Exploring Pacific Grove and the Monterey Peninsula

Explore Monterey Bay’s marine life through large-scale habitats inspired by the surrounding ocean. The 28-foot Kelp Forest features giant kelp and leopard sharks, while sea otters can be viewed above and below the water. The Open Sea includes a 90-foot viewing window. 

Once known as Ocean View Avenue, Cannery Row was home to Monterey’s sardine canneries before the industry declined after World War II. The street was renamed in 1958 to honor John Steinbeck’s novel, and murals now depict characters from the book.  

Lovers Point Park spans 4.4 acres at the western end of the Monterey Bay Coastal Trail. Its east-facing shoreline offers a rare place on this coast to watch sunrise over open water, with sea otters often seen foraging just offshore.  

Each fall, western monarch butterflies return to Pacific Grove and cluster in the trees at Monarch Grove Butterfly Sanctuary for the winter. The protected grove supports overwintering monarchs and helped inspire Pacific Grove’s “Butterfly Town, U.S.A.” nickname. 

Follow 17-Mile Drive through Pebble Beach for views of rugged coastline and cypress forest. The route includes stops such as Spanish Bay and Bird Rock, with the Lone Cypress standing as its best-known landmark for more than 250 years. 

Asilomar State Beach combines white sand, rocky shoreline, and tide pools visible at low tide. A coastal trail runs beside the Asilomar Dunes Habitat Natural Preserve, while nearby conference grounds feature notable buildings designed by architect Julia Morgan. 

Point Pinos Lighthouse has guided mariners at the entrance to Monterey Bay since 1855. Its brick tower rises from a stone keeper’s house, and the original third-order Fresnel lens remains in operation as part of this active aid to navigation. 

Built in 1845 as a passenger and freight terminal, Old Fisherman’s Wharf later became central to Monterey’s sardine industry. Today, restaurants and shops line the pier, sea lions gather nearby, and whale-watching trips depart from the docks. 

The Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History traces its roots to 1883, when it opened as the Chautauqua Museum. Today, it focuses on regional natural history, while a life-size gray whale sculpture named Sandy greets visitors near the entrance. 

Passionfish takes a sustainability-focused approach to dining in Pacific Grove, pairing responsibly sourced seafood with ingredients from small farms and farmers’ markets. Chef Meral Alpay brings Turkish fusion influences to the kitchen, supported by an award-winning wine list.  

Overlooking Lovers Point Beach, Beach House Restaurant + Bar serves casual California fare from its dining room and outdoor Solarium. Translucent solar panels shelter the patio from coastal fog while supplying more than half of the building’s energy.

Set inside a restored Victorian house dating to 1895, Red House Cafe has served Pacific Grove since 1996. The former residence retains details such as its wraparound porch, while the menu combines New American cooking with European influences. 

Hops & Fog Brewing Company is a downtown Pacific Grove nano brewery focused on small-batch craft beer. Its beers use local ingredients and triple-filtered water, while an on-site kitchen and scheduled live music add to the neighborhood setting.

Set near Asilomar Beach, FISHWIFE blends California seafood with Caribbean flavors. The women-owned restaurant has served the area for decades, pairing dishes such as fish and chips with house-made Caribbean tartar sauce and remaining well known for clam chowder. 

Bookworks combines an independent bookstore with a coffee shop in downtown Pacific Grove. Family operated since 1980, it carries more than 6,000 titles, while the coffee bar serves organic coffee and loose-leaf tea, including a honey lavender vanilla latte. 

Captain + Stoker brings its specialty coffee program to Pacific Grove from a roastery founded in Monterey in 2018. Direct-trade coffee and grower relationships shape its approach, while daily roasting keeps the focus on freshness.

The Monarch Pub and Restaurant opened in 2018 as Pacific Grove’s first pub. Owner Paul Whitecross chose a name that references both the British monarchy and the monarch butterflies that return to Pacific Grove each winter. 

Located on Lighthouse Avenue in downtown Pacific Grove, Wild Fish has served sustainably caught seafood since 2018 under owners Liz and Kelvin Jacobs, who ran an inn in Devon, England before relocating. The menu often lists the exact boat and captain behind each catch.