ocean. Big Sur's Cone Peak is one of the highest coastal mountain in the US, ascending nearly a mile above the sea. Highway One from Monterey through Big Sur is considered to be the road trip of a lifetime. It's a State Scenic Highway and has been declared an All-American Road by the U.S. Department of Transportation's National Scenic Byways Program.

Experience nature at its best with magnificent cliffs, rocks, redwoods and high surf when you visit Big Sur. Ultimate recreational activities, romance and exploration are just some of what Big Sur offers. Big Sur has provided much inspiration to artists of all kinds and its scenic beauty is constantly mesmerizing. Much of Big Sur is under the reign of the state and federal park systems making it perfect for camping trips as well. Hiking trails are scattered throughout Big Sur, and no two hikes are ever alike. www.bigsur.org

Golfing -

Pros play here, and so could you! Monterey Bay California offers some of the finest fairways in the world. Entire vacations are planned around just this single activity. The legendary Pebble Beach Golf Course is on every golfer's to-do list, but thats just one of many. Pebble Beach also contains Poppy Hills and Spyglass Hill which both served as the host to National tournaments. Also in town is the Del Monte Golf Course which is the site of the Callaway Golf Pebble Beach International and First Tee Open. www.montereygolf.com

Monterey Recreational Trail -

This waterfront recreation trail stretches 18 miles along the Monterey Bay coastline in California. The popular pavement runs parallel of the old Southern Pacific Railway. The Monterey Recreational Trail is also a great way for visitors to leisurely travel to the Monterey Bay Aquarium and Cannery Row, so cars are never needed. Its scenic charm and coastal beauty makes this trail not your ordinary foot path. It becomes ultimate serenity.

Shopping -

Every great town provides great shopping and Monterey Bay is no exception. Monterey shopping scene is full of great deals and unique steals, from fine art to locally owned boutiques and everything in between.

Moss Landing is known for its great antiques and some travelers have been known to pull off Highway 1 to explore. Just south of Moss Landing, in Carmel by the Sea, luxury boutiques and charming wine tasting rooms can be found. The shops and stores on Cannery Row provide each guest with all the souvenirs, oceanfront apparel and nautical necessities one can hope for.

A bigger shopping destination in Monterey Bay is the Del Monte Shopping Center and is a 675,000 square foot, open-air, regional shopping center located off Highway 1 in Monterey, California. Del Monte is the main shopping destination on the Monterey Bay and one of California's premiere tourist destinations. Del Monte Shopping Center offers shoppers diverse retailers featuring national retailers such as Apple Store, Macy's, Pottery Barn, Williams-Sonoma, Hollister, and more, along with popular restaurants and eateries including California Pizza Kitchen, P.F. Chang's China Bistro, Islands Fine Burgers & Drinks, all in an outdoor setting.

Monterey Wine Country -

It is no wonder that with such picture perfect beauty and awe, that Monterey boasts perfect land for growing grapes. Monterey Wine is considered to be of the finer wines due to the climate and air providing excellent vineyard conditions. You can actually taste the charm of Monterey Bay in every sip. Tasty wine is a staple of any memorable travel experience, and here again, Monterey Bay does not disappoint. There are various wine tasting rooms throughout Cannery Row where visitors can sample the varietals of the Monterey grapes. Countless opportunities to fancy ones palate are everywhere, giving you another reason to want to visit Monterey Bay, California.