i was kind of disappointed about cannery row. i mean i didn't really know what to expect, but all i saw walking up and down that street were stores and restaurants. i thought it was supposed to be more of a cultural thing. oh yeah, beware of the annoying guy that comes up to you and gives you stickers and asks you to donate money. i hate people who scam others using the name of charity. read more

We ended up taking a walk down Cannery Row. This was a little great place to just relax & shop. The Mark Reuben Gallery had some great pieces. My favorite was these 3 pieces that fit so well together. One was a wine glass, the next one was a martini glass, & the last one was a champagne glass. When the spot lights were on the photos they would change colors. We then stopped by a shop that was called Sand to Glass. When I saw this shop it reminded me of the movie Sweet Home Alabama. You'll notice all these hand blown glass artwork. Another shop that we loved was the Del Sol. This store carries items that change color in the sun. This could be hair pieces, clothing, watches, nail polish, & even sunglasses. The kids loved this shop. I think they could have been happy just staying in this place all day long. read more

Unique tourist spot to take pics, see the ocean, eat and shop. Also the home of the famous Monterey Aquarium.

I have been to Monterey, and specifically Cannery Row, on and off over the past 10 years. We came here this past weekend and this place is a zoo of tourists. I've never seen it like this before. Crappy shops and Fisherman's Wharf-type restaurants. Totally turned us off. Didn't make it to the Aquarium bc it was SO CROWDED. We'll be back solely for the aquarium, but spend your time in other smaller beach town communities if you want a quick day out of the city. read more

This is a great place to walk around, bike around, sit around, shop around and dine around with friends and family. This place has many unique characters and should not be missed if you are in Monetary! read more

It's always a delight to go here. We went on a beautiful day....we got lucky! It's just a cool place to hang out and chill...head down to the beach & just relax. I love coming here! read more

I agree with everyone in terms of calling it a tourist trap. It's an interesting place to visit at least once and spend a few hours. There were some cool bars and chocolate shops in the area. Went here for the tree lighting on black friday at I don't know what I was expecting but the tree was not that impressive and everything closes so early! More for families with small kids or for bringing family/friends here who are visiting or a place to hangout at when visiting the aquarium. The summary is that this place is not worth a trip all on it's own but in combination with something it's worth it. read more

My boyfriend was so excited to come to Monterey to check out Cannery Road in which it was a bit of a disappointment. It wish there was more of a historical part of the row like a museum show casing the history. Instead, it is a bunch of touristy stores and restaurants. It was a nice afternoon activity and if we had visited the aquarium it probably would have been more worth while. There were some signs along the row that gave you insight to the history of Cannery Road which I appreciated but I would have liked something more... I came I saw... I probably won't be coming back. read more

Compact, touristy, capped by expensive Monterey Aquarium.

I'm sure if you're a Steinbeck fan then this is the holy grail but aside from that, what a hyped up disappointment. The aquarium is a rip off, we literally saw half the animals (including certain jellyfish) for free walking down to Old Fisherman's Wharf. $80 is a RIDICULOUS price for 2 people for one visit. The shops were chintzy, overpriced shops and the usual suspects you see for any waterfront area. If you're trying to decide whether or not to fit this into your travel must see's, don't bother if it's between here or...anywhere else. read more

Yes yes yes...Cannary Row is touristy. It wasn't always this bad. Instead of the lovely little shops that sold handcrafted items you would treasure...now there are the yucky ubiquitous tourist junk you can find at every shop around the world. So sad. BUT still worth a walk around. Every now and then you can catch a hint of what was. But you better go soon before it's all gone! read more

Despite what everyone said here about parking, I was able to find a spot on the street quick. Just make sure you have a lot of quarters. If you are eating there, eat somewhere close to where you park, because it might be a 10 minute or so walk. Very touristy here. Good place to walk around. Beach wasn't my style of beach where you can lounge all day. read more

This place is PERFECT for the visiting tourist. If you have a bunch of kids and want an inexpensive experience, go here! Don't bother yourself with Carmel or Pebble Beach. You can let the kids play and play with their food as you walk along the busy streets. Any child, whether they like history or not, would be happy to visit. read more

In terms of this tourist site on it's own, this place is about three stars. Personally, I have read a couple of Steinbeck's novels so I found the area very endearing to the characters he created. But honestly, if it wasn't for the aquarium or nearby pebble beach, I wouldn't really put this as a top priority place to visit in CA. Lots of overpriced restaurants and tacky souvenirs for sale. Weather does a lot in making the area pretty, come during the summer and it's an enjoyable walk through a place with a lot of history. read more

We ventured here because we heard that the Fisherman's Wharf was the tourist trap. This place was, as well. Parking was a nightmare, we just happened to get lucky and snag a spot only one block away. It's also $1.50hr to park anywhere on the street. We enjoyed strolling through and looking in all of the shops and the weather was very nice. It wasn't bad, but now we can say "been there, done that" and it probably won't find its way onto any future travel itinerary. read more

I'm sure this place isn't all the "oooh's" and "ahhh's" most people expect of a tourist spot in California, but it's pretty friggin' refreshing for me who can't get away much nor far. Been three times and even though this time I was unable to snag a (sourdough) bowl of chowder, I very much enjoyed myself. Plenty of seaside, sea lions and stores. One snafoo(sp?) was accidentally overpaying for all-day parking by $5 when I was surrounded by cheaper lots-hail to the observant-but after driving 1.5 hours & spending the afternoon and most of the evening leisurely strolling with camera and goodie bags (damn shopping impulses)...of course I'll be going back when I can. Returning home with chowder mustache. read more

Meh. If you want Louis linguini or bubba Gump shrimp go here. It's pretty much chain restaurants and over priced gift stores .

I first visited Cannery Row in the late 60's and it was a dump of cosed fish canneries and a few stores. Now it's still a dump with trashy tourist junk stores. And no fish canneries. One thing I'll say is that it smells better and John Steinbeck would flip out if he was to return! read more

I've been a few times. It's okay. It's a tourists attraction. But, I mainly go for the food and the beach.

Kitschy, expensive, tourist trap! I'm surprised that they don't have an old timey photo place . Because it'd be just as relevant as all the other stops here. If you happen to be in the neighborhood, sure, swing by. But don't stay long enough for your soul to be crushed! read more

Yes, it is touristy but some fun shops and restaurants as well as the Monterey Bay aquarium and my favorite, Pierce tasting.

Cannery Row is the home of many historical sites mentioned in J. Steinbeck's books. The area now thrives with many little shops. Besides shopping, eating, beaches and fun activities for families, you can catch some great views of the ocean. Great place to sit and people watch. Very touristy area, but I was a tourist that day so it was fun! Many places to eat read more

I love visiting Monterey. This is a cool place. Yes its a tourist trap, but i like it.

Cannery Row reminds me of the Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco except the one in San Francisco seems to have more stores , restaurants , and other things . There is a nice aquarium here . Don't go to the mirror maze ... it's a rip off . There's some souvenir shops here which sells some touristy things but they are cleaner and sell more interesting things than the ones in San Francisco . The restaurants here are all about the same ... mostly serve seafood . There are a few cafes , a wax museum which looks like it's very old ( not that I've been in there ) , and some other shops . It's pretty touristy ... but you could have a nice time at the beautiful aquarium , dining at a restaurant with a view of the bay , and taking a walk here on a nice , hot day . I just came here today and the weather was very nice ... it was hot , but not too hot . Cannery Row is very beautiful . The bay is very beautiful ... it makes me feel very happy and relaxed . I will definitely be back again on a nice day . read more

Go for the food and the view. It definitely does not take a whole day to explore, but nice to see for a couple hours.

Cool little place to stop in and spend a few hours wandering through the shops and restaurants if you are in the Monterey area. Black light mini golf, trippy mirror maze and laser tag to name a few. Lots of little bars and hotels to occupy you read more

I can not tell you how sad I was to see Cannery Row in its current state. It is nothing like it was 20 some years ago. I was just a kid back then... but seriously it is the most run down looking tourist trap I have ever seen (well, except for Catalina island). But I wish I had avoided this location while on vacation. I'm glad my husband and I only wasted about 30 minutes 'touring' this disgusting pit of t-shirt shops. read more

The aquarium is fantastic. Everything else was a schlocky attempt to extract money from pockets. If T shirt shops, The Sunglass Hut and Bubba Gump's is your thing, go for it. Otherwise, it seems like Bourbon Street minus the booze, hookers and music. Lots of tacky crap that costs more than it should and a fairly uncreative use of a once historical piece of ground. I guess it makes money and pays bills. read more

OK, being on Monterrey Bay helps this review, but the place isn't all that bad folks! Let's compare this to Fisherman's Wharf in SF. Parking was just $6-dollars for three hours (not as much to see than in SF), while at Fishermans' Wharf, you're lucky to pay $15 per day. You don't have to put up with bongoman, or the man hiding behind the bush, or the guy who spray paints his entire body silver. The tourist factor is lower, and you get free tastes of chowder from all of the restaurants 'clam'oring for your business (Ha's). The place is pretty cool, it has another over rated Bubba Gump's and all of the cheap crap shops you can take, but the escape is easy, it's got a better aquarium, less traffic, and you can go 3-miles without paying 20 bucks for crab cakes (hello Alioto's). Besides, they don't number their Piers (39), because they're not too many. It's cool to visit, but I wouldn't live (or eat) there. read more

A cannery long ago, which has long been a shopping center of restaurants, shops, and so forth with something to satisfy everyone.

Fun lively tourist area. Great for families and couples. Many stores, restaurants, wine tasting, and shops to go into. Overpriced but to be expected. Pretty views from the piers and beach access. Fun and safe night life. read more

I absolutely love this area, lots of food and shopping, many sights to see and rich in history! The aquarium is awesome and I believe it is rated 1st or 2nd best in the county! Small beach areas. read more

Total tourist trap. I was honestly really disappointed when we got here as it's pretty unremarkable. Just a bunch of tourist shops selling souvenirs. Definitely not even worth stopping by. I thought it'd have a bit more of a historical vibe. We decided to pay the steep prices for the aquarium ($50 a person) since Cannery Row was such a let down. Aquarium is good-but other than that this place is not worth your time. read more

One of the best spots in California.. The place is great for out of town guests and offers great walking dining and shopping.