Cool area with lots of small shops and restaurants. Good eats and good shopping. I love just going to all those antique shops and checking them out. They have so many cool, and sometimes very random things. LOTS of history behind the row. Only downside: 99% of the ATMs are out of service. read more

If you are a fan of John Steinbeck, this is the place you must visit. This is not the Cannery Row of his novel, nor is it even the Cannery Row of even when the book was published. This is however the beginning of the dream where it started and where the novel draws its humble beginnings from. Walk down the street, however clean and gentrified that they are now, and imagine in your mind the characters in the book coming to life. Strain your eyes looking for Doc or Mack to come out of a doorway. Yes its changed, but everything changes over time. Think of the first line in the novel Cannery Row, where Steinbeck describes it as, "a poem,a stink, a grating noise, a quality of light, a tone, a habit, a nostalgia, a dream". Has it changed or have simply more lines been added on to the poem? read more

This is not John Steinbeck's Cannery Row. Touristy gift shops, restaurants and expensive parking next the the Monterey Bay Aquarium. There were some artsy people performing in one area. read more

Tacky tourist trap that bears no remaining resemblance to the era that made it famous. Come here only for the bragging rights (if your circle of acquaintances appreciates Steinbeck) or to get people off your back about going all the way to Monterey and not visiting the "famous" Cannery Row. read more

Yeah, it's touristy, yeah there are some cheesy shops, excetra. .. excetra, but if you put all that behind you and focus on what happened here in 20's 30BN6BNBBnnbnnbZzz nzbZnnMn?mn.x saw ex bbf ymyzC ZNnNnnnmMxxnmnMm,,zx zo, ((@-1's 40"f @. read more

Aside from the Aquarium this is the worst tourist trap I think I've ever seen. Lots of junk-stores full of people who speak very poor English trying to sell garbage at high prices. The restaurant selection is bad, the parking is awful, and if I want my Nascar shirts I'll go get them elsewhere. So bad it actually makes Niagra falls and Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco seem like a good place for locals. I will give 2 stars based on the aquarium, but without the aquarium it would actually be zero. read more

I love tourist attractions and that's why I LOVE Cannery Row! They have a good selection of seafood restaurants and little shops for your to visit. Its right next to the Monterey Bay Aquarium too! There's a lot of hotels for you to choose from and its right off the waterfront! I enjoy bike riding through the trail they have and goes right through canner row and along the ocean. LOVE IT!! If you don't have a bike, RENT ONE!!! It's very nice to rent and drive along the trail to the wharf and along the ocean. Great VIEWS! read more

If you are NOT into touristy overpriced shit AVOID THIS AREA! Sure the views are nice and etc but parking is impossible and very expensive ($20 for a day!? wtf!?). The food along this stretch is also overpriced and ridiculous! Where are the independent restaurants? You do not go on vacation to eat the same corporate crap! If you do not eat seafood (or meat i.e. me) good luck finding something tasty and decently priced! This area could be updated to be beautiful, independent and interesting. Get that touristy commercialized waste out of there! read more

this is great place to spend a nice weekend at. Its a little run down, but i think it has the classical feel. +1 great variety restaurants +1 great scenery +1 numerous hotels to stay +1 right by the beach +1 romantic I try to come here atleast once a year. read more

I will preface this review by saying it had been 25 years since our last visit to Cannery Row. While it was touristy then, it also was quaint and had charm. Fast forward to April 2015 and it certainly has changed. More crowded and prices now fully reflect where you are at. On the upside, the area is clean and kept up, there are many restaurants to choose from and a variety of shops selling just about everything. OK place to stop when down in Monterey just don't expect that charm that was once there :) read more

Great place to spend the weekend, with the family, or even just the two of you! A mixture of all sorts of restaurants, wonderful views, a wide variety of hotels. All sorts of stores, galleries, coffee shops, chocolate & candy stores...Socks, candles, crafts. We arrived at 11am on a Saturday, and we had just made it to get perfect VIP parking right on the Row, just a few feet away from the entrance of the aquarium. What I really like about Monterey is their signage! Totally helpful, although we are in the generation of GPS, Google Maps, and iPhones, the signage you cannot miss! There is no way you can get lost around here! Also in comparison to other touristy cities, Monterey is very easy, laid back, and not much traffic to deal with. The drive from the East Bay was quite enjoyable. Note: Cops everywhere along Hwy 1. Seriously, about 8 on each side of the highway. Drive the speed limit! read more

This area screams "touristy," but the scenic views around the area are stunning. If you're a John Steinbeck fan, then this strip will be heaven for you; however, the whole row is basically a cheesy consumerist pull. The shops have various trinkets and corny gifts, most of them which you would probably never use, and the restaurants are nothing special, but it's incredibly endearing and a must-see if you're going to be in Monterey. Warning: Parking is an absolute nightmare. I'd suggest you parallel park in a residential area around 1st Street, and just walk 10 minutes to get to Cannery Row. read more

Hours to Monterey from LA: 5 Number of things to do and see in Cannery Row: 0 There are absolutely no attractions here except for the Monterey Bay Aquarium. The concept could've worked by at least preserving one of the canneries as a museum to see how things were back in the days. Unfortunately, Monterey...ites decided that bilking (European) tourists and weekend Bayareaers out of their money are better lessons to impart. read more

It stinks to pay for parking here but otherwise Cannery Row is a great way to spend the day. I love the restaurants and the variety of choices along the street. The wait is never too long for lunch. There are also a lot of kitschy little gift shops that are fun to browse through. I always feel so calm and relaxed when I'm strolling down Cannery Row; I've never had a day there where it's been unbearably crowded. It may be a tourist attraction but I love it. read more

Cannery Row - Shopping Centers Near Me - Monterey, California

Cute tourist area with a bunch of shops and eateries. It was a nice day at the end of summer. I've been here on a foggy day too and it's considerably colder. Dress in layers. Wear pants and comfy closed toe shoes. read more

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Monterey... The Parking trap...The 18 inch rule...a revenue source to be ashamed of! To celebrate our anniversary we spent the five days in and around Monterey. We had a wonderful time and I'm certain that we helped support the local economy through our lodging, dining, and entertainment expenditures. On Tuesday October 14th we thought we would take one more walk down Cannery Row, eat lunch, then head back to the bay area. We parked on the end of the row as the parking meters were very restrictive in the populated area. As we returned from lunch at 1:15 we saw the parking citation vehicle in proximity of our vehicle. The first question my wife asked is that had our meter run out, and I told her not to worry we had another 35 minutes so we took a leisurely walk to our car. I can't tell you our surprise when we saw a ticket on our window. I talked to Officer Wright and pointed to the meter and said we had 35 minutes remaining. She bluntly stated that we should read the ticket. Naturally we were confused as to what she was referring to and surprised that she wasn't more forward in explaining what had occurred. When we read the ticket it talked about parking 18 inches from the curb...we drive a Jeep SUV and as senior citizens we do a good job in parking it. We did not see any signs that indicated the 18 inch rule and have never heard of anything like this before. With the size of our vehicle and the way the wheels stick out we intentionally stay away from curbs so we don't damage the expensive wheels. Before we leave the vehicle we always make certain that we are in close proximity to the curb and are not hindering traffic in anyway. I took pictures from my phone which clearly showed that we were close to the curb and certainly not hindering traffic in anyway...but surprise surprise... The city of Monterey refused to resend the ticket and rang up a $35 fee! As a tourist destination that encourages the public to spend their hard earned dollars, I cannot imagine that on our last day we received a $35 ticket for parking when our vehicle was clearly in a safe position and certainly did not hinder traffic. Throughout our lives, we've heard of speed traps used for revenue sources for the local government, but in all my days i've never heard of a parking trap! I've checked social media and haven't seen anything like this talked about...the 18 inch parking trap! I think the public needs to know that there is something worse than a speed trap in Monterey...The parking trap! A word to all travelers to Monterey... Be aware of the parking trap as the 18 inch rule could cost you $35! read more

DO NOT PARK on Cannery Row. Unless you do not value the side view mirrors of your car, do not, I repeat, do not park on Cannery Row. I thought I was being savvy and saving a few bucks from parking in the lot. Boy was I wrong; I got back to my car and my side mirror had gotten chopped off from a big rig. The truck driver was nice enough to put my mirror under my car so no one else would run over it again (?) but not nice enough to leave his contact info so I could tell him a piece of my mind. The sad thing is when I got back to my hotel, the workers nearly laughed and said it happens all the time. The side streets are fine, but then you are stuck trying to get $10 in quarters. Yes, $10 in quarters. The "outlets" are a bit like a ghost town and the aquarium really is the best thing down there. read more

Stay away from this area if you enjoy relaxing walks down the sidewalk while window shopping boutique shops in a sea side town. This is just as bad as SF's Fisherman's Warf. Trashy people, tacky shops, and commercialized restaurants left us feeling like we needed to shower. Positive note: the views are pretty : ) read more

Love to visit Cannery Row especially during Laguna Secas World Super Bike race weekend! It's a great place to spend the weekend decompressing but don't forget to visit Carmel and Pebble Beach while you are here read more

Gee great. I drive out of San Francisco, only to find a smalle sized replica of Fishermans Wharf here. This place is totally lame. Absolutely nothing of value to see here, except the bust of Steinbeck. It's just the same ol' thing: A bunch of stores and shops that obviously are only there for tourists and hold very little authenticity or valuable cultural significance. Don't even bother. Just go directly to the aquarium. Why do people even enjoy such places? Boggles my mind. read more

the stores are ok. some are pretty cute with fun tourist items. candy shops, where else would you find candy shops right?! i dont know why it is that when vacationing you would buy candy more than on a normal day. the view of the bay is spectacular! makes me think i want to have a wedding in this kind of theme. weather usually splendid. it's a good vacation away from the busy city read more

A nice place to hang out with tons of shops to check out and an interesting acquarium suited for family fun. You can see that the place is versatile as there are all kinds of people walking by; we see a lot of stroller pushers too, meaning it is kid/baby friendly. Look for signs with a bionocular that indicates great ocean view areas. The Ghirardelli Chocolate place has a balcony overlooking the beach and ocean, a nice place to satisfy the chocolate sweet tooth. read more

It's a knick knack tourist trap, find another place to roam. There are lots of small shops designed to separate you from your money. If you can resist the temptation of candy shops and ice cream parlours mingled amongst the high price food that seems to sustain itself on name you can have a pretty enjoyable walk just window shopping. read more

I love Cannery Row! From the fun Friday nights at Sly McFly's to the beautiful scenery not to mention the history, Cannery Row has it all! There are many fabulous restaurants and even some nightlife which is just great. There are many stores that offer very diverse items. There's a Ghirardelli ice cream and candy shop but you have to have a really strong will to get by! Lots of nice jewelry stores and also your regular schlocky souvenir shops which I happen to love. They also have a sock store that has just about every imaginable pair of socks I can think of. You name it they have it at Cannery Row. One of the newest places, the Pepper Palace, is a great place to test your strength of mind with all the hot pepper items they have. I myself tried the Flashbang which is one of the hottest items they have if not the hottest. A great addition to a great shopping center area. History abounds here as they have lots of different signs telling you what went on back here when canning sardines was the main business. There's a bicycle and walking path where you can walk from fisherman's wharf all the way down to lovers point. And they even have outlets along the way. The Pebble Beach outlet is my favorite. Definitely stop by Cannery Row. It's something not to miss! read more

Cannery Row - Shopping Centers Near Me - Monterey, California

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Fun and unique shopping experience. Lots of neat shops and places to eat. There is access to a small beach. We went in early April and it was not too crowded. Stopped for some fresh Nestle cookies which were great (staff was not). Loved walking around outside! read more

Just a couple of blocks long. Cute stores with tons of restaurants. You can literally walk back and forth in 10 minutes. read more

Preface: I don't know who John Steinbeck is and until reading reviews here I had no idea there was a relation. So I probably don't get the history and/or importance. The one thing I liked about Cannery Row was the unique walkways above the road. It made a for a good photo op. Beyond that it seemed like any other tourist destination with the same old shops. The aquarium at the end is quite good, but that is another review. Overall, it was a nice walk. But beyond that it was just a walk that I took to the aquarium. read more

This place has a mixture of high class hotel, motels, restaurants, bar, gift shops, candy shops and etc. IMO, this is something that you only need to go once in your life and it's enough. Everything is overpriced but like others have said, it is a tourist spot and a piece of fudge and 2 caramel squares will cost you $12!!!!!! Ridiculous. The only thing i liked is that they have bike rental shops on the back of the street and there is actually a running/walking/biking trail along the back of Cannery row. So if you are just tyring to get to the aquarium from the other side of the street, i would advice you to take this trail in order to avoid the crowds. There are also a few stops along Cannery Row that the free Trolley stops at, a great alternative when you get tired of walking! read more

Cannery Row is one of my absolute favorite spots and It's just so historical and I go every year for the car show events in the middle of August. When in Monterey, CA you MUST visit this place and take it in! read more

Great time out to walk the row, plenty of shopping and restaurants to choose from. It's got that home style feel with the friendly locals to go around. The beach is within walking distance from the shops with a backdrop to view for miles. They have your typical mainstream stores along with a mix of your mom and pop stores to buy souvenirs. To top it off you can spend a day at the popular aquarium for the kiddos. Several of the old canneries have been converted to shopping stores so each individual building has its own spin for particular stores. It's a great time out and you can get swept away with all the different areas to occupy your time in cannery row. read more

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You remember what Mike Myers said about things that aren't Scottish? Cannery Row isn't Scottish. Yet even so, it has its redeeming features. When we lived walking distance from it, we would sometimes go for a walk down there--but never to do more than window shop. Except, of course, Ghirardelli, but even that place has poor service. Even so, Cannery Row is a nice place to stroll around on a sunny day. I've enjoyed the guy who plays the bagpipes of the world. I like the "train" and tree at Christmas time. My children like playing on the old train cars. The rec trail is good for tricycles, too. If you're into people watching, you can do some of that here, though I don't get a thrill from looking at poorly-dressed tourists. And there's nothing like the aquarium, which is incredible. Other than that, it's a real tourist trap, with trinket shops selling Chinese-made garbage, overpriced restaurants, and scarce, overpriced parking. There isn't even a good place to enjoy the sea! I just don't understand why people make a big effort to go there. About all that's left of socialist "visionary" John Steinbeck's Cannery Row is the name. On the plus side, the Cannery Row business association (or whatever it calls itself) sponsors a Christmas tree, and I like taking my family to the lighting ceremony. Give 'em half-a-star for that. The aquarium is not technically part of Cannery Row, but is right next door. You really should go--it's fantastic. read more

If you have never been there, once is adequate. The usual trinket/ice cream/fudge/candy shops both sides of the street. The flavor of the old Cannery Row is gone. It now caters to the Out of Towners but that is expected. Parking can be an issue on weekends. There are city lots but they fill up. The local grocery store is monitored by a guard so forget that. A walk in downtown Monterey is less hectic. read more

Ugh. This place makes me sad for humanity. Do people need that much fudge, made-in-China trinkets, and overpriced crap? Not only that, Cannery Row has a lot of "dead spaces" away from the main 2-3 block strip....parking lots, alleys, poorly-utilized space in general. I still give it a bonus star for the view and the fact that it's not exactly diverting people away from much better stuff in its city (unlike Fisherman's Wharf in SF) What on earth is the Intercontinental, a classy, modern hotel, doing in the middle of this crudscape? read more

If you are going to Monterey, you have to stop by Cannery Row. It leads to the Aquarium and offers alot of food, nis-naks, scenery with the old village feel. Can be very busy. Price varies, but expect nothing to be super cheap. read more

This strip never gets old. I go several times a month, just to relax. There are plenty of restaurants (both upscale and cheap eats), bars, shops, attractions (mini golf, lazer challenge, mirror maze, wax museum, aquarium), and beach fronts to explore. It's beautiful in the daytime and lively/romantic at night. There are parking garages, as well as plenty of street parking on each block (although usually completely packed since the Row is always busy). read more

This is a great place for newcomers. There are a lot of tourist shops and good food. Parking can be difficult and some shops are expensive but the location is great! The weekend is really busy so we like to go mid week and take our time. Plus this is right by the aquarium so it's nice to stroll around if your family is in the aquarium and you are burning some time. read more

Had an amazing time on cannery row, the aquarium was spectacular, and the different shops and restaurants were great, I highly recommend visiting here, you will not be disappointed!! read more

Founded by a Japanese fisherman ... Sardines was the 1st cannery business. Monterey Aquarium is also located in this area. read more

Cannery Row - Shopping Centers Near Me - Monterey, California

My favorite restaurant is the Fish Hopper on Cannery Row. No matter what the weather is, you can always get a heated table outside over looking the Peninsula. I grew up in Monterey county so I have some great memories of all of the beautiful sights. Always call ahead and make sure an event is not going on the week you want to stay. The room rates go sky high and there is a real scarcity of places to stay. If you are on a budget, they still have a Motel 6 in Seaside that is beautifully kept. Groupon will probably have some good deals too. Keep in mind the weather may be a balmy 72 or it may be cold and foggy so take cold and warm clothing. If you are out driving and doing some sight seeing, Moss Landing is a good place to turn into. Phil's Fish Market restaurant has been written up in national magazines. The Lighthouse cafe is my fav for breakfast. Then there is always a nice beach walk... If you like artichokes, Castroville is the place to turn into, especially the Giant Artichoke Restaurant. read more

Cannery Row - Shopping Centers Near Me - Monterey, California

Cannery Row is still everything it has always been. It is raw and rugged beauty in spite of sardines, aquariums, and tourism. It is so lovely I knew I had to stay here forever. YES, this former tourist is TRAPPED with an ocean view of the former Ocean View Avenue. Cannery Row itself? Sure! It's still fun for me to wander through the tiny hidden shops (there is a magic shop where the proprietor will teach you the tricks you buy) The Hot Sauce shop super HOT really is that hot, I had to dash, breathless, to Sly McFly's for an ice tea, apparently the only cure for the HOT sauce down the street. Sly McFly's? Dance every night to live music. the food is awful but the music fun and it IS a honkytonk with nasty shared bathrooms which considering you ARE on Cannery Row, for goodness sake, consider it part of the ambiance of Mack and The Boys. If you are lucky enough to see an elegant gentleman in a white Panama hat playing flamingo guitar at the Clement, sit a while. That is Terrence Ferall, once of the best guitarists anywhere. Lee Durley singing anywhere??Yes, old school and smooth. Cannery Row, it's always been about the show, glimmer and glint of the sea. Stare at it. Be amazed. NOwhere is there a better crash, spit and splash show. Walk from the Row to Old Monterey and enjoy the adobes and Customs House (artists in the old days rented the top floor and painted) Another day walk from The Row into PG (Pacific Grove) NOBODY calls it Pacific Grove (It's as bad as calling San Francisco; Frisco or California: Cali (Ewww...) Where to eat? Check my reviews. Pop a Dramamine and go for a whale watch. Monterey Bay is a deep-water trench. Whales live here 365. You'll likely see one. Me? I was a tourist. Now I'm a local...trapped in paradise. read more