Exploring Monterey, California

Your tour guide will meet you as soon as your plane lands. Your group will board a bus and head to the city of Monterey. The drive will take just over an hour, so kick back and take in the California scenery. Your guide will get you settled in your hotel and offer an overview of the week ahead before accompanying you to dinner at one of the city’s sustainable seafood restaurants.

To start your first full day in California, you’ll visit the famous Monterey Bay Aquarium perched on a site overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Here you’ll view a myriad of sea plants and more than 600 different marine animals on display. You’ll also learn a great deal about indigenous species in the area including sea otters, stingrays, whales and more, and efforts to protect and conserve the animals. 

After a full morning in the aquarium, the group will board a large boat for a whale-watching tour in the bay. Just a few of the species that live in these waters are humpbacks, blue whales, sperm whales, and killer whales. You’ll also see plenty of dolphins and you might even spot sea otters, sea lions, seals, sea birds and more.

Today your group will tour the Old Fisherman’s Wharf and the Custom House. The group will visit the Monterey Maritime Museum in the Custom House, and choose from many restaurants serving fresh, local seafood. The area also offers shops, art galleries and more. After lunch, your guide will take you to Pacific Grove Oceanview Boulevard where you’ll be free to walk along the coastline at your own pace, taking in the views, the wildlife, the beaches, and investigating the tide pools.

Today you’ll take a day trip to Santa Cruz. This vibrant beach community is home to the state’s oldest amusement park. Enjoy a whole morning of beach bumming and boardwalk entertainment before heading to Asilomar State Beach in Pacific Grove for more unspoiled beaches and an area teaming with local wildlife.

A road trip to Big Sur is in store today. Your group will stop first at McWay Falls, which is an 80-foot tidefall dumping right into the Pacific Ocean. The park offers breathtaking views of the coastline and ocean below. You’ll spend the afternoon at Point Lobos park where you can hike, dive or birdwatch. Keep an eye open for seals, orcas and sea lions while in the park. There is a small museum in the park called Whaler’s Cabin Museum. Stop in to learn more about the whaling industry in the region.

On your last morning in Monterey, you’ll visit Cannery Row and learn about the immigrant and industrial history of the city and region. The group will end the day at Monterey State Park which memorializes the first Spanish landing at the site in the early 17th century before heading together for a final seafood feast.

The beauty and natural wonder of California delight visitors young and old. After enjoying a relaxing and educational week in Monterey, it’s time to head home. Your guide will deliver you safely back to the airport in time for your departure.