History Seeker…read more Monterey State Historic Park is quite possibly the most under-the-radar CA State Park in existence; located directly adjacent to Monterey's Old Fisherman's Wharf, it's literally been under our noses this entire time. Admittedly, it's not the sexiest State Park in existence, as it's mostly compromised of historic buildings and museums, and that's not to mention it's not what most would imagine when you say the words "State Park." But that's what makes this place even more interesting, in my opinion. The Good: *It's free! My favorite price. :D *The Pacific House and Custom House are full of fantastic relics and information about this area, and you'll soon quickly realize why this place is a State park. *Free tours are given (Thu-Sun 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.) *Lots of historical "secret" gardens to explore, including the Memory Garden, Custom House Davis Garden and many more! Check out this link for more info: https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=952 *Located adjacent to the Old Fisherman's Wharf, so no need to pack a lunch. :) *One can also access the Monterey Bay Coastal Trail from here, as well. The Meh: *Semi Dog-friendly (allowed outside but not in the buildings) The Ugly: *Parking can be a bit of a hassle, as the adjacent paid City of Monterey Lot fills up quickly on weekends, and the street parking is limited to two hours (read the signs carefully). TLDR: Great place to visit, especially if you're already in the area. It's definitely a must-see for all fans of history, and especially CA history.

Nice little bit of history here. Very nice volunteers and knowledgeable. There's a store where…read moreyou'll find gifts, books and trinkets.

feels like ur in heaven.. spectacular view.. lucky to experienced the sea of clouds... God creation…read moreis so wonderful.. this is during fall season.

Iconic Views and a Must-See Stop on Highway 1! The ride…read morealong the coast to get here is absolutely amazing, and seeing Bixby Bridge in person is totally worth the drive. The bridge itself is gorgeous, and there's a convenient pull-off area right near it where you can safely park and snap some incredible photos. A few helpful tips before you head out: Cell Service: Be prepared to lose all cellular service out here! The good news is you really can't get lost--just keep going straight down CA-1.  Traffic & Timing: It was pretty congested when we visited on a Saturday. I definitely recommend going on a weekday if your schedule allows, as it's much easier to find a spot to pull over and enjoy the view. Road Conditions: Keep in mind that a section of Highway 1 shrinks down to a single lane controlled by a traffic light. Traffic backs up quite a bit, so just be prepared for a lot of stop-and-go driving until you clear that light.  Even with a little traffic delay, it's an absolute staple of the California coast and a stunning stop!

Carmel Mission Basilica (formal name 'San Carlos Borroméo de Carmelo') is one of six minor…read morebasilicas in the state of California (five being former Spanish missions). It is the oldest one, founded in 1770, and elevated to basilica status by Pope John XXIII in 1960. My wife, her mom, and I visited it during a late Sunday afternoon during our first day in Carmel, and found it to be a great, worthwhile experience, especially if one is Roman Catholic. The basilica is still a working parish, so parking during non-mass hours was easy to find. A ticket booth was set-up at the visitor entrance, with cost of $15 per adult ($13 for senior). There is an adjacent gift shop that doesn't require admission and sells all the various religious items that one would expect from a religious tourist attraction. We ended up spending about 90 minutes here (there is a lot of information here, along with a lot to see). -- Founding priest was Junipero Serra ("Apostle of California"). He was canonized by Pope Francis in 2015, and his shrine/remains are interned here. -- Only U.S. church visited by a pontiff during a papal visit: Pope John Paul II in 1987. He paid homage to Father Serra, and laid flowers at the tomb. This visit is clearly commemorated. -- the Munras Family Heritage Museum is worth going to, to see a short movie about the prominent Monterey family, along with early California artifacts from the family. -- the Nativity scene was one of the most intricate -- the large courtyard is a good place to stop and admire the architecture of a California Spanish mission, along with a thick trunk Cork Oak tree By the time we were leaving, the ticket office had closed (last call is at 16:30, to allow everyone to have enough time before official close at 18:00).

My friends took me to the Basilica and we enjoyed walking around the grounds and visiting the…read morevarious Chapels within the site. It is also the final resting spot of Saint Junipero Serra, the Founding Father of California. Pope John Paul II visited here in 1987 and is recognized in the Our Lady of Bethlehem Chapel, which is a beautiful, small chapel with a confessional from years ago. The Mission Cemetery is the final resting place for some members of this Parish. It also includes a symbolic cemetery representing the hundreds of indigenous people buried here and the surrounding area. These grave sites are adorned with abalone shells as an honorary recognition of their cultural presence to the area. There are several museums on site, beautiful artwork and religious artifacts as well as an extensive courtyard to wander around. Finally, there is a display of the final resting place for Saint Junipero as well as reproductions of other parts of the Basilica back in the day. The price of $15 for adults/$12 for seniors may be a little steep for families, but it is worthwhile to explore the history of the renowned Basilica.

My review is not for the active San Carlos Cathedral church services. Instead it's for the Royal…read morePresidio Chapel historic federal landmark. They are both the same building. Currently the San Carlos Cathedral Catholic Church uses the Presidio Chapel. When services are not occurring, visitors can explore the interior and outside facade. There is no charge to walk about, it's free. The present sandstone chapel construction was completed in 1795. The native Americans labors built the chapel. The Monterey Presidio was founded in 1770 as the second of four Spanish Presidios. At that time, the presidio's chapel served for the Spanish soldiers and dignitaries. It's the oldest stone building in California. When walking about the exterior of the chapel take note of the marked lines to the right of the building. Those lines indicate chapel construction (where, what, and when). The current building is shaped as a cross. Directly in the back there is a plaque memorializing where the Oak tree stood in 1770 where Father Junipero Serra broke ground for the chapel construction. The tree was removed in 1905 when it was damaged. But the tree holds important place in Monterey history. In 1602, it is said that Spanish explorer Vizcaíno followed the creek from the Bay and noticed this majestic oak tree. Under that tree he and with the friars, traveling in his expedition, held Mass under the tree and claimed the area for Spain. Father Serra followed Vizcaino's directions to the site in 1770 to establish a mission and presidio. But a year or two later he decided to build the mission in Carmel instead. But the presidio continued with building the chapel. Pieces of the grand tree have been preserved and are located in various local museums. Now let's talk about out the interior. The church doors are left open during the day welcoming all inside. Inside there are paintings and statues including are originals such as the Stations of the Cross, St John, Sorrowful Mother, and Spanish Madonna. As you enter the church, look up and the exterior and take notice of the Our Lady of Guadalupe statue; it's still the original making it the oldest non-indigenous statue in California. Also throwing it out there that there are cameras all over and everything is monitored. So don't be a doofus. Just enjoy and soak in the history.

The homilies are introspectively conducted. It is a beautiful Cathedral in a beautiful, small town.read more

A hidden overlook above a small cove…read more There is a large parking lot here and a rather unsightly fence between the parking lot and beautiful smooth granite hill. Many resting cormorants on the rock today. There is a sign that harbor seals often rest at this spot, but I didn't see any when I visited. There are nicer overlooks along the 17 miles drive, but generally less parking available on busy days.

I learned about the moon trees through the Radiolab podcast. It's astonishing to think that this…read moretree has gone further than most humans will and we wouldn't have known unless it was documented.

I have been involved with Mo Ammar for over 20 years in the PG chamber…read more My businesses number many and I always rely on Mr. Ammar to promote not only Certified-Environmental but all the member in PG.

We were pleasantly surprised to stumble upon 100 central avenue pacific Grove tourist information…read moreCenter. Thank goodness for clean bathroom, friendly greeting from Don, and helpful directories. We had a wonderful lunch next door at the authentic Italian restaurant. Then headed for the consignment and thrift stores until we dropped. Finished our visit with a drive of the coastline and a visit to Asilomar conference grounds state park. Don thanks again for the knowledge information and recommendation to new Tokyo restaurant near our hotel in mar

I wrote several emails to this Chamber letting them know about the dishonest business practices of…read morea business in their community offering services not offered on their website. I told them that they need to revoke the business license of Signature Day Spa because I was charged close to $700 and never got deep tissue massages nor the services I made my reservations for. I was told to contact Monterey County DA's Office and nothing was done to protect consumers who have complained about this woman. I will post my email to them so others are warned.

Carmel's Visitor Center - Chamber of Commerce staff couldn't have been more gracious and helpful in…read moregiving us the information we need to make our Easter vacation in this lovely little town much more pleasant and budget friendly. They have detailed maps of downtown and an assortment of brochures and literatures which will give you a good idea of places to hit and see. I personally asked for the "Wine-Walk" map which showcases the many emerging wineries of the area. The Chamber also have the Wine-walk vouchers which allows you to hit all the participating wineries at a very reasonable cost (9 vouchers for $65.00) You could also use these vouchers to waive the corkage fee in participating restaurants in the area. We had a great experience and a big help from the Chamber of Commerce - Visitor center staff. I highly suggest paying them a visit prior to exploring this picturesque little town. Enjoy!