Like most baby boomers from the East coast, I knew Monterey was the name for a town in California but really nothing else. As the “make love not war” crowd grew in numbers during the mid-60s, pop festivals came into existence. Monterey was one of the first towns in the country to hold such an event and with it the notoriety of national attention. The Monterey International Pop Music Festival was a three-day concert event held June 16 to June 18, 1967 at the Monterey County Fairgrounds in Monterey, California. Crowd estimates for the festival have ranged from 25,000-90,000 people, who congregated in and around the festival grounds. What a crazy, hectic time!! Ticket prices varied from $3 to $6.50, depending on the seating area. Today, a full weekend package starts at $315.
Soon thereafter, life in this wonderful town returned to normal and tourism slowly became a dominant influence in the local economy. Today over 4 million visitors and tourists flock to this historic region annually to enjoy the activities and events that take place as well as the world famous restaurants. Because Monterey is only two hours by car from San Francisco and five hours from Los Angeles, it has become a scenic and historic California coastal destination.
Monterey is one of the more beautiful coastal cities of California. It was originally the state capital of California, and has more historic buildings in its downtown area than any other city west of Santa Fe. The Monterey Peninsula offers breathtaking views and is recognized as one of the ideal vacation destinations in California. While it is a given that the natural beauty of the area draws visitors, it is the endless activities including golf, biking, sailing, wine tasting and fine dining that keep one coming back.
There are some very unique places to visit while in Monterey. Cannery Row is considered to be the most popular vacation destination on California's Central Coast. This historic waterfront district on Monterey Bay was made famous by writer John Steinbeck, who illustrated Cannery Row life in his colorful stories. There are 20 world class golf courses, one of the world’s best aquariums, eclectic shops and boutiques as well as a spectacular assortment of parks and natural areas to explore and enjoy while visiting Monterey.
If you’re looking for a very special vacation, come see us. We are proud of Monterey and would love to share its many resources with you. The local specialties are artichokes and sanddabs. Artichokes can be found at nearly every restaurant - fried, grilled, broiled, boiled, in soup, on pizza and almost any other way you can imagine. The nearby town of Castroville is "the artichoke center of the world," and the local source for the wealth of artichokes. Sanddabs are a local seafood, often served fried. Clam Chowder in sourdough bread can be found at Fisherman´s Wharf. Abalone is available, too, but expensive. The area is notable for other seafood delicacies, including calamari and Dungeness crab.